The impact of commitment and climate strength on the relationship between trust and performance in cross-functional project teams

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to shed more light on the complex relationship between trust and performance in the context of cross-functional project teams. This study presents a moderated mediation model that investigates the impact of team trust on team performance mediated by project commitment and moderated by climate strength (the consensus among team members on the level of trust). Design/methodology/approach To test the proposed model, data were collected from 179 project team members in 31 Norwegian construction project teams. Findings Results indicated that project commitment fully mediates the relationship between propensity and trustworthiness and team performance, while it partially mediates the relationship between cooperation and team performance. For monitoring, there results showed no mediation. The results yielded no support for the moderation effects of climate strength, suggesting that the mean-level approach to studying trust at the team level still is important. Research limitations/implications Cross-sectional survey data suffer from being unable to test causality and samples are relatively small. Future research should test the models on other samples and in combination with data other than self-report. Longitudinal and multilevel studies are also warranted. Practical implications The results suggest that trust has an impact on project commitment and both directly and indirectly on team performance. Interventions to develop a high trust climate in project teams can thus contribute to improved project performance. Originality/value This study offers new insight into the complex relationship between trust and performance and improves our understanding of trust in cross-functional project teams.