Teamwork and controversy in undergraduate management courses in Hong Kong : can the method reinforce the message?
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Swiss Journal of Psychology / Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Psychologie / Revue Suisse de Psychologie
Publication Date
9-1-2002
Volume
61
Issue
3
First Page
131
Last Page
138
Publisher
Hogrefe Verlag GmbH & Co. KG
Keywords
student teams, cooperation and competition, constructive controversy, strategic management, instructional methods
Abstract
Teams are increasingly recognized as critical for strategy, innovation, and other key organizational activities. This study used the theory of cooperation and competition to identify conditions that promote student team effectiveness in Hong Kong university undergraduate strategic management courses. Results from 70 teams across 12 classes indicate that groups with cooperative goals engaged in the open-minded constructive controversy; teams with independent goals avoided open discussion. Teams with a high level of constructive controversy rated themselves as effective; these teams also were rated as giving high quality presentations as measured by instructors’ marks but this result was not statistically significant. These results suggest that structuring cooperative teams can help students perform well in the classroom and may help prepared them to work in the emerging team organization.
DOI
10.1024//1421-0185.61.3.131
Print ISSN
14210185
E-ISSN
16620879
Publisher Statement
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Tjosvold, D., Wong, A., Nibler, R., & Pounder, J. S. (2002). Teamwork and controversy in undergraduate management courses in Hong Kong: Can the method reinforce the message? Swiss Journal of Psychology / Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Psychologie / Revue Suisse de Psychologie, 61(3), 131-138. doi: 10.1024//1421-0185.61.3.131