Cette thèse constitue un modèle multi-niveau pour rechercher comment les responsables commerciaux peuvent augmenter la performance et la satisfaction de leurs équipes en influençant leurs façons de communiquer. J’ai mis en pratique la théorie de la communication organisationnelle, la théorie d’échange social en parallèle avec la théorie du réseau social sur un ensemble de données multi-niveau (comprenant 37 équipes de commerciaux dans une entreprise faisant partie de Fortune 500). Deux phases d’interviews et une enquête par internet ont été menées à bien pour tester ce modèle. Ce projet a apporté une contribution importante en offrant une vision profonde des taches spécifiques et des caractéristiques des réseaux sociaux (i.e. centrality, tie strength) sur les échanges formels et informels. Cette étude démontre que les échanges d’informations formels mènent à une performance positive quand la diversité de l’expérience professionnelle de l’équipe est réduite, alors que les échanges d’informations informels mènent à une performance positive quand la diversité de l’expérience professionnelle de l’équipe est grande. Les informations informelles mènent aussi à la satisfaction de l’équipe. Cette étude explique aussi comment les managers exercent leurs influences sur le mode individuel de communication en modelant l’environnement de travail. / This study establishes a multilevel model to investigate how managers can increase team performance and team satisfaction by influencing team members’ communications. I applied organizational communication theory, social exchange theory along with social network theory to a multilevel data set (consisting 37 frontline sales teams in a Fortune 500 company). Two-step interviews and a survey study were completed to test this model. This project made a substantive contribution by providing an in-depth look at the effects of task characteristics and network features (i.e. centrality, tie strength) on formal and informal information exchanges. It showed that formal information exchange led to positive team performance when team diversity in work tenure was low; while informal information exchange led to positive team performance when team diversity in work tenure was high. Informal information exchange also had direct impact on team satisfaction. This study also provided an insightful explanation of how managerial influences (such as clan control and competitive climate) shifted individual formal and informal communications by molding work environment.

Conflict is not an uncommon element of team interactions and processes; however, if unchecked it can cause issues in the ability of the team to achieve maximum performance. Research on task conflict and relationship conflict by de Wit, Greer, and Jehn (2012) found that while in many cases task conflict and relationship conflict within teams can have a negative effect on team performance, in some situations, task conflict benefitted team performance. In response to concerns about conflict in operating rooms, Rogers and Lingard (2006) suggested a conflict resolution tool, micronegotiation, as a way for surgeons to manage conflict. This study used students in health-related courses (radiology, physiology, and microbiology) to measure the effect of training in the micronegotiation technique on team performance on a problem-solving task and team satisfaction. Levels of task conflict and relationship conflict experienced within the teams were also compared between those who applied the technique and those who did not. The results of the MANOVA found no statistically significant differences between teams in the control group (no training) and teams in the experimental group (training) on any of the four dependent variables: team performance, team satisfaction, task conflict, or relationship conflict. The findings may be a result of little variance or presence of conflict within the groups and future research on the use of the micronegotiation technique may be better served to utilize adult work teams with a vested interest in the group product.

A between-groups design experiment was conducted to examine the effect of extraversion heterogeneity as a moderator between shared leadership and team satisfaction. It was hypothesized that the relationship between shared leadership and team satisfaction would be moderated by extraversion heterogeneity, such that (a) the relationship would be positive for teams in which members are similar in their levels of extraversion, and (b) the relationship would be negative for teams in which members are dissimilar in their levels of extraversion. Data regarding extraversion, shared leadership behavior, and team satisfaction was collected from 30 teams comprised of 90 participants. The findings did not support the hypothesis, showing no interaction. However, exploratory analyses did find evidence for the moderating role of agreeableness heterogeneity in the relationship between shared leadership and team satisfaction. The findings are discussed and implications for future research are presented.

The theoretical part of the thesis introduces the current state of the issue. The fundamentals of management, the three basic lines of health managers and their functions and roles are described first. Another section is devoted to the specifics of nursing care in the intensive care unit. The second part is focused on qualified nurses, their qualification, duties and the role, factors of satisfaction and difficulties of the care for patients in the intensive care unit. The last part deals with problems occurring in exercise of the nursing profession and with the assistance of a manager in dealing with these problems. Five objectives were established. Objective 1: To identify what nurses working in intensive care units need to be satisfied in their work. Objective 2: To map the form of support to the nursing team in the ICU from the perspective of managers. Objective 3: To point out possibilities of increase in job satisfaction of nurses working in intensive care units. Objective 4: To identify motivational factors for nurses working in intensive care units. Objective 5: To determine if there are obstacles preventing managers from supporting the nursing team. Qualitative research was selected to collect the data and 6 research questions were established. Research question No.1: What do nurses working in ICU need to be satisfied in their profession? Research question No.2: Do nurses working in ICU perceive any difference in position of a nurse working in an ICU and a nurse working in a standard unit? Another question No.3: What are the means used by the management to support the nursing team in ICU? Question No. 4: What are the possibilities of increasing work satisfaction of nurses working in ICU? Question No. 5: Which specific motivational factors are involved in satisfaction of nurses working in ICU? Research question No. 6: Which obstacles prevent managers from supporting the nursing team? Non-standardized interviews were conducted with 8 ward nurses and 12 nurses working in shifts who were employed in intensive care units of surgical or internal departments. Answers to the established research questions were formed based on analysis of the results. Results can be provided to managers in health care facilities and to nurses working in intensive care units.