Jonathan Kush

CV

My research interests include: social networks, transactive memory systems (TMS), shared social identity, collaboration in groups and teams and employee turnover. I’ve also gotten pretty into R recently, talk to me about it sometime!

Recent Research

Kush, J., Aven, B., & Argote, L. (2024). A text-based measure of transactive memory system strength. Small Group Research, 55(2), 231-263. https://doi.org/10.1177/10464964231182130 Co-winner of the 2023-2024 Keyton-Brower Best Paper Award.

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Kush et al. (2024) started its life as my second Summer paper at CMU. It describes the development of a text-based assessment of TMS. Find an R vignette related to this paper here.

Guo, J. M., Argote, L., Kush, J., & Park, J. (2023). Communication networks and team performance: selecting members to network positions. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1141571. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1141571.

Open Access

Guo et al. (2023) is an experimental study that is about the relative influence of endogeneity on performance in network formation. We found that groups that could select a member to be central in their group chose better able members and that this led to better performance.

Kush, J. (2023). A Practical Guide to Performing Transcript Analysis on Group Conversations in Both LIWC and R. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 27(3), 202–216. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/gdn0000204

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Kush (2023) is a methods paper appearing in a special issue in Group Dynamics on using text analysis to study teams.

Kush, J. & Tayur, S. (2022). Video intervention to increase decedent tissue donation by next-of-kin. Production and Operations Management, 31(5), 2256-2267. doi: 10.1111/poms.13679

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A series of field experiments related to increasing next-of-kin organ and tissue donation through the use of behavioral nudges. This work has been a useful opportunity to investigate new research methods and to do work that has direct and important policy relevance.

Kush, J. (2019). Conceptual and measurement issues for transactive memory systems: The indicators of TMS. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/gdn0000097

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This is one of several projects I have related to the measurement of TMS. Essentially, I measured the 3 indicators of TMS [Coordination, Credibility, and (perceived) Specialization] and looked at their relationship to several building blocks to TMS: knowledge, knowledge differentiation, and meta-knowledge.

Argote, L., Aven, B., & Kush, J. (2018). The effects of communication networks and turnover on transactive memory and group performance. Organization Science 29(2), 191. doi: 10.1287/orsc.2017.1176

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In this paper, we used a laboratory experiment to determine that the network of a group can influence their integration of a new member and thus their TMS. Essentially, in a decentralized network where no one has to help integrate a new member, no one does; whereas, in a centralized network, new members are integrated and their unique knowledge helps the team perform better.    

Kush, J., Williamson, C., & Argote, L. (2012). Challenges and opportunities for group learning and group learning researchers. Research on Managing Groups and Teams, 15, 209-243.

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Under Review:

Kush, J., Aven, B., & Argote L. In this project, we build on our 2018 paper, investigating the influence of a group’s network structure on their shared social identity.

Working papers:

Fahrenkopf, E. & Kush, J. Working With(out) Differences: The Contingent Benefits of Collaborator Expertise on Innovation.

Kush, J. Would they feel alone? The influences of network equivalence on perceptions of similarity.

Grant Support

Consultant for “Tasks and Transitions: An Investigation of Transactive Memory Systems in Teams Performing MultiTask Activities” (Army Research Office: W911NF-16-1-0005)

Co-writer with Linda Argote and Brandy Aven for: “Social Networks, Transactive Memory and Team Performance: An Experimental Investigation” (NSF: 1459963)

Awards

2023-2024 Keyton-Brower Best Paper Award at Small Group Research for Kush et al. (2024)

Best Student Paper Award (INGRoup Conference 2016, Helsinki)

Herbert Simon Dissertation Award