Trust Dispersion In Teams: A Configural Model From A Temporal Perspective

Authors:

Abstract: This research investigates the dynamic change of trust dispersion within teams and its impact on team satisfaction and performance. While past research primarily focused on shared trust in teams, this study explores the less-examined dynamics of unevenly distributed trust within teams. It proposes two competing hypotheses: one, based on social exchange theory, suggests that trust dispersion decreases over time, leading to a congruent trust level; the other posits that trust dispersion increases due to the amplified heterogeneousness when team members with various level of trust in each other start to interact. Using a longitudinal design, preliminary data collected from 20 MBA student teams working on a crisis managemet simulation suggests that trust dispersion within team increases at the early stage of team development. Trust dispersion is negatively related to team satisfaction and this relationship is fully mediated by collective team efficacy.

Track: TEAM

Keywords: Trust Dispersion; Collective Team Efficacy; Team Performance; Team Satisfaction; Crisis Management