Chapter 11 - Teams

The highest level of performance that a group is capable of achieving at a given point in time.

Performance difficulties that a group experiences because of coordination and motivation problems.

Increases in potential performance that result from new ways of motivating and coordinating group members.

The performance level attained by a group.

Action Group Performance = Potential Performance - Process Losses

The tendency of individuals to exert less effort when they work in a group than when they work alone.

A condition in which some group members, not wishing to be considered suckers, reduce their own efforts when they see social loafing by other group members.

• Make individuals feel they are making valuable contributions to the group
• Keep the group as small as possible
• Make individual contributions identifiable

The extent to which the work performed by one member of a group affects what other members do.

The task interdependence that results when each member of a group makes a separate and independent contribution to group performance.

The task interdependence that results when group members must perform specific behaviors in a predetermined order.

The task interdependence that results when the activities of all work group members are fully dependent on one another.

• A process gain that occurs when member of a group acting together are able to process more or better output than would have been produced by the combined efforts of each person acting alone.
• "As a group, the result is greater than the sum of all parts."

The attractiveness of a group to its members.

• Group size
• Similarity/diversity of group members
• Competition between groups
• Success
• Exclusiveness

• The level of participation and communication in the group
• The level of conformity to group norms
• Group goal accomplishment

The team of managers who report to the CEO and determine what an organization is trying to accomplish and develop plans for goal attainment.

A team that is formed to develop new products, may be cross-functional, and is often used in high-tech industries.

An R&D team that is created to expedite new product design and promote innovation in an organization.

A team in which a significant amount of communication and interaction occurs electronically rather than face to face.

A small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, goals, an approach for which they are each held accountable.

• Status
• Size
• Composition
• Efficacy
• Facilitation
• Function

• Regular interaction
• Ease of sharing information
• Recognition of individual contributions to group
• Strong identification with group
• Higher group satisfaction

• More resources
• Division of labor

• Collegiality amongst group members
• Information sharing
• Low levels of conflict
• Few coordination problems

• Diversity of views represented
• High performance
• Variety of resources

• Communicates how work behaviors contribute to goal achievement
• Provides sense of meaning (task identity)

• Audience Effects
• Co-Action Effects

Presence of other group members enhances performance of repetitive tasks.

Presence of other group members impairs performance of difficult tasks

• Compliance
• Identification
• Internalization

• Attempt to change deviant
• Expel deviant
• Change norm

• Lack of connection between inputs and outcomes
• Perception that individual efforts are unnecessary or unimportant
• Large group size