Processes and Performance in Technology-Enabled Teams: The Mediating Role of Team Ambidexterity
Patrícia Martins, France Bélanger, Winnie Picoto
This study investigates how team processes, specifically the use of Information Systems (IS) and coordination, impact team performance in technology-reliant environments. It proposes and tests a model where 'team ambidexterity'—the ability to be both efficient (aligned) and innovative (adaptable)—acts as a crucial intermediary link. The research methodology involved an observational study followed by a quantitative survey of 106 members across 33 teams in a single organization.
Problem
Organizations increasingly rely on technology-enabled teams, but it's not always clear how team activities translate into better performance. The research addresses a gap in understanding the complex relationship between what teams do (their processes, like using technology) and what they achieve (their performance). It specifically examines whether an emergent team capability, ambidexterity, is the key factor that explains how processes like IS usage and coordination lead to successful outcomes.
Outcome
- Team ambidexterity, the ability to balance efficiency with adaptability, is a critical mediator between team processes and performance. - Effective team coordination and integrated use of information systems (IS) significantly enhance a team's ambidexterity. - Higher levels of team ambidexterity, in turn, lead directly to improved team performance. - Simply focusing on technology usage or coordination in isolation is insufficient; fostering a team's ability to be ambidextrous is essential for boosting performance in technology-enabled settings.
Host: Welcome to A.I.S. Insights, powered by Living Knowledge. I’m your host, Anna Ivy Summers. Host: In today's hyper-competitive world, businesses rely on technology-enabled teams to get work done. But how do we ensure those teams are actually performing at their peak? Host: We’re diving into a fascinating study from the Journal of the Association for Information Systems, titled "Processes and Performance in Technology-Enabled Teams: The Mediating Role of Team Ambidexterity.” Host: It investigates how team processes, like using information systems and coordinating tasks, truly impact performance. And here to break it down for us is our expert analyst, Alex Ian Sutherland. Welcome, Alex. Expert: Great to be here, Anna. Host: So Alex, let's start with the big picture. What’s the core problem this study is trying to solve for businesses? Expert: The problem is a common one. Companies spend a fortune on software and tools for their teams, hoping for a big performance boost. But often, that boost never materializes. Expert: There’s a gap in our understanding of how a team's day-to-day activities, like using a project management tool, actually translate into successful outcomes. We know there's a connection, but it's not a simple A-to-B relationship. Host: So just giving a team new technology isn't a silver bullet. Expert: Exactly. This study looked for a missing link—a special team capability that might explain how using technology and coordinating well actually leads to better performance. Host: And how did the researchers go about finding this missing link? What was their approach? Expert: It was quite practical. They went inside a real technology company and conducted a two-part study. First, they did an observational study, where they literally just watched two different teams at work to understand their dynamics and how they used their mandatory systems. Expert: Building on those real-world insights, they then rolled out a quantitative survey to 33 teams, collecting data from over 100 team members and their managers to measure these relationships at scale. Host: That sounds very thorough. So, what did they find? What were the key results? Expert: The central finding revolves around a concept called 'team ambidexterity'. Host: Ambidexterity? Like being able to use both your left and right hand equally well? Expert: That's a perfect analogy. In a team context, ambidexterity is the ability to do two things at once: be highly efficient and aligned with current goals, while also being flexible and adaptable to change and innovation. It’s about executing today's plan flawlessly while also being ready for tomorrow's challenges. Host: And this capability was the missing link? Expert: It was. The study found that team ambidexterity is the critical bridge. Better team coordination and more integrated use of their information systems didn't directly cause higher performance. Instead, they significantly boosted the team's ambidexterity. Host: And it’s that ambidexterity that then leads to success? Expert: Precisely. Teams that developed this dual-capability of alignment and adaptability were the ones who consistently performed better. The key insight is that focusing on just technology or just coordination by themselves is not enough. Host: This is the crucial part for our listeners. If I'm a business leader or a team manager, why does this matter to me? What's the practical takeaway? Expert: The biggest takeaway is to stop thinking about technology as the solution and start thinking about it as a tool to build a certain type of team capability. Host: So, it's not about the tool, but how the team uses it to become more versatile? Expert: Yes. As a manager, you should ask: Does this software just help us do the old thing faster, or does it also give us the flexibility to innovate and adapt when a client throws us a curveball? You need to foster an environment where both are possible. Host: Can you give an example? Expert: The study observed two teams. One support team was excellent at using their systems for routine, efficient work—that's alignment. But they also constantly found new ways to reconfigure the system to solve novel problems—that's adaptability. They were ambidextrous, and they were high-performers. Expert: So, the lesson for managers is to encourage and reward both. Celebrate the teams that hit their efficiency targets, but also celebrate the teams that experiment, find new ways to use your existing tools, and adapt to unforeseen challenges. That’s how you build ambidextrous, high-performing teams. Host: Fantastic insights, Alex. So, to summarize for our audience: simply equipping your teams with technology isn't the answer. Host: The key to unlocking high performance is fostering 'team ambidexterity'—the emergent ability of a team to be both incredibly efficient in their current processes and highly adaptable to new challenges. Host: The right tech and good coordination are the ingredients, but building this ambidextrous culture is what ultimately creates success. Host: Alex Ian Sutherland, thank you so much for translating this important research into actionable advice. Expert: My pleasure, Anna. Host: And thank you for tuning in to A.I.S. Insights, powered by Living Knowledge. Join us next time as we decode another key study for your business.
Team Performance, Team Ambidexterity, Technology-Enabled Teams, Team Processes, Team Coordination, Information Systems Usage
