摘要
While team mental models have been shown to be effective in facilitating team operations in ordinary transactive organizations, their impact on loosely coupled yet value-laden organizations is relatively under studied. Using qualitative inquiry methodology, this study investigates the three referential frameworks (i.e., theoretical knowledge, practical experiences, and team consciousness) of the team mental models employed in a nonprofit organization which provides therapy for hearing-impaired children in Taiwan. The results indicate that fostering a strong team mental model may be an effective way to ensure that the performance of value-laden practice meets a certain expectation. Moreover, I present arguments that because various cognitive properties of team mental models are formed, shared, and represented in different ways, they should be investigated and understood from a holistic perspective; and that it should also be cultivated by an integrative approach that utilizes theoretical, practical, and organizational knowledge.