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44ChapterProject OrganizationProject OrganizationGroups and TeamsGroups and Teams

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Groups, Teams and Groups, Teams and Organizational EffectivenessOrganizational Effectiveness

• GroupGroupTwo or more people who interact with each Two or more people who interact with each

other to accomplish certain goals or meet other to accomplish certain goals or meet certain needs.certain needs.

• TeamTeamA group whose members work intensely with A group whose members work intensely with

each other to achieve a specific, common goal each other to achieve a specific, common goal or objective. All teams are groups but not all or objective. All teams are groups but not all groups are teams.groups are teams.

• Teams often are difficult to form.Teams often are difficult to form.• It takes time for members to learn how to work together.It takes time for members to learn how to work together.

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Groups’ and Teams’ Contributions to Groups’ and Teams’ Contributions to Organizational EffectivenessOrganizational Effectiveness

Figure 14.1

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Groups and Teams as Groups and Teams as Performance EnhancersPerformance Enhancers

• Performance EnhancementPerformance EnhancementMaking use of the synergy from employees in Making use of the synergy from employees in

a group producing more or better output a group producing more or better output than employees working separately.than employees working separately.

• Bounce ideas off one another. Bounce ideas off one another. • Correct each other’s errors.Correct each other’s errors.• Bring more new ideas to bear on problemsBring more new ideas to bear on problems• Accomplish projects beyond the scope of individualsAccomplish projects beyond the scope of individuals

Managers should build autonomous Managers should build autonomous empowered groups composed of members of empowered groups composed of members of complementary skills and knowledge.complementary skills and knowledge.

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Groups and Teams andGroups and Teams andResponsiveness to CustomersResponsiveness to Customers

• Responsiveness to CustomersResponsiveness to CustomersDifficult to achieve given the many Difficult to achieve given the many

constraints.constraints.• Safety issues, regulations, costs.Safety issues, regulations, costs.

Cross-functional teams can provide the wide Cross-functional teams can provide the wide variety of skills needed to meet customer variety of skills needed to meet customer demands.demands.

• Teams consist of members of different departments.Teams consist of members of different departments.

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Teams and InnovationTeams and Innovation• InnovationInnovation

The creative development of new products, The creative development of new products, new technologies, new services, or new new technologies, new services, or new organizational structuresorganizational structures

• Individuals rarely possess the wide variety of skills Individuals rarely possess the wide variety of skills needed for successful innovation.needed for successful innovation.

• Team members can uncover each other’s flaws and Team members can uncover each other’s flaws and balance each other’s strengths and weaknessesbalance each other’s strengths and weaknesses

• Managers should empower the team and make it Managers should empower the team and make it accountable for the innovation process.accountable for the innovation process.

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Groups and Teams as MotivatorsGroups and Teams as Motivators• Members of groups, and particularly teams, Members of groups, and particularly teams,

are often better motivated and satisfied than are often better motivated and satisfied than individuals.individuals.

• Team members are more motivated and satisfied Team members are more motivated and satisfied than if they were working alone.than if they were working alone.

• Team members can see the effect of their Team members can see the effect of their contribution to achieving team and organizational contribution to achieving team and organizational goals.goals.

• Teams provide needed social interaction and help Teams provide needed social interaction and help employees cope with work-related stressors.employees cope with work-related stressors.

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The Types of Groups and Teams in The Types of Groups and Teams in OrganizationsOrganizations

Figure 14.2Source:

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The Types of Groups and Teams The Types of Groups and Teams • Formal GroupFormal Group

A group that managers establish to achieve A group that managers establish to achieve organization goals.organization goals.

• Informal GroupInformal GroupA group that managers or nonmanagerial A group that managers or nonmanagerial

employees form to help achieve their own employees form to help achieve their own goals or to meet their own needs.goals or to meet their own needs.

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The Types of Groups and Teams The Types of Groups and Teams Type of Team

Top-management team

A group composed of the CEO, the president, and the heads of the most important departments

Research and development team

A team whose members have the expertise and experience needed to develop new products

Command groups A group composed of subordinates who report to the same supervisor, also called a department or unit,

Task forces A committee of managers or nonmanagerial employees from various departments or divisions who meet to solve a specific, mutual problem; also called an “ad hoc” committee

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The Types of Groups and Teams The Types of Groups and Teams (cont’d) (cont’d)

Type of Team

Self-managed work team

A group of employees who supervise their own activities and monitor the quality of the goods and services they provide.

Virtual team A team whose members rarely or never meet face to face and interact by using various forms of information technology such as email, computer networks, telephone, fax and video conferences.

