Strategic core change, faultlines and team flux: insight from punctuated equilibrium model

Purpose: Combining the punctuated equilibrium theory with the faultline theory, the purpose of this paper is to focus on member change of strategic core role holders in teams. Design/methodology/approach: The authors test the model using data from 30 National Basketball Association teams covering 11 regular seasons, carrying out regression analyses. Findings: This research illustrates how different types of job-related skills of core role holders that involved in member change might influence the team performance loss, and how team demographic faultlines would serve as a moderator. Practical implications: This research demonstrates that punctuational change in a team is not always bad, flux in coordination and team performance loss could be avoided by staffing strategic core role based on specific job-related skill levels and manipulating team composition based on demographic attributes. Originality/value: The research model initially provides an integrated perspective of member change, core role and faultline theory to explain the team process for punctuational change.