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09-04-2022

The Effects of Gender Faultlines and Distribution of Rewards on Intragroup Power Struggles and Group Performance

Authors: Ramsha Naeem, Arif Nazir Butt, Muhammad Abdur Rahman Malik

Published in: Social Justice Research | Issue 2/2022

Abstract

Despite the relevance and importance of distribution of rewards for group performance, especially groups with active faultlines, existing literature exploring these relationships is scarce. This study investigates the combined effects of gender faultlines and three particular conditions used for distribution of rewards on intragroup power struggles and group performance. The study hypothesizes that the relationship between gender faultlines and group performance is mediated by intragroup power struggles. It further posits that the distribution of rewards moderates the relationships between gender faultlines and intragroup power struggles, as well as gender faultlines and performance. The hypothesized relationships received empirical support in this experimental study using data from 396 participants nested in 99 groups. Specifically, we found that the positive effect of gender faultlines on intragroup power struggles was significant under inequity and equity conditions, but non-significant under equality condition. Further, the negative relationship between gender faultlines and performance was strengthened in the presence of inequity and equity conditions. Inequity condition resulted in the highest level of power struggles and lowest level of perceived and objective performances. Equity condition led to medium levels of power struggles and perceived performance but the highest level of objective performance. With equality condition, what ensued was the lowest level of power struggles, highest level of perceived performance, and medium level of objective performance. Managerial implications along with areas for future research are discussed.

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Medium level means the value which comes between high and low values of the variable. In this case, it is the medium value of power struggles that comes between high and low values of power struggles.

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Title: The Effects of Gender Faultlines and Distribution of Rewards on Intragroup Power Struggles and Group Performance
Authors: Ramsha Naeem
Arif Nazir Butt
Muhammad Abdur Rahman Malik
Publication date: 09-04-2022
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Social Justice Research / Issue 2/2022
Print ISSN: 0885-7466
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6725
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-022-00390-7

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