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Organizational Behaviour 1BA3 > Group Dynamics, Teamwork & Decision-Making - 7 > Flashcards

Group Dynamics, Teamwork & Decision-Making - 7 Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a

Group

A

2 or more ppl interacting interdependently to achieve a common goal

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2
Q

2 types of Groups

A

Sequential
Reciprocal

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3
Q

Formal groups

A

Established organizations to facilitate the specific achievement of organizational goals

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4
Q

Informal Groups

A

They emerge natually in response to common interests of the organizational members

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5
Q

Why form groups?

A

Means, Ends, Personal characteristics

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6
Q

What is meant by “Means”

Why form groups?

A

Groups can be an important means to accomplishing a desired outcome

Ex: Why join a union? - Bc it’s a strong voice then 1.
A MEANS to get a stronger voice

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7
Q

What is meant by “Ends”?

A

Groups can be a desirable outcome in itself

Ex: Why join a carpool? - MEANS to saving gas but ENDS in itself b/c carpool itself provides companionship, etc

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8
Q

What is meant by “Personal Characteristics”?

A

We are bringing together different ppl/perspectives that have complementary skills

Potential performance of the group increases as group size increases

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9
Q

General:

Typical Stages of Group Development

A

Groups develop through a series of stages over time
Each stage presents the members w challenges they must master in order to achieve the next stage
Groups can vary in terms of how quickly they walk through these stages

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10
Q

5 Stage Model of Group Development

A

Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning

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11
Q

Punctuated Equilibrium Model

A

A model of group development that describes how groups with deadlines are affected by their first meetings and crucial midpoint transitions

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12
Q

Stages of Punctuated Equilibrium Model

A

Phase 1
Midpoint Transition
Phase 2

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13
Q

What are the most important components leading to effective group structuring?

A

Size
Diversity
Norms/Rules
Roles

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14
Q

Additive Task

Size

A

Group performance is dependent on the sum of the performance of individual group members

Potential performance of group increases as group size increases

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15
Q

Disjunctive Task

Size

A

Group performance is dependent on the performance of the best group member

Potential performance of the group increases as group size increases

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16
Q

Conjunctive Task

A

Group performance is limited by the performance of the poorest member

As group size decreases, potential group performance increases

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17
Q

Equation of Actual Performance

A

Actual Performance = Potential Performance - Process Losses

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18
Q

Potential performance

A

Very best performance

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19
Q

Process Losses

A

Performance difficulties that result from the problems of motivating and coordinating larger groups

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20
Q

Motivating/Coordinating Problems

A
  1. Communication problems
  2. Conflict resolution problems
  3. Stress management problems
  4. Diversity management problems
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21
Q

What’s meant by Diversity of Group Membership

Group Structure

A
  • Diverse groups might take longer to do their forming, storming and norming
  • They sometimes perform better when the task requires cognitive, creativity-demanding tasks and problem solving rather than routine work
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22
Q

Norms & Rules

A

Norms are collective expectations that members of social units have regarding the behaviour of each other
Rules are formal usually stated & defines boundaries of what’s acceptable & expected

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23
Q

What are the norms we find in organizations?

A
  1. Dress Norms (Appearance)
  2. Reward Allocation Norms (Equity, Equality)
  3. Performance Norms (Can be diff between groups)
  4. Social Interaction (Acceptable behaviour)
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24
Q

