Group Dynamics and Team Effectiveness
On January 28, 1986, NASA launched the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded 73 seconds after liftoff and killed all seven crew members. The night before, space shuttle engineers met with NASA executives and expressed concern about the forecast for freezing temperatures, which might affect the functionality of a part called the O-Ring. Executives urged the engineers to reconsider and proceed with the scheduled launch, which was to be televised. As a result, the engineers made a unanimous decision to proceed with the launch. Why did the engineers make this decision, despite knowing that the O-Ring could malfunction in freezing temperatures? The answer is a phenomenon called Groupthink, which occurs when the pressure or desire for conformity discourages dissenting opinions and overrides rational decision-making. In this case, NASA executives pressured the engineers to make the decision to proceed with the launch.
Groupthink is one of the many concepts of group dynamics that explain the erosion of team effectiveness. In this Discussion, you will consider concepts, theories, and models of group dynamics and how they can be applied to improve team effectiveness.
To prepare for this Discussion:
· Read Chapter 13 in the Aamodt text, Industrial/Organizational Psychology: An Applied Approach. Pay particular attention to concepts, theories, and models related to group dynamics and teams.
· Read Chapter 13 in The SAGE Handbook. Consider how task design, team composition, and team leadership contribute to team effectiveness.
· Select an organization for which you currently work or have previously worked or a well-known organization (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, Facebook).
· Identify two concepts, theories, and/or models of group dynamics to compare. Then consider how you will apply one of the concepts, theories, or models to improve team effectiveness in the organization. Examples include through task design, team composition, team leadership, or another mechanism.
Required Readings
Group Dynamics
· Aamodt, M. (2016). Industrial/organizational psychology: An applied approach (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
· Chapter 13, “Group Behavior, Teams, and Conflict” (pp. 463–500)
· Time Estimate: 75 minutes
· Stewart, G., & Carter, K. (2018). Team design characteristics. In D. S. Ones, N. Anderson, C. Viswesvaran, & H. K. Sinangil (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of industrial, work, and organizational psychologyLinks to an external site. (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 289-306). London, UK: SAGE Publications, Ltd.
· Note: Chapter 13
· Time Estimate: 60 minutes
Change Management
· Aamodt, M. (2016). Industrial/organizational psychology: An applied approach (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
· Chapter 14, “Organization Development” (pp. 504–510 only)
· Time Estimate: 20 minutes
· Galli, B. J. (2018). Change management models: A comparative analysis and concerns. IEEE Engineering Management Review Links to an external site. , 46(3), 124–132.
· Time Estimate: 20 minutes
INSTRUCTIONS: Respond to the following:
Compare and contrast two concepts, theories, and/or models of group dynamics. In your comparison, assess the importance of each for overall team effectiveness. Then explain how you would apply one of the concepts, theories, or models to the organization you selected to improve team effectiveness. Include specific examples and current research on group dynamics to support your explanation.
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