Abstract
Currently, there is a proliferation of studies examining group and team
dynamics, as an increasing number of organizations are incorporating
group and team-based structures. Extant literature has provided mixed
findings regarding the influence of reward structures on various team
outcomes. E.g., More rapid activity in teams has been found for
competitive reward structure, with diminishing quality of work (Mailer,
1929). Which type of reward structure (competitive, cooperative or
hybrid) has the best implication for team performance in organizations?
This paper aims to address this question by incorporating the mechanism
(i.e., epistemic and social motivation) and moderating variable (i.e.,
need for affiliation). Understanding the motivated information
processing in groups model (MIP-G) and antecedents of team performance
has important managerial implications. This moderator (i.e., need for
affiliation) has not been examined in relation to all three types of
reward structures in past studies. This paper hopes to extend the
literature of reward structures and motivated information processing
model by encompassing this new boundary condition. It is essential to
incorporate novel contexts while examining relationships among variables
as this approach further develops existing theories.