New research examines the powerful effect of office back-channeling

SMU Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Michael Schaerer co-authored a study with researchers from INSEAD and the Columbia Business School which suggested that the mere existence of private backchannels reshapes the power dynamic between those who hold majority and minority opinions in a team decision. When those in the more powerful majority group know of dissenting opinions and their access to private channels, they are more likely to take a minority opinion seriously and seek information about it. The research proved that diversity does have an impact on the quality of the decision-making process and that companies are encouraged to hire and promote with diversity in mind.