Abstract

Abstract
Purpose - This study investigates the influence of cognitive style diversity on intra-group relationship conflict and individual-level organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). The role of leader-member exchange as a moderating variable is also examined.

Design/methodology/approach – We used hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) and hierarchical regression analysis (HRA) to analyze results from a sample of 344 members from 83 teams nested within 126 departments in six manufacturing organizations in the
People’s Republic of China.

Findings – Results yielded general support for our hypothesized relationships between cognitive style diversity and intra-group relationship conflict. Leader-member exchange was also found to moderate the relationship between these two variables. Contrary to expectations, there were no relationships between these variables and individual-level organizational citizenship behaviors.

Originality/value – This research addresses calls from the team diversity and conflict literatures to address the understudied area of deep-level cognitive diversity. Second, our study addresses previous calls for more team-level and mixed-level theory and methodology to inform OCB research. Third, this is the first study of group-level cognitive style diversity and the moderating influence of leader-member-exchange and provides valuable insights into ways of mitigating some of the negative effects of cognitive diversity on teams.