Demographic diversity, team process, and team performance: Assessing moderator effects of cognitive conflict management practices and task interdependence

Demography scholars suggest including team process in a theoretical framework to fully understand the effects of demographic diversity on team performance. However, prior research shows mixed results regarding the association between team process and performance. Some studies have found effects of team process on performance, but others have not. A primary objective of this study was to specify the conditions under which the effects of team process would hold or not.; Race and organizational tenure diversity were measured to examine the effects of demographic diversity on team performance. Also, cognitive and affective conflict were used to measure team process, and cognitive conflict management practices and task interdependence were measured to assess their moderating effects on the association between team process and performance. To be specific, it was predicted that diversity measures would have a positive impact on cognitive and affective conflict. In turn, the positive impact of cognitive conflict and the negative impact of affective conflict on team performance were predicted. Further, it was predicted that the positive association between cognitive conflict and team performance would be stronger when cognitive conflict management practices are high, and that the negative association between affective conflict and team performance would be weaker when task interdependence is high.; Fifty-nine team-level responses were used to test these hypotheses. The sample included team members and managers of different types of teams. The results did not support the positive effects of diversity measures on cognitive and affective conflict. While the positive effects of cognitive conflict on team performance were not supported, the negative effects of affective conflict were supported. Moderator effects of cognitive conflict management practices were partially supported, but those of task interdependence were not. These results imply to team managers and organizational leaders that they do not have to be very concerned about diversity effects. However, the effects of cognitive and affective conflict must be carefully addressed. Especially, appropriate cognitive conflict management practices should be developed through hiring and training.