Lower cost and shorter time-to-market expectations are the major drivers of software productivity improvements. To manage productivity effectively, it is important to identify the most relevant difficulties and develop strategies to cope with them. Agile methods, including Extreme Programming and Scrum, have evolved as approaches to simplify software development process, potentially leading to better productivity. They aim to shorten development time and handle the inevitable changes resulting from market dynamics. Although the industry has extensively adopted agile methods, little research has empirically examined the software development agility construct regarding its dimensions, determinants, and effects on software development performance. Understanding this construct could help determine where to concentrate management efforts (and related financial resources) from a practical standpoint and where to focus research efforts from an academic perspective. Considerable research has been directed at identifying factors that have a significant impact on software development productivity. In general, the studied productivity factors were related to product, personnel, project, process, or organizational issues. Continuously evaluating productivity factors is important, as factors may change under new software engineering practices. However, little research has investigated the major factors influencing agile team productivity. ]The goal of this thesis was to explore productivity definitions, factors, and monitoring in agile teams and to improve the practice based on the collected evidence and gained knowledge. This thesis presents five novel contributions: C1 - Empirical verification of the importance of productivity for companies adopting agile methods and its perceived benefits; C2 - Rationale for the definition of productivity in the context of agile methods; C3 - Empirical verification of agile team productivity factors; C4 - A conceptual framework for agile team productivity factors and their impact; C5 - A team productivity monitoring process considering adaptability and an evaluation of the usefulness of agile team productivity metrics. / Menor custo e expectativa de menor time-to-market são os principais motivadores para melhorias de produtividade de software. Para gerir eficazmente a produtividade, é importante identificar as dificuldades mais relevantes e desenvolver estratégias para lidar com elas. Os métodos ágeis, incluindo Programação Extrema e Scrum, evoluíram como abordagens para simplificar o processo de desenvolvimento de software, potencialmente levando a uma melhor produtividade. Eles visam reduzir o tempo de desenvolvimento e lidar com as mudanças inevitáveis decorrentes da dinâmica do mercado. Embora a indústria tenha adotado amplamente métodos ágeis, há pouco entendimento científico do construto agilidade em desenvolvimento de software em relação às suas dimensões, determinantes e efeitos sobre o desempenho no desenvolvimento de software. Compreender esse construto poderia ajudar a determinar onde concentrar os esforços de gestão (e recursos financeiros relacionados) de um ponto de vista prático, assim como onde concentrar os esforços de investigação de uma perspectiva científica. Pesquisa considerável tem sido direcionada para identificar os fatores com impacto significativo na produtividade de desenvolvimento de software. Em geral, os fatores de produtividade estudados foram relacionadas ao produto, pessoas, projeto, processo ou questões organizacionais. Avaliar fatores de produtividade continuamente é importante, pois os fatores podem mudar quando novas práticas de engenharia de software são adotadas. No entanto, poucos estudos investigaram fatores influenciando a produtividade de times ágeis. O objetivo desta tese é explorar definições, fatores e monitoramento de produtividade em times ágeis e melhorar a prática baseada em evidência. Esta tese apresenta cinco novas contribuições: C1 - Verificação empírica da importância de produtividade para as empresas que adotam métodos ágeis e seus benefícios percebidos; C2 - Justificativa para a definição da produtividade no contexto de métodos ágeis; C3 - A verificação empírica de fatores de produtividade em times ágeis; C4 - Um arcabouço conceitual de fatores de produtividade em times ágeis e seu impacto; C5 - Um processo de acompanhamento de produtividade de times ágeis, considerando adaptabilidade e uma avaliação da utilidade de métricas de produtividade para esses times.

