I took some time to critically read through the scientific article “Personal Values and Performance in Teams: An Individual and Team-Level Analysis” by David J. Glew. First, the researchers read over the preexisting literature, identifying a lack of conclusive evidence. They noted that not many studies have been conducted on identifying values that make a strong team player. Previous studies have failed to reveal a general effect of values on the performance of a team. Scholars in the field have called for research that uses “deep-level composition variables” (p. 671). Glew’s research aims to answer this question by focusing on a central trait: personal values. 

For the purpose of the research, personal values are described as guiding principles in life. These traits help explain individual behaviors and actions. The article addressed how personal values affect both individual and team performance. Notably, it does not specifically address the significance of the values held, rather how well it matched between the individual and their occupation. The researchers hypothesized that individual importance of values will be positively related with performance within a team. For their sample, they chose a group of undergraduate students and MSB students. Despite general expectation from the literature, personal values were not significant predictors. I found this to be surprising– From my personal experience, if my values align with my work, I tend to put more effort into my performance. I am sure from personal anecdotes, others would agree. But, it may just not make a pronounced difference in worker output when examined from afar. I am excited to see how the literature will develop over the years as more accurate tools of measurement become available to researchers. 

Glew, David J. “Personal Values and Performance in Teams: An Individual and Team-Level Analysis.” Small Group Research, vol. 40, no. 6, Dec. 2009, pp. 670–93. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1177/1046496409346577.