Reductions in Team Size 1 Running Head: ADAPTING TO REDUCTIONS IN TEAM SIZE HOW DIFFERENT TEAM DOWNSIZING APPROACHES INFLUENCE TEAM- LEVEL ADAPTATION AND PERFORMANCE

gratefully acknowledged, the ideas expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily endorsed by the funding agency. Reductions in Team Size 2 This study examined the relative effectiveness of three structural approaches to reducing team size. Seventy-one five-person teams engaged in a simulated interactive task in which the approach to downsizing was manipulated. Results suggest that the structural approaches to reducing team size differentially impact team performance, and this relationship is mediated by how and to what degree teams adapt their task-related behaviors. Moreover, results from this study emphasize the importance of team composition when reducing team size. Specifically, emotional stability and extraversion can help mitigate the negative effects associated with reducing team size