Author(s)

Li Li ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

Corresponding Author

Li Li

ABSTRACT

In the field of team research, heterogeneity is regarded as an important variable affecting team performance. However, little is known about the mechanism of impacts of member heterogeneity on team performance. In the current study, the synergy is introduced as an intermediary variable to establish a conceptual model of the relationship between heterogeneity, synergy and team performance. The study made an empirical analysis of 540 foreign language teachers from 15 universities in China by applying the cross-level analysis technique to explore the mechanism of the effects of member heterogeneity on the performance of foreign language teachers in universities. Results showed that (a) the external heterogeneity had a significantly positive impact on team performance, while the internal heterogeneity negatively impacted on it; (b) the synergy had a significantly positive effect on team performance; (c) the synergy played a partial mediating role in the relationship between external heterogeneity and team performance, and a complete mediating role in the relationship between internal heterogeneity and team performance.

KEYWORDS

Team, college foreign language teachers, member heterogeneity, synergy, team performance

CITE THIS PAPER

Li Li, Effects of Member Heterogeneity on Synergy of Teams of Foreign Language Teachers in Chinese Universities: A Cross-Level Role Mediated by Synergy. Adult and Higher Education (2023) Vol. 5: 139-148. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/aduhe.2023.050819.

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