Module 6

Question 1

What is a team?

Answer 1

Teams are social systems consisting of three or more persons:
- That are embedded in an organizational context
- Whose members perceive themselves to be such and are perceived by others as such (identity)
- And that work together on a common task (teamwork)
- Special case: Dyads (2 persons)

Question 2

Team vs identity groups

Answer 2

football fans don’t work towards a common task in an organization but share the identity

Question 3

Team vs nominal groups

Answer 3

sales departments, grouped but individual work (e.g. different towns)

Question 4

Different types of teams

Answer 4

• Problem-solving (consulting)
• Self-managed (autonomous)
• Cross-functional (different expertise work in a team)
• Virtual

Question 5

Hormans’ theory

Answer 5

• Sentiments
• Interactions
• Activities
• Norms

Question 6

Tuckmans’ team development model

Answer 6

• Forming
• Storming
• Norming
• Performing

Question 7

Forming

Answer 7

members learn about each other and the task at hand

Question 8

Storming

Answer 8

Members will engage each other in arguments which often are significantly emotional and illustrate a struggle for states in the group

Question 9

Norming

Answer 9

Members establish implicit or explicit rules about how they will achieve their goal

Question 10

Peforming

Answer 10

members reach a conclusion and implement the solution on their issue

Question 11

Benefits of organizing work in teams

Answer 11

• Handle complexity
• Cognitive resources (expertise)
• Stimulation (everybody stimulates each other)
• Knowledge sharing (implicit knowledge sharing also: how to deal with conflicts)
• Socio-emotional benefits (people like to work in teams)

Question 12

Downsides of organizing work in teams

Answer 12

• Groupthink
• Production blocking
• Downward norm setting
• Coordinations losses
• Social loafing

Question 13

I-P-O model

Answer 13

• Inputs
• Processes/mediators
• Outputs

Question 14

Hackman’s model of team effectiveness

Answer 14

• Real teams
• Compelling direction
• Enabling structure

Question 15

Real teams characteristics

Answer 15

• Clear boundaries
• Stability
• Interdependence
  Not necessarily harmonious. Success may breed harmony, but harmony not necessarily success.

Question 16

Compelling direction

Answer 16

• Clear goals, but autonomy on means
• Challenge (challenge high enough productivity but not too high demotivation)
• Consequentiality (team has to feel they have impact on the goal)

Question 17

Enabling structure

Answer 17

• Right position (size, diversity, skills)
• Suitable task (whole task, autonomy, feedback)
• Clear norms (what is acceptable and what is not)

Question 18

Burstiness

Answer 18

when everybody is speaking and responding to each other in a short amount of time instead of having it drawn out over a long period of time.

Question 19

Bursty teams

Answer 19

characterized by a high level of responsiveness and temporal coordination.

Question 20

Reducing groupthink

Answer 20

Set strict rules about not commenting or criticizing others’ ideas in the generation process.

Question 21

Reducing production blocking

Answer 21

Start brainstorming individually, continue then in the team, building on the initial diversity of ideas generated individually.

Question 22

Six key indicators – high quality teamwork

Answer 22

• Communication
• Coordination
• Balance of member contributions
• Mutual support
• Effort
• Cohesion