ORIGINAL PAPER
The quality of teamwork in difficult situations – collaboration and synergy as the foundations of collective action
 
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Uniwersytet w Siedlcach, Polska
 
 
Online publication date: 2025-12-30
 
 
Publication date: 2025-12-30
 
 
NSZ 2025;20(4):73-98
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Research objectives and hypothesis/research questions:
The conducted study aimed to identify the relationships between collaboration in challenging situations, the effects of collective action, and the emergence of team synergy.

Research methods:
The research methodology consisted of a quantitative analysis of data collected from 45 organizations, 186 teams, and 1,280 respondents. The reliability and validity of the measurement instruments were confirmed using Cronbach’s α coefficients (0.782-0.902) and CFA loadings (0.81-0.911). Pearson’s correlation coefficients revealed strong and positive relationships among all constructs (r = 0.796; r = 0.686; r = 0.643), enabling full verification of the research hypotheses.

Main results:
The findings indicate that collaboration – grounded in role clarity, effective communication, coordinated action, and psychological safety – constitutes the foundation of functional teams capable of operating under pressure and uncertainty. The analyses confirm that collaboration is a prerequisite for the emergence of synergy, which in turn strengthens collective action outcomes by enhancing creativity, innovativeness, and operational efficiency. Employee engagement was identified as a mediating variable that amplifies the relationship between collaboration and synergistic effects. In today’s dynamic organizational environments, collaboration and synergy function as strategic resources that foster organizational resilience and competitive advantage. The article contributes significantly to the literature by presenting an empirically validated model that elucidates the key interdependencies shaping the quality of teamwork in difficult conditions.

Implications for theory and practice:
The results carry important practical implications: they recommend developing collaboration and team resilience competencies, implementing mechanisms that enhance synergy, and fostering an organizational culture that supports cooperation. Future research could extend the analysis to include moderating and mediating factors, such as leadership style, trust, team maturity, or the climate of psychological safety.
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