Roles

A

Positions in a group that have a set of expected behaviours attached to them

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25
Key Issues of Roles
Role Ambiguity Role Conflict Status Effect
26
Role Ambiguity ## Footnote Key Issues of Roles
When there is a lack of clarity on the job's goals or methods
27
Role Conflict ## Footnote Key Issues of Roles
When group mates are facing incompatible role expectations You are experiencing dissonance
28
Status Effects ## Footnote Key Issues of Roles
Status barriers that inhibit the flow of communication
29
Consequences when we see Role issues
Job Disatisfaction, lower organizational commitment, increased stress reactions, increased turnover
30
Group Cohesiveness
The degree to which a group is especially attractive to its members
31
Factors that increase cohesiveness
1. Threats and Competition 2. Success 3. Member Diversity 4. Size 5. Toughness of Initiation
32
What is meant by Threat and Competition ## Footnote Factors that increase cohesiveness
There are winners/losers forcing groups to be more cohesive to win
33
What is meant by success ## Footnote Factors that increase cohesiveness
Groups become more cohesive when they successfully accomplish an important goal
34
What is meant by Member Diversity ## Footnote Factors that increase cohesiveness
In less diverse groups cohesiveness can come more quickly More diverse is difficult but difficult binds you together
35
What is meant by Size ## Footnote Factors that increase cohesiveness
Larger groups; more difficult to be cohesive
36
What is meant by Toughness of Initiation ## Footnote Factors that increase cohesiveness
Groups that are tough to get into tend to be more attractive then ones easy to join The more difficult it is to get in the group; the more you want to stay in that group
37
Consequences of Cohesiveness
- More participation in group activities - More conformity - More success
38
Social Loafing
The tendency to withhold physical or intellectual effor when performing a group task Members exert less effort when working in teams than working alone ## Footnote *Social Loafing is an example of a process loss*
39
Forms of Social Loafing
Free rider effect Sucker effect
40
Free rider effect
When they lower their effort to get a free ride at the expense of others
41
Sucker effect
They lower their effort b/c of a feeling of others free riding; therefore they think this will restore equity in the group
42
How to counteract social loafing
Make individual performance more visible Make sure the work is interesting Increase feelings of indispensability (give them coaching and make them feel need) Increase performance feedback Reward group performance
43
Team
Teams were originally groups but not all groups become teams Team is more than a group
44
A group becomes a team when there is:
- Strong sense of shared commitment - When there is synergy that develops such that the group's efforts are greater than the sum of its parts
45
Collective efficacy
You see it in a team when ppl believe in each other
46
Team reflexivity
Belief in adaptability / circular relationships
47
Types of Teams
Process-improvement teams Self-managed teams Cross-functional Virtual Teams
48
Process-improvement teams
They are put together to figure out ways of improving product ## Footnote E.g. Teams to improve efficiency of producing a product/service
49
Self-managed teams
Same as autonomy ## Footnote E.g. Teams w full, reduced or no supervision
50
Cross functional teams
Team w people from functional areas of expertise ## Footnote E.g. Team w ppl from HR, marketing, accounting, etc
51
Virtual Teams
Team that spans the globe
52
Factors critical to success of self-managed work teams
Task Group Composition Support
53
Tasks ## Footnote Factors critical to success of self-managed work teams
Challenge Complexity Interdependence (Sequential & Reciprocal)
54
Group Composition ## Footnote Factors critical to success of self-managed work teams
Stability (Trust & understanding) Size (Keep coordination & loafing to a minimum) Expertise Diversity (members need to be similar enough to work together; diverse enough to bring multiple perspectives & skills to group)
55
Support ## Footnote Factors critical to success of self-managed work teams
Training Reswards (Make sure rewards r tied to team's accomplishments) Management (Have to be seen as non-threatening but rather supportive/helpful)
56
Factors critical to success of Cross Functional Teams
Composition Superordinate goals Physical proximity Autonomy Rules and procedures Leadership
57
Composition ## Footnote Factors critical to success of Cross Functional Teams
Making sure when you form ur team you get the right ppl
58
Superordinate goals ## Footnote Factors critical to success of Cross Functional Teams
Outcomes that can only be achieved through collaboration
59
Physical proximity ## Footnote Factors critical to success of Cross Functional Teams
Notion of closeness
60
Autonomy ## Footnote Factors critical to success of Cross Functional Teams
How much decision making power r we giving functional areas of expertise
61
Rules and procedures ## Footnote Factors critical to success of Cross Functional Teams
Having basic decisions and framework to decrease conflict due to differences
62
Leadership ## Footnote Factors critical to success of Cross Functional Teams
Do we have good team leaders in place that have both ppl & tasks skills
63
Advantages of Virtual Teams
Around the clock (team never stops) Reduced travel cost/time (No need to get to office) Larger talent pool (No need for relocation)
64
Challenges of Virtual Teams
Trust (harder to build) Miscommunication Isolation Management issues
65
Lessons of Virtual Teams
Recruitment Training Personalization Leadership
66
Why use groups in decision making?
1. Decision quality 2. Decision acceptance and commitment 3. Diffusion of responsibility
67
Decision quality ## Footnote Why use groups in decision making?
Groups or teams can make higher quality decisions then individuals They generage more ideas & evaluate better
68
Diffusion of responsibility ## Footnote Why use groups in decision making?
Ability of members to share the burden of the negative consequences of a poor decision (can be good or bad)
69
Disadvantages of Group Decision Making
1. Time 2. Conflict 3. Domination 4. Groupthink
70
Time ## Footnote Disadvantages of Group Decision Making
- Not quick or efficient as individuals - Process losses can arise bc of the time its taking/debating/arguing/co-ordination issue - Group size increase; time becomes more of a problem bc more has to be looked at
71
Conflict ## Footnote Disadvantages of Group Decision Making
Political wrangling : when you have multiple group members; increase conflict; conflict over difference of opinion; conflict bc u cant find zone of agreement
72
Domination ## Footnote Disadvantages of Group Decision Making
- When meetings are dominated by individual or small coalition - If there is a dominant voice / decision maker, you might have a problem
73
Group think ## Footnote Disadvantages of Group Decision Making
When group becomes too cohesive, then it's passed the pt of productivity; squashes creativity
74
Why does Groupthink develop?
- Cohesivenes - Concern for approval (want other members to like them) - Isolation of the group (get person isolated, then brainwash; cult like behaviour)
75
Symptoms of groupthink
- Unfavourable stereotypes of outsiders (members criticise other ppl on the outside) - Pressure for conformity - Self-censorship (You avoid voicing opinions to the group)
76
Approaches to Improving Decision-Making
1. Devil's advocate 2. Whistle blowing 3. Encouraging outliers/earning idiosyncratic credits 4. Disruptors
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How to improve decision making
Stimulate and manage controversy
78
How do groups handle risk?
Risky Shift Conservative Shift
79
Risky Shift ## Footnote How do groups handle risk?
The tendency for groups to make riskier decisions than the average risk initially advocated by their individual members ## Footnote Diffusion of responsibility for a bad decision encourages the group to take greater chances/risk
80
Conservative Shift ## Footnote How do groups handle risk?
The tendency for groups to make less risky decisions than the average risk initially advocated by their individual members ## Footnote Why does it happen?: We become (in a group) more cautious when members are doing checks on each other
81
Contemporary Approaches to Improving Decision Making
1. Evidence-Based Management 2. Crowdsourcing 3. Analytics and Big Data
82
Evidence Based Management ## Footnote Contemporary Approaches to Improving Decision Making
Making decisions through explicit use of evidence from multiple sources
83
Crowdsourcing ## Footnote Contemporary Approaches to Improving Decision Making
Outsourcing aspects of a decision process to a large collection of ppl
84
Analytics & Big Data ## Footnote Contemporary Approaches to Improving Decision Making
Finding meaningful patterns in large data sets DESIGN THINKING - methodology: How do we take data sets and make intelligent decisions

Organizational Behaviour 1BA3 (7 decks)

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