Cooperative goals and team agreeableness composition for constructive controversy in China

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Asia Pacific Journal of Management

Publication Date

3-1-2010

Volume

27

Issue

1

First Page

139

Last Page

153

Publisher

Springer New York LLC

Keywords

Constructive controversy, Cooperative goals, Team agreeableness composition

Abstract

Studies have shown that constructive controversy, which is the open-minded discussion of diverse views, contributes to team effectiveness. However, there are few studies on the conditions that facilitate constructive controversy. This study explores the antecedents of constructive controversy from both team interdependence (cooperative goals) and team personality composition perspectives. Sixty customer service teams from a call center of a large mobile communication service provider in China participated in the study. Results further document that cooperative goals predict to constructive controversy. Agreeableness diversity was also found to be an antecedent of constructive controversy, and this effect was moderated by team agreeableness level: The higher the team average agreeableness, the stronger the positive association between agreeableness diversity and constructive controversy. Results were interpreted as suggesting that both cooperative goals and team agreeableness composition can develop constructive controversy in work teams in China and possibly in other cultures.

DOI

10.1007/s10490-009-9175-y

Print ISSN

02174561

E-ISSN

15729958

Publisher Statement

Copyright © Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Wang, Z., Chen, Y. N., Tjosvold, D., & Shi, K. (2010). Cooperative goals and team agreeableness composition for constructive controversy in china. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 27(1), 139-153. doi: 10.1007/s10490-009-9175-y

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