Sending signals: The effect of voice endorsement disparity on team effectiveness

Abstract

In this dissertation, I hypothesize the effects of voice endorsement disparity (i.e., the extent to which a leader’s voice endorsement is vertically dispersed among team members) within teams on team effectiveness. Drawing on social information processing theory, I specifically propose that leaders’ voice endorsement disparity communicates social information to team members about a leader’s preferences for certain team members or the information that they share. Such social information can have a negative impact on team information elaboration and spark intra-team status conflict, ultimately influencing team effectiveness. I further suggest that leaders’ explanation adequacy for voice endorsement may amplify or attenuate the effects of voice endorsement disparity on each team information elaboration and status conflict and subsequent team effectiveness. Using a sample of 119 teams from 4 organizations spread across a range of industries in Korea, I found support for my predictions. That is, voice endorsement disparity hinders team effectiveness through reduced team information elaboration and increased team status conflict. In addition, the relationship between voice endorsement disparity and team effectiveness through each team information elaboration and team status conflict was contingent on leaders’ explanation adequacy. I discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings, limitations of the current study, and directions for future research.