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Questions and Answers

What impact does group diversity have on interaction patterns?

Diverse groups communicate less effectively initially. (correct)

Diverse groups have easier communication.

All diverse groups form quickly.

Diversity has no impact on group cohesion.

What is one potential benefit of diverse groups?

Immediate agreement on group goals.

Enhanced creativity and innovation. (correct)

Better performance on routine tasks.

Increased cohesiveness from the start.

What is the primary purpose of assigned roles in an organization?

To allow flexibility in job responsibilities

To address the emotional needs of group members

To promote social interaction among employees

To facilitate task achievement through clear division of labor (correct)

What does 'deep diversity' negatively affect in a group?

Cohesiveness among group members. Signup and view all the answers

What leads to role ambiguity within an organization?

Unclear goals and methods of performing tasks Signup and view all the answers

What is one method to manage group diversity effectively?

Implement training that integrates diversity efforts. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes emergent roles?

Roles that evolve to meet social-emotional needs Signup and view all the answers

What are social norms in a group context?

Collective expectations regarding behavior among members. Signup and view all the answers

When do individuals typically become aware of social norms?

When norms conflict or are challenged. Signup and view all the answers

What are common outcomes of role ambiguity?

Job stress and dissatisfaction Signup and view all the answers

Who might contribute to role ambiguity by sending unclear expectations?

The role sender Signup and view all the answers

What defines a role in a group?

A package of norms associated with specific behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

Which situation is likely to lead to role conflict?

Employees receiving multiple task assignments from different supervisors Signup and view all the answers

What is the expected outcome of managing diversity within groups?

Enhanced group productivity and attitudes. Signup and view all the answers

How can managers effectively reduce role ambiguity?

By providing clear performance expectations and feedback Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of role conflict?

Increased job satisfaction Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of formal work groups within an organization?

To facilitate the achievement of organizational goals Signup and view all the answers

At which stage of group development does conflict typically arise?

Storming Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the norming stage of group development?

Development of social consensus and agreed norms Signup and view all the answers

What do informal groups within organizations typically facilitate?

Sharing of common interests among members Signup and view all the answers

Which stage of group development is characterized by the group focusing on task accomplishment?

Performing Signup and view all the answers

What is a common activity at the adjourning stage of group development?

Conducting ceremonies to celebrate achievements Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the forming stage of group development?

Members are testing the waters and orienting themselves Signup and view all the answers

How can informal groups potentially affect an organization?

They can harm or help based on their behavioural norms Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the free rider effect in social loafing?

Individuals reduce effort to gain benefits without contributing. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a method to counteract social loafing?

Increase group size significantly. Signup and view all the answers

Which quality is essential for effective work teams?

Psychological safety Signup and view all the answers

What is a critical success factor for self-managed work teams?

The nature of the task Signup and view all the answers

For self-managed teams to be effective, what aspect of group composition is emphasized?

Maintaining stability in membership Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors contributes to collective efficacy in work teams?

Shared mental models Signup and view all the answers

Increasing performance feedback can help counter social loafing by promoting what?

Members' awareness and accountability for performance Signup and view all the answers

What is a major drawback of rotating members in and out of self-managed teams?

Loss of group identity and cohesiveness Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason self-managed teams should be kept small?

To minimize coordination problems and social loafing Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is essential for the effectiveness of self-managed teams?

High levels of social skills in all members Signup and view all the answers

What is one major goal of cross-functional teams?

To promote innovation through early coordination Signup and view all the answers

What challenge is posed by having diverse goals among team members in self-managed teams?

Threats to effective self-management and goal alignment Signup and view all the answers

What are the main support factors that assist self-managed teams?

Training, rewards, management Signup and view all the answers

Why is cognitive ability an important trait among team members?

It contributes to the overall effectiveness of the team Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable advantage of using cross-functional teams during product development?

They leverage expertise from different specialties from the start Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about group composition is true for effective self-managed teams?

Teams need a balance of similarity and diversity among members Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Formal Work Groups

Established by organizations to achieve organizational goals.
Typically a manager and their employees.
Hierarchical structure of most organizations.

