Ethnic Heterogeneous Teams Outperform Homogeneous Teams on Well-defined but not Ill-defined Creative Task.
Authors: Chaoying Tang, Christian Byrge.
Issue: 2016, Vol. 2
Abstract
Purpose – Due to its socio-cultural complexity, the impact of ethnic heterogeneous team on creative task is a two-edge sword. On one hand it will bring high cognitive stimulation and thus enhance creative production. On the other hand, it will lead to attention loading and thus determine concentration and creativity. In handling ill-defined task or well-defined task, the needed attention loading might not the same. Thus a question arises: will ethnic heterogeneous teams outperform ethnic homogenous in creative production on ill-defined and/or well-defined tasks? The paper aims to address this issue.
Design – This paper presents an experimental study that compares ethnic heterogeneous teams (composed of both Danish and Chinese) with ethnic homogenous teams (composed of only Danish or only Chinese) on creative production. The characteristic of tasks is manipulated: well-defined or ill-defined creative task.
Findings – The paper finds that heterogeneous teams get more creative production than homogenous teams in solving the well-defined task. No significant difference was found in the creative production for the ill-defined task.
Value – The paper demonstrates that the creative production in ethnic heterogeneous teams will depend on the characteristic of the creative task.
Paper type: Research paper.
Keywords: ethnic heterogeneous, team creativity, ill-defined task, well-defined task.
To download the article, please click on the PDF file below or read on this page:
Authors: Chaoying Tang, Christian Byrge.
Issue: 2016, Vol. 2
Abstract
Purpose – Due to its socio-cultural complexity, the impact of ethnic heterogeneous team on creative task is a two-edge sword. On one hand it will bring high cognitive stimulation and thus enhance creative production. On the other hand, it will lead to attention loading and thus determine concentration and creativity. In handling ill-defined task or well-defined task, the needed attention loading might not the same. Thus a question arises: will ethnic heterogeneous teams outperform ethnic homogenous in creative production on ill-defined and/or well-defined tasks? The paper aims to address this issue.
Design – This paper presents an experimental study that compares ethnic heterogeneous teams (composed of both Danish and Chinese) with ethnic homogenous teams (composed of only Danish or only Chinese) on creative production. The characteristic of tasks is manipulated: well-defined or ill-defined creative task.
Findings – The paper finds that heterogeneous teams get more creative production than homogenous teams in solving the well-defined task. No significant difference was found in the creative production for the ill-defined task.
Value – The paper demonstrates that the creative production in ethnic heterogeneous teams will depend on the characteristic of the creative task.
Paper type: Research paper.
Keywords: ethnic heterogeneous, team creativity, ill-defined task, well-defined task.
To download the article, please click on the PDF file below or read on this page:
| Ethnic Heterogeneous Teams Outperform Homogeneous Teams on Well-defined but not Ill-defined Creative Task. |
About the Authors:
Chaoying Tang is an associate Professor in School of Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. She gained the Ph.D. degree from Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research interest includes Team Creativity, Knowledge Sharing, Social Network and organizational behaviors. Her papers in English have been published in R&D Management, Journal of Creative Behavior, Creativity and Innovation Management, Thinking Skills and Creativity, Computers in Human Behavior, International Journal of Technology Management, etc.
Christian Byrge is an associate Professor in Department of Business and Management, Aalborg University and at the Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research in Beijing. He gained the Ph.D. for his studies in creativity training. His research interest includes Creativity Training, Enhancement of Creativity and Creative Genius. Christian has published high impact books and scientific papers and he is co-initiator of the Creative Genius master level program at Aalborg University.
Chaoying Tang is an associate Professor in School of Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. She gained the Ph.D. degree from Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research interest includes Team Creativity, Knowledge Sharing, Social Network and organizational behaviors. Her papers in English have been published in R&D Management, Journal of Creative Behavior, Creativity and Innovation Management, Thinking Skills and Creativity, Computers in Human Behavior, International Journal of Technology Management, etc.
Christian Byrge is an associate Professor in Department of Business and Management, Aalborg University and at the Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research in Beijing. He gained the Ph.D. for his studies in creativity training. His research interest includes Creativity Training, Enhancement of Creativity and Creative Genius. Christian has published high impact books and scientific papers and he is co-initiator of the Creative Genius master level program at Aalborg University.
