MGMT quiz 3 week 9-10

Social Identity Theory

• Perspective that considers when and why individuals consider themselves members of groups

Relational Identification (S.I.T)

Connect because of our roles

Collective Identification (S.I.T)

Connect with the aggregate characteristics of our groups

Group

two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who come together to achieve particular objectives

Formal Group

defined by the organizations structure

Informal group

neither formally structured nor organizationally determined

Role

the set of expected behavior patterns that are attributed to occupying a given position in a social unit

Role perception

our view of how we’re supposed to act in a given situation

Role expectations

How others believe you should act in a given situation

Role conflict

conflict experienced when multiple roles are incompatible

Norms

Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the groups members

Reference groups

groups in which a person is aware of other members, defines self as a member, believes group members to be significant

• individuals try to conform to norms of these groups

Research shows (reference groups)

• members avoid being visibly diff

• Members with differing opinions feel extensive pressure to align with others

Deviant Workplace behavior

voluntary behavior that violates significant organizational norms and, in doing so, threatens the well-being of the organization or its members

Production (D.Wp.B)

• leaving early

• intentionally working slowly

• wasting resources

Political (D.Wp.B)

• Showing favoritism

• Gossiping and spreading rumors

• Blaming coworkers

Property (D.Wp.B)

• Sabotage

• Lying about hours worked

• Stealing from the organization

Personal Aggression (D.Wp.B)

• Sexual harassment

• Verbal abuse

• Stealing from coworkers

Status

A socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others

Status is determined by

• the power a person wields over others

• A persons ability to contribute to a groups goals

• An individuals personal characteristics

Social loafing (GP: Size & Dynamics)

Tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than alone

• Consistent with individualistic cultures

How to prevent social loafing

• set group goals

• increase intergroup competition

• engage in peer evaluation

• select members who have high motivation and like to work in groups

• Distribute group rewards based on members individual contributions

Idea Generation?

• Large groups are consistently better at idea generation

• Smaller groups are faster at completing tasks

Cohesiveness

The degree to which members of the group are attracted to each other and motivated to stay in the group

• Performance-related norms are the moderating variable for productivity and cohesiveness

  • High cohesiveness with high norms yields higher productivity

Diversity

the degree to which members of the group are similar to or different from one another

Types of diversity

• Surface level

• Deep level

• Functional level

Fault lines

perceived divisions that split groups into two or more subgroups based on individuals differences such as gender, race, age, work experience, & education

• splits are generally detrimental to group functioning and performance

Strengths (group decision making)

• generate more complete information and knowledge

• Increased diversity of views

• Increased acceptance of a solution

Weaknesses (group decision making)

• takes longer

• conformity pressures

• discussions can be dominated by one or a few members

• Ambiguous responsibility for the final outcome

work group

interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions to help one another perform within each members area of responsibility

Work team

generates positive synergy through coordinated effort; individuals efforts result in a level of performance that is greater than the sum of those individual inputs

Performance management

• performance of organization is assessed collectively

• the success of the team hinges on the synergy and combined efforts of all members. This means that individual evaluations might also include assessments of how well each person collaborates & contributes to team goals.

Reflexivity (Team Processes & Success)

• a team characteristic of reflecting & adjusting their purpose or plan when necessary

Social loafing (Team Processes & Success)

• Individual and joint accountability are necessary

Three modes of communication

1. Nonverbal (informal)

2. Oral (formal/informal)

3. Written (formal)

Formal

• path follows the authority chain

• messages relate to professional activities

Informal

• Spontaneous channels from individual choice

• Messages often personal or social

Nonverbal Communication

Body language

• body movements

• Facial expression

Every movement has meaning

Can affect the behavior of communication receivers

Oral Communication

Advantages

• speed, feedback, exchange

Disadvantages

• Potential for distorted message when passed through a number of people

Written Communication

• provides a tangible and verifiable record that can be stored for an indefinite period of time

• Message is physically available for later reference

• Messages are more likely to be well though-out, logical, and clear

• Grammar mistakes can be problematic

Functions of Communication

1. Information exchange

2. Managing behavior

3. Feedback

4. Emotional sharing

5. Persuasion

Automatic processing

superficial consideration of evidence and information making use of heuristics

• takes little time and minimal effort

• easy to be fooled

Controlled processing

detailed consideration of evidence and information relying on facts, figures, and logic

• requires effort and energy

• less likely to be fooled

The choice of processing depends on

• importance/interest level

• prior knowledge

• Message characteristics

How does social loafing affect team performance during complex projects?

It leads to a decrease in individual contributions

Understanding group members’ social identities can aid in what aspect of group management?

tailoring communication to enhance effectiveness

what is the effect of role perception on group performance?

Accurate role perception aligns individual actions with group expectations

creating team players includes all of the following EXCEPT

hiring the most skilled workers

A sales team with diverse ages & experiences is struggling with role conflicts as older members resist new sales methods proposed by younger team members. What could resolve these conflicts?

Organizing role clarification workshops and integrating new methods in team norms

Anokin is interested in making her team more cohesive. Which of the following strategies can help her?

Encourage agreement with group goals

How does deep-level diversity impact team cohesion over time?

It initially challenges cohesion but can enhance it through increased understanding and respect

Why is reflexivity considered a critical characteristic of effective teams?

Teams can adapt their plans based on the reflection of their actions and goals

A manager notices that team meetings are often unproductive due to misunderstandings arising from nonverbal cues. What technique could the manager use to improve communication clarity in meetings?

Provide training on understanding and using nonverbal cues effectively