The impact of verbal goal setting on operating room turnover time: a randomized trial

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Operating room turnover times are highly variable, with longer times having a significant negative impact on hospital costs, surgeon volume, and satisfaction. The primary aim of this randomized trial was to examine the impact of a verbalized time goal on the likelihood of meeting institutional goals.

METHODS

This is a prospective, single-blind, randomized study conducted across four operative sites: inpatient main campus and three outpatient centers. Sequential cases for the same surgeon in the same room were randomized to receive a verbal prompt versus usual care, in which no goal setting was verbalized. Multivariate and univariate statistical analyses were performed.

RESULTS

From July through October 2022, five attending surgeons randomized 88 cases (44 verbal prompt, 44 usual care). Of these, 30 were at the main inpatient hospital. The case mixture included 36% vaginal, 27% endoscopy, 8% open, 10% robotic, and others. Average turnover time was 51.7 and 35.3 min for inpatient and outpatient cases respectively. Overall, only 39.8% of cases hit the institutional turnover time goal. Verbal prompting did not significantly increase the likelihood of achieving the institutional goal (38.4% vs 43.4% p = 0.352) except for in minor surgery (64.0 vs 39.0%, p = 0.0477). A verbal prompt reduced turnover time in major surgery (59.7 vs 47.8 min, p = 0.0445).

CONCLUSION

Our academic center achieved goal turnover times in only 39.8% of cases. Although verbal prompting did not significantly improve the likelihood of meeting institutional goals in the group as a whole, some subgroups were significantly improved.

The association of changes in leisure-time physical activity on depressive symptoms during Covid-19 in German adults: A longitudinal study

This longitudinal survey assessed preventive and curative antidepressant effects of at least 75 min/week of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) at different timepoints of the Covid-19 pandemic. We further investigated if high self-regulation skills were associated with higher odds of initiating or maintaining LTPA during the pandemic. Data was collected online from 4253 participants (age: m = 33.65 years, SD = 0.79; 79 % female) during the first quarantine measures in Germany (T1), as well as 4 weeks (T2), and 8 months (T3) later. We performed linear mixed models with changes (T2-T1, T3-T1) in LTPA and baseline major depressive disorder (MDD) as predictors (main effects and interaction effect) and depressive symptoms (at T2, T3) as the primary outcome. We found significant interaction effects of baseline depression and change in LTPA on depressive symptoms at T2 and T3 (p < 0.001). For probable cases of MDD an increasing LTPA to ≥75 min/week (vs. no change, <75 min/week) was associated with less depressive symptoms at T2 and T3 (p = 0.003, d = 0.28). For absence of depression at baseline, remaining at ≥75 min/week of LTPA was associated with less depressive symptoms at T2 and T3 compared to remaining at <75 min/week (p = 0.006, d = 0.11) or decreasing LTPA to <75 min/week (p = 0.018, d = 0.11). Reporting high self-regulation at T1 was associated with higher odds of performing ≥75 min/week of LTPA at T2/T3 (OR = 1.74, p < 0.001). In general, studies report reduced LTPA during Covid-19. To benefit from the reported preventive and interventional effects, further interventions should focus on improving physical activity related self-regulation to identify and overcome barriers for LTPA.

The Relative Importance of Temporal Leadership and Initiating Structure for Timely Project Completion

We assess the relative usefulness of temporal leadership and initiating structure in predicting timely team project completion. Drawing on the functional approach to team leadership as well as the concept of team performance episodes, we hypothesize that two facets of temporal leadership, temporal planning at project initiation and temporal reminders midway through project execution, will be better predictors of timely project completion than will traditional task-oriented leadership in the form of initiating structure delivered at the same two project stages. Results from 62 application development project teams surveyed across the life of a project showed that the two facets of temporal leadership together accounted for 91.7% of the predicted variance in timely project completion, with temporal planning being more important. Initiating structure accounted for the remaining small and nonsignificant amount of the predicted variance. We conclude that temporal leadership is a new construct that is a highly useful approach to leader behavior in the context of teams working on time-limited projects.

Work climate in emergency health services during COVID-19 pandemic-An international multicenter study

Introduction

A good working climate increases the chances of adequate care. The employees of Emergency in Hospitals are particularly exposed to work-related stress. Support from management is very important in order to avoid stressful situations and conflicts that are not conducive to good work organization. The aim of the study was to assess the work climate of Emergency Health Services during COVID-19 Pandemic using the Abridged Version of the Work Climate Scale in Emergency Health Services.

