Groups and Teamwork

• A collection of two or more interacting individuals who share a common goal
– Task force (project groups) = temporary group put together to achieve a specific goal or solve a specific goal
– Committee = permanent groups to handle recurring issues that cannot not be handled by the normal hierarchical system.

• Performance – depends on the type of task
– Additive – potential created by adding performance together
– Disjunctive – potential determined by the best member
– Conjunctive – potential determined by weakest member

• Related to social loafing = the withholding of effort in group tasks
– free rider (let others do the work) or sucker effect
(don’t be taken advantage of; restore equity)
• Satisfaction - the larger the group the lower the satisfaction level

Total Productivity
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mean productivity per member
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

• Tuckman’s stage development model
– Forming – finding out about group members and the task
– Storming – conflict about leadership and the task
– Norming – developing norms and cohesion
– Performing – getting the job done
– Adjourning – leaving the group

• Punctuated equilibrium model
– Phase 1 – the group develops then maintains an interaction pattern and approach to the task
– Midpoint transition – a dramatic change in interaction patterns or task approach
– Phase 2 – the interaction pattern or approach to the task continues from the transition

• Generally agreed upon informal rules that guide group member behaviour
– Can be prescriptive or proscriptive
• Examples - Dress norms or performance norms

• The strength of members’ desires to remain part of their group
• Influenced by:
– Time spent together
– External threat and competition
– Success
– Member diversity
– Size
– Initiation rights

The relationship between norms, cohesion and team performance
Team norms compatible with organizational
Moderately high task performance objectives
High task performance
Team norms in conflict with organizational objectives
Moderately low task performance
Low Cohesion
Low task performance
High Cohesion

Self-Managed Work Teams
• Perform challenging tasks that require high interdependence under reduced supervision
• Regulate much of their own behavior
– Operating decisions, hiring, performance appraisal

Composition of Self-Managed Teams
• Membership should:
– Be stable
– Be fairly small
– Have high task and social expertise

• Members require a high level of training
– Technical skills
– Social skills
– Language skills
– Business skills
• Rewards should be tied to team accomplishment
– Skill-based pay
– Profit sharing
– Gain sharing
• Management acts as a support and coach