Faculty of Business Administration
SEMINAR SERIES No. 16/1516
Management
Identification with and Perceived Influence of Geographically Dissimilar Teammates: Do Emotions Experienced in the Initial Team Meeting Matter?

Prof. Elizabeth GEORGE
Professor of Management
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Prof. Prithviraj CHATTOPADHYAY
Professor of Management
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Abstract

We argue that the emotions team members experience in their initial team meetings moderate the effect that their geographical dissimilarity has on their identification with the team and their influence on team decisions over time. We consider these direct relationships at the beginning of the team project (T1), shortly after the project’s midpoint (T2) and immediately after project completions across two studies. We also examine the mediating role of identification in predicting perceived decision influence. In Study 1 we tested our hypotheses by examining the joint impact of nationality dissimilarity (i.e. geographical dissimilarity across countries) and emotions on identification and perceived influence at T1 and T2 with a sample comprising 204 members of 48 teams engaged in an ongoing MBA project. In Study 2 we tested our hypotheses by examining the joint impact of state dissimilarity (i.e. geographical dissimilarity within a country) on identification and perceived influence at T2 and T3 with a sample comprising 444 members of 75 teams engaged in an ongoing MBA project. Across the two studies our data provide strongest support for our hypotheses regarding (i) the positive moderated effect of geographical dissimilarity and pleasant high-activation on identification (T1 and T2 in Study 1, T2 and T3 in Study 2) and perceived influence (T1 in Study 1, T2 in Study 2); (ii) the positive moderated effect of geographical dissimilarity and unpleasant low-activation emotions on identification and perceived influence (T2 in Study 1 and T3 in Study 2). The results also provide some support for (iii) the negative moderated impact of geographical dissimilarity and pleasant low-activation emotions on identification and perceived influence (T2 in Study 1) and (iv) the initial positive (T1 in Study 1) and then negative (T2 and T3 in Study 2) moderated impact of geographical dissimilarity and unpleasant high-activation emotions on perceived influence. Study 1 also supported (v) the mediating role of identification in the joint impact of pleasant high-activation emotion and geographical dissimilarity on influence.

Date: 6 June, 2016 (Monday)
Time: 15:30~17:00
Venue: Faculty of Business Administration, E22-2007

A Short Biography of Prof. Elizabeth GEORGE
Elizabeth George is Professor of Management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. She has held academic positions at the Australian Graduate School of Management, University of Queensland and Western Michigan University as well as visiting positions in Duke University and the Indian School of Business. She received her PhD in Organization Science from the University of Texas at Austin.

Professor George’s research interests include nonstandard work arrangements and diversity. Her work has been published in journals such as Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Journal of Applied Psychology, Organization Science and the Academy of Management Annals. She is currently a member of the editorial boards of Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Organizational Behavior and the Australian Journal of Management. She is also currently an associate editor for the Academy of Management Annals and Organizational Psychology Review, and was senior editor for Organization Studies (2008-2013), and area editor for the Australian Journal of Management (2008-2011). Her research has been recognized with various awards including the Academy of Management Review Best Paper Award (2007). She was Division Chair of the Academy of Management’s Managerial and Organizational Cognition Division.

A Short Biography of Prof. Prithviraj CHATTOPADHYAY
Prithviraj Chattopadhyay is Professor of Management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He previously held academic positions at the Australian Graduate School of Management (2001-2007), University of Queensland (1998-2001) and Western Michigan University (1996-1998) and was a visiting scholar at Duke University in 2004. He holds a PhD in Management from the University of Texas at Austin.

His research interests include relational demography and diversity, managerial cognition, and employment externalization. His research has been published in journals such as Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Journal of Applied Psychology, Organization Science and Strategic Management Journal. He is currently a member of the editorial boards of Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Journal of Strategy and Management and Organizational Psychology Review and was previously on the editorial boards of Journal of Management (2003 – 2008) and Journal of Organizational Behavior (2005 – 2009). He is an in-coming Associate Editor for the Academy of Management Journal. His co-authored paper won the Academy of Management Review Best Paper Award (2007). He was recognized for his outstanding service to the Journal of Management editorial board (2006-2008) and the Journal of Applied Psychology editorial board (2008-2014). He was appointed International Visiting Fellow (UK) by the Economic and Social Research Council / Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Advanced Institute of Management Research in 2005.

ALL ARE WELCOME!