Meta-functional expertise is the breadth of one’s strategically important knowledge.Bunderson, J. S. (2003). Team member functional background and involvement in management teams: Direct effects and the moderating role of power centralization. The Academy of Management Journal, 458–474. It differs from the traditional conceptualization of expertise, which is generally considered to be a great depth of knowledge in a defined area, and where thus experts are people who are distinguished as knowing a lot about a particular subject. Comparatively, a meta-functional expert is considered to be somewhat knowledgeable in many different areas but not necessarily an expert in any single domain.
Compared to generalists Someone high on meta-functional expertise is similar to a generalist in that they have a wide array of knowledge. However, where generalists know many different things meta-functional experts have enough depth of knowledge in each area to be considered knowledgeable by other members of their team at work.: Bunderson, JS., & Sutcliffe, KM. 2002. Comparing Alternative Conceptualizations of Functional Diversity in Management Teams: Process and Performance Effects. The Academy of Management Journal 45(5): 875-893
Results of meta-functional expertise Individuals high on meta-functional expertise are: Better able to acquire social power at work because they can translate between specialists.Bunderson, J. S. (2003). Team member functional background and involvement in management teams: Direct effects and the moderating role of power centralization. The Academy of Management Journal, 458–474Dahlander, L. & O’Mahony, S. 2011. Progressing to the Center: Coordinating Project Work. Organization Science. 22(4): 961-979 More successful as entrepreneursBeckman, C.M. & Burton, D.M. 2008. Founding the Future: Path Dependence in the Evolution of Top Management Teams from Founding to IPO. Organization Science, 19(1): 3–24 More innovativeMors, M. L. (2009). Innovation in a global consulting firm: when the problem is too much diversity. Strategic Management Journal, 31(8), 841–872. More likely to get promoted at workKelly, et al Combining diverse knowledge: knowledge workers’ experience of specialists and generalist roles. Personnel Review, 29(4): 384-427 Better able to get information from people outside of their work teamTushman, M.L., & Scanlan, T.J. 1981. Boundary Spanning Individuals: Their Role in Information Transfer and Their Antecedents. The Academy of Management Journal, 24 (2): 289-305Tushman, M.L., & Scanlan, T.J. Characteristics and external orientations of boundary spanning individuals. Academy of Management Journal, 24(1): 83-98
Groups with more meta-functional experts on them perform better because they: Communicate better with one another and share more ideas Bunderson, JS., & Sutcliffe, KM. 2002. Comparing Alternative Conceptualizations of Functional Diversity in Management Teams: Process and Performance Effects. The Academy of Management Journal 45(5): 875-893Somech, A. 2006. The Effects of Leadership Style and Team Process on Performance and Innovation in Functionally Heterogeneous Teams, Journal of Management, 32: 132-157 Understand their surroundings better Cummings, J.N. 2004. Work Groups, Structural Diversity, and Knowledge Sharing in a Global Organization. Management Science, 50(3): 352-364 Gain knowledge external to the group more efficientlyHaas, M.R. 2006. Acquiring and Applying Knowledge in Transnational Teams: The Roles of Cosmopolitans and Locals. Organization Science, 17(3): 367-384 Are more innovativeFay, D., Carol Borrill1, Ziv Amir, Robert Haward and Michael A. West. 2006. Getting the most out of multidisciplinary teams: A multi-sample study of team innovation in health care. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 79: 553–567
See also Interdisciplinarity, utilization of specialist knowledge from several areas to solve a problem Interdiscipline, a discipline based on several disciplines, but which can also be considered an independent discipline
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