Design

A prospective descriptive international study was conducted.

Methods

The 24-item Abridged Version of the Work Climate Scale in Emergency Health Services was used for the study. The questionnaire was posted on the internet portal of scientific societies. In the study participated 217 women (74.5%) and 74 men (25.4%). The age of the respondents ranged from 23 to 60 years (SD = 8.62). Among the re-spondents, the largest group were Emergency technicians (85.57%), followed by nurses (9.62%), doctors (2.75%) and Service assistants (2.06%). The study was conducted in 14 countries.

Results

The study of the climate at work shows that countries have different priorities at work, but not all of them. By answering the research questions one by one, we can say that the average climate score at work was 33.41 min 27.0 and max 36.0 (SD = 1.52).

Conclusion

The working climate depends on many factors such as interpersonal relationships, remuneration or the will to achieve the same selector. In the absence of any of the elements, a proper working climate is not possible.

How does high-commitment work systems stimulate employees’ creative behavior? A multilevel moderated mediation model

How to effectively stimulate employees’ creative behavior is a hot topic in the field of organizational behavior. Based on conservation of resources theory and substitutes for leadership theory, this paper discusses the impact of high-commitment work systems on employees’ creative behavior and the roles of employees’ wellbeing and CEO inclusive leadership. By constructing a cross-level structural equation model and analyzing the paired data of 86 CEOs, 86 HR managers and 489 employees, the results show that: (1) high-commitment work systems have positive impact on employees’ creative behavior; (2) employee’s wellbeing mediates the process of high-commitment work systems driving employees’ creative behavior; and (3) CEO inclusive leadership negatively moderates the relationship between high-commitment work systems and employees’ wellbeing, and further negatively moderates the indirect effect of high-commitment work systems on employees’ creative behavior through employees’ wellbeing, that is, the lower the level of CEO inclusive leadership is, the stronger the impact of high-commitment work systems on employees’ creative behavior through employees’ wellbeing will be.

Side effects associated with organizational interventions: A perspective

Drawing on examples from published research, the authors offer a perspective on the side effects that are associated with organizational interventions. This perspective is framed in the context of the many hard-won positive influences that industrial and organizational (I-O) psychologists have had on individuals, groups, organizations, and social institutions over the last century. With a few exceptions, we argue that side effects tend to receive less attention from I-O psychology researchers and practitioners than they deserve. A systematic approach to studying, monitoring, and advertising side effects is needed to better understand their causes, consequences, and the contexts in which they are most likely to emerge. The purpose of this piece is to stimulate conversations within the field about the phenomenon of side effects as well as what might be done to improve our science and practice in this domain.

Critical Factors Affecting Team Work Efficiency in BIM-Based Collaborative Design: An Empirical Study in China

Building information modeling (BIM) can theoretically facilitate collaboration among diverse design participants in construction projects, but in practice, its implementation tends to prolong the design period. Existing literature has examined some technical and managerial causes of this problem but still lacks an overall coverage of related factors. This study aims to identify the comprehensive factors affecting the teamwork efficiency in China’s BIM-based collaborative design, and to investigate the critical factors and their interactions. Based on the input-process-output theory, this study initially established a hypothetical model. Potential factors were further identified through the literature review and semi-structured interviews. Questionnaire survey was conducted, and structural equation modeling was used for analysis. The results indicated that the team cooperation atmosphere is the most significant factor, followed by the collaborators’ learning ability, comfort of the working environment, BIM software function, and the characteristics and arrangement of the design task (CADT). Besides, the CADT negatively affects the teamwork efficiency through the human interaction process, while other factors exert positive impacts by affecting both the personal work process and the human interaction process. The findings can help design units to determine the management focus of BIM-based collaborative design and prioritize the allocation of limited resources accordingly to maximize teamwork efficiency.