Background. With the growing trend in using Agile development method in thesoftware industry, the importance of "people" in the software development processhas risen up. As much as the technical aspects contribute to a better software processand products, it is ultimately people that make the software. Hence, studying thehuman factors in the perspective of software development can be considered significant especially in studying the effect of these factors on performance of the teams intoday’s Agile based development scenario. Objectives. The objective of this thesis is to identify the individual based humanfactors that influence the software team performance.Methods. For this project, we use the methods systematic literature review(snowballingstudy) and survey to identify and understand the influence of the human aspects onteam performance and possibly arrive at an understanding of these factors tendingtowards high-performing Agile teams. Results. The results of the thesis indicate that there are 19 factors that impactthe team performance. The results show that personality, professional knowledge,formal education, leadership style, work experience etc., are all impacting factorsof the performance of a team. Though, personality was the most mentioned factorfollowed by communication and professional knowledge. These results when weretried to verify through a survey showed similarities as well as some aberrations tothe results obtained from SLR. According to survey, professional knowledge has thehighest importance while personality scored lower than expected in the practitioner’sperspective. Although, many factors had similar degree of importance as for the results from both methods. Conclusions. It is essential to study the impact of the individual based factors onteam performance and several factors can be indicated that show their effect on theperformance of a team. Essentially, the study of the factors can be used to buildprocesses and teams focused to better their performance which can ultimately leadto better softwares. Individuals contribute to the team and studying the factors thatrely on their characteristics helps understand the team as a whole in a better waywhich can in-turn aid in improvement.

Ausgangspunkt der Arbeit bildete die Bedeutung von Teamreflexionsprozessen für die Weiterentwicklung und Leistungsfähigkeit von Projektteams. Nach der Theorie der Teamreflexivität von West (1996, 2000) spielen regelmäßige Reflexionsprozesse eine besondere Rolle bei der Anpassung an steigende Herausforderungen der Teamarbeit und stehen in einem direkten Verhältnis zum Teamerfolg in komplexen und dynamischen Arbeitsfeldern, wie sie im Projektkontext anzutreffen sind. Eine Reihe empirischer Studien bestätigt, dass sich Teamreflexionsprozesse positiv auf das Arbeitsergebnis von Teams auswirken. Allerdings existieren nur wenige Erkenntnisse darüber, auf welche Faktoren der Nutzen von kollektiven Reflexionsprozessen zurückzuführen ist und wie sich kontinuierliche Reflexionsprozesse im Zeitverlauf auswirken. Die vorliegende Arbeit knüpfte an diesen Forschungslücken an und verfolgte das Ziel, neben dem direkten Einfluss indirekte Effekte von Teamreflexionsprozessen auf die Leistung von Projektteams im Längsschnitt zu untersuchen. Da sozial-kognitiven Prozessen eine zentrale Rolle bei der Wirkung von Teamreflexionsprozessen zugeschrieben wird, wurde das Konzept der mentalen Teammodelle (Cannon-Bowers, Salas & Converse, 1993; Klimosky & Mohammed, 1994) genutzt, um die Verbindung zwischen Teamreflexion und Teamleistung zu erglären. Mentale Teammodelle beschreiben die gemeinsamen Repräsentationen und das Wissen der Teammitglieder über teamrelevante Gegebenheiten und wirken sich nachweislich positiv auf die Teamleistung aus. Je nach Inhaltsbereich werden Teammodelle in aufgabenbezogene und teamarbeitsbezogene Typen unterschieden (z.B. Mohammed, Ferzandi & Hamilton, 2010). Auf Grund der Bedeutung aufgabenbezogener Kognitionen bei der Bearbeitung komplexer und intellektuell anspruchsvoller Aufgaben in Projektteams, wurden in der vorliegenden Arbeit die mentalen Aufgabenmodelle der Teammitglieder als Mediatoren zwischen Teamreflexion und Teamleistung beleuchtet. Dabei wurde angenommen, dass sowohl die Ähnlichkeit (Übereinstimmung