Informal Groups

- Emerge naturally to address common interests of organizational members
- Not formally sanctioned by the organization.
- Membership often cuts across formal groups.
- Impacts on organization can be positive or negative depending on norms.

Typical Stages of Group Development

- Occur over time and present challenges for the group to overcome.

Forming Stage

- Members orient themselves and "test the waters." 
- Ambiguous situation with awareness of dependence on each other.

Storming Stage

- Conflict and confrontation emerge as members determine their role in the group's development.
- Sorting out roles and responsibilities is often a focus.

Norming Stage

- Resolution of conflicts from the storming stage.
- Development of social consensus through compromise.
- Agreement on norms for behavior leads to greater cohesion.
- Information and opinions flow freely.

Performing Stage

- Focus on task accomplishment.
- Achievement, creativity, and mutual assistance becomes prominent themes.

Adjourning Stage

- Rituals celebrate the successful development of the group. 
-  Emotional support between members is common.

Diversity of Group Membership

- Can have a significant impact on interaction patterns.
- Diverse groups can experience difficulty communicating and becoming cohesive.
- May take longer to progress through forming, storming, and norming stages.
- Once developed, diverse and less diverse groups can be equally cohesive and productive.
- Diverse teams may perform better on tasks requiring creativity and innovation.
- Negative impacts of surface diversity (age, gender, race) diminish over time.
- Deep diversity (attitudes toward work or goal achievement) can negatively impact cohesiveness.
- Valuing and managing diversity offset initial costs and leverage benefits of a positive diversity climate for group attitudes and performance.
- Training on working in diverse settings can be beneficial.

Group Norms

- Collective expectations members have about each other's behavior.
- Serve as codes of conduct, evaluating the appropriateness of behavior.
- Changing norms can change people's behavior.
- Most normative influence is unconscious, only becoming apparent in new situations or when conflicting norms are encountered.

Roles

- Positions with specific expected behaviors.
- Represents packages of norms for specific group members. 
- Two main types:
	- Assigned Roles
	- Emergent Roles

Assigned Roles

- Formally prescribed by organizations to divide labor and responsibility.
- Clarifies "who does what" and "who can tell others what to do."

Emergent Roles

- Develop naturally to meet social-emotional needs or facilitate task accomplishment.

Role Ambiguity

- Occurs when job goals or methods of performing are unclear.
- Can be caused by:
	- Organizational Factors
	- The Role Sender
	- The Focal Person

Organizational Factors

- Some roles inherently ambiguous due to their organizational function, like middle management.

The Role Sender

- Unclear expectations of the focal person or ineffective communication of expectations can contribute to ambiguity.

The Focal Person

- Focal person's incomplete understanding of role expectations, especially when new to the role.

Consequences of Role Ambiguity

- Job stress
- Dissatisfaction
- Reduced Organizational Commitment
- Lowered Performance
- Intentions to Quit

Reducing Role Ambiguity

-  Provide clear performance expectations and feedback, especially for new employees and ambiguous roles.

Role Conflict

- Occurs when expectations from two or more roles are incompatible.
- May include:
	- Inter-role Conflict
	- Intra-role Conflict
	- Person-role Conflict

Inter-role Conflict

- When expectations from different roles clash (i.e., work and family responsibilities).

Intra-role Conflict

- When expectations from a single role clash (i.e., conflicting instructions from different supervisors).

Person-role Conflict

- When role expectations are inconsistent with personal values or beliefs.

Consequences of Role Conflict

- Job dissatisfaction
- Stress reactions
-  Lowered organizational commitment
- Turnover intentions

Reducing Role Conflict

-  Clarifying role expectations and responsibilities
-  Providing support and resources
-  Promoting flexibility

Group Cohesiveness

- The degree of attraction members have to a group.
-  Strong cohesiveness:
	-  High levels of loyalty
	-  Group satisfaction
	-  Member engagement 
-  Low cohesiveness:
	-  Reduced commitment 
	-  Apathy toward group goals

Factors Influencing Group Cohesiveness

-  Group size
-  Similarity of group members
-  Time spent together  
-  Group success
-  External threats

Consequences of Group Cohesiveness

- Performance
- Productivity
- Creativity
- Commitment
- Turnover

Improving Group Cohesiveness

-  Set goals and tasks that require teamwork and collaboration.
-  Reward team accomplishment.
- Foster social interactions among team members (team building activities, outings).
- Create a sense of shared identity and purpose.

