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Measuring Collaboration in Cross-Cultural Contexts

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Innovative Assessment of Collaboration

Part of the book series: Methodology of Educational Measurement and Assessment ((MEMA))

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Abstract

The use of team-based organizing has become the norm in many organizations, especially those characterized by complexity. However, research has shown that teams are not always effective, despite their popularity (Sims & Salas, 2007). The complex endeavor of creating and maintaining the enabling conditions for team performance is further compounded when teams are culturally diverse. While cultural diversity can provide synergies, research has shown that it can also lead to process loss as members attempt to navigate differences in attitudes, beliefs, and values that often remain hidden under the surface and impact team interaction. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is twofold. First, to highlight some of the areas that may prove challenging for culturally diverse teams to navigate; and, in turn, provide insight into what constructs to measure. Second, to identify a set of measurement considerations that must be navigated when assessing collaboration within culturally diverse teams.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (#NNJ13HF08P). The views expressed in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the organizations with which they are affiliated or their sponsoring institutions or agencies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA

    C. Shawn Burke

  2. City University of New York, New York, USA

    Jennifer Feitosa

  3. Rice University, Houston, USA

    Eduardo Salas

  4. University of Maryland, College Park, USA

    Michele Gelfand

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  1. C. Shawn Burke
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  2. Jennifer Feitosa
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  3. Eduardo Salas
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  4. Michele Gelfand
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Correspondence to C. Shawn Burke .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. ACT , Iowa City, Iowa, USA

    Alina A. von Davier

  2. Research and Development Division, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

    Mengxiao Zhu

  3. Research and Development Division, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

    Patrick C. Kyllonen

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Shawn Burke, C., Feitosa, J., Salas, E., Gelfand, M. (2017). Measuring Collaboration in Cross-Cultural Contexts. In: von Davier, A., Zhu, M., Kyllonen, P. (eds) Innovative Assessment of Collaboration. Methodology of Educational Measurement and Assessment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33261-1_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33261-1_12

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