Likewise, if partners have competing goals, conflict is bound to ensue. The Olsons give an example of scientists collaborating with computer programmers to create a piece of software. In this case study, the scientists’ goal was to create a reliable tool to further their research, while the computer programmer’s goal was to extend knowledge about what the computer itself could accomplish. The programmers were content to continually modify the program, extending its capabilities, while the scientists became impatient for a finished product. Ultimately, the scientists decided to partner with program developers who were used to seeking input from users and modifying their program to meet specific requirements. In another study of team productivity, a group led by business professor Brian Uzzi and Lúıs A. Nunes Amaral, a physicist who studies complex systems, both at Northwestern University, measured team productivity in the diverse fields of economics, ecology, astronomy, and social psychology. The study, published in the journal Science 2, demonstrated that the productivity of a given team, as measured by the impact factor of team’s journal publications, correlates with how long team members have worked together and whether the team brings in new members. According to the study, prior experience working together increases team productivity, as does periodically bringing in new members to an established team.
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