Team diversity can be seen as a double-edged sword. It brings additional cognitive resources to teams at the risk of increased conflict. Few studies have investigated how different types of diversity impact Agile software teams. This study views diversity through the lens of the categorization-elaboration model (CEM). We investigated how diversity in gender, age, role, and cultural background impacts team effectiveness and conflict, and how these associations are moderated by psychological safety. Our sample consisted of 1,118 participants from 161 teams and was analyzed with Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM). We found a positive effect of age diversity on team effectiveness and gender diversity on relational conflict. Psychological safety contributed directly to effective teamwork and less conflict but did not moderate the diversity-effectiveness link. While our results are consistent with the CEM theory for age and gender diversity, other types of diversity did not yield similar results. We discuss several reasons for this, including curvilinear effects, moderators such as task interdependence, or the presence of a diversity mindset. With this paper, we argue that a dichotomous nature of diversity is oversimplified. Indeed, it is a complex relationship where context plays a pivotal role. A deeper understanding of diversity through the lens of theories such as the CEM may lead to more effective teamwork.
翻译:团队多样性可被视为双刃剑,为面临冲突加剧风险的团队带来更多的认知资源。很少有研究调查了不同类型多样性对Agile软件团队的不同影响。本研究通过分类-构建模型(CEM)的透镜看待多样性。我们调查了性别、年龄、角色和文化背景的多样性如何影响团队效力和冲突,以及这些协会如何通过心理安全来调节这些协会。我们的样本由161个团队的1 118名参与者组成,并以差异-结构公平模型(CB-SEM)来分析。我们发现年龄多样性对团队有效性和性别多样性对关系冲突的积极影响。心理安全直接促进了有效的团队合作,减少了冲突,但并没有调节多样性-有效性的联系。我们调查了性别、年龄、年龄、作用和文化背景的多样性如何影响团队的效力和冲突,以及这些协会如何通过心理安全来调节。我们讨论了这方面的几个原因,包括曲线效应、任务相互依存等主持人或多样性思维模式的存在。我们发现,多样性的分解性质对团队有效性和性别多样性在关系冲突方面产生了积极的影响。心理安全直接促进了有效的团队合作,但并没有调节多样性联系。事实上,一个复杂的团队互动关系,这是更深刻的焦点。