Friendship group An informal group composed of employees who enjoy each other’s company and socialize with each other.

Interest group An informal group composed of employees seeking to achieve a common goal related to their membership in an organization.

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Group DynamicsGroup Dynamics• Group DynamicsGroup Dynamics

The characteristics and processes that affect The characteristics and processes that affect how a group or team functions.how a group or team functions.

Group size affects how a group performs.Group size affects how a group performs.• Normally, small groups (2 to 9 members) interact Normally, small groups (2 to 9 members) interact

better and tend to be more motivated.better and tend to be more motivated.• Larger groups can be used when more resources are Larger groups can be used when more resources are

needed and division of labor is possible.needed and division of labor is possible.Group tasks impact how a group interacts.Group tasks impact how a group interacts.

• Task interdependence shows how the work of one Task interdependence shows how the work of one member impacts another; as interdependence rises, member impacts another; as interdependence rises, members must work more closely together.members must work more closely together.

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Group Dynamics: InterdependenceGroup Dynamics: Interdependence• Task Interdependence TypesTask Interdependence Types

PooledPooled• Members make separate, independent contributions to Members make separate, independent contributions to

group such that group performance is the sum of each group such that group performance is the sum of each member’s contributions.member’s contributions.

Sequential Sequential • Members perform tasks in a sequential order making it Members perform tasks in a sequential order making it

difficult to determine individual performance since one difficult to determine individual performance since one member depends on another.member depends on another.

ReciprocalReciprocal• Work performed by one group member is mutually Work performed by one group member is mutually

dependent on work done by other members.dependent on work done by other members.

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Types of Task Types of Task InterdependencInterdependenc

ee

Figure 14.3

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Group LeadershipGroup Leadership• Effective leadership is a key ingredient in high Effective leadership is a key ingredient in high

performing groups, teams, and organizations.performing groups, teams, and organizations.• Formal groups created by an organization Formal groups created by an organization

have a leader appointed by the organization.have a leader appointed by the organization.• Groups that evolve independently in an Groups that evolve independently in an

organization have an informal leader organization have an informal leader recognized by the group.recognized by the group.

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Stages of Group DevelopmentStages of Group Development• FormingForming

Group members get to know each other and Group members get to know each other and reach common goals.reach common goals.

• StormingStormingGroup members disagree on direction and Group members disagree on direction and

leadership. Managers need to be sure the leadership. Managers need to be sure the conflict stays focused.conflict stays focused.

• NormingNormingClose ties and consensus begin to develop Close ties and consensus begin to develop

between group members.between group members.

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Stages of Group DevelopmentStages of Group Development• PerformingPerforming

The group begins to do its real work.The group begins to do its real work.• AdjourningAdjourning

Only for task forces that are temporary.Only for task forces that are temporary.Note that these steps take time!Note that these steps take time!

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The Stages of Group DevelopmentThe Stages of Group Development

Figure 14.4

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Group DynamicsGroup Dynamics• Group NormsGroup Norms

Shared guidelines or rules that most group Shared guidelines or rules that most group members follow.members follow.

Groups may set their working hours, Groups may set their working hours, behavior rules, and output quotas.behavior rules, and output quotas.

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Group Cohesiveness Group Cohesiveness • Group CohesivenessGroup Cohesiveness

The degree to which members are attracted The degree to which members are attracted or loyal to the group.or loyal to the group.

Increases in group cohesiveness causes:Increases in group cohesiveness causes:• Participation in the group to increase which helps get Participation in the group to increase which helps get

members actively involved, but too much involvement members actively involved, but too much involvement can waste the group’s time.can waste the group’s time.

• Conformity to group norms to increase, although with Conformity to group norms to increase, although with too much conformity, group performance can suffer. too much conformity, group performance can suffer.

• Group goal accomplishment to increase in Group goal accomplishment to increase in importance which can result in the group becoming importance which can result in the group becoming more focused on itself than the organization.more focused on itself than the organization.

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Sources and Consequences of Sources and Consequences of Group CohesivenessGroup Cohesiveness

Figure 14.6

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Factors Leading to Group Factors Leading to Group CohesivenessCohesiveness

Factor

Group Size Smaller groups allow for high cohesiveness; Low cohesiveness groups with many members can benefit from splitting into two groups.

Managed Diversity Diverse groups often come up with better solutions.

Group Identity Encouraging a group to adopt a unique identity and engage in competition with others can increase cohesiveness.

Success Cohesiveness increases with success; finding ways for a group to have some small successes increases cohesiveness.