zwischen den Teammitgliedern) als auch die Qualität der Aufgabenmodelle den Einfluss von Teamreflexion auf die Teamleistung erklären können. Aufbauend auf den postulierten Zusammenhänge zwischen Teamreflexion, der Ähnlichkeit und Qualität der mentalen Aufgabenmodelle (Mediatoren) und der Teamleistung wurde ein Forschungsmodell abgeleitet und mit Forschungshypothesen unterlegt. In dem Modell wurden sequentielle Aspekte mit berücksichtigt und die Wirkung von wiederholt stattfindenden Teamreflexionen im Zeitverlauf betrachtet. Mit einer experimentellen Untersuchung (Experimental-Kontrollgruppen-Design mit Messwiederholung) wurde das Forschungsmodell empirisch überprüft. Im Rahmen dieser Studie bearbeiteten 22 studentische Projektteams eine zweitägige Fallstudie zum Themenbereich Personalauswahl. Die Analyse der Teamergebnisse belegte direkt positive Effekte von gemeinsamen Reflexionsprozessen auf die Teamleistung, welche vermittelt wurden durch die Qualität der mentalen Aufgabenmodelle. Wider erwartend konnte der indirekte Effekt durch die Ähnlichkeit der Aufgabenmodelle nicht nachgewiesen werden. Teamreflexionen wirken sich positiv auf die Ähnlichkeit aus, diese hatte jedoch keinen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Teamleistung. Des Weiteren konnte gezeigt werden, dass wiederholt durchgeführte Reflexionsprozesse zu einer Zunahme der Teamleistung und zu einem Anstieg in der Qualität der Aufgabenmodelle im Zeitverlauf führten. Dieses Ergebnis ist ein erster empirischer Beleg für die Bedeutung der Kontinuität von Teamreflexionsprozessen für die Weiterentwicklung von Teams. Zusammenfassend konkretisierte die vorliegende Arbeit, wie und warum Teamreflexionsprozesse auf die Leistung von Projektteams im Zeitverlauf wirken. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die positiven Effekte von Teamreflexion auf eine Verbesserung in der Qualität der Aufgabenvorstellungen der Teammitglieder zurückgeführt werden können. Des Weiteren wurde deutlich, dass regelmäßig durchgeführte Teamreflexionen zu einer Steigerung der Leistungsfähigkeit im Zeitverlauf führen. Damit trägt die vorliegende Arbeit zu einem besseren Verständnis der Wirkungsweise von Teamreflexionsprozessen bei.:1 Einleitung 3 1.1. Ausgangspunkt, Zielsetzung und Forschungsfragen 3 1.2. Aufbau der Arbeit 8 2 Begriffliche und konzeptionelle Grundlagen der Teamarbeit 12 2.1. Definition und Typen von Teams 12 2.2. Effektivitätsmodelle der Teamarbeit 15 3 Teamreflexion 20 3.1. Begriffsbestimmung Teamreflexion 20 3.2. Teamreflexion und Teameffektivität: Die Theorie der Teamreflexivität 23 3.3. Verwandte reflexionsbasierte Ansätze auf der Teamebene 31 3.4. Empirische Befunde zur Wirkung von Teamreflexion auf die Teamleistung 39 3.5. Fazit 45 4 Mentale Teammodelle 46 4.1. Kognitive Teamforschung 46 4.2. Begriffsbestimmung und Abgrenzung zu anderen Konzepten 47 4.3. Inhalte und Typen mentaler Teammodelle 49 4.4. Ähnlichkeit und Qualität mentaler Teammodelle 51 4.5. Einflussfaktoren auf die Entwicklung mentaler Teammodelle 55 4.6. Entstehung und Veränderung mentaler Teammodelle im Zeitverlauf 59 5 Forschungsmodell und Hypothesen 61 5.1. Forschungsmodell 61 5.2. Hypothesen 63 6 Empirische Untersuchung 83 6.1. Methodik 83 6.2. Ergebnisse 113 6.3. Diskussion 153 7 Schlussbetrachtung 171 7.1. Zusammenfassung der Erkenntnisse 171 7.2. Implikationen 178 Literaturverzeichnis 184 Anhang 205

Modern companies are increasingly relying on groups of individuals to reach organizational goals and objectives, however many organizations struggle to cultivate optimal teams that can maximize performance. Fortunately, existing research has established that group personality composition (GPC), across five dimensions of personality, is a promising indicator of team effectiveness. Additionally, recent advances in technology have enabled groups of humans to form real-time, closed-loop systems that are modeled after natural swarms, like flocks of birds and colonies of bees. These Artificial Swarm Intelligences (ASI) have been shown to amplify performance in a wide range of tasks, from forecasting financial markets to prioritizing conflicting objectives. The present research examines the effects of group personality composition on team performance and investigates the impact of measuring GPC through ASI systems. 