Twelve tips for developing a global community of scholars in health professions education

Scholarship in Health Professions Education is not just original research, it also includes study of educational processes, and application of new knowledge to practice. The pathways to successful scholarship are not always clear to novice educators. In this article, we describe strategies to establish a Community of Scholars (CoS), where more experienced and senior members guide junior members in scholarship to advance the field. Drawing on Lave and Wenger's concepts of Communities of Practice (CoP), we describe twelve practical tips, which include generation of a shared vision, formation of a global community of scholars, engagement in scholarly initiatives, and development of a professional identity, categorised under three major steps: establish, grow, and sustain the community. The tips embrace inclusivity for diverse cultural contexts which further provide opportunities for Health Professions Educators, interested in forming communities of practice, to work on scholarly outputs and add value to the professional arena.

A work motivational grounded theory study of workers in caring roles

The aim of this study was to examine and construct a theoretical model of key elements that care workers perceive to have an impact on their autonomy, cohesion, and work motivation. Grounded theory was used for data collection and analysis. There were 20 participants from social welfare service, geriatric care, and women's aid settings (women = 18, men = 2, mean age = 37.6). The analysis resulted in the following categories: (a) Being-a-Cohesive-Team; (b) Agency-Making; (c) Living-Up-to-Expectations; and (d) Developing-Support-and-Feedback. The results identified potential interactions between these factors and suggested how they influenced each other, showing how cohesion, autonomy, and motivation are interdependent and amplified.

Strategic Self-Regulation in Groups: Collective Implementation Intentions Help Cooperate When Cooperation Is Called for

Groups need contributions that are personally costly to their members. Such cooperation is only adaptive when others cooperate as well, as unconditional cooperation may incur high costs to the individual. We argue that individuals can use We-if-then plans (collective implementation intentions, cIIs) to regulate their group-directed behavior strategically, helping them to cooperate selectively with group members in the situation planned for. In line with this prediction, a cII to consider group earnings increased cooperative decisions in a prisoners’ dilemma game when playing against another group member but not when playing against a stranger (i.e., non-group member). Moreover, cIIs to cooperate in the prisoners’ dilemma game did not increase cooperation in a structurally similar investment game that participants had not planned for. We discuss the role of collective planning in solving social dilemmas.

ESG Indicators as Organizational Performance Goals: Do Rating Agencies Encourage a Holistic Approach?

Offering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) assessment and certification can invite organizations to adapt their activities to accommodate environmental, social, and governance concerns. Prior research points to shortcomings in accurately monitoring and assessing organizational sustainability performance. This contribution aims to highlight the role of ESG indicators as motivating organizations to prioritize sustainability goals. Theory and research elucidate that the definition of specific goals guides the degree of effort organizations invest, the priorities they set, and the persistence they display in pursuing targeted outcomes. The extent to which performance assessments of rating agencies specify and integrate ESG concerns thus impacts the likelihood that organizations will address each of these sustainability targets. The likely impact of ESG indicators was examined by consulting ratings, rankings, and indexes from 130 rating agencies included in the Reporting Exchange Platform. We identified and categorized 237 unique indicators in over 600 corporate ESG indicators. Results reveal that themes covered are less well specified in the governance domain than in the environmental and social domain. Further, different dimensions are emphasized depending on which stakeholder is addressed (investors, consumers, companies). Taken together, we conclude that this makes it more difficult for organizations to adopt a holistic approach to the achievement of sustainability goals.

Psychosocial contributors to patients' and partners' postprostate cancer sexual recovery: 10 evidence-based and practical considerations

Sexual recovery after prostate cancer (PCa) treatment is challenging. When expectations are that erectile response will quickly return to baseline, patients can often struggle when this does not happen. Further difficulty is experienced when patients encounter physical, psychological, and relational barriers to sexual adjustment. Drawing on the psychosocial research literature and on 15 years of clinical experience counseling PCa patients about sexual recovery, this paper outlines considerations for clinical practice. Suggestions include broadening the target for successful outcomes after Pca treatment beyond erectile function to include sexual distress and other sources of sexual concern. Clinicians are urged to consider individual differences such as the larger context of the patient, including their values and preferences, their treatment goals, and their relationship situation and status, in order to promote successful sexual adaptation. When introducing treatment approaches, the role of grief and loss should be assessed, and patients should be supported to foster realistic expectations about the recovery process. Suggestions for how to introduce various sexual strategies to patients are also offered, including ways to support patients in making and sustaining behavioral changes associated with sexual intervention. Clinicians are offered suggestions to promote patients' sexual flexibility, prevent long periods of sexual inactivity, and help patients to identify various sexual motivators. Consideration of these psychological, relational, and social factors are all likely to help facilitate better sexual outcomes for PCa patients.

