| dc.description.abstract | In general, people take it for granted that interpersonal conflict suppresses group performance. Although the diversity of personality leads to interpersonal incompatibility, it is not easy to assert that every type of conflict is not valuable. Even if opposite viewpoints lead to confrontation, it may well be the right moment for a team to review, reflect, and reconfirm any differences in opinion. Interpersonal conflicts are important factors influencing the group processes in IT project. Modern IT/IS projects are so complex that developing teams often need to clarify task ambiguity through task-related reflexes and knowledge exchange. Based on a review of literature and observations in practice, this study applies Gladstein’s task group effectiveness model to IT project development. The model mainly posits that the group process may lead to group effectiveness. More specifically, group processes are series of intra-group interaction to transform resources into group effectiveness, such as performance, satisfaction, and potency. This study proposes that relational conflict impedes the communication processes, whereas task conflict may induce constructive controversy contingently, in turn, facilitating group processes. This study proposes two factors moderating the relationship between conflict and intra-team communications, namely, team member’s conflict management style and task interdependence. Moreover, knowledge exchange among team members, team reflexivity toward task, and the ambiguity of task are identified as consequences of interpersonal conflict. In addition, the characteristics of group processes will influence IT project performance.
Questionnaire survey, in which a team is treated as a sample, is applying to test the research model and hypotheses. A qualified sample consists of responses from a team leader 3 associated team members, from the same team currently engaging in IS developing projects. Two versions of the questionnaires were designed, for the leader and member respectively, to avoid common method biases. Scales were developed through a rigorous procedure, including content verification by researchers, backward translation by two English teachers, and pilot test by fifteen teams and its members. After aggregating individual-level data into team-level, Structured Equation Model was adopted for model testing. Results supported most of the hypothesis in the proposed model. Finally, a conceptual model of task communication is proposed based on the findings to clarify intra-team communication processes and effectiveness of IS developing teams.
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