Emergence

The concept of emergence in multilevel phenomena (e.g., teams) has been the focus of recent theoretical discussions. Here, we establish a theoretical model for the emergence and dynamics involved with group potency. Kozlowski and Klein defined an emergent state as a characteristic of a team that "is amplified by their interactions, and manifested as a higher-level, collective phenomenon". An emergent state, therefore, is a dynamic construct, which theoretically changes or emerges over time. We adopt this as the basis for our investigation because it makes an important distinction that other definitions do not address. In Kozlowski and Klein definition, emergence is not a singular attribute; rather there are two distinct underlying processes that develop as a result of group interactions: (1) amplification, and (2) consensus. Amplification refers to the growth aspect, or in broader terms, reflects the notion of changing levels over time, of a construct. Consensus refers to the emergence of a collective phenomenon from the shared perceptions of individual members. Broadly speaking, the literature on emergent states has ignored the dynamic nature of both amplification and consensus. In particular, the vast majority of previous research has used cross-sectional data, which is poorly suited to examining the role time plays in both amplification and consensus processes. Emergent states should demonstrate changes in level and consensus over time, and result from team interactions and collective experiences that lead to increasingly shared perceptions and consensus between individual members.