Journal article
THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD OF LEADERSHIP TASK TRANSITIONS IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE MULTITEAM SYSTEMS
Academy of Management journal, Vol.64(4), pp.1236-1264
08/01/2021
DOI: 10.5465/amj.2019.0707
Abstract
Multiteam systems (MTSs) operating in complex and dynamic environments often have a formal hierarchical leadership structure. However, it is unclear whether individuals should stick exclusively to performing their designated tasks within the hierarchical leadership structure, or if, instead, they should switch between different types of tasks to align efforts with changes in the environment. We refer to such task switchingan individual shifting to or from tasks designated for a particular leader positionas leadership task transitions. Our qualitative study of six MTSs responding to live-actor mass-casualty incidents revealed that leadership task transitions are a double-edged sword as they can simultaneously help manage the MTS-environment interface and harm MTS internal functioning. More specifically, leadership task transitions benefit the MTS by rapidly reallocating effort to alleviate the dominant environmental pressure at that time. However, they also harm the MTS by disrupting its internal task-based cycles. Rapidly restoring the disrupted cycles mitigates this harmful effect, but such cycle restoration is not successful when there is a high level of cycle activity or when multiple areas of the MTS are disrupted. Our findings generate new knowledge on how and why leadership task transitions impact MTSs. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD OF LEADERSHIP TASK TRANSITIONS IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE MULTITEAM SYSTEMS
- Creators
- Margaret M. Luciano - Pennsylvania State UniversityVirgil Fenters - Arizona State UniversitySemin Park - University of IowaAmy L. Bartels - University of Nebraska–LincolnScott Tannenbaum - Group for Organizational Effectiveness
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Academy of Management journal, Vol.64(4), pp.1236-1264
- DOI
- 10.5465/amj.2019.0707
- ISSN
- 0001-4273
- eISSN
- 1948-0989
- Publisher
- Acad Management
- Number of pages
- 29
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/01/2021
- Academic Unit
- Management and Entrepreneurship
- Record Identifier
- 9984380440102771
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