Lecture 4: Teamwork

Question 1

Social Influence

Answer 1

the presence of others influences our attitudtes and
behaviors
• Social facilitation
• Social inhibition

Question 2

Synergy

Answer 2

he outcome of interactions in a group
• Positive synergy (2+2=5)
• Social compensation
• Negative synergy (2+2=3)
• Social loafing
• Process loss

Question 3

Group norms

Answer 3

expected behavior or belief that
is established (formally / informally) by a group

Question 4

Conformity

Answer 4

changing our behavior or belief due to

real or imagined group pressure

Question 5

Obedience

Answer 5

changing our behavior in response to a direct command

Question 6

Ostracism

Answer 6

• Ignoring and excluding an individual from the group.
• It threatens the fundamental need to belong.
• Strong negative link to individual‘s well-being.
• It triggers the same area of the brain that’s active when we feel physical
pain (Williams, 2009). Each time an individual was excluded (even non
intentionally) the brain’s dorsal anterior cingulate cortex lit up.
• Increased job turnover.
• Ostracism (91%) is more common than
harrasment (45%) (O‘Reilly et al., 2014).

Question 7

Deindividuation

Answer 7

• Loosened self-awareness and self-monitoring leading to impulsive and
antisocial acts.
• Those who have greater levels of self-awareness
show lower rates of anti-normative behavior
because of deindividuation.
• Le Bon suggests that anonymity, suggestibility,
and contagion can turn groups of people into
so-called “psychological crowds.”
• Diffusion of responsibility leads to less
feelings of personal guilt when committing
aggressive acts.

Question 8

Socialization

Answer 8

the process where members learn the values, symbols

and expected behavior in a group.

Question 9

Six socialization tactics

Question 10

McGrath‘s model of group tasks

Question 11

Advice teams

Answer 11

Providing information for the decision

making of the management.

Question 12

Quality circle

Answer 12

a participatory management
technique that includes the help of employees
in solving problems related to their own jobs.

Question 13

Total quality management (TQM)

Answer 13

striving for long

term success focusing on customer satisfaction.

Question 14

Just in time (JIT)

Answer 14

inventory management method of

receiving goods when needed

Question 15

Action teams

Answer 15

• They exhibit peak performance on demand.
• Specialized knowledge, skills and contribution.
• Very high need for coordination.

Question 16

Project teams

Answer 16

Cross functional /cross organizational, specialized knowledge, combining
a wide range of expertise.
• Solving non conventional and challenging
problems.

Question 17

Project –

Answer 17

a unique endeavour to complete a certain outcome within a

limited time and with limited resources.

Question 18

Production teams

Answer 18

• Performing day-to-day, core operations.
• Medium to low technical specialization.
• Still a high level of coordination needed.

Question 19

Japanese teamworking

Answer 19

• Lean production, removal of „waste“
• Minimum staffing, multitasking, multi-machine operation,
repetitive short cycle work
• Powerful first line supervision
• Conventional hierarchy

Question 20

Team autonomy

Answer 20

• Empowerment – giving employees more
authority and decision making responsibility.
• It fosters job satisfaction, organizational
commitment, organizational citizenship
behavior and job performance.
• Power should be put where needed.
• People are intrinsically motivated by power
and opportunity.
• Empowered individuals have a strong sense
of self-efficacy (the feeling of „making things
happen“).
• Requires management tolerance.