Conceptualizing Emergent States: A Strategy to Advance the Study of Group Dynamics

In this review, we aim to advance work on group and team dynamics by examining how important elements of dynamism are embedded in the current literature on emergent states in groups. We use the concept of emergence as an organizing frame, building block, and critical lens, first summarizing key aspe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Academy of Management annals 2016-01, Vol.10 (1), p.561-598
Main Authors: Waller, Mary J., Okhuysen, Gerardo A., Saghafian, Marzieh
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Group dynamics
Teams
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Summary:In this review, we aim to advance work on group and team dynamics by examining how important elements of dynamism are embedded in the current literature on emergent states in groups. We use the concept of emergence as an organizing frame, building block, and critical lens, first summarizing key aspects of the extant literature on emergence, and then drawing four core characteristics of emergent phenomena from this literature. We use these characteristics to organize our review and examine how emergent states are portrayed in the past decade of groups literature. We end by exploring challenges to the development of a more dynamic perspective and by offering specific suggestions to guide and advance future work on groups and teams.
ISSN:1941-6520
1941-6067
DOI:10.1080/19416520.2016.1120958