Leveraging a team-centric approach to diagnosing multiteam system functioning: The role of intrateam state profiles

The increased reliance on team-based structures within 21st century organizations has sparked a stream of research investigating the drivers of collaboration within and across multiteam systems (MTS), comprised of distinct, interdependent component teams. To date, MTS research tends to rely on the simplified-and potentially inaccurate-assumption that component teams within a MTS are homogenous with regard to their emergent intrateam properties (e.g., team attitudes, behaviors, cognitions). We suggest that team-centric approaches may better characterize the ways in which emergent intrateam properties might vary across different MTS component teams-operationalized with what we term 'intrateam state profiles.' Leveraging cancer care MTSs as an illustrative example, we detail the need for team-centric approaches as complementary to traditional, variable-centric approaches to studying collective phenomena. Specifically, we explore intrateam state profiles as a mechanism for understanding complex interactions of emergent properties within teams that may profoundly affect system functioning and associated HRM practices.