UPPER ECHELONS HETEROGENEITY -A REVIEW OF THE TOP MANAGEMENT TEAMS AND BOARD FAULTLINE LITERATURE
Type
conference speech
Date Issued
2025-06
Author(s)
Abstract
While most upper echelons research traditionally defines diversity through demographic variety, recent advancements in group diversity literature highlight faultlines as a critical predictor of team dynamics and performance. Despite nearly 30 years of research on faultlines in organizational teams, their integration into upper echelons studies began slowly in the early 2000s and has gained significant momentum in the past five years. Given the unique characteristics and strategic importance of top management teams (TMTs) and boards, a deeper understanding of how faultlines emerge and influence outcomes in these contexts is essential. Decisions made by upper-echelon teams profoundly shape organizational performance and strategic direction, often under high-pressure conditions. However, empirical studies on faultlines in upper-echelon teams reveal a complex and inconsistent body of findings. This systematic review, the first to focus exclusively on faultlines in upper echelon teams, aims to synthesize and clarify this evolving research area. An analysis of 35 articles published in leading international journals between 2005 and 2024 reveals that faultline studies in upper echelons are predominantly quantitative, relying heavily on archival data that often fail to capture the nuanced complexity of diversity as a theoretical construct. Furthermore, variations in national governance models frequently blur the distinctions between TMTs and board directors, despite their divergent roles, tasks, and responsibilities within upper-echelon teams.
Keywords
Upper-echelons
TMT
board of directors
faultlines
systematic review
Event Location
Florence, Italy
Event Date
22.06.2025-25.06.2025
Division(s)
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
open.access
Name
EURAM2025_Submission.pdf
Size
420.12 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
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