541 participants, across 111 groups, were administered a set of well-accepted and vetted psychometric assessments to capture the personality configurations and social sensitivities of teams. While group-level personality averages explained 10% of the variance in team performance, when group personality composition was measured through human swarms, it was able to explain 29% of the variance, representing a 19% amplification in predictive capacity. Finally, a series of machine learning models were applied and trained to predict group effectiveness. Multivariate Linear Regression and Logistic Regression achieved the highest performance exhibiting 0.19 mean squared error and 81.8% classification accuracy.

No description available.

No description available.

The goal of this dissertation was to explore the key factors and managerial mechanisms that influence performance of inter-organizational collaborative teams. Specifically, this research addressed five key constructs: inter-organizational collaboration relationships, project characteristics, team process, managerial mechanisms, and team performance of inter-organizational collaborative teams. Data for this study was collected via semi-structured interviews within two stages. In the first stage, interviews were done with the executives, focusing on the inter-organizational relationships, managerial mechanisms and the performance of the inter-organizational collaborative team from strategic perspectives. The next stage involved with interviews with the team members to collect the information regarding team process more thoroughly. The results suggested that (1) Inter-organizational relationships positively affect the inter-organizational team process. (2) Project Characteristics also play a role in the team process of inter-organizational collaboration. (3) Inter-organizational team process have positively influence on the performance of inter-organizational collaborative teams. (4) Managerial mechanisms, such as mutual learning, and organizational culture, also have influences on the team process and team performance of inter-organizational collaborative teams. However, we had few findings about the team incentives program or any other formal mechanisms that promote the team process and team performance.

過去研究雖然發現團隊情感氛圍 (group affective tone)能有效預測團隊成員的助人行為、團隊創造力、團隊缺席率與離職等重要變數，但在概念上或是理論上仍有許多未釐清之處。因此，本研究擬針對下列的文獻缺口加以探討：(1) 探討影響正/負向團隊情感氛圍形成的前因變數，釐清有哪些變數會影響團隊情感氛圍的形成；(2) 探討不同時間點正/負向團隊情感氛圍的動態改變及情感事件的干擾效果；(3) 探討正/負向團隊情感氛圍與團隊績效的因果關係；由於單一研究不易同時兼顧上述三個研究目的，因此本研究將以三個研究分別針對上述目的加以探討。 在研究一，本研究以101個學生團隊做為樣本 (523位成員)，路徑分析的結果發現，團隊成員的年齡、教育背景多元化，會透過負向影響群體認同、進而強化負向團隊情感氛圍。此外，知覺團隊間競爭、成員的迎合、自我表現印象管理策略，則會透過正向影響群體認同、進而強化正向團隊情感氛圍。在研究二，本研究則以44個大學部、碩士班學生組成的團隊做為樣本 (和研究一的樣本獨立，成員為215人)，階層線性模式分析的結果指出，正、負向團隊情感氛圍在跨時間點確實會產生動態改變，且前期的正/負向團隊情感氛圍均能顯著影響後期的正/負向團隊情感氛圍。且前後期間發生的負向情感事件，亦會減弱前、後期正向團隊情感氛圍之間的正向關係。最後，在研究三，本研究以81個高科技產業研發團隊做為樣本 (包括259位團隊成員及81位主管)，交叉延遲貫時性分析 (cross-lagged panel analysis, CLPA)的結果指出，前期的正向團隊情感氛圍對後期團隊績效有顯著正向影響，而前期團隊績效對於後期正向團隊情感氛圍，也有顯著的正向影響。整體而言，本研究之假設大多符合理論預期，而研究結果對團隊情感氛圍、團隊多元化、以及印象管理研究的理論意涵與實務貢獻，亦在文中一併加以討論。 / Extending previous research on group affective tone (GAT), three studies were conducted to examine the antecedents, dynamics, and consequences of GAT. In study 1, 101 student teams (523 members) were chosen as the sample. The results of path-analysis showed that team age and educational background diversity decrease group identification, which in turn increases negative group affective tone (NGAT). In addition, perceived intergroup competition, members’ self-promotion and ingratiation impression management tactics increase group identification, which in turn increases positive group affective tone (PGAT). In study 2, 44 student teams (215 members) were selected as the sample, and the experience-sampling method was used to capture the dynamics of GAT (i.e., 6-time repeated measure). The results of hierarchical linear modeling analysis revealed that the T-1 PGAT positively predict T0 PGAT over time; while T-1 NGAT positively predict T0 NGAT over time. Moreover, the negative affective event occurred during T-1 and T0 attenuates the positive relationship between T-1 PGAT and T0 PGAT. In study 3, 81 research and develop teams (259 members and 81 supervisors) were chosen as the sample, and the cross-lagged panel analysis (CLPA) was used to examine the causal association between GAT and team performance. The results of CLPA showed that T1 PGAT has a positive effect on T2 team performance. Additionally, T1 team performance has a positive effect on T2 PGAT. These result suggest that the presence of a reciprocal relationship between PGAT and team performance. All three studies support the proposed theoretical framework.

