Chapter 9: Understanding Groups and Managing Work Teams

Question 1

What is a group?

Answer 1

Two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve specific goals

There are two types of groups, being formal and informal groups.

Question 2

What are formal groups?

Answer 2

Work groups that are defined by the organisation’s structure and have designated work assignments and specific tasks directed at accomplishing organisational goals.

Formal groups include:
. Command groups
. Task groups
. Cross-functional teams and
. Self-managed teams

Question 3

What are informal groups?

Answer 3

These are social groups. These groups occur naturally in the workplace and tend to form around friendships and common interests.

Eg. Five employees from different departments who regularly eat lunch together are an informal group.

Question 4

What are command groups and task groups?

Answer 4

Command groups - groups that are determined by the organisation chart and composed of individuals who report directly to a given manager.

Task groups - groups composed of individuals brought together to complete a specific job task; their existence is often temporary because when the task is completed, the group disbands.

Question 5

What are cross-functional teams and self-managed teams?

Answer 5

Cross-functional teams - groups that bring together the knowledge and skills of individuals from various work areas or groups whose members have been trained to do each other’s jobs.

Self-managed teams - groups that are essentially independent and that, in addition to their own tasks, take on traditional managerial responsibilities, such as hiring, planning and scheduling and evaluating performance.

Question 6

What are the five stages of group development?

Answer 6

. Forming
. Storming
. Norming
. Performing
. Adjourning

Question 7

Explain the following stage of group development: Forming.

Answer 7

This first stage of group development in which people join the group and then define the group’s purpose, structure and leadership.

Question 8

Explain the following stage of group development: Storming.

Answer 8

The second step of group development which is characterised by intragroup conflict.

There is conflict over who will control the group and what the group needs to be doing.

Question 9

Explain the following stage of group development: Norming.

Answer 9

The third stage of group development, which is characterised by close relationships and cohesiveness.

This stage is complete when the group structure solidifies and the group has assimilated a common set of expectations (or norms) regarding member behaviour.

Question 10

Explain the following stage of group development: Performing.

Answer 10

The fourth stage of group development when the group is fully functional and works on the group task.

This is the last stage of development for permanent work groups.

Question 11

Explain the following stage of group development: Adjourning.

Answer 11

The final stage of group development for temporary groups, during which groups prepare to disband.

Attention is focused on wrapping up activities instead of task performance.

Question 12

What do managers need to understand about groups?

Answer 12

The group stages model should be thought of as a framework that underscores the fact that groups are dynamic entities and managers need to know the stage a group is in so they can understand the problems and issues that are most likely to surface.

Question 13

What are the major concepts of group behaviour?

Answer 13

. Roles
. Norms
. Conformity
. Status
. Size 
. Cohesiveness

Question 14

Explain the following concept of group behaviour: Roles.

Answer 14

Roles: behaviour patterns expected of someone who occupies a given position in a social unit

Question 15

Explain the following concept of group behaviour: Norms.

Answer 15

Norms: standards or expectations accepted and shared by a group’s members.

Norms dictate output levels, absenteeism rates, promptness or tardiness, the amount of socialising allowed on the job etc.

Question 16

Explain the following concept of group behaviour: Conformity.

Answer 16

Conformity: desire to gain acceptance in groups make people susceptible to conformity pressures.

Group norms press people towards conformity because people don’t want to be visibly different, they want to be one of the group.

Essentially group think.

Question 17

Explain the following concept of group behaviour: Status.

Answer 17

Status: prestige, grading, position or rank within a group.

Question 18

Explain the following concept of group behaviour: Size.

Answer 18

Size: affects efficiency, effectiveness, productivity e.g. Social loafing.

Social loafing - the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually.

Question 19

Explain the following concept of group behaviour: Cohesiveness.

Answer 19

Cohesiveness: depends on how much members are motivated to remain in a group and their shared goals.

Group cohesiveness - the degree to which members are motivated to remain in a group and share the group’s goals.

Question 20

What are work teams and work groups?

Answer 20

Work groups primarily share information to help each other do his/her job more efficiently and effectively.

Work teams work intensely on a specific, common goal using their positive synergy, individual and mutual accountability and complementary skills.

Question 21

What is the difference between work teams and work groups?

Answer 21

WT answer on left and WG answer of right

Goal - collective performance V share information
Synergy - positive V neutral (sometimes negative)
Accountability - individual and mutual V individual
Skills - complementary V random and varied

Question 22

What are the different types of work teams?

Answer 22

. Problem-solving teams
. Self-managed work teams
. Cross-functional teams and
. Virtual teams

Question 23

What is a problem-solving team?

Answer 23

A team from the same department or functional area that’s involved in efforts to improve work activities or to solve specific problems.

Question 24

What is a self-managed work team?

Answer 24

A type of work team that operates without a manager and is responsible for a complete work process or segment.

Question 25

What is a cross-functional team?

Answer 25

A work team composed of individuals from various specialties.

Teams can investigate technical or process problems and are empowered to make recommendations and implement changes to improve the company.

Question 26

What is a virtual team?

