Being Different, But Close: How and When Faultlines Enhance Team Learning. Issue 4 (16th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rupert, Joyce; Blomme, Robert Jan; Dragt, Maria J.; Jehn, Karen
• Is Part Of: European management review. Volume 13:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 275
• Page End: 290
• Publication Date: 2016-08-16
• Subjects: faultline strength -- faultline distance -- transactive memory -- process learning -- task learning; Management -- Europe -- Periodicals; Management science -- Europe -- Periodicals; 658.009405
• DOI: 10.1111/emre.12083
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-4754

Abstract

Abstract : Although work‐group diversity may have potential positive impact on team learning and performance, the way diversity characteristics are distributed, influences whether teams exploit this potential. In this quantitative field study on 52 teams in two health‐care organizations, we examined the relationship between informational faultlines (the demographic alignment of the informational characteristics of the members in a group, creating relatively homogeneous subgroups) and team learning. We used a moderated‐mediation model to test the interplay between faultline strength (the alignment of characteristics) and distance (between subgroups, based on the characteristics) on task and process learning. We hypothesized and found that strong but close subgroups stimulate task and process learning in teams. This study also provides evidence that transactive memory is a mediator in the relationship between the interaction of faultline strength and distance with task and process learning.