The Interactive Effect of Turnover and Task Interdependence on Performance in High Performance Strategic Work Teams : Evidence in the NFL

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the interactive effect of turnover and task interdependence on performance in high performance strategic work teams. Based on pervious research, we contend that turnover will have a negative effect on team performance and this effect will be more pronounced as teams perform highly interdependent tasks. Given the integral role human resources play in the success or failure of a professional sports franchise, this setting provides an ideal opportunity for examining various human resource issues. Using longitudinal data from the National Football League (NFL), we empirically test 1) the effect of player turnover on NFL team performance (i.e., wins and losses in the subsequent year), and 2) the difference in team performance as based on the high/low task interdependence of the team. Findings suggest a negative impact of turnover on organizational performance, regardless of the interdependent nature of high performance strategic work team tasks. In addition, the negative influence of turnover is enhanced by the task interdependence within a team