Le but de cette recherche est la vérification des relations entre les pratiques de leadership et la performance de l’équipe. Nous nous concentrons sur deux pratiques de leadership distinctes : le leadership d’empowerment et le leadership autocratique. Cette recherche vise également à comprendre le rôle médiateur de l’engagement des membres envers les objectifs d’équipe dans ces relations. De plus, nous examinons la combinaison des deux pratiques de leadership chez un même responsable d’équipe, à savoir si l’adoption d’un style de leadership peut réduire ou amplifier l’effet de l’autre style de leadership. Les données de types secondaires ont été colligées auprès de 381 membres faisant partie de 101 équipes ainsi que des 101 supérieurs immédiats de ces équipes œuvrant dans une organisation de sécurité publique canadienne. Ces données ont été recueillies grâce à un questionnaire. Des analyses factorielles confirmatoires et des analyses de régression hiérarchique ont permis de vérifier nos huit hypothèses. Les résultats montrent que les pratiques de leadership sont modérément et significativement liées à la performance d’équipe. Les pratiques de leadership sont également liées fortement et significativement à l’engagement des membres envers les objectifs d’équipe. Par ailleurs, les résultats révèlent que l’engagement des membres envers les objectifs d’équipe joue un rôle médiateur complet dans la relation entre les pratiques de leadership et la performance d’équipe. Par contre, l’effet d’interaction entre les pratiques de leadership n’est pas significatif. La vérification du rôle médiateur de l’engagement des membres envers les objectifs d’équipe constitue un apport théorique dans la compréhension des équipes de travail. Sur le plan pratique, les résultats montrent que les responsables d’équipe ont intérêt à adopter des pratiques de gestion permettant l’atteinte des objectifs d’équipe tout en améliorant le sentiment d’engagement des membres et la performance d’équipe. / The purpose of this research is to study the effect that leadership practices can have on team performance. We decided to concentrate this study on two types of leadership practices that are distinct: empowerment leadership and autocratic leadership. This research also tends to explain the mediating role of team goal commitment in the relation between leadership practices and team performance. Furthermore, we examine the harmonization of both leadership practices present among a team leader to notice if the adoption of one type of leadership would diminish or amplify the impact of the other leadership type. Secondary data were collected in a public safety organization located in Canada. Overall, 381 members of 101 teams and their corresponding 101 immediate superiors were questioned through a questionnaire survey. Confirmatory factor analyses and a series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to verify our eight hypothesis. The results showed that leadership practices have a moderate and significant effect on team performance. Leadership practices are also strongly and significantly related to team goal commitment. Otherwise, the results points out the mediating role of team goal commitment. In fact, the mediating role of team goal commitment was complete between leadership practices and team performance. Contrariwise, the interaction effect between leadership practices turned out to be not significant. The verification of the mediating role of team goal commitment represents a theoretical implication within the comprehension of team work. Likewise, on the practical side results showed that team leaders had better to adopt managing practices that can allow the team to reach the team objectives while improving the members’ sense of commitment and the team performance.