Collaborative interdepartmental teams: benefits, challenges, alternatives, and the ingredients for team success

Radiology practices often employ collaborative interdepartmental teams to address complex projects. These teams benefit from their diversity of viewpoints and the potential for innovative, high-quality solutions. However, collaborative interdepartmental teams also suffer from challenges: interpersonal conflicts, team member mistrust, competing individual priorities, and obstructive turf concerns. When tackling projects, radiologists should consider alternative group models such as single department teams, two-person partnerships, and small workgroups. Each of these group models has strengths and weaknesses relative to collaborative interdepartmental teams and may be more efficient in some scenarios. Finally, when radiologists launch collaborative interdepartmental teams, four key ingredients should be optimized to improve team performance: right goal, right culture, right leadership, and right people.

Partizipative Führung: Auf den Spuren eines Konzeptes

Dieser Beitrag der Zeitschrift Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO) befasst sich mit ausgewählten Konzepten zur partizipativen Führung, mit denen die Führungsforschung aufwartet. Das Ziel besteht darin, eine kritische Inspektion der den Konzepten zugrundeliegenden Annahmen über die Partizipation im Führungsgeschehen vorzunehmen. Dabei richten wir unseren Fokus zuerst auf die historischen Vorläufer der Führungspartizipation, wie die Überlegungen von Mary Parker Follett, Kurt Lewin, Robert Tannenbaum und Warren H. Schmidt. Anschließend diskutieren wir eine Reihe ausgewählter aktueller Konzepte aus dem Bereich partizipativer Führung in Bezug auf deren analytischen Kerndimensionen und rhetorischen Ansprüche. Die Konzepte durchleuchten wir in Bezug darauf, inwiefern diese auf die humanistisch inspirierte Demokratisierung von Organisationen mittels partizipativer Führung abstellen, oder partizipative Führung als ein weiteres Mittel zur Leistungssteigerung in Organisationen thematisieren, oder womöglich beides. Zum Schluss gehen wir darauf ein, welche dieser vielfältigen konzeptionellen Vorüberlegungen Eingang in die Diskussion zum agilen Management gefunden haben.

Eine Vision für die Zeitschrift für Sportpsychologie

Zusammenfassung. Es ist ein gutes Zeichen, die zukünftige Ausrichtung der Zeitschrift für Sportpsychologie und in diesem Kontext auch die zukünftige Sprache zu diskutieren. In diesem Beitrag liegt der Fokus auf den Entwicklungen der letzten rund vierzig Jahre. Während in den achtziger und neunziger Jahren die deutschsprachige Sportpsychologie kaum englischsprachigen Beiträge erzeugte, hat sich das Bild im neuen Jahrtausend geändert, allerdings auch im Zuge einer allgemeinen Zunahme der Veröffentlichungen und der Zahl der einschlägigen Fachzeitschriften. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden die Chancen und Risiken eines Wechsels auf Englisch als Hauptsprache diskutiert. In der Quintessenz wird eine weiterhin deutschsprachige Zeitschrift empfohlen, die vor allem die Übertragung von Forschungsergebnissen in die Praxis der in verschiedenen Sportfeldern angewandt tägigen Sportpsychologinnen und Sportpsychologen in den Mittelpunkt stellt.

A Systematic Literature Review of Instruments to Measure Coordination

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Organizing patient care and improving team coordination have been identified by the Institute of Medicine and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as essential components of high-quality care. Research is lacking, however, on the measurement of care team coordination and its mechanisms. Using an organizational psychology framework developed by Okhuysen and Bechky (O&B) as a guide, the authors identify strengths and gaps in the existing literature related to the measurement of coordination and its associated constructs. The authors conducted a review of peer-reviewed articles in healthcare, management, and psychology journals that contain survey items that could be used to measure the domains in the O&B framework. An initial search yielded 468 articles published from 1978 to 2014, 37 of which came from healthcare journals. From this set, 1,401 candidate survey items were extracted from 74 articles. Of these, 279 items were categorized into at least one O&B domain. Retained items were drawn from scales representing 51 constructs related to teamwork, roles, trust, coordination broadly, and ancillary constructs. Two constructs, physical proximity and plans and rules, were directly represented both in the O&B framework and as standalone constructs in the literature. The remaining constructs contributed items that indirectly assess components of the O&B framework domains. Despite decades of research on coordination, valid survey items for measuring the mechanisms and integrating conditions described by the O&B framework as leading to successful team coordination are scarce, and virtually nonexistent in healthcare, as measures of care team coordination.

