Teams in Organizations EXAM
Introduction (Week 1)
Learning Goals
Understanding and explaining the input-process-output model of group work
Understanding and explaining the characteristics and functions of groups and teams
Lecture 1: Introduction
What is a group/team?
Groups have been here since pre-historic times and are not unique to humans → they can
also be seen in animals.
Aspect Group Team
Social interaction among individuals + +
Possessing one or more common causes + +
Possessing one or more common task goal +
Performing together organizationally relevant tasks +
Exhibiting interdependence (workflow, goals, outcomes) +
Having different roles and responsibilities +
Being a part of a larger organizational system +
How to study groups
Method Primary benefits Primary downsides
Qualitative case studies Very rich and detailed Only a few entities can be
One or few entities are information (dynamics, studied so extensively. So we
extensively studied for collect data from various do not know whether the
relatively long periods of time sources) results generalize.
(interviews, observations) = elaborate description that Due to rich data it is hard to
no other method can match draw clear conclusions →
in terms of compelteness requires subjective
interpretation.
Surveys and correlational Ability to quantify variables Reliance on subjective data.
designs (approach a large and relationships among It is not possible to establish
number of entities and variables. causality.
administer structured Real world relevance of the Third variable problem.
questionnaires) findings.
Experiments (situation is Ability to test causal Reliance on artificial
created that is under the relationships. situations raises questions
control of the researcher) around generalizability in
less controlled situations
What are the properties and functions of a group/team?
Group entativity : degree to which a collection of persons is perceived as being bound
together in a coherent unit
Properties that increase entitativity Properties which decrease entitativity
, Interdependence: members must depend Size: number of members in group → larger
on each other to accomplish the task and/or the group = less entitativity (-)
to receive valued outcomes
• Task interdependence: degree to
which group members are mutually
dependent on one another to
accomplish their tasks
• Outcome interdependence: degree
to which group members are
mutually dependent to receive
valued outcomes
Importance: the group has meaning and Permeability: how easy it is to join or leave
value for members (+) group → when it is easy to join = less
entitativity (-)
Interaction: members engage in formal or
informal activities, communications, relations
→ MOST IMPORTANT (+)
Duration: length of time the group has been
together → longer = more entitativity (+)
Similarity: the degree to which members
resemble each other are on certain
attributes (+)
Cohesion: attraction and commitment to
the group (+) → depends on group goal
acceptance (needs to be high for cohesion
to have positive effect)
• Task cohesion: shared commitment
to the group’s tasks
• Interpersonal cohesion: attraction to
the group
Group structure: norms, roles and status differences in the group (+)
Functions of groups/teams
• Facilitate accomplishment of certain tasks →
• Satisfies our need to belong (human disposition to form and maintain stable, strong and
positive relationships with others) → video of the frisbee being tossed around
• Allows us to make sense of the world → social comparison theory (people want to hold
accurate views of themselves and the world)
o Physical reality vs social reality → video of monkey getting a grape vs stone.
• Allows us to understand ourselves → social identity theory/self-categorization theory
(people define themselves partly in terms of group membership)
o Social identity → The theory further argues that seeing oneself and others as
members of groups helps to reduce uncertainty and make sense of our world
o Video of mean girls
• Provide utilitarian benefits → exchange theory (social relations help to fulfill the
individual’s needs and often take the form of exchange processes) → video of
monkeys and nuts
Understanding inputs, processes and outcomes that characterize teams
Inputs: diversity, composition, tasks, rules
Processes: production losses and gains, biases, information exchange and processing, conflict
,Outcomes: decision making, creativity, problem solving
Moderators: training, contextual variation
Organizations make use of groups because groups are able to offer:
• More rapid, flexible and adaptive
responses to the unexpected
• More skill diversity and higher levels of
expertise
Team inputs
• Individual inputs (personality)
• Background and preferences
• Team diversity
Team processes
Cognitive (CMTL) Motivational/affective Behavioral (CCR)
Represent the structure of (CEAC)
collective perception,
cognitive structure, or
knowledge perception and
knowledge and information
acquisition
Team climate: team Team cohesion: attraction of Team coordination,
perception of the members to group (both task cooperation and
environment (service and social-related) communication: process by
climate, innovative climate) which members actions are
synchronized
Team mental models: shared Team efficacy: shared belief Team member
model of knowledge or in the group’s collective competencies: how the
beliefs related to key ability to obtain goals knowledge, skills and abilities
elements of the team task shape ability of the team to
(information held in accomplish task (e.g.
