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Huijun Suo
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Sethi, R., Smith, D. C., & Park, C. W. (2001). Cross-functional product development teams,
creativity, and the innovativeness of new consumer products. Journal of Marketing, 38, 73-85.
Summary:
This study examines how innovativeness is affected by various characteristics of crossfunctional teams and contextual influences on the team. On the basis of a study of 141 crossfunctional product development teams, this study find that innovativeness is positively related to
the strength of superordinate identity in the team, encouragement to take risk, customers’
influence, and active monitoring of the project by senior management. Additionally, social
cohesion among team members has a negative effect on innovativeness.
Conditions for Creativity:
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Diversity of input
Discovery of novel linkages
Motivation to innovate
Challenging traditional perspectives
Promoting risk taking
Resource availability
Method:
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Data collection: mail survey to 240 project managers, 141 response
Data analysis: moderated regression analysis
Key variables:
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New product innovativeness
Superordinate identity
Social cohesion
Functional diversity
Encouragement to take risk
Monitoring by senior management
Customers’ influence
Conclusions and Implications:
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Challenging traditional perspective that high diversity helps teams become more creative
Creating a strong superordinate identity within a cross-functional team can reduce the
adverse effects of functional identities or thought worlds
Senior managers may want to include in teams only functional areas that are essential to
the project