The Psychometric Properties of Scales That Assess Market Orientation and Team Leadership Skills: A Preliminary Study

This study assessed the psychometric properties of two scales that can be used in predicting team performance: specifically how team members assess the market orientation of their work unit as well the leadership skills present in the team. The first scale is a three-dimensional assessment of the unit's market orientation (innovative, process, or customer service) using 24 items. The other is a three-dimensional scale that assesses team leadership skills (facilitator, coach, and manager) also using 24 items. Fifty-two participants from teams in different organizations completed the two scales as well as demographic and team performance items. Principal components analyses and internal consistency analyses suggest that the two new scales have good psychometric properties. Perceived team performance was related equally well to all three dimensions of unit market orientation, as well as to all three dimensions of team leadership skills. However, all three team leadership skill dimensions had higher correlations with performance as well as with liking being a member of the team than did the three market orientation dimensions. Perceived performance was more highly related to all three dimensions of market orientation and all three dimensions of leadership skills than to liking being a member of the team. The new measures described should be useful in team performance theory, research, and practice.