What do we want? Examining the motivating role of goals in social movement mobilization

The main purpose of any social movement organization is to achieve the goals of its followers. Little is known, however, about what type of goals disadvantaged group members strive to reach and which of those may motivate them to join a social movement organization. Using a door-to-door survey (N = 351), we investigated the mobilizing effects of goals among inhabitants of the North of the Netherlands that are adversely affected by gas-extraction induced earthquakes. We distinguished between collective (e.g., reduce gas extraction) versus individual goals (e.g., financial compensation), and outcome versus means goals (e.g., influence policy-makers). Moreover, we examined how perceptions of shared opinions with other affected citizens versus with people who are not negatively affected by gas extraction motivate the inhabitants to join a movement and attach importance to different goals. Our results indicate the existence of two pathways for potential mobilization: the first one through the perceptions of shared grievances, which can motivate people to join the movement and pursue collective solutions; and a second one through the perceptions of deprivation, which can motivate people to exert influence on power holders by joining a movement. Individual outcome goals were important but did not motivate disadvantaged citizens to join a social movement organization. We discuss the role of goals as a link between individual level and meso level factors for movement mobilization and collective action.

Goal Pursuit in Organizational Health Interventions: The Role of Team Climate, Outcome Expectancy, and Implementation Intentions

In taking a goal pursuit perspective into account, the present study examined associations between the context, process and outcome evaluation of an organizational health intervention (OHI) implemented within 29 teams in a hospital setting. In doing so, team climate for innovation as a context factor was measured at baseline (N = 529). Four to six weeks after baseline, N = 250 team representatives participated in a 4-day workshop. During the workshop employees formulated collective goals as action plans to be implemented in the nursing wards. Goal pursuit as a process factor was differentiated into (a) a motivational “goal setting” and (b) a volitional “goal striving” phase. The scale of outcome expectancy (measured after the fourth day of the workshop) was used as an indicator for the goal setting phase. For the operationalization of the goal striving phase, action plans were coded with regard to the proportion of formulated implementation intentions (“if-then plans”). After 6 months, the outcome of the intervention was measured on a retrospective impact scale (N = 385). The results of the multiple regression analysis and of the multilevel analysis show that both team climate and goal pursuit (outcome expectancy and the proportion of if-then plans) were positively related to the perceived impact of the intervention. Furthermore, the results show that the relationship between team climate and the impact of the intervention was mediated by outcome expectancy. The results highlight the contribution of goal theory within context-process-outcome research that leads to a better understanding of when and why OHIs are effective.

The Influence of Goal Commitment and Partner Status on Team Assignment Outcomes

The present study replicated and extended research on the influence of team assignment methods on task performance and fairness perceptions. This study examined the influence of team assignment methods, goal commitment, and partner status on team member performance and fairness perceptions in a laboratory setting. The assignment conditions were comprised of three variables: assignment method (random, self-decision, and ability), performer status (assigned or unassigned), and partner status (unassigned team member stayed or left during task performance). A significant interaction was found between assignment method and performer status when the unassigned team member left during task performance, but not when the unassigned team member stayed. Random and self-decision assignment methods resulted in higher levels of goal commitment and task performance than did ability-based assignment conditions. Lastly, goal commitment was found to mediate the relationship between assignment method and task performance. The implications of these findings for the task performance and organizational justice literatures, as well as for managers in general, are discussed.

Goal Setting in Teams: Goal Clarity and Team Performance in the Public Sector

With the rise of performance management, work in the public sector has changed. An output focus has become more common. Other changes include decentralization and managing organizations more horizontally. Setting performance goals and working in teams exemplify these developments. Despite an extensive literature on goal setting, research on goal setting in teams and empirical studies in public organizations have been largely absent. This study contributes to the fields of public management and teamwork by examining whether and under what team conditions clear goals contribute to team performance in the Dutch public sector. Analyses on survey data (n = 105 teams) show that both goal clarity and self-management positively affect team performance. The effect of goal clarity on team performance is not affected by teamwork though, indicated by insignificant moderation effects of self-management and information elaboration. Suggestions are offered for future research to better understand goal setting in public sector teams.