Answer 26

A type of work team that uses technology to link physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal.

Tend to be more task-oriented, especially if the team members have never personally met.

Question 27

What is team effectiveness?

Answer 27

It includes objective measures of a team’s productivity, managers’ ratings of the team’s performance and aggregate measures of member satisfaction.

Question 28

What are the four key components of effective teams?

Answer 28

. The context
. The teams composition
. Work design and
. Process variables.

Question 29

Explain the following key component of effective teams: Context.

Answer 29

. Adequate resources - team relies on relieves outside the group to sustain it. Lack of adequate resources = reduced ability to perform its jobs effectively.

. Leadership and structure - if a team can’t agree on who is doing what or ensure that all members contribute equally = not function properly.

. Climate of trust - trust facilitates cooperation, reduces the need to monitor each others’ behaviour and bonds members.

. Performance evaluation and reward systems - team members have to be accountable both individually and jointly. Managers should consider things that reinforce team effort and commitment (eg. Profit-sharing).

Question 30

Explain the following key component of effective teams: Composition.

Answer 30

. Abilities of members - knowledge, skills and abilities (technical expertise, decision-making skills and interpersonal skills are needed to perform effectively).

. Personality - this significantly influences team behaviour (high levels of conscientiousness, openness-to-experience and agreeableness tend to lead to higher team performance).

. Allocating roles - there are 9 potential potential team roles (high-performing work teams have people to fill all these roles).

. Diversity - research shows that diversity isn’t always desirable.

. Size of teams - generally speaking group members should be small (5-9 members).

. Member flexibility -

. Member preferences - don’t put people in a group of they don’t want to work in a group. Brings down morale and individual member satisfaction.

Question 31

Explain the following key component of effective teams: Process.

Answer 31

. Common purpose - provides direction, momentum and commitment for team members.

. Specific goals - facilitate clear communication and helps teams maintain their focus on getting results.

. Team efficacy - emerges when teams believe in themselves and believe they can succeed. Effective teams have confidence in themselves and in their members.

. Managed conflict levels - conflict in a team isn’t necessarily bad and can actually improve team effectiveness (eg. Task conflicts - those based on disagreements about task content).

. Minimal social loafing - successful teams make members individually and jointly accountable for the team’s purpose, goals and approach.

Question 32

Summarise the key components of team effectiveness (figure 9.5).

Answer 32

Context:
. Adequate resources
. Leadership and structure 
. Climate of trust
. Performance evaluation and reward systems 

Composition:
. Abilities of members 
. Personality 
. Allocating roles
. Diversity 
. Size of teams
. Member flexibility 
. Member preferences 

Work design:
. Autonomy
. Skill variety 
. Task identity 
. Task significance 

Process:
. Common purpose
. Septoria goals
. Team efficacy
. Conflict levels
. Social loafing

Question 33

Explain the following key component of effective teams: Work design.

Answer 33

. Autonomy
. Skill variety
. Task identity
. Task significance

Question 34

How can a manager shape team behaviour?

Answer 34

A manager can do several things to shape a team’s behaviour including:
. Proper selection
. Employee training and
. Rewarding the appropriate team members

Question 35

Explain the following way a manager can shape team behaviour: Selection.

Answer 35

Selection - when hiring team members, managers should check applicants have the technical and team skills required to successfully perform the job AND fulfil team roles.

Question 36

Explain the following way a manager can shape team behaviour: Employee training.

Answer 36

Training - performing well in a team involves a set of behaviours that can be learned.

Question 37

Explain the following way a manager can shape team behaviour: Rewarding appropriate team behaviours.

Answer 37

Reward systems - needs to encourage cooperative efforts rather than competitive ones.

Promotions, pay rises and other forms of recognition should be given to employees who are effective collaborative team members.

Question 38

What current issues do managers face in managing teams?

Answer 38

. Managing global teams

. Understanding when teams aren’t the answer

Question 39

What are the drawbacks of managing global teams?

Answer 39

. Disliking team members
. Mistrusting team members
. Stereotyping 
. Communication problems 
. Stress and tension

Question 40

What are the benefits of managing global teams?

Answer 40

. Greater diversity of ideas
. Limited groupthink
. Increased attention on understanding other’ ideas, perspectives etc.

Question 41

How do team composition factors affect managing a global team?

Answer 41

TEAM COMPOSITION: In addition to recognising team members’ abilities, skills, knowledge, and personality, managers need to understand the cultural characteristics of the groups and the group members they manage.

Question 42

How does team structure affect managing a global team?

Answer 42

TEAM STRUCTURE: Conformity, status, social loafing, and cohesiveness vary in different cultures.

Question 43

How do team processes affect managing a global team?

Answer 43

TEAM PROCESSES: Communication issues, managing conflict and virtual teams can be particularly challenging for managers.

Question 44

When are teams not the answer?

Answer 44

Three tests:
. Can the work be done better by more than one person?
. Does the work create a common purpose or set of goals for the people in the group that’s more than the sum of individual goals?
. Is there interdependence between individuals and tasks?