This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 1046496409340055v1 40/5/578    most recent References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Savelsbergh, C. M. J. H. Articles by Poell, R. F. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Development and Empirical Validation of a Multidimensional Measurement Instrument for Team Learning Behaviors

Open University of the Netherlands, chantal.savelsbergh{at}ou.nl

Beatrice I. J. M. van der Heijden

Maastricht School of Management Open University of the Netherlands University of Twente

Rob F. Poell

Tilburg University

The importance of teamwork to organizational success in today’s economy has been emphasized in literature for well over a decade. Effective teamwork can only be sustained, however, if it is supported by a process of team learning. Following Edmondson, the authors regard team learning as a group process comprising several concrete learning behaviors. The aim of this article is to report on the development of a conceptual framework and its operationalization into a measurement instrument for behaviors associated with team learning. A better understanding of these distinctive behaviors and their impact on team performance may help tailor interventions aimed at improving team performance. Based on a survey among 19 operational teams in the Dutch banking sector, the authors validated a multidimensional instrument for team learning behaviors. To prevent common-method bias, they used a multirater approach with two respondent groups, namely, team members and leaders (representing the insiders of the team), on one hand, as well as supervisors (representing the external stakeholders of the team), on the other hand. The data indicated a positive relationship between several team learning behaviors and team performance, and partly confirmed their theoretical model.

Key Words: multidimensional measurement instrument • team learning behaviors • team performance • validation study

This version was published on October 1, 2009

Small Group Research, Vol. 40, No. 5, 578-607 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1046496409340055


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?