common) resource distribution, timing
and motivation)
Team transactive memory: Team affect, mood and Team regulation,
group-level system of emotions: good or bad performance dynamics and
encoding, storing and feelings held by members in adaptation: process by
retrieving information the group which team task demands
located across group vary and cycle around a task
members (who knows that) episode and how members
interactions and
performance can be
regulated in line with these
cycles (mission analysis,
conflict management)
Team learning: the active Team conflict: process arising
process by which teams from real or perceived
acquire knowledge, skills, incompatibilities among
and performance team members
capabilities (such as mental
models or transactive
memory)
, E.g., social influence, free-riding, group biases, information exchange, minority influence and
coordination
Team interventions
These influence the processes or relationship between inputs and processes.
• Team design: making sure team is aligned with organizational context and task and
has adequate resources
• Team training and development: process or intervention by which teams and
individuals acquire skills and improve processes
• Team leadership: the use of influence within the team to guide the team in task
accomplishment
E.g., diversity and interactions with each other and others, inter-team links, communication
medium, training, leadership
Team outputs
• Team and individual performance: how many products produced, creative outcomes
etc.
• Meeting member needs: satisfaction, identification
• Team viability: willingness of member to remain in the team → when people leave, you
lose skills and knowledge
E.g., decision making, creativity, performance, motivation.
Using the IPO model to analyze the literature and understand the inputs, processes
preceding team effectiveness
Chapter 1: Studying Small Groups
Groupthink : a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a
cohesive in-group, when members’ strivings for unanimity over-ride their motivation to
realistically appraise alternative courses of action.
• This lies in concurrence seeking: group members try to maintain consensus and group
harmony and refrain from criticism or counter-argumentation against the alternative
that is favored by the group
Introduction (Week 1)
Learning Goals
Understanding and explaining the input-process-output model of group work
Understanding and explaining the characteristics and functions of groups and teams
Lecture 1: Introduction
What is a group/team?
Groups have been here since pre-historic times and are not unique to humans → they can
also be seen in animals.
Aspect Group Team
Social interaction among individuals + +
Possessing one or more common causes + +
Possessing one or more common task goal +
Performing together organizationally relevant tasks +
Exhibiting interdependence (workflow, goals, outcomes) +
Having different roles and responsibilities +
Being a part of a larger organizational system +
How to study groups
Method Primary benefits Primary downsides
Qualitative case studies Very rich and detailed Only a few entities can be
One or few entities are information (dynamics, studied so extensively. So we
extensively studied for collect data from various do not know whether the
relatively long periods of time sources) results generalize.
(interviews, observations) = elaborate description that Due to rich data it is hard to
no other method can match draw clear conclusions →
in terms of compelteness requires subjective
interpretation.
Surveys and correlational Ability to quantify variables Reliance on subjective data.
designs (approach a large and relationships among It is not possible to establish
number of entities and variables. causality.
administer structured Real world relevance of the Third variable problem.
questionnaires) findings.
Experiments (situation is Ability to test causal Reliance on artificial
created that is under the relationships. situations raises questions
control of the researcher) around generalizability in
less controlled situations
What are the properties and functions of a group/team?
