This dissertation identifies and theorizes a new form by which leaders exert their influence over subordinates: hierarchical-decentralization. To further investigate hierarchical-decentralization and its effects on team outcomes, we develop two research themes which include three independent studies. The first research theme focuses on how hierarchical-decentralization influences team processes and team performance. We conduct an experimental study (Study 1-1) and a field study (Study 1-2) on this research theme. In Study 1-1 (detailed in Chapter 2), we conceptualize hierarchical-decentralization, examine the relationship between hierarchical-decentralization and team performance, and test whether and why hierarchical-decentralization produces higher team performance than either centralization or decentralization. Through an experimental study, we found that hierarchical-decentralization was positively related to team performance, and that hierarchical-decentralization outperformed either centralization or decentralization in steering team performance. Following Study 1-1, we conduct Study 1-2 (described in Chapter 3), which aims to further explore the underlying mechanism that produces the positive effect of hierarchical-decentralization on team performance, and to identify the conditions under which the benefit of hierarchical-decentralization tends to become more noticeable. Through a field study, we found that team coordination mediated the relationship between hierarchical-decentralization and team performance. We further found that inter-team competitive intensity strengthened the positive relationship between hierarchical-decentralization and team coordination, as well as the positive indirect relationship between hierarchical-decentralization and team performance via team coordination. The second research theme focuses on the application of influence structure of hierarchical-decentralization to the research on leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation. We conduct a field study (Study 2) on this research theme. Specifically, in Study 2 (detailed in Chapter 4), we investigate whether and why the vertical chain of influence among team members (we follow the research conducted by Burderson et al (2016) and refer it to acyclicity) would offset the detrimental effect of LMX differentiation on social relations among team members and ultimately on team performance. Through a field study covering 89 diverse working teams, we found that LMX differentiation became to be not significantly related to status conflict when a team had a high level of acyclicity and meanwhile when its team members' LMX statuses were in line with their influence levels within acyclicity. Although this relationship is not statistically significant, the negative relationship between LMX differentiation and status conflict somewhat suggests that acyclicity, when all of the most influential members within it are of the highest relationship qualities with leaders, might have the potential to turn the detrimental effect of LMX differentiation on social interactions among team members into a beneficial effect (i.e., one that reduces status conflict among team members). We further found that status conflict was negatively related to team performance, and that it mediated the relationship between LMX differentiation and team performance. The theoretical and practical implications of the two research themes are then discussed.

A complexidade da economia mundial, cenário de crise interna e concorrência global, forçaram as organizações a buscarem novos métodos de gestão para superarem seus concorrentes. Este estudo teve como foco a indústria da comunicação, que vem sendo exposta a mudanças radicais nos últimos anos. Reter clientes, buscar novas fontes de receita, manter a relevância frente ao público consumidor que tem a cada dia mais opções de consumo deste produto, busca de profissionais mais preparados, diversidade de gerações. Todos estes desafios têm levado as empresas a implementarem processos de formalizações organizacionais e de trabalho para o enfrentamento destas mudanças e a perpetuação dos negócios. É neste contexto que o objetivo geral desta dissertação foi o de identificar quais os efeitos da formalização organizacional e de trabalho no desempenho das equipes comerciais. Para atingir esse objetivo, o método utilizado foi a pesquisa qualitativa exploratória, além de pesquisa bibliográfica. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 36 gestores de equipes comerciais dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina. Constatou-se que a formalizaçāo organizacional e de trabalho, desde que estruturada de forma que nāo afete o empoderamento das equipes, produz efeitos benéficos para as empresas. / The complexity of the world economy, domestic economic crisis and global competition have forced organizations to find new management methods to outperform their competitors. This study focused on the communication industry, which has been exposed to radical changes in recent years. Retain customers, find new sources of revenue, maintain relevance to the consumer audience that has more and more choices of consumption of this product, search for more prepared professionals, diversity of generations. All these challenges have led companies to implement processes of organizational and work formalization to face these changes and the perpetuation of business, are. It is in this context that the general objective of this dissertation was to identify the effects of organizational and work formalization on the performance of commercial teams? To reach this objective, the method used was exploratory qualitative research, in addition to bibliographical research, interviews were conducted with 36 managers of commercial teams from the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. It was found that organizational formalization and work, provided that well structured, not affecting the empowerment of teams, have beneficial effects for companies.

