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Managing Task Interdependencies in Multi‐Team Projects: A Longitudinal Study
Author(s) -
Hoegl Martin,
Weinkauf Katharina
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of management studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.398
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1467-6486
pISSN - 0022-2380
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2005.00542.x
Subject(s) - interdependence , new product development , process management , task (project management) , project team , project management , phase (matter) , function (biology) , product (mathematics) , project management triangle , knowledge management , structuring , automotive industry , business , computer science , engineering , systems engineering , marketing , sociology , chemistry , geometry , mathematics , organic chemistry , finance , evolutionary biology , biology , aerospace engineering , social science
In this article we examine project‐level and team‐level managerial functions aimed at managing inter‐team task interdependencies and investigate their effect on the performance of teams in a multi‐team product development project. We hypothesize that team interface management (a team‐level function) performed in the concept phase of a project, rather than the later development phase, is positively related to team performance at the project's conclusion (i.e. product quality, product cost, development budget, development time). Furthermore, we argue that project structuring and support (a project‐level function) is important in both the concept and the development phases. We test our hypotheses empirically based on a 36 months longitudinal study of a product development project in the European automotive industry comprising 39 teams. The results show that team interface management is particularly important during the concept phase of the project. Project structuring and support is most important in the development phase of the project, while hindering team performance in the concept phase. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.