Title: Achievement motivation diversity and entrepreneurial team performance: the mediating role of cohesion

Authors: Michael T. Knapp; Robert J. Breitenecker; Mohammad Saud Khan

Addresses: Institute for Entrepreneurship and Organizational Development, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Straße 69, HF Building, 4040 Linz, Austria ' Department of Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship, Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Universitaetsstraße 65-67, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria ' Department of Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship, Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Universitaetsstraße 65-67, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria

Abstract: Entrepreneurial teams often start innovative new ventures. Based on the fact that new venture teams share potential advantages compared to solo entrepreneurs, it is also acknowledged that differences in team members' personalities, attitudes and values can impair team performance and new venture growth. Our study therefore explores the relationships between team diversity in the motivational trait Need for Achievement (NAch) and team effectiveness and efficiency. Additionally, we test cohesion as a potential mediator in the diversity-performance link. The results show that diversity in NAch is negatively related to team efficiency but not to team effectiveness. Furthermore, we found that entrepreneurial team cohesion partially mediates the negative relationship between the NAch diversity and team efficiency.

Keywords: entrepreneurial teams; motivation diversity; heterogeneity; need for achievement; team cohesion; achievement motivation; team performance; team efficiency; team effectiveness; entrepreneurship; new ventures; personalities; attitudes; values; new venture growth; teamwork.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2015.071535

European Journal of International Management, 2015 Vol.9 No.5, pp.593 - 613

Received: 10 Jan 2014
Accepted: 23 Jun 2014
Published online: 31 Aug 2015 *

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