Racing Against Time: How Individualist and Collectivist Knowledge Shape Team Decision-Making Outcomes Under Time Constraints

This study examines how time constraints shape team decision performance across different knowledge contexts. Drawing on organizational knowledge creation theory, we distinguish between individualist knowledge contexts, where team members generate ideas independently, and collectivist knowledge contexts, where teams build knowledge collaboratively through iterative integration. We hypothesize that, under time constraints, teams perform better in individualist knowledge contexts than in collectivist ones, as independent idea generation leverages individual cognitive resources efficiently, whereas collectivist processes require more time for effective refinement. Additionally, we explore the role of delays as epistemic signals. In individualist knowledge contexts, delays may indicate a scarcity of viable ideas, leading to lower decision performance. In collectivist knowledge contexts, however, delays could be beneficial, signaling effective team interaction and knowledge integration. To test these hypotheses, we analyze decisions’ quality from 10 company teams engaged in a structured laboratory game. Our research intends to contribute to the understanding of how time constraints affect knowledge generation in teams, offering insights for organizations on structuring decision processes in fast-paced environments.