Team Role

Mumford, T., Van Iddekinge, C., Morgeson, F., & Campion, M. (2008, March). The Team Role Test: Development and validation of a team role knowledge situational judgment test. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(2), 250-267. Retrieved April 3, 2008, doi:10.1037/0021-9010.93.2.250

The problem addressed by this study was vaguely stated in the title but very much related to the objectives of the study. The researchers proposed that the movement to team-based work designs in organizations has created specific challenges to managers responsible for staffing teams with individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) they need to work effectively in a team environment. This problem has educational significance because the study cited other works of literature declaring the necessity and importance of roles in teams while also exhibiting a low level of documented role evaluation. The research group believes that a better understanding of the roles needed to accomplish critical team functions and the knowledge that allows team members to assume these roles can help managers staff teams with members who will work well in an interdependent team environment.

This study's purpose is clearly stated in the introduction summary and further elaborated in the third paragraph by stating the overall goals. The purpose is to introduce the concept of team role knowledge and to discuss its potential use for staffing work teams. The group planned to contribute to other literature on teams by examining a self developed typology of team member roles using existing team members in multiple settings to close the information gap and investigating whether knowledge of when a particular team role should be adopted is related to team member performance. They also plan to contribute to human resource professionals by describing the development and validation of an instrument that can be used to select employees in a team environment.

The purpose agrees with the problem and title of the study. The purpose was limited by the researcher's capabilities and resources with respect to being able to draw general conclusions concerning the criterion-related validity of the test to the prediction of team member job performance.

The objectives of the study were clearly stated in the last paragraph of the introduction section. The stated objectives where substantial to accomplish the purpose and supported the research questions. All of the hypotheses were tested. There were no objectives presented that were not directly related to the problem and they seem to be sufficient to help solve the problem.

The researchers' review of other literature was extensive and well organized into sections. The section titles were Concepts of Team Roles, Team Roles Literature, Team Role Knowledge, Study 1: Measure Development and Pilot Test, Study 2: Validation of TRT in an Academic Setting, Study 3: Validation of TRT in a Work Setting, and General Discussion Method. Each section included subsections with titles related such topics as the methods used, results, measures, discussion, theoretical reasoning, hypothesis testing, study strengths and limitations, and directions for future