Effects of Communication Style and Age Diversity in Innovation Teams

Robin Pesch, Ricarda B. Bouncken () and Sascha Kraus ()
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Robin Pesch: Department of Law and Business Administration, University of Bayreuth, Prieserstr. 2, 95444 Bayreuth, Germany
Ricarda B. Bouncken: Department of Law and Business Administration, University of Bayreuth, Prieserstr. 2, 95444 Bayreuth, Germany
Sascha Kraus: Institute forEntrepreneurship, University of Liechtenstein, Fürst-Franz-Josef-Strasse9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein, Germany

International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), 2015, vol. 12, issue 06, 1-20

Abstract: This study explores how new product development is affected by age and communication style diversity in teams. Results are derived from a survey study of 232 German SMEs and indicate that a diversity of communication styles in teams has ambivalent effects. On the one hand, it improves a creative team environment that facilitates product innovativeness and speed to market of new product development within teams. On the other hand, it increases relationship conflicts. Even though relationship conflicts have no direct impact on innovation performance, they hamper a creative team environment. Our results indicate that the beneficial effects of communication style diversity outweigh the dysfunctional effects on innovation performance in teams. Age diversity however has only a positive association with relationship conflicts.

Keywords: Communication style diversity; age diversity; innovation teams; new product development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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DOI: 10.1142/S0219877015500297

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