Belbin s Team Role Model Applications

Journal of Management Studies 44:1 January 2007
0022-2380

Belbin’s Team Role Model: Development, Validity and
Applications for Team Building*

Aitor Aritzeta, Stephen Swailes and Barbara Senior
University of the Basque Country; University of Hull; Highfield House Consultancy abstract This paper brings together research into and using the team role model developed by Belbin (1981, 1993a) in an attempt to provide an exhaustive assessment of construct validity in light of the conflicting evidence so far produced. Role theory is used to contextualize the origins of the model. The psychometric properties of the Team Role Self-Perception Inventory used to assess a person’s likely behaviour in a team are examined along with 43 empirical studies that have tested theoretical associations between team roles and other cognitive or behavioural traits. While the evidence is mixed, we conclude that, on balance, the model and its accompanying Inventory have adequate convergent validity. However, strong associations between some team roles are observed, indicating weak discriminant validity among some scales in the Inventory. Through its coverage of important areas of teamworking, the paper contributes to the practitioner and research communities by providing fresh insights into aspects of teamworking and by suggesting new research agendas.

INTRODUCTION
Effective teamworking has become a basic concern for most organizations. While many factors influence a team’s performance, considerable attention has been given to the influence of team member diversity in terms of roles played in a team. The team role model made popular by Meredith Belbin in relation to management teams (Belbin,
1981, 1993a) and available commercially through Belbin Associates (1988) is widely used in practice and has featured extensively in research on teams at work. The model is used by many organizations including FTSE-100 companies, multinational agencies, government bodies and consultants and has been

References: Anderson, N. and Sleap, S. (2004). ‘An evaluation of gender differences on the Belbin Team Role SelfPerception Inventory’. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 77, 429–37. Aritzeta, A. and Ayestaran, S. (2003). ‘Aplicabilidad de la teoría de roles de equipo de Belbin: un estudio longitudinal comparativo con equipos de trabajo’ [‘Applicability of Belbin’s team roles theory: a Aritzeta, A., Ayestaran, S. and Swailes, S. (2005a). ‘Team role preference and conflict management styles’. Aritzeta, A., Senior, B. and Swailes, S. (2005b). ‘Team role preference and cognitive styles: a convergent validity study’ Arroba, T. and Wedgwood-Oppenheim, F. (1994). ‘Do senior managers differ in the public and private sectors?’ Balderson, S. J. and Broderick, A. J. (1996). ‘Behaviour in teams: exploring occupational and gender differences’ Bales, R. F. (1950). Interaction Process Analysis; A Method for the Study of Small Groups. Cambridge, MA: Addison-Wesley. Bales, R. F. and Slater, P. E. (1955). ‘Role differentiation in small decision-making groups’. In Parsons, T Barker, V. L., Patterson, P. W. and Mueller, G. C. (2001). ‘Organizational causes and strategic consequences of the extent of top management team replacement during turnaround attempts’ Baron, H. (1996). ‘Strengths and limitations of ipsative measurement’. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 69, 49–56. Beck, D., Fisch, R. and Bergander, W. (1999). ‘Functional roles in work groups – an empirical approach to the study of group role diversity’ Belbin Associates (1988). Interplace: Matching People Through Jobs. Cambridge: Belbin Associates. Belbin, M. (1981). Management Teams, Why They Succeed or Fail. London: Heinemann. Belbin, M. (1993a). Team Roles at Work. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Belbin, M. (1993b). ‘A reply to the Belbin Team Role Self-Perception Inventory by Furnham, Steele and Pendleton’ Belbin, R. M. and Life, E. A. (1983). ‘Management development for the management team’. In Taylor, B. Belbin, M., Aston, R. and Mottram, D. (1976). ‘Building effective management teams’. Journal of General Management, 3, 23–9. Benne, K. D. and Sheats, P. (1948). ‘Functional roles of group members’. Journal of Social Issues, 4, 41– 50. Biddle, B. (1979). Role Theory: Expectations, Identities and Behaviors. New York: Academic Press. Broucek, W. G. and Randell, G. (1996). ‘An assessment of the construct validity of the Belbin Self-Perception Inventory and Observer’s Assessment from the perspective of the five-factor model’ Cameron, K. M. and Quinn, R. E. (1999). Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture. Based on the Competing Values Framework Cattell, R. B., Eber, H. W. and Tatsuoka, M. M. (1970). The Handbook for the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edition. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Costa, P. T. and McCrae, R. R. (1992). Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) Professional Manual Davis, J., Millburn, P., Murphy, T. and Woodhouse, M. (1992). Successful Team Building: How To Create Teams That Really Work Dulewicz, V. (1995). ‘A validation of Belbin’s team roles from 16PF and OPQ using bosses’ ratings of competence’ Dulewicz, V. and Higgs, M. (1999). ‘Can emotional intelligence be measured and developed?’. Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 20, 242–52. Fisher, S. G. and Macrosson, W. D. K. (1995). ‘Early influences on management team roles’. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 10, 8–15. Fisher, S. G., Macrosson, W. D. and Sharp, G. (1996). ‘Further evidence concerning the Belbin Team Role Self-perception Inventory’ Fisher, S. G., Hunter, T. A. and Macrosson, W. D. K. (1998a). ‘The structure of Belbin’s team roles’. Journal of Organizational and Occupational Psychology, 71, 283–8. Fisher, S. G., Macrosson, W. D. K. and Wong, J. (1998b). ‘Cognitive style and team role preference’. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 13, 544–57. Fisher, S. G., Hunter, T. A. and Macrosson, W. D. K. (2001a). ‘A validation study of Belbin’s team roles’. Fisher, S. G., Macrosson, W. D. and Semple, J. H. (2001b). ‘Control and Belbin’s team roles’. Personnel Review, 30, 578–88. Fisher, S. G., Hunter, T. A. and Macrosson, W. D. (2002). ‘Belbin’s team role theory: for non-managers also?’ Furnham, A., Steele, H. and Pendleton, D. (1993a). ‘A psychometric assessment of the Belbin Team-Role Self-Perception Inventory’ Furnham, A., Steele, H. and Pendleton, D. (1993b). ‘A response to Dr Belbin’s reply’. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 66, 261. Graen, G. B. (1976). ‘Role making processes within complex organizations’. In Dunnette, M. D. (Ed.), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology Graen, G. B. and Scandura, T. A. (1987). ‘Toward a psychology of dyadic organizing’. Research in Organizational Behavior, 9, 175–208. Holland, J. L. (1985). Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Vocational Personalities and Work Environments. Ilgen, D. R. and Hollenbeck, J. R. (1991). ‘The structure of work: job design and roles’. In Dunnette, M. D. Jackson, C. (2002). ‘Predicting team performance from a learning process model’. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 17, 6–13. Jarzabkowski, P. and Wilson, D. C. (2002). ‘Top teams and strategy in a UK university’. Journal of Management Studies, 39, 355–81. Katz, D. and Kahn, R. L. (1978). The Social Psychology of Organizations, 2nd edition. New York: John Wiley and