implication

What does 'implication' mean?

Consider the following implication involving the role of social bonds and affection among group members. If strong bonds make even a single dissent less likely, the performance of groups and institutions will be impaired. A study of investment clubs showed that the worst-performing clubs were built on affective ties and were primarily social, while the best-performing clubs limited social connections and focused on making money. Dissent was far more frequent in the high-performing clubs. The low performers usually voted unanimously, with little open debate. The central problem is that the voters in low-performing groups were trying to build social cohesion rather than to produce the highest returns. ?