Cristina Gibson Publishes Research Paper in Australian Journal of Management

Cristina Gibson’s paper, Team Adaptations in Complex Environments: Lessons from Practice, Evidence from Research, and Challenges for the Road Ahead, with co-authors Ramon Rico (University of Western Australia), Miriam Sánchez-Manzanares (University of Madrid) and Mark Clark (American University) is published in a special anniversary issue of Australian Journal of Management that reviews the state of the art in management research in a variety of domains. The paper contributes to theory and practice as it extends previous knowledge on the dynamics of team adaptation, and it makes recommendations of why and how HRM practices should incorporate the research findings into management.

Organizational scientists, and professionals acknowledge that many work environments are charged with complexity as tiny changes in the organizational system can cause dramatic transformations later on. The nature of work has changed and will continue to do so as technologies continue to evolve and the business sector becomes more competitive. Researchers have been striving to understand the drivers of effective work in a complex task environment, thus finding support for a casual relationship between adaptive performances, processes, cognitions and work related outcomes in individuals and teams. The paper helps to better understand team adaptation in the workplace and aid in the design of training programs for collaborative action under social, economic and emergency situations.