집단 전체의 인지복합성의 선행요인과 집단성과에 미치는 영향

Antecedents of Group Cognitive Complexity and its Effects on Group Performance

본 연구는 Hackman(1987)의 투입-과정-산출 모델에 기초하여 집단구성원들의 인지복합성 조합(투입)이 집단구성원의 상호작용을 반영하는 집단인지복합성 (과정)에 미치는 영향과, 집단인지복합성이 집단의사결정의 효과성(산출)에 어떠한 영향을 미치는 지에 대한 이론적 모델과 가설을 설정하고, 실증분석을 통해 검증하였다. 투입요소로서 집단구성원들의 인지복합성 조합은 집단구성관점(group compositional perspective)에서 분석하고, 과정요소로서의 집단인지복합성은 집단 전체관점(group-as-a-whole perspective)에서 살펴보았다. 본 연구에서는 집단구성원들의 개인 인지복합성과 집단인지복합성 간의 관계를 조사하기 위해 집단구성관점 연구에서 널리 사용되는 평균과 분산을 조합방법으로 활용하였고, 집단구성원의 인지복합성 조합이 집단인지복합성에 미치는 영향에 있어 집단 내정보공유의 조절효과도 검증하였다. 실증분석을 위해 본 연구는 미국 북동부의 A대학 학부생을 대상으로 B&B Enterprise 경영모의 게임을 실시하였으며, 106개 집단(376명)이 최종 연구결과 분석에 사용되었다. 분석결과, 집단구성원들의 인지복합성 평균은 집단 전체의 인지복합성에 유의한 정(＋)의 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났으나, 집단구성원들의 인지복합성 분산이 집단 전체의 인지복합성에 미치는 영향은 통계적으로 유의하지 않았다. 한편, 집단 내 정보공유는 집단구성원들의 인지복합성 분산과 집단 전체의 인지복합성의 관계에 정(＋)의 조절효과를 미치는 것으로 나타났으나, 집단 구성원들의 인지복합성 평균과 집단 전체의 인지복합성 간의 관계에 미치는 조절효과는 유의하지 않았다. 또한, 집단 전체의 인지복합성은 집단의사결정의 효과성에 유의한 정(＋)의 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 추가분석에서 집단 전체의 인지복합성은 집단 내 구성원들의 인지복합성 평균과 집단의사결정의 효과성 간의 관계를 매개하는 것으로 나타났다. 이상의 연구결과를 바탕으로 연구의 의의, 한계 및 추후 연구과제에 대하여 논의하였다.

This study attempts to integrate two different perspectives on group-level cognition : a compositional and a group-as-a-whole perspective. Drawing on the input-process-output model (Hackman 1987), The study proposed the research model incorporating the compositional aspects of group members’ cognitive complexities (input) and emergent properties of group cognitive complexity (process), and group decision-making effectiveness (output). Using the concept of cognitive complexity, this study explores some aspects of group compositions as a cause for an emergent property of group cognitive complexity, which in turn affects group decision-making effectiveness. Additionally this study investigates the moderating effects of information sharing in groups on the relationships between the combinations of group members’ cognitive complexities and group cognitive complexity. To explore the linkages between individual member cognitive complexities and the emergent group cognitive complexity, this study draws on the analytical frameworks developed by the group composition studies : the mean and the variance. The study hypotheses are as follow : H1 : The average of the cognitive complexities of individual members in a group will be positively related to the cognitive complexity of the whole group. H2 : The variability in the individual cognitive complexity of group members will be positively related to the cognitive complexity of the whole group. H3-1 : Information sharing in groups will positively moderate the relationships between the average of the cognitive complexities of individual members in a group and the cognitive complexity of the whole group. H3-2 : Information sharing in groups will positively moderate the relationships between the variability in the individual cognitive complexity of group members and the cognitive complexity of the whole group. H4 : The cognitive complexity of a whole group will be positively related to group decisionmaking effectiveness. This study employed a business simulation game (the B&B Enterprises Management Flight simulator, Langley, Paich, & Sterman, 1998; Sterman, 2003). 376 undergraduate students at a large university in the Northeast United States were randomly assigned to three- or four-person groups. The total sample size was 106 groups. The findings of this study suggest that the average of member cognitive complexities was positively related to the cognitive complexity of a whole group. However, the variability in member cognitive complexities was not significantly related to the cognitive complexity of a whole group. On the other hand, the moderating effect of information sharing in groups on the relationship between the average of member cognitive complexities and the cognitive complexity of a whole group was not signifiant, whereas the moderating effect of information sharing in groups on the relationship between the variability in member cognitive complexities and the cognitive complexity of a whole group was signifiant. As anticipated, in addition, the cognitive complexity of a whole group was significantly related to group decision-making effectiveness. Finally, supplemental analyses suggested that the cognitive complexity of a whole group significantly mediated the effects of the average of member cognitive complexities on group decision-making effectiveness. The implications, future directions, and limitations of this study were also discussed.