The impact of autonomy and task uncertainty on team performance: A longitudinal field study

In this paper, we seek to account for modest and inconsistent empirical support for a positive relationship between team autonomy and team performance by proposing that team task uncertainty impacts on team performance and moderates the impact of increased autonomy. Task uncertainty is defined in te...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of organizational behavior 2010-02, Vol.31 (2-3), p.240-258
Main Authors: Cordery, John L., Morrison, David, Wright, Brett M., Wall, Toby D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autonomy
Business teamwork
Correlation analysis
Effluent treatment
Field study
Group performance
Human resources
Impact analysis
Industrial and organizational psychology
Intervention
Job performance
Job performance indicators
Modeling
Multilevel models
Organizational behavior
Research design
Studies
Task performance
Teams
Uncertainty
Wastewater
Wastewater treatment
Water treatment
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Summary:In this paper, we seek to account for modest and inconsistent empirical support for a positive relationship between team autonomy and team performance by proposing that team task uncertainty impacts on team performance and moderates the impact of increased autonomy. Task uncertainty is defined in terms of a team's lack of prior knowledge about which operational problems will arise when, and the best way of dealing with them. Results from a longitudinal field study of 17 wastewater treatment teams showed that higher levels of task uncertainty were initially associated with reduced performance, assessed in terms of the quality of treated effluent produced by the teams. An intervention designed to enhance team autonomy led to general improvements in team performance, though moderated by team task uncertainty. Under conditions of enhanced team autonomy, a positive relationship emerged between task uncertainty and team performance.
ISSN:0894-3796
1099-1379
1099-1379
DOI:10.1002/job.657