Task Conflict, Problem‐Solving, and Yielding: Effects on Cognition and Performance in Functionally Diverse Innovation Teams

Although research on team cognition has focused mostly on sharedness and its benefits, differences in team member cognition (i.e., representational gaps) may not always have negative effects. In this article, we develop theory and test the positive and negative effects of representational gaps (rGaps) among team members in cross-functional product development teams and the central role of task conflict and conflict management (problem-solving and yielding) in predicting team cognition. rGaps are examined both in terms of average level within the team and the patterns of shared representations across members from different functional areas. These patterns capture potential asymmetries within the team.