It's About Time: Theorizing the Antecedents and Outcomes of Dynamic Processes in Teams and Multiteam Systems

摘要

Multiteam systems (MTS) are an organizational form comprised of two or more independent teams which share at least one common goal. These "teams of teams" can be found in all areas of life, from business to medicine, science to the military. Accordingly, it is of great interest to determine how these systems function, and what makes a MTS successful. There are several elements which contribute to effective system functioning, including interactions across boundaries, information sharing interactions, and the development of team and MTS identification through repeated interactions. I argue that integrating networks and time into the study of MTSs can provide novel insights into each of these areas. To gain such a perspective, I introduce a new paradigm -- the relational event framework -- which allows me to develop and test hypotheses based on sequences of actions and interactions between members of a multiteam system.;In this thesis, I pose four primary research questions: (1) how do communication patterns related to component team boundaries unfold, and what are the implications for team and MTS performance? (2) what aspects of information sharing are associated with effective MTS functioning, and how do successful teams transmit information over time? (3) how do members of a multiteam system dynamically expand or adapt their use of communication channels, and what implications do their decisions have for MTS performance? (4) how does a strong identification with the team and MTS coevolve with the interactions an individual has over time?;To answer each of these questions, I developed a theoretical framework based on sequences of relational events and their relationships with outcomes. My research objective is to empirically test each hypothesis and derive insights into MTS functioning. To carry out this analysis, I employed a dataset from a laboratory environment to facilitate the collection of continuous interaction information. In total, I utilized a dataset comprised of 59 experimental sessions, each involving 20 participants organized into a MTS. Communication logs from each session were translated into sequences of relational events, which I then analyzed to test my proposed hypotheses. My findings suggest that temporal patterns of communication within- and between teams have implications for performance which vary at the team and MTS level. Further, I find that successful teams and MTSs are differentiated by their strategies for sharing information and selecting communication channels. Finally, an individual's interactions can significantly shape how they identify with both their team and the system. Taken together, this thesis contributes to the extant literature by examining multiple facets of multiteam system functioning and determining the implications for performance. Furthermore, I advance the use of relational event models for studying group process, and provide extensions to the existing methods.