This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Aquino, K. Articles by Reed, A. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

A Social Dilemma Perspective on Cooperative Behavior in Organizations

The Efects of Scarcity, Communication, and Unequal Access on the Use of a Shared Resource

Georgia State University

Americus Reed, II

University of Florida

This study investigates groups' ability to manage resources under high and low scarcity. We offer a contingency model to reconcile competing predictions in the literature: Cooperative group behavior is moderated by group communication and the distribution of resources. A sample of 208 undergraduate students role-played I of 4 "division managers" in a fictional organization. They made independent organizational resource withdrawal decisions. Three independent variables were manipulated: (a) level of resource replenishment, (b) group communication prior to decision making, and (c) access to the resource. Our findings indicated strong support for the hypothesized effect of communication and moderate support for the effect of resource distribution. Results suggest that a decline in scarcity increases cooperation only when groups are allowed to communicate and when there is equal access to resources. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for group behavior in organizations are discussed, and future directions for research are offered.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. de Cremer How Self-Conception May Lead to Inequality: Effect of Hierarchical Roles on the Equality Rule in Organizational Resource-Sharing Tasks Group Organization Management, June 1, 2003; 28(2): 282 - 302. [Abstract] [PDF]