Newcomer socialization in China: effects of team values and goal interdependence

Abstract

How newcomers interact with their experienced colleagues has been thought to affect their socialization and performance. In a field study of 169 new employees, team leaders provided measures of values and newcomers rated their relationships and attitudes. Structural equation analysis results suggest that relationships and open discussion values promote socialization by developing cooperative goals and integrative interaction. Results were tentatively interpreted as suggesting that values affect socialization by altering newcomer goal interdependence and interaction with experienced team members. By embracing the values of relationships and open discussion, supplemented with cooperative goals and integrative interaction, teams can more effectively socialize newcomers.

Keywords:

• China
• conflict
• newcomer
• socialization
• team values

Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the financial support of the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, RGC Grant Project No: LU3404/05H to the second author.