TITLE

Minority Dissent and Team Innovation: The Importance of Participation in Decision Making

AUTHOR(S)

De Dreu, Carsten K.W.; West, Michael A.

PUB. DATE

December 2001

SOURCE

Journal of Applied Psychology;Dec2001, Vol. 86 Issue 6, p1191

SOURCE TYPE

Academic Journal

DOC. TYPE

Article

ABSTRACT

This study integrates research on minority dissent and individual creativity, as well as team diversity and the quality of group decision making, with research on team participation in decision making. From these lines of research, it was proposed that minority dissent would predict innovation in teams but only when teams have high levels of participation in decision making. This hypothesis was tested in 2 studies, 1 involving a homogeneous sample of self-managed teams and 1 involving a heterogeneous sample of cross-functional teams. Study 1 suggested that a newly developed scale to measure minority dissent has discriminant validity. Both Study 1 and Study 2 showed more innovations under high rather than low levels of minority dissent but only when there was a high degree of participation in team decision making. It is concluded that minority dissent stimulates creativity and divergent thought, which, through participation, manifest as innovation.

ACCESSION #

12129177

Tags: DISSENTERS;  CREATIVE ability;  TEAMS in the workplace;  INDIVIDUALITY;  DIVERSITY in the workplace;  GROUP decision making;  PARTICIPATION

 

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