Social Effectiveness in Organizations: Construct Validity and Research Directions

Social dynamics of interpersonal and group processes has been an active area of investigation in the organizational sciences for many years, as have the social effectiveness competencies that facilitate such process dynamics. In recent years, we have witnessed a proliferation of social effectiveness constructs in the field, which appear to reflect some convergence, but unique character as well. In this article, we examine the nature of these various social effectiveness constructs, their construct validity, and their relationships with important work outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of directions for future research and implications of the growth of interest in social effectiveness in organizations.