Management and Organisational Behaviour 7th Edition

1. Management and Organisational Behaviour 7th Edition PART 5 Groups and Teamwork

2. Management and Organisational Behaviour 7th Edition CHAPTER 13 The Nature of Work Groups and Teams

3. Popular group definitions A popular definition defines groups in psychological terms Any number of people who – • Interact with one another • Are psychologically aware of one another • Perceive themselves to be a group Schein

4. Group characteristics • A definable membership • Group consciousness • A sense of shared purpose • Interdependence • Interaction • Ability to act in a unitary manner Mitchell

5. Importance of groups on organisations • Groups are an essential feature of the work patterns of organisations • People in groups influence each other, they may develop their own hierarchies & leaders • Group pressures can have a major influence over the behaviour of individual members & their work performance

6. Importance of groups on organisations • The activities of the group are associated with the process of leadership • The style of leadership of the manager has an important influence on the behaviour of group members

7. Differences between groups & teams • Attachment / affiliation – concerning the need for engagement & sharing, a feeling of community & a sense of belonging • Exploration / assertion – concerning the ability to play & work, a sense of fun & enjoyment, the need for self-assertion & the ability to choose Kets de Vries

8. Teams Limited in size Selection – crucial Shared or rotating leadership Mutual knowledge & understanding Style – role spread co-ordination Spirit of dynamic interaction Groups Medium or large in size Selection – immaterial Perception - solo leadership Focus on leader Style – convergence conformism Spirit of togetherness Differences between groups & teams

9. Teamwork & competitiveness Teamwork can increase competitiveness by – • Improving productivity • Improving quality & encouraging innovation • Taking advantage of the opportunities provided by technological advances • Improving employee motivation & commitment

10. Factors & importance of effective team working The general movement towards flatter organisational structures, wider spans of control, reducing layers of middle management, & increasing empowerment of employees places greater emphasis on the importance of effective team work Team working is seen as being crucial to an organisation’s efforts to perform better, faster & more profitably than competitors Lucas

11. Skills & qualities for effective team working • Technical competence of individual team members • Ability of members to gel • Collaborative skills • Support between team members • Ability to handle conflict Guirdham

12. Formal groups • Are created to achieve specific organisational objectives & are concerned with the co-ordination of work activities • Group members have defined roles & the nature of work tasks to be undertaken is a predominant feature of the group • Tend to be relatively permanent, although there may be a change in the membership of the team

13. Informal groups • Serve to satisfy the psychological & social needs of group members not related necessarily to the tasks to be undertaken • They are based on personal relationships & membership can cut across the formal structure of the organisation

14. Major functions of informal groups • The perpetuation of the informal group culture • The maintenance of a communication system • The implementation of social control • The provision of interest & fun in work life Lysons

15. Reasons for forming groups or teams • So that certain tasks can be performed through the combined efforts of a number of individuals working together • Collusion between members aiding creativity & initiative • Provide companionship & a source of mutual understanding & support • Provide guidelines on generally acceptable behaviour • Protection for its membership

16. Factors contributing to group cohesiveness & performance • Membership • Work environment • Organisational • Group development & maturity

17. Factors contributing to group cohesiveness & performance – membership • Size of the group • Compatibility of members • Performance

18. Factors contributing to group cohesiveness & performance – work environment • Nature of the task • Physical setting • Communications • Technology

19. Factors contributing to group cohesiveness & performance – organisational • Management & leadership • Personnel policies & procedures • Success • External threat

20. Factors contributing to group cohesiveness & performance – group development & maturity • Forming • Storming • Norming • Performing

21. How many people should be in team? • Response from organisations indicate team sizes should be between 4 and 15 • Less than 4 restricts creativity & variety • 15 is about the maximum number of people anyone can communicate with without having to raise their voice significantly Cane

22. Group development & maturity There are four distinct stages in group development – • Mutual acceptance & membership • Communication & decision-making • Motivation & productivity • Control & organisation Bass & Ryterband

23. Group development & maturity an alternative perspective • Forming • Storming • Norming • Performing Tuckman

24. Characteristics of effective work groups • A belief in shared aims & objectives • A sense of belonging to the group • Acceptance of group values & norms • A feeling of mutual trust & dependency • Full participation by all members & decision- making by consensus

25. Characteristics of effective work groups • A free flow of information & communication • Open expression of feelings & disagreements • Conflict resolution • Low levels of staff turnover

26. Virtual teams • Teams where the primary interaction among members is by some electronic information & communication process • A potential future compromise between fully- fledged teams & well-managed teams

27. Role relationships The roles that an individual plays with a group is influenced by a combination of – • Situational factors – requirements of the task, style of leadership • Personal factors – such as values, attitudes, motivation, ability, etc.

28. Factors affecting roles • Role sets – the range of associations or contacts an individual has meaningful interactions with • Role incongruence arises when a member of staff is perceived as having a high & responsible position in one respect but a low standing in another respect

29. Factors affecting roles • Role expectations – what a person is expected to do & their duties & obligations • Role incompatibility arises when compliance with one set of expectations makes it difficult or impossible to comply with the other expectations

30. Factors affecting roles • Role overload – when an individual faces too many separate roles or too great a variety of expectations and is unable to satisfactorily meet all expectations • Role underload arises when the prescribed role expectations fall short of the individual’s own perception of their role

31. Figure 13.7 Role relationships & conflicts Source: Adapted from Miner, J.B., Management Theory, Macmillan (1971) p.47.