Group entativity : degree to which a collection of persons is perceived as being bound
together in a coherent unit
Properties that increase entitativity Properties which decrease entitativity
, Interdependence: members must depend Size: number of members in group → larger
on each other to accomplish the task and/or the group = less entitativity (-)
to receive valued outcomes
• Task interdependence: degree to
which group members are mutually
dependent on one another to
accomplish their tasks
• Outcome interdependence: degree
to which group members are
mutually dependent to receive
valued outcomes
Importance: the group has meaning and Permeability: how easy it is to join or leave
value for members (+) group → when it is easy to join = less
entitativity (-)
Interaction: members engage in formal or
informal activities, communications, relations
→ MOST IMPORTANT (+)
Duration: length of time the group has been
together → longer = more entitativity (+)
Similarity: the degree to which members
resemble each other are on certain
attributes (+)
Cohesion: attraction and commitment to
the group (+) → depends on group goal
acceptance (needs to be high for cohesion
to have positive effect)
• Task cohesion: shared commitment
to the group’s tasks
• Interpersonal cohesion: attraction to
the group
Group structure: norms, roles and status differences in the group (+)
Functions of groups/teams
• Facilitate accomplishment of certain tasks →
• Satisfies our need to belong (human disposition to form and maintain stable, strong and
positive relationships with others) → video of the frisbee being tossed around
• Allows us to make sense of the world → social comparison theory (people want to hold
accurate views of themselves and the world)
o Physical reality vs social reality → video of monkey getting a grape vs stone.
• Allows us to understand ourselves → social identity theory/self-categorization theory
(people define themselves partly in terms of group membership)
o Social identity → The theory further argues that seeing oneself and others as
members of groups helps to reduce uncertainty and make sense of our world
o Video of mean girls
• Provide utilitarian benefits → exchange theory (social relations help to fulfill the
individual’s needs and often take the form of exchange processes) → video of
monkeys and nuts
Understanding inputs, processes and outcomes that characterize teams
Inputs: diversity, composition, tasks, rules
Processes: production losses and gains, biases, information exchange and processing, conflict
,Outcomes: decision making, creativity, problem solving
Moderators: training, contextual variation
Organizations make use of groups because groups are able to offer:
• More rapid, flexible and adaptive
responses to the unexpected
• More skill diversity and higher levels of
expertise
Team inputs
• Individual inputs (personality)
• Background and preferences
• Team diversity
Team processes
Cognitive (CMTL) Motivational/affective Behavioral (CCR)
Represent the structure of (CEAC)
collective perception,
cognitive structure, or
knowledge perception and
knowledge and information
acquisition
Team climate: team Team cohesion: attraction of Team coordination,
perception of the members to group (both task cooperation and
environment (service and social-related) communication: process by
climate, innovative climate) which members actions are
synchronized
Team mental models: shared Team efficacy: shared belief Team member
model of knowledge or in the group’s collective competencies: how the
beliefs related to key ability to obtain goals knowledge, skills and abilities
elements of the team task shape ability of the team to
(information held in accomplish task (e.g.
common) resource distribution, timing
and motivation)
Team transactive memory: Team affect, mood and Team regulation,
group-level system of emotions: good or bad performance dynamics and
encoding, storing and feelings held by members in adaptation: process by
retrieving information the group which team task demands
located across group vary and cycle around a task
members (who knows that) episode and how members
interactions and
performance can be
regulated in line with these
cycles (mission analysis,
conflict management)
Team learning: the active Team conflict: process arising
process by which teams from real or perceived
acquire knowledge, skills, incompatibilities among
and performance team members
capabilities (such as mental
models or transactive
memory)
, E.g., social influence, free-riding, group biases, information exchange, minority influence and
coordination
Team interventions
These influence the processes or relationship between inputs and processes.
• Team design: making sure team is aligned with organizational context and task and
has adequate resources
• Team training and development: process or intervention by which teams and
individuals acquire skills and improve processes
• Team leadership: the use of influence within the team to guide the team in task
accomplishment
E.g., diversity and interactions with each other and others, inter-team links, communication
medium, training, leadership
Team outputs
• Team and individual performance: how many products produced, creative outcomes
etc.
• Meeting member needs: satisfaction, identification
• Team viability: willingness of member to remain in the team → when people leave, you
lose skills and knowledge
E.g., decision making, creativity, performance, motivation.
Using the IPO model to analyze the literature and understand the inputs, processes
preceding team effectiveness
Chapter 1: Studying Small Groups
Groupthink : a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a
cohesive in-group, when members’ strivings for unanimity over-ride their motivation to
realistically appraise alternative courses of action.
• This lies in concurrence seeking: group members try to maintain consensus and group
harmony and refrain from criticism or counter-argumentation against the alternative
that is favored by the group