A complexidade da economia mundial, cenário de crise interna e concorrência global, forçaram as organizações a buscarem novos métodos de gestão para superarem seus concorrentes. Este estudo teve como foco a indústria da comunicação, que vem sendo exposta a mudanças radicais nos últimos anos. Reter clientes, buscar novas fontes de receita, manter a relevância frente ao público consumidor que tem a cada dia mais opções de consumo deste produto, busca de profissionais mais preparados, diversidade de gerações. Todos estes desafios têm levado as empresas a implementarem processos de formalizações organizacionais e de trabalho para o enfrentamento destas mudanças e a perpetuação dos negócios. É neste contexto que o objetivo geral desta dissertação foi o de identificar quais os efeitos da formalização organizacional e de trabalho no desempenho das equipes comerciais. Para atingir esse objetivo, o método utilizado foi a pesquisa qualitativa exploratória, além de pesquisa bibliográfica. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 36 gestores de equipes comerciais dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina. Constatou-se que a formalizaçāo organizacional e de trabalho, desde que estruturada de forma que nāo afete o empoderamento das equipes, produz efeitos benéficos para as empresas. / The complexity of the world economy, domestic economic crisis and global competition have forced organizations to find new management methods to outperform their competitors. This study focused on the communication industry, which has been exposed to radical changes in recent years. Retain customers, find new sources of revenue, maintain relevance to the consumer audience that has more and more choices of consumption of this product, search for more prepared professionals, diversity of generations. All these challenges have led companies to implement processes of organizational and work formalization to face these changes and the perpetuation of business, are. It is in this context that the general objective of this dissertation was to identify the effects of organizational and work formalization on the performance of commercial teams? To reach this objective, the method used was exploratory qualitative research, in addition to bibliographical research, interviews were conducted with 36 managers of commercial teams from the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. It was found that organizational formalization and work, provided that well structured, not affecting the empowerment of teams, have beneficial effects for companies.

A complexidade da economia mundial, cenário de crise interna e concorrência global, forçaram as organizações a buscarem novos métodos de gestão para superarem seus concorrentes. Este estudo teve como foco a indústria da comunicação, que vem sendo exposta a mudanças radicais nos últimos anos. Reter clientes, buscar novas fontes de receita, manter a relevância frente ao público consumidor que tem a cada dia mais opções de consumo deste produto, busca de profissionais mais preparados, diversidade de gerações. Todos estes desafios têm levado as empresas a implementarem processos de formalizações organizacionais e de trabalho para o enfrentamento destas mudanças e a perpetuação dos negócios. É neste contexto que o objetivo geral desta dissertação foi o de identificar quais os efeitos da formalização organizacional e de trabalho no desempenho das equipes comerciais. Para atingir esse objetivo, o método utilizado foi a pesquisa qualitativa exploratória, além de pesquisa bibliográfica. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 36 gestores de equipes comerciais dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina. Constatou-se que a formalizaçāo organizacional e de trabalho, desde que estruturada de forma que nāo afete o empoderamento das equipes, produz efeitos benéficos para as empresas. / The complexity of the world economy, domestic economic crisis and global competition have forced organizations to find new management methods to outperform their competitors. This study focused on the communication industry, which has been exposed to radical changes in recent years. Retain customers, find new sources of revenue, maintain relevance to the consumer audience that has more and more choices of consumption of this product, search for more prepared professionals, diversity of generations. All these challenges have led companies to implement processes of organizational and work formalization to face these changes and the perpetuation of business, are. It is in this context that the general objective of this dissertation was to identify the effects of organizational and work formalization on the performance of commercial teams? To reach this objective, the method used was exploratory qualitative research, in addition to bibliographical research, interviews were conducted with 36 managers of commercial teams from the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. It was found that organizational formalization and work, provided that well structured, not affecting the empowerment of teams, have beneficial effects for companies.