Chapter 5/6/7 Flashcards
1
Q
Differences between a team and a group
A
Team - Limited size - Selection is crucial - Leadership is shared or rotating - Mutual knowledge - Roles are spread - Dynamic interaction Group - Usually bigger size - Selection is immaterial - Leadership is solo - Focus on leader - Convergence conformism - The groups which you belong provide you with shared goals, a sense of identity and meet your social needs - Can also constrain thinking, limit behaviour and restrict your freedom of expression
2
Q
Hawthorne studies
A
- Early example of scientific study of groups in organisations
- Initiated as a study into the effects of environmental lighting on productivity
3
Q
Four key Hawthorne studies
A
- Illumination experiments
- Relay assembly test room experiments
- The interviewing programme
- The bank wiring observation room experiments
4
Q
Illumination experiments
A
- Tested how different levels of light impacted productivity
- No clear correlation was found between lighting and output
5
Q
Relay I
A
- Assessed the impact of rest periods on productivity
- Also tested fatigue and monotony thesis
- No clear correlation between rest periods and output, or fatigue and output
6
Q
Relay II
A
- Tested effects of wage incentive on output
- No notable increase in output from wage incentive but not sustained
7
Q
Mica splitting experiment
A
- Duplicated relay assembly room but without wage incentive
- Same pattern for first year then declined. Output more to do with psychological issues than wage incentives
8
Q
Interview program
A
- Link between morale and supervision, improvements in employee-supervisor relations and the attitude of staff
- Workers often have obsessive and irrational views. Social groups have powerful influence over the actions of individuals.
9
Q
Bank writing observation
A
- The role of the group in determining output
- The informal group is key to impacting behaviour
10
Q
Experiments 3 and 4 significant findings
A
- Lighting and fatigue not significant; next assumption pay
- Tried pay incentives; did not seem to be a factor
- Instead became a ‘special group’
- Anxieties of job losses impacted output
- Morale and supervisory relations considered vital
- Overall discovered the importance of the social side of the organization
11
Q
Interview programme significant findings
A
- Revealed workers restricting output
- Focus on one group
- They gave nicknames to those who worked too hard
12
Q
Identification of group norms
A
- You should not turn out too much work
- You should not turn out too little work
- You should not tell a supervisor anything that might get a colleague into trouble
- You should not attempt to maintain social distance or act officiously
13
Q
Key findings from Hawthorne studies
A
- Business organization is a social system
- Employees satisfactions and dissatisfactions impact productivity
- Employees are more than machines
- Want to use their own initiative
- Introduced a new way to consider management
- Soft skills; informal dynamics of the group
- Challenges of getting people to work together
14
Q
Differences between rational and human relations approach
A
Taylor scientific management
- Employees economically motivated
- Mechanical fix to problems
- Micro manage
- Increase output through individualisation
- Workers are replaceable
Mayo hawthorne
- Employees socially motivated
- Social approach to problems
- Work collaboratively towards common outcomes
- Increase output through collective collaboration
- Employee satisfaction increases productivity
15
Q
Power of the informal organisation
A
- The social organisation may have more power than managerial influence
- It has social control over work habits and attitudes of the individual worker
- Major factor in the groups productivity
- Belonging to the group
- Managers role in changing group norms
- Social relations a resource for managers
16
Q
Factors contributing to group cohesiveness and performance
A
Membership - Size of group - Compatibility - Permanence of group members Work environment - Nature of the task - Physical settings - Communications - Technology Organisational - Management and leadership - Hr policies and procedures - Success - External threat Group development and maturity - Forming - Storming - Norming - Performing - Adjourning
17
Q
Tuckmans five stages of group development
A
Forming
- Team acquaints and establishes ground rules. Formalities are preserved and members are treated as strangers
Storming
- Members start to communicate their feelings but still view themselves as individuals rather than part of the team. They resist control by group leaders and show hostility
Norming
- People feel part of the team and realise that they can achieve work if they accept other viewpoints
Performing
- The team works in an open and trusting atmosphere where flexibility is the key and hierarchy is of little importance
Adjourning
- The team conducts an assessment of the year and implements a plan for transitioning roles and recognising members contributions
18
Q
Consequences of group cohesion
A
- Group success
- Member satisfaction
- Increased group influence over members
- Cooperative behaviour between individuals
- Greater conformity by members
- Members evaluations become distorted
- Increased interaction between members
- Productivity high or low
19
Q
Groups usually do:
A
- Increase resources
- Increase motivation
- Increase creativity, correct errors, resolve ambiguity
20
Q
Decision making in groups
A
- A diverse group can produce better decisions
- Gain variety of perspectives and insights
- Challenges, group conflict and rivalry
- Conjunctive tasks require everyone to contribute, group only as good as least effective member
- Variety decision making models from votes to consensus based decisions
21
Q
Why groups might be worse than individuals
A
- Group member characteristics
- Group size
- Conformity
- Social loafing
- Inequity based losses
- Production blocking
- Evaluation apprehension
- Cognitive inertia
- Biased information pooling
- Confirmation bias
22
Q
Group cohesion; drawback 1 group polarization
A
- Individuals start by taking a moderate stance on an issue, and having discussed it, end up taking a more extreme stance (riskier or more conservative position)
- Reasons include; informational influence (information shared), normative influence (group pressure).
