Katerina Bezrukova

The effects of alignments: examining group faultlines, organizational cultures, and performance.

By integrating literature on group faultlines, organizational cultures, and value congruence, this research presents a framework that explains how cultural alignment across organizational levels may influence the relationship between faultlines and performance. The hypotheses were tested using representatively sampled multisource qualitative and quantitative data on 138 teams from a Fortune 500 company. The present findings demonstrate that although informational faultlines were detrimental for group performance, the negative relationship between faultlines and performance was reversed when cultures with a strong emphasis on results were aligned, was lessened when cultures with a weak emphasis on results were aligned, and remained negative when cultures were misaligned with respect to their results orientation. These findings show the importance of recognizing alignments not only within groups (group faultlines) but also outside groups (cultural alignments between the group and departments) when considering their implications for group performance.

Faultlines, fairness, and fighting: A justice perspective on conflict in diverse groups

Most people can recall instances at work where thankless tasks get in the way of tasks that lead to big rewards. This typically leads people in a group to a struggle with others over how to approach their work and set priorities. Inspired by such conversations with many employees, we develop a theory to understand how task conflict can be linked to distributive injustice. Using a survey from 42 workgroups, we found that the effect of distributive injustice on task conflict was mediated via role conflict. Group faultlines moderated this mediated relationship such as it was weaker when faultlines were stronger.

Group splits and culture shifts: a new map of the creativity terrain

In this chapter, we develop a theoretical model of group splits, culture shifts, and creativity in diverse groups. This model explains how the strength of informational faultlines can elicit a culture shift from a desired to an actual culture of creativity in a team, which then might differentially influence team creativity and group performance. We further argue that subgroup support and team creative efficacy may enhance the interaction of informational faultlines with a desired culture of creativity to facilitate the shift toward an actual culture of creativity. We also discuss future research directions and practical implications for stimulating creative behaviors in organizations.

Perceptions of Justice in Employee Benefits

Research has found that benefits are relevant in the fairness assessments of employees (Arnold T, Spell C, J Bus Psychol 20:599–620, 2006; Tremblay M, Sire B, Pelchet A, Hum Relat 51:667–688, 1998). Also, research has shown that employee perceptions of how fairly they are being treated have important implications for many business-related outcomes, including productivity and satisfaction (Greenberg J, J Manage, 16:399–432, 1990), mental health (Tepper BJ, Organ Behav Hum Decis Process 86:197–215, 2001), and conflict (Cropanzano R, Bowen DE, Gilliland SW, Acad Manage Perspect 21(4):34–48, 2007). We, therefore, discuss three contemporary issues associated with justice and benefits. First, while benefits represent a significant business expense, the costs of minimizing benefits may ultimately be more costly if the level of benefits is seen as unfair. Second, the relevance of justice perceptions with respect to benefits is less clear compared to what we know about other types of compensation. Third, we consider group as well as individual level effects on perceptions of justice related to benefits. Finally, recommendations are made for alleviating the detrimental effects of injustice.

Faultlines, Faults, and Feelings: The Effects of Subgroup Formation and Appraisals on Emotions in Groups

This study examines the relationships between group faultlines, appraisals (evaluations) of group members, emotional responses, and performance in groups. The study uses a 2 by 2 experimental design, crossing demographic alignment (alignment vs. no alignment) and appraisals (instrumental vs. intrinsic) as between-subjects variables. Data from 5 types of measurement were used to analyze the effects of member alignment and appraisals.

Towards an Understanding of the Endogenous Nature of Group Identification in Games

It is commonly assumed that identification with a social group is constant throughout the play of a one-shot game in the absence of feedback. We provide evidence which challenges this assumption. We direct subjects to play one of two versions of the prisoners dilemma game. These versions are distinguished by the relative attractiveness of the uncooperative action. We refer to the version with a relatively attractive uncooperative action as the Easy Game and the other as the Difficult Game. We find that for the subjects who play the Difficult Game, their change in group identification is significantly related to their action selected. No such relationship exists within the Easy Game. Additionally, we find that the change primarily occurs after the action is selected rather than upon inspection of the game. We discuss the implications of our findings to settings both inside and outside of the laboratory.