Examining the Indirect Effects of Perceived Organizational Support for Teamwork Training on Acute Health Care Team Productivity and Innovation: The Role of Shared Objectives

This study examines the relationship between a specific type of team climate for perceived organizational support, team perceived organizational support for teamwork training (team POS-TT), and its effects on the productivity and innovation of acute health care teams. Drawing on organizational support theory, we examine how this relationship emerges via the mediating mechanism of shared objectives. Using survey data from 88 teams based in 13 health care organizations across the United Kingdom, we found support for the indirect effects of team POS-TT via shared objectives, but not for the direct effect of team POS-TT, thus indicating a mediated relationship with team productivity and innovation. As predicted, through the satisfaction of important esteem and affiliation needs of team members, team POS-TT compelled teams to engage in the process of generating shared objectives, which, in turn, positively predicted team productivity and innovation. These findings contribute to the scant literature on perceived organizational support (POS) as a form of team climate, and respond to recent calls to consider different types of POS by focusing on perceived support for teamwork training, an area which has particular relevance in the context of health care. Furthermore, the study serves to extend understanding regarding exactly how team POS-TT affects team outcomes via the specific process of shared objectives. We conclude with a discussion of these contributions to the literature and delineate several practical implications for leaders and managers in health care organizations.

Action-effect sharing induces task-set sharing in joint task switching

A central issue in the study of joint task performance has been one of whether co-acting individuals perform their partner's part of the task as if it were their own. The present study addressed this issue by using joint task switching. A pair of actors shared two tasks that were presented in a random order, whereby the relevant task and actor were cued on each trial. Responses produced action effects that were either shared or separate between co-actors. When co-actors produced separate action effects, switch costs were obtained within the same actor (i.e., when the same actor performed consecutive trials) but not between co-actors (when different actors performed consecutive trials), implying that actors did not perform their co-actor's part. When the same action effects were shared between co-actors, however, switch costs were also obtained between co-actors, implying that actors did perform their co-actor's part. The results indicated that shared action effects induce task-set sharing between co-acting individuals.

Planning and Performance in Small Groups: Collective Implementation Intentions Enhance Group Goal Striving

There are two key motivators to perform well in a group: making a contribution that (a) is crucial for the group (indispensability) and that (b) the other group members recognize (identifiability). We argue that indispensability promotes setting collective (“We”) goals whereas identifiability induces individual (“I”) goals. Although both goals may enhance performance, they should align with different strategies. Whereas pursuing collective goals should involve more cooperation, pursuing individual goals should involve less cooperation. Two experiments support this reasoning and show that planning out collective goals with collective implementation intentions (cIIs or “We-plans”) relies on cooperation but planning out individual goals with individual implementation intentions (IIs or “I-plans”) does not. In Experiment 1, three-member groups first formed a collective or an individual goal and then performed a first round of a physical persistence task. Groups then either formed a respective implementation intention (cII or II) or a control plan and then performed a second round of the task. Although groups with cIIs and IIs performed better on a physical persistence task than respective control groups, only cII groups interacted more cooperatively during task performance. To confirm the causal role of these interaction processes, Experiment 2 used the same persistence task and manipulated whether groups could communicate: When communication was hindered, groups with cIIs but not groups with IIs performed worse. Communication thus qualifies as a process making cIIs effective. The present research offers a psychology of action account to small group performance.

The Effectiveness of Teamwork Training on Teamwork Behaviors and Team Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Interventions

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of teamwork interventions that were carried out with the purpose of improving teamwork and team performance, using controlled experimental designs. A literature search returned 16,849 unique articles. The meta-analysis was ultimately conducted on 51 articles, comprising 72 (k) unique interventions, 194 effect sizes, and 8439 participants, using a random effects model. Positive and significant medium-sized effects were found for teamwork interventions on both teamwork and team performance. Moderator analyses were also conducted, which generally revealed positive and significant effects with respect to several sample, intervention, and measurement characteristics. Implications for effective teamwork interventions as well as considerations for future research are discussed.

