Why Are Teams and Groups Seen as Essential Features of Contemporary Organisations?
Why are teams and groups seen as essential features of contemporary organisations?
This essay aims to discuss why teams and groups are seen as essential features of contemporary organisations. Firstly, it will examine what exactly constitutes a group or team, then it will go on to discuss different types of groups and teams which exist within an organisation. Next it will explain why groups and teams are key to contemporary organisations in particular and finally, it will discuss the disadvantages associated with groups within organisations.
Firstly, it is important to distinguish what exactly constitutes a team or a group. As Khan (2010) states, all teams are groups because the individuals in it have some kind of of unifying relationship, but not all groups are teams because the individuals making up a group may have very little or no interdependence and they could just as well work alone. For the purposes of this essay we will assume that the terms team and group are interchangeable. Therefore, a group is a collection of individuals who share a common set of norms, who generally have differentiated roles among themselves, and who interact with one another toward the joint pursuit of common goals (Steers and Black, 1994).
Within an organisation different types of groups exist and are essential for the day to day running of the company. Formal and informal groups are the most common groups found within organisations; where formal groups are the groups brought together by the organisation for a specific purpose - for example, the human resources department - and where informal groups are the social groups formed voluntarily by individuals within the organisation - for example, people who share common interests. Businesses cannot exist without both formal and informal groups. Informal groups provide individuals with a means of gaining help and support to carry out their particular objectives (which may or may not be the same as the organisation 's
This essay aims to discuss why teams and groups are seen as essential features of contemporary organisations. Firstly, it will examine what exactly constitutes a group or team, then it will go on to discuss different types of groups and teams which exist within an organisation. Next it will explain why groups and teams are key to contemporary organisations in particular and finally, it will discuss the disadvantages associated with groups within organisations.
Firstly, it is important to distinguish what exactly constitutes a team or a group. As Khan (2010) states, all teams are groups because the individuals in it have some kind of of unifying relationship, but not all groups are teams because the individuals making up a group may have very little or no interdependence and they could just as well work alone. For the purposes of this essay we will assume that the terms team and group are interchangeable. Therefore, a group is a collection of individuals who share a common set of norms, who generally have differentiated roles among themselves, and who interact with one another toward the joint pursuit of common goals (Steers and Black, 1994).
Within an organisation different types of groups exist and are essential for the day to day running of the company. Formal and informal groups are the most common groups found within organisations; where formal groups are the groups brought together by the organisation for a specific purpose - for example, the human resources department - and where informal groups are the social groups formed voluntarily by individuals within the organisation - for example, people who share common interests. Businesses cannot exist without both formal and informal groups. Informal groups provide individuals with a means of gaining help and support to carry out their particular objectives (which may or may not be the same as the organisation 's
References: Kahn, H (2010), “Groups and Conflict Management” (chapter 6), Organisational Behaviour, Heriot Watt University Steers, R. M and Black, J. S (1994) Organisational Behaviour, Prentice Hall Lipnack, J and Stamps, J (1997) Virtual Teams, [online] Available at: <http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=171-FrLDhvUC&oi=fnd&pg=PR17&dq=virtual+teams+lipnack&ots=Bu_xw63cfI&sig=Is-ymMKvujoYxynZKxXfIJ_tQs8#v=onepage&q&f=false> [Accessed 4 November 2011] Maier, N (1967) “Assets and Liabilities In Group Problem Solving: The Need For An Integrative Function” Psychological Review, Vol 74(4) [online] Available at: <http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/rev/74/4/239/> [Accessed 4 November 2011] Milgram, S (1963). “Behavioural Study Of Obedience” Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67 [online] Available at: <http://www.wadsworth.com/psychology_d/templates/student_resources/0155060678_rathus/ps/ps01.html> [Accessed 4 November 2011] Janis, I. L (1972). “Victims of Groupthink: A Psychological Study of Foreign Policy Decisions and Fiascoes” Houghton Miffin.