Shared leadership and differentiated performance outcomes in NPD teams: the roles of team stability and creative problem-solving capacity

Zhen Zhang, Wei Zhang and Min Min

European Journal of Innovation Management, 2026, 1-24

Abstract: PurposeThis study examines whether shared leadership contributes equally to different performance outcomes on new product development (NPD) teams. It investigates how shared leadership influences product quality and development speed through creative problem-solving capacity and how team stability moderates this mechanism.Design/methodology/approachA moderated mediation model is proposed, drawing on the knowledge-based view of the firm. The hypotheses are tested using multisource time-lagged survey data from 113 Chinese NPD teams, including responses from project managers and team members.FindingsShared leadership positively influences product quality, which is mediated by creative problem-solving capacity. However, its direct and indirect effects on development speed are not significant and weaker than those on product quality. Team stability strengthens the relationship between shared leadership and creative problem-solving capacity and the indirect effect of shared leadership on product quality.Originality/valueThis study contributes to innovation management and shared leadership research by explaining how shared leadership facilitates NPD performance through creative problem-solving capacity and when this mechanism is shaped by team stability.

Keywords: Shared leadership; Team stability; Creative problem-solving capacity; Product quality; Development speed (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:ejimpp:ejim-05-2026-0592

DOI: 10.1108/EJIM-05-2026-0592

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