Shared Goal Setting in Team-Based Geriatric Oncology

We present the case of a 92-year-old man, MH, who was given a diagnosis of colorectal cancer. His primary care physician, surgeon, geriatric oncologist, and family members all played important roles in his care. MH's case is an example of a lack of explicit shared goal setting by the health care providers with the patient and family members and how that impeded care planning and health. This case demonstrates the importance of explicitly discussing and establishing shared goals in team-based cancer care delivery early on and throughout the care process, especially for older adults. Each individual member's goals should be understood as they fit within the overarching shared team goals. We emphasize that shared goal setting and alignment of individual goals is a dynamic process that must occur several times at critical decision points throughout a patient's care continuum. Providers and researchers can use this illustrative case to consider their own work and contemplate how shared goal setting can improve patient-centered care and health outcomes in various team-based care settings. Shared goal setting among team members has been demonstrated to improve outcomes in other contexts. However, we stress, that little investigation into the impact of shared goal setting on team-based cancer care delivery has been conducted. We list immediate research goals within team-based cancer care delivery that can provide a foundation for the understanding of the process and outcomes of shared goal setting.

A multilevel model of multiteam motivation and performance

Teams are increasingly engaged in networked interaction across both team and organizational boundaries in order to achieve complex, higher order goals. In contrast to theoretical work on goal pursuit within isolated teams, there is an absence of theoretical models focused on systems composed of such teams. In response, we propose a predictive model to improve understanding of the nature of motivational processes leading to performance in interdependent systems of teams. This model is grounded on goal hierarchy characteristics (goal level, priority, and degree of compatibility) and functional process interdependence (sequential, reciprocal, intensive) that differentially affect both goal setting and goal striving processes across component team and multiteam levels. The model also illustrates how goal choice and goal striving in multiteam systems (MTSs) can be viewed from multilevel and multiphasic perspectives. We discuss the implications of the model for understanding, researching, and effectively managing the motivational mechanisms underlying MTSs performance.

Increasing diversity through goal-setting in corporate social responsibility reporting

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of goal-setting theory in remediating workplace demographic representation inequality.

Design/methodology/approach

This study evaluates the effect of goal-setting theory in Fortune 100 companies’ corporate social reporting (CSR) on year-over-prior change in diversity representation using t-tests and independent, repeated measures ANOVA.

Findings

Reporting companies significantly outperformed the population in minority and female leadership increases. Companies using specific goals and relevant feedback facilitated better outcomes for minority and female leaders, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

Dichotomous coding was employed. Qualitative coding over multiple years is suggested for future research. CSR reporting is voluntary, unaudited, and inconsistent. Comparing outcomes for organizations with mandatory reporting or diversity quotas would provide interesting future comparatives. Despite the limitations, this research demonstrates the benefits of goal-setting theory on social outcomes.

Practical implications

Companies transparently publishing goals, feedback, and metrics lead the way to multicultural environments. Additionally, investors use social responsibility in investment decision making. The Securities and Exchange Commission should incorporate non-financial requirements into existent reporting subject to audit, consistent presentation, and public availability. Organizations should disclose diversity goals and outcomes whether the company aspires to genuinely promote greater representation or avoid greater regulation. Reporting transparency and articulation of specific, measureable goals and feedback are encouraged for non-financial metrics.

Originality/value

Significant research investigates why inequality exists in organizations yet little addresses how to reduce the problem. Pioneer studies in applying goal-setting to diversity show promise. Research exploring the dark side of goal-setting is rapidly emerging. This research pursues the “light side” of goal-setting to evaluate use on social business issues, specifically, increasing diverse representation.

Collective work motivation in knowledge based organizations

Purpose

– Collective work motivation (CWM) has been construed as humans’ innate predispositions to effectively undertake team-oriented work activities under ideal conditions (Lindenberg and Foss, 2011). However, management research aimed at explicating its etiology in knowledge-based organizations (KBOs) has been largely ignored. Given that these organizations strive to gain market competitiveness by motivating employees to cooperatively share knowledge, as well as protect organizational specific knowledge from being externally expropriated, it becomes expedient to understand how they can mobilize and sustain CWM that is geared towards the normative goal of knowledge sharing and knowledge protection.

Design/methodology/approach

– Conceptual insights from the social identity theory were deployed by the study.

Findings

– Three hypothetical principles derived from the processes of social categorization, social comparison and social identification tentatively mobilize and sustain CWM in KBOs.

Originality/value

– This paper adopts the social identity perspective to CWM. In so doing, it sees CWM as a team-based intrinsically derived process rather than an extrinsic means of eliciting the motivation of people in KBOs to engage in the normative goal of knowledge sharing and protection.