Module 12: Group Processes and Work Teams

32 vocabulary-style flashcards covering the concepts of group dynamics, social norms, development stages, team roles, and decision-making processes from the Module 12 lecture.

Formal groups

Groups established by the organization to pursue specific goals.

Informal groups

Groups that develop apart from the official organizational structure and often form among those working in close proximity or who interact frequently.

Descriptive norms

Shared expectations about what people actually do or think within a group.

Prescriptive norms

Shared expectations about what people should do or think within a group.

Cultural tightness

A characteristic of strong cultures featuring clearer norms and greater consequences for deviating from those norms.

Roles

A set of behaviors expected of a person who occupies a particular position in a group or organization.

Role concept

The perception of the various situational forces acting on a person within a group.

Role differentiation

The process by which a group or organization establishes distinct roles for various group or organization members.

Relationship conflict

Conflict that is focused on interpersonal relationships.

Task conflict

Conflict involving different ideas, beliefs, or viewpoints regarding the work.

Process conflict

Conflict specifically concerning how the work should be done.

Cohesion

The strength of group members’ motivation to maintain membership in the group.

Forming

The first stage of group development where members get acquainted and interactions are polite, tentative, and exploratory.

Storming

The second stage of group development characterized by disagreement, questioning, and the emergence of conflict.

Norming

The third stage of group development where unity is established, trust increases, and roles and standards develop.

Performing

The fourth stage of group development where members become focused on productivity and goal achievement with high task orientation.

Adjourning

The final stage of group development where roles are terminated and members become much less dependent on one another.

Social Loafing

The reduction in individual effort that occurs when people work in groups.

Free riding

Occurs when employees perceive their efforts are not necessary to enjoy a group’s success and rewards.

Sucker effect

A phenomenon where members reduce their effort because they decide they will no longer be a 'sucker' by doing more than others.

Brainstorming

A technique where all members of a group generate potential solutions, which works best when there is no fear of criticism.

Electronic brainstorming

The use of technology to facilitate the brainstorming process, which allows anonymity and reduces production blocking.

Taskwork

The task-oriented aspects of work within a team.

Teamwork

The process-oriented aspects of work within a team.

Team Role Experience and Orientation (TREO)

A self-report assessment containing $45$ items that measures orientations and behavioral predispositions to help identify fitting team roles.

Organizer

A team role for someone who structures the team's activities and keeps track of accomplishments relative to goals and timelines.

Doer

A team role for someone who willingly takes on tasks, meets deadlines, and can be counted on to ensure the team's success.

Challenger

A team role for someone who pushes the team to explore all aspects of a situation and is comfortable debating and critiquing solutions.

Innovator

A team role for someone who regularly generates new and creative ideas, strategies, and approaches.

Team Builder

A team role for someone who helps establish norms and maintains a positive work atmosphere by calming stressed members and motivating others.

Connector

A team role for someone who bridges and connects the team with people, groups, or stakeholders outside of the team.

Groupthink

A mode of thinking where the desire to agree in a cohesive group overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative choices, historically seen in the Bay of Pigs ($1961$) and the Space Shuttle Challenger ($1986$).