Perceived value congruence and team innovation

This article develops and tests a model of perceived value congruence effects on team innovation and explores a contingent-mediated pathway explaining this relationship. Survey data from 346 members of 75 health care teams support a significant relationship between value congruence and innovation. The study data indicate that one of the mechanisms through which perceived value congruence facilitates the generation of novel ideas is through the development of team identification. This mechanism is contingent, however, on the extent to which members focus on profession as a salient social category. Our data support a moderated mediation pathway in which the effect of value congruence is explained through team identification and its interactive effect on innovation. Practitioner Points Highlights to organizations, particularly in the health care industry, the importance of perceived value congruence in generating innovative team outcomes, and reinforces the merit of strategies to develop perceived congruence through, for example, leadership and interprofessional education. Reinforces the value to leaders tasked with innovation of heightening member awareness of professional diversity and associated knowledge differences, within an overarching framework of shared values.