Conceptual Foundations and Development of Sustainable Team Dynamics

The emergence of sustainable team dynamics concept reflects a critical evolution in organizational theory, aligning the foundations of effective teamwork with imperatives of sustainability. This paper proposes an integrative conceptual framework of Sustainable Team Dynamics (STD) that brings together constructs from organizational behavior, team science, and positive psychology. Grounded in Social Exchange Theory, IMOI (Input–Mediator–Output–Input) model and psychological safety models, the framework posits that factors such as organizational culture, team composition, task characteristics, and social capital shape psychological safety and resilience, which in turn influence team performance and long-term sustainability. To strengthen the theoretical model, a survey of 448 team members was conducted using a structured 24-item Likert questionnaire mapped to eight latent constructs. Descriptive statistics confirmed high internal agreement on team functioning, and correlation analyses supported the model’s directional expectations. Organizational culture, psychological safety and resilience emerged as key predictors of performance, retention and sustainability. These results strengthen the empirical credibility of the STD framework and reinforce its potential for guiding leadership development and sustainable team-building strategies. The paper concludes with implications for leadership development and sustainable HR practices, directions for further validation and practical implementation.