EVENT: Psychology Special Colloquium; A product of their environment: contextual challenges faced by modern teams (William kramer)

Title: A Product of Their Environment: Contextual Challenges Faced by Modern Teams

Abstract:

As organizations expand across time and space, teams are faced with increasing task complexity ranging from completing creative tasks with dispersed team members to safely sending humans to Mars. Although the success of these teams can result in synergistic benefits for both the organization and individuals, failure can be a financial burden or, in extreme cases, result in harm to a team member. This begs the question of how organizations can best provide the resources necessary for the 21st century team to adapt to the unique challenges that emerge from their task environment. From a more theoretical perspective, we must also understand how to capture the complex interactions of teamwork processes that are unique to each task environment. To these ends, I will present initial research that has been conducted with implications for three unique contexts: (1) engineering teams, (2) global, virtual teams, and (3) extreme teams. Using results from this multi-method, multi-study approach as a theoretical groundwork, I will discuss the next steps that are being taken to further my stream of research across these contexts and also strengthen our theoretical understanding of teams, including the impact of demographics (e.g., national culture) and their processes (e.g., leadership).

SPEAKER BIO:

William Kramer is currently Graduate Research Assistant at Institute of Simulation and Training (IST) & Clemson University (DIGITAL Lab). He will present this colloquia as part of the selection process in recruitment of the Level B position in the School of Psychological Science.