Constructive controversy for learning and team effectiveness in China

Researchers have strongly endorsed the value of learning for individuals, teams, and organizations, and proposed that effective collaboration among employees is critical for this learning. This study aims to document specifically the nature of this learning enhancing collaboration. It argues that constructive controversy, the open-minded discussion of various views for mutual benefit, characterizes learning interaction among team members. Structural equation analyses were conducted on data provided by teams working in a sample of manufacturing organizations in Shandong, China. Findings support the theorizing that learning promotes team effectiveness and that constructive controversy facilitates a learning orientation. This study empirically links research on constructive controversy with the organizational learning literature.