23
Q
Group cohesion drawback 2 groupthink
A
- Phenomenon in which the norm for consensus overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action. In particular, Janis studied disastrous policy decisions
24
Q
Characteristics of groupthink
A
Antecedent conditions - Time pressure and stress - High cohesiveness and social identity - Isolation from other sources of information - Directive authoritative leadership Symptoms of groupthink - Pressure towards uniformity - Poor information search and evaluation - Over estimation of the group, its power and morality - Closed mindedness
25
Overcoming groupthink
- Encourage critical evaluation in every member
- Start with an impartial stance to encourage open mindedness
- Create evaluation groups for decisions
- Discuss decisions with outsiders and report back
- Invite outside experts to question decisions
- Play devils advocate for key decisions
- Consider rivals reactions
- Second chance meetings to express doubts
26
Issues with groups
- Are groups taken seriously in western organisations; blame culture, individual responsibility
- Cultural issues
- Research indicates groups are superior only when they meet certain criteria including; group must have diversity among members, members must be able to communicate ideas freely and openly, the task being undertaken must be complex
27
What is organizational culture?
- Social or normative glue that holds an organisation together
- Shared beliefs and values guiding the thinking and behavioural styles of members
- External adaptation; mission, goals, methods
- Internal integration; values, hierarchy, reward system
28
Advantages of managing through culture
- Increased sense of belonging
- Increased commitment
- Shared values
- Shared language
- Shared belief in purpose of organisation
- Engages hearts and minds; common purpose
29
Scheins three levels of culture
Basic assumptions
- The basis on which individuals are respected; the basis of the firm’s ability to compete; how and by whom decisions should be made
Values and beliefs
- Trust, honesty, basis of reward, effort, trust.
Artefacts and creations
- Norms, language, taboos, symbols
30
Geert Hofstede – cultural dimensions
Power distance
- The extent to which power is distributed equally within a society and the degree that society accepts this distribution
Uncertainty avoidance
- The degree to which individuals require set boundaries and clear structures
Individualism versus collectivism
- The degree to which individuals base their actions on self-interest versus the interests of the group
Masculinity versus femininity
- A measure of a society’s goal orientation
Time orientation
- The degree to which a society does or does not value long term commitments and respect for tradition
31
Cultural typologies – Quinn & Rohrbaugh
```
Clan
- Like a family organisation
- Shared values and cohesion
- Teamwork and employee empowerment
- Customers are partners
- Leaders mentors/parent figures
Adhocracy
- Temporary and specialized; disbands when task is complete
- No centralized power; flows from person to person
- Emphasis on individuality and risk taking and creativity
Hierarchy
- Bureaucratic culture
- Clear lines of decision making
- Stable and efficient
- Standardized rules and procedure with no discretion
- Environment is stable
- Leaders are good organisers
Market
- The organisation functions as a market with competition
- Aims to reduce transaction costs
- Profit is key
- Meeting customer needs
- Customers competitive for best price
- Leaders are highly competitive
```
32
Cultural typologies – handy
```
Power culture; zeus
- Power and decision making concentrated on the centre
- Control of centre becomes weaker as firm grows
- Tough and competitive environment
- Few set rules
- Family firms, small entrepreneurs
Role culture – Apollo
- Bureaucracy in its purest form
- Roof – senior management decision making
- Pillars – functional units
- Staff do their roles
- Authority based on position in hierarchy
- Predictable
- Difficult to adapt to change
- Civil service, high street banks
Task culture – Athena
- Focus on getting job done
- Temporary project teams to meet task needed
- Expertise is central
- Control through allocation of people and resources
- Project management, construction
Personal or cluster culture – Dionysius
- Consensus management; power is shared
- Individual freedom is key
- Exist for the members
- No collective goal
- Reject formal hierarchies
- Self help groups
```
33
Cultural typologies assessed
- Popular
- Quick way of capturing essence of an organisation
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Comparisons to other organisations
However
- General rather than specific
- Organisations don’t fit easily into categories
- Applied rigidly could lose sight of features that make an organisation unique
- Focus on structure of culture rather than ordinary everyday factors
- Suggest unified homogenous culture and ignore differences in departmental cultures
34
Where does organisational culture come from?
- Philosophy of organisations founder
- Selection criteria
- Top management/socialization
- Leads to organisational culture
35
How is culture transmitted?
- Mission statements
- Founders stories
- Rituals and ceremonies
- Symbols
- Embedded ideas
- Unconscious level
36
Socialisation model
```
Socialisation process
- Prearrival
- Encounter
- Metamorphosis
Outcomes
- Productivity
- Commitment
- Turnover
```
37
Culture management
- Recruitment and selection; P-J, P-O, P-G
- Employee induction; rite of passage
- Training and development; communicating and implementing espoused core values and attitudes, cross border learning
- Payment and reward systems
- Leadership
- Employee relations
38
Integration v differentiation/fragmentation perspective
- Integration; shared values, consensus, commitment
- Differentiation; acknowledging existence of subcultures
- Fragmentation; conflict and struggle for power
39
What do cultures do?
- Break the barrier of self interest
- Stability of the social system
- Guide and shape attitudes and behaviours
- Sense of identity
- Barriers to change
- Barriers to diversity
- Barriers to mergers and acquisitions
