Yvonne Garbers

Effects of guided reflexivity and team feedback on team performance improvement: The role of team regulatory processes and cognitive emergent states

The effectiveness of decision-making teams depends largely on the quality of information processing. Prior research has shown that guided team reflexivity and team feedback are important means of advancing team information processing and outcomes. However, the nature of the relationships, and how these relate to team regulatory processes, cognitive emergent states, and ultimately team performance, is currently poorly understood. Drawing on reflexivity and team information-processing theory, we proposed and found that teams that received guided team reflexivity or a combination of both guided reflexivity and feedback showed higher levels of actual reflection than teams that received neither a reflexivity intervention nor feedback. Conditional process analysis showed that the effects of team reflection on team performance improvement were mediated by a path from shared team mental models to shared task mental models and to adaptation. Finally, we also expected that team reflection would be lower in virtual teams than in face-to-face teams. These hypotheses were tested experimentally among 98 student teams that communicated either face-to-face or virtual (via chat) while completing a collective decision-making task. The information distribution among team members constituted a hidden profile. The results supported all our hypotheses, except for the one relating to virtuality.

Antecedents and Consequences of Fairness Perceptions in Personnel Selection A 3-Year Longitudinal Study

Drawing on Gilliland’s selection fairness framework, we examined antecedents and behavioral effects of applicant procedural fairness perceptions before, during, and after a personnel selection procedure using a six-wave longitudinal research design. Results showed that both perceived post-test fairness and pre-feedback fairness perceptions are related to job offer acceptance and job performance after 18 months, but not to job performance after 36 months. Pre-test and post-test procedural fairness perceptions were mainly related to formal characteristics and interpersonal treatment, whereas pre-feedback fairness perceptions were related to formal characteristics and explanations. The impact of fairness attributes of formal characteristics and interpersonal treatment diminished over time, whereas attributes of explanation were only associated with pre-feedback fairness. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical implications for fairness research and for hiring organizations.

Development and validation of the REMINT: a reflection measure for individuals and teams

ABSTRACT A growing number of studies have investigated the role of team reflexivity, the extent to which teams reflect on and adapt their functioning. However, the way team reflexivity has been conceptualized and operationalized reveals several weaknesses, in particular the conception as a unidimensional construct. To provide greater conceptual clarity, we therefore propose a team reflexivity framework that integrates four interacting but distinct reflexive processes. In four studies, we focus on reflection as a fundamental reflexive process, and develop and validate an extended multidimensional reflection measure that captures the relevant dimensions of quality and quantity of reflection and the key transition processes of information seeking and information evaluation. Moreover, in order to delineate two common composition methods, we develop and validate a direct consensus and a referent-shift consensus version of the reflection measure. Data collected from a total of 803 students and employees in four studies revealed excellent construct validity, as well as good nomological validity (Studies 1 and 2). Furthermore, we found evidence of the criterion-related validity at the team level (Study 3) and the individual level (Study 4). Together, the results demonstrate the effectiveness of our measure, revealing consistent relations with outcome measures and diverse behavioural indicators across different contexts.

Interleukin-11 classic but not trans-signaling is essential for fertility in mice

The cytokine interleukin (IL)-11 activates its target cells through binding to the membrane-bound IL-11 receptor (IL-11R). Female mice deficient in IL-11R (Il11ra-/-) are infertile due to a defect in decidualization when the blastocyst implants. We have recently shown that IL-11 can also signal via a soluble IL-11R (trans-signaling). Which IL-11 pathway is required for fertility in mice is unknown. We confirm that female Il11ra-/-mice, lacking both classic and trans-signaling, are infertile. In contrast, the selective blockade of IL-11 trans-signaling does not affect fertility in mice. These results show that classic, but not trans-signaling of IL-11, is essential for fertility in mice.

Two N-Linked Glycans Differentially Control Maturation, Trafficking and Proteolysis, but not Activity of the IL-11 Receptor

Background/Aims: The cytokine interleukin-11 (IL-11) has important pro- and anti-inflammatory functions. It activates its target cells through binding to the IL-11 receptor (IL-11R), and the IL-11/IL-11R complex recruits a homodimer of glycoprotein 130 (gp130). N-linked glycosylation, a post-translational modification where complex oligosaccharides are attached to the side chain of asparagine residues, is often important for stability, folding and biological function of cytokine receptors. Methods: We generated different IL-11R mutants via site-directed mutagenesis and analyzed them in different cell lines via Western blot, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy and proliferation assays. Results: In this study, we identified two functional N-glycosylation sites in the D2 domain of the IL-11R at N127 and N194. While mutation of N127Q only slightly affects cell surface expression of the IL-11R, mutation of N194Q broadly prevents IL-11R appearance at the plasma membrane. Accordingly, IL-11R mutants lacking N194 are retained within the ER, whereas the N127 mutant is transported through the Golgi complex to the cell surface, uncovering a differential role of the two N-glycan sequons for IL-11R maturation. Interestingly, IL-11R mutants devoid of one or both N-glycans are still biologically active. Furthermore, the IL-11RN127Q/N194Q mutant shows no inducible shedding by ADAM10, but is rather constitutively released into the supernatant. Conclusion: Our results show that the two N-glycosylation sites differentially influence stability and proteolytic processing of the IL-11R, but that N-linked glycosylation is not a prerequisite for IL-11 signaling.

Erfolgreiche Teamführung durch Anreizsysteme: Wunsch oder Wirklichkeit?

Der theoretisch fundierte Beitrag geht der Frage nach, wie Anreize fur Organisations-Teams modelliert werden konnen vor dem Hintergrund, dass teambasierte Anreize dazu verwendet werden, um einerseits einzelne Teammitglieder zu motivieren und andererseits auch die kooperative Teamleistung zu steigern. Nach einer Einfuhrung in die Grundlagen finanzieller Anreizsysteme werden darauf aufbauend unterschiedliche Erfolgsfaktoren fur teambasierte Anreize betrachtet. Schlieslich werden verschiedene moderierende Faktoren, die die Wirkung finanzieller Anreize verandern konnen, dargestellt.