Groupthink

-  Occurs when groups become so cohesive they lose their critical thinking abilities. 
-  Leads to irrational decision-making.

Symptoms of Groupthink

-  Illusion of invulnerability
-  Collective rationalization
-  Belief in inherent morality
-  Stereotyping of out-groups
-  Pressure on dissenters
-  Self-censorship
-  Illusion of unanimity
-  Mindguards

Preventing Groupthink

-  Encourage diverse viewpoints and debate.
-  Assign a devil's advocate to challenge assumptions.
-  Hold multiple meetings to revisit decisions.
-  Provide opportunities for anonymous feedback.

Occurs when individuals reduce effort when working in a group as compared to when working alone.

-  Diffusion of responsibility (individual contribution is less noticeable).
-  Reduced accountability (less likely to be evaluated individually).
-  Perception of inequity (feeling that others are not contributing fair share).

- The Free Rider Effect
-   The Sucker Effect

The Free Rider Effect

- Individuals reduce effort to get a free ride at the expense of group members.

The Sucker Effect

- Individuals reduce effort because they feel others are not putting in their fair share (avoid being taken advantage of).

-  Make individual performance more visible (small groups, clear roles).
-  Make work interesting (intrinsic motivation).
-  Increase feelings of indispensability (training, status).
-  Increase performance feedback (manager, peers, customers).
-  Reward group performance (incentivizes monitoring own performance).

Basic Qualities of Effective Work Teams

-  Psychological Safety
-  Team Reflexivity
-  Shared Mental Models
-  Capacity to Improvise
-  Collective Efficacy
-  Team Resilience

Psychological Safety

-  A team climate where individuals feel safe to take risks without fear of being punished or ridiculed.
-  Allows for open communication and creativity.

Team Reflexivity

- The team's ability to reflect on its own process and performance, identify areas for improvement, and make adjustments accordingly.
-  Increases team effectiveness and adaptability.

Shared Mental Models

-  Common understanding among team members about the team's goals, strategies, and how to work together. 
-  Improves coordination and communication.

Capacity to Improvise

- The team's ability to respond effectively to unexpected situations, adapt to change, and find solutions to problems.
- Necessary for success in dynamic environments.

Collective Efficacy

-  The shared belief among team members that they can achieve their goals.
-  Increases motivation, commitment, and performance.

Team Resilience

-  The team's ability to bounce back from setbacks, learn from mistakes, and maintain morale.
-  Essential for handling challenges and adversity.

Self-Managed Work Teams

- Work groups that have autonomy and responsibility for their tasks.
- Reduced supervision, operate with high degree of self-regulation.

Critical Success Factors for Self-Managed Work Teams

 -  Nature of the task
 -  Composition of the group
 -  Support

Composition of Self-Managed Work Teams

- Stability
- Size
- Expertise
- Diversity

Stability

-  Group membership should be stable to foster trust and cohesion.
-  High team tenure contributes to effectiveness.

Size

-  Keep group size small to minimize coordination problems and social loafing.

Expertise

- Members should have a high level of expertise in the task and social skills.
-  Social skills are essential for group functioning.
- High cognitive ability among team members contributes to effectiveness.

Diversity

-  Similar enough to work well together,  diverse enough to bring various perspectives and skills. 
- Diverse goals can harm self-management effectiveness due to the lack of a manager for goal alignment.

Supporting Self-Managed Teams

- Training
- Rewards
- Management

Cross-Functional Teams

-  Groups with members from different functional specialties to work together on product development or service delivery.
-   Members are experts in their area but must also be able to collaborate effectively with others.
-  Known for success in product development.

Goals of cross-functional Teams

- Innovation
- Speed
- Quality

Multi-team Systems

-  A collection of interdependent teams that work together to achieve a common goal. 
-  Cross-functional teams are often part of multi-team systems.

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