Le but de cette recherche est la vérification des relations entre les pratiques de leadership et la performance de l’équipe. Nous nous concentrons sur deux pratiques de leadership distinctes : le leadership d’empowerment et le leadership autocratique. Cette recherche vise également à comprendre le rôle médiateur de l’engagement des membres envers les objectifs d’équipe dans ces relations. De plus, nous examinons la combinaison des deux pratiques de leadership chez un même responsable d’équipe, à savoir si l’adoption d’un style de leadership peut réduire ou amplifier l’effet de l’autre style de leadership. Les données de types secondaires ont été colligées auprès de 381 membres faisant partie de 101 équipes ainsi que des 101 supérieurs immédiats de ces équipes œuvrant dans une organisation de sécurité publique canadienne. Ces données ont été recueillies grâce à un questionnaire. Des analyses factorielles confirmatoires et des analyses de régression hiérarchique ont permis de vérifier nos huit hypothèses. Les résultats montrent que les pratiques de leadership sont modérément et significativement liées à la performance d’équipe. Les pratiques de leadership sont également liées fortement et significativement à l’engagement des membres envers les objectifs d’équipe. Par ailleurs, les résultats révèlent que l’engagement des membres envers les objectifs d’équipe joue un rôle médiateur complet dans la relation entre les pratiques de leadership et la performance d’équipe. Par contre, l’effet d’interaction entre les pratiques de leadership n’est pas significatif. La vérification du rôle médiateur de l’engagement des membres envers les objectifs d’équipe constitue un apport théorique dans la compréhension des équipes de travail. Sur le plan pratique, les résultats montrent que les responsables d’équipe ont intérêt à adopter des pratiques de gestion permettant l’atteinte des objectifs d’équipe tout en améliorant le sentiment d’engagement des membres et la performance d’équipe. / The purpose of this research is to study the effect that leadership practices can have on team performance. We decided to concentrate this study on two types of leadership practices that are distinct: empowerment leadership and autocratic leadership. This research also tends to explain the mediating role of team goal commitment in the relation between leadership practices and team performance. Furthermore, we examine the harmonization of both leadership practices present among a team leader to notice if the adoption of one type of leadership would diminish or amplify the impact of the other leadership type. Secondary data were collected in a public safety organization located in Canada. Overall, 381 members of 101 teams and their corresponding 101 immediate superiors were questioned through a questionnaire survey. Confirmatory factor analyses and a series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to verify our eight hypothesis. The results showed that leadership practices have a moderate and significant effect on team performance. Leadership practices are also strongly and significantly related to team goal commitment. Otherwise, the results points out the mediating role of team goal commitment. In fact, the mediating role of team goal commitment was complete between leadership practices and team performance. Contrariwise, the interaction effect between leadership practices turned out to be not significant. The verification of the mediating role of team goal commitment represents a theoretical implication within the comprehension of team work. Likewise, on the practical side results showed that team leaders had better to adopt managing practices that can allow the team to reach the team objectives while improving the members’ sense of commitment and the team performance.