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Abstract
The research investigates the application of social identity perspective in understanding group dynamics in a Chinese team context. Social identity perspective provides a well-developed theoretical framework for identifying structural factors (antecedents to group identification) and agent factors (leadership) and their relationship to important outcomes (including trust, job satisfaction, and turnover intention) and the current research extends the literature by testing key propositions from the theory in a Chinese cultural context.
The current research uses a field research approach to investigate the relative impact of structural factors and agent factors in a real life work team environment. It employs a multi-method design comprising two-wave questionnaires and focus groups. Structural equation models are used for quantitative data at both Time 1 and 2 one model for the social identity variables, one for the leadership variables and a combined model. Comparisons of the combined models at Time 1 and Time 2 enable the influence of the variables over a six-month period to be examined. Focus groups were conducted to understand in-depth of the group dynamics and triangulate the quantitative findings.
The SEM results indicate that collective self-esteem is important for group identification in the Chinese context. The team members assessment of leadership effectiveness was found to depend not only on the quality of the leader-follower relationship but also on the extent to which the leader demonstrated group-oriented behaviours and served as a prototype for the group values, and the extent to which team members identified with the group. Both social identity and leadership variables were important for predicting trust, job satisfaction and turnover intention. Focus groups discussion confirmed the SEM results. However, the results suggest that any assessment of leader influence may be overestimated if group factors are not considered. The research contributes to social identity research by extending its validity to a field setting in a cross-cultural context. However, the research indicates that the application of social identity perspective may need to address contingent factors that arise in real life work team settings and in cross-cultural settings.