Structural contingency theory and individual differences: examination of external and internal person-team fit.

Full Abstract

This article develops and tests a structurally based, integrated theory of person-team fit. The theory developed is an extension of structural contingency theory and considers issues of external fit simultaneously with its examination of internal fit at the team level. Results from 80 teams working on an interdependent team task indicate that divisional structures demand high levels of cognitive ability on the part of teammembers. However, the advantages of high cognitive ability in divisional structures are neutralized when there is poor external fit between the structure and the environment. Instead, emotional stability becomes a critical factor among teammembers when a divisional structure is out of alignment with its environment. Individual differences seem to play little or no role in functional structures, regardless of the degree of external fit.

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Author information

Author/s: Hollenbeck, John R (JR); Moon, Henry (H); Ellis, Aleksander P J (AP); West, Bradley J (BJ); Ilgen, Daniel R (DR); Sheppard, Lori (L); Porter, Christopher O L H (CO); Wagner, John A (JA);

Affiliation: Department of Management, Eli Broad Graduate School of Management, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1122, USA. jrh@msu.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: The Journal of applied psychology (J Appl Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Jun; vol 87 (issue 3) : pp 599-606

Dates: Created 2002/07/01; Completed 2002/07/31; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12090618, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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