Individual, Climate, and Group Interaction Processes as Predictors of Work Team Innovation

Abstract

The contribution of individual innovativeness and team climate factors to the rated innova-tiveness of work groups is examined in a study of 59 members of 13 teams in an oil company. A specific model of work team innovation was tested that proposes that four team climate factors-team vision, participative safety, task orientation, and support for innovationdetermine level of team innovation. Scores on measures of group interaction processes and team climate were related to external ratings of group innovativeness. The results showed that supportfor innovation was the most consistent predictor, with negotiated vision and an aim for excellence (a subscale of the task orientation scale) also predicting externally rated group innovativeness. Allfour major theoretical variables correlated significantly with the interaction process category of innovating, offeringfurther supportfor theoretical predictions.