University of Twente Student Theses
Understanding the characteristics of an innovative top management team and designing a tool to discuss power dynamics
Lammers, I. (2025) Understanding the characteristics of an innovative top management team and designing a tool to discuss power dynamics.
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| Abstract: | Top management teams (TMTs) are critical in facilitating innovation and attaining organisational success. In previous studies, demographic diversity within TMTs has generally been associated with fostering organisational innovativeness. Conversely, while the positive effect of diversity on innovation is well documented, this paper also highlights the partial responsibility of diversity within TMTs for inequality amongst team members. Power imbalances resulting from inequality within a team have been demonstrated to harm collaboration and innovation. The starting point of this study is this so-called 'diversity/inequality dilemma'. In the study, an in-depth exploration of the configuration strategies employed by innovative TMTs to overcome the adverse effects of the aforementioned dilemma is performed. Furthermore, during the study a practical tool was designed to support TMT in addressing power dynamics and improving collaboration to drive innovation. This tool was named 'The wheel of managerial power'. The study results demonstrate that highly innovative TMTs emphasise functional and educational diversity whilst actively managing power dynamics through trust-based collaboration and expertise-driven decision-making. The testing of the tool revealed that it is a valuable means of initiating conversations about power. This study makes a dual contribution by combining the development of theoretical concepts with the design of a practical tool. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/106293 |
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