...Groups and teams are two different things that most people usually do not take the time to differentiate. They are, however, two very different things. According to the University of Phoenix’s Learning Team Toolkit (as cited in Stewart, G., Manz, C., & Sims, H., 1999) groups are “two or more people who interact in some way” and teams are “groups with shared commitments and goals.” The Learning Team Toolkit (as cited in Stewart, G., Manz, C., & Sims, H. 1999) goes on to say that these two definitions suggest that teams are more than groups. Teams are groups that have a purpose or that come together to accomplish some goal or purpose. Groups may come together for any number of reasons. Groups can be local citizens who come together once a week to play bingo, spectators at a sporting event who have nothing in common save the fact that they all want to watch the same game, or even a large group from the same town who are at the grocery store at the same time. All three of the above examples are groups. They do not have a lot in common, although they could have many similarities, and are still part of the group. Groups could be grouped together for virtually any reason, such as hair color, geographic location, or social class. While it is possible for individuals in groups to happen to share some common goals or purposes, it is not the reason they are grouped together, nor is it the case all of the time for all groups. Teams are groups of people...
Words: 641 - Pages: 3
...Accoring to Fritz (2015), a group in the workplace usually comprises three or more people who recognize themselves as a distinct unit or department, but who actually work independently of each other to achieve their organizational goals. While a team comprises three or more people who may come from different departments within a business, but they collaborate together over time to achieve some set purpose, goal or project. Whether a group or a team, these employees come together to solve issues, focus on continuous improvement, and attain organizational goals. Groups are of similar positions and are able to share resources and ideas but the disadvantages of groups include: “slowness and expensiveness, groupthink, polarization, escalating commitment, and divided responsibility” (p. 339). Teams are established groups that interact and function together over an extended period of time; disadvantages of groups include the group development where the team must go through the initial stages of forming a group and learning to work together. If a team does not successfully maneuver these stages than the structure and success of the organization will be limited. The Team at my organization is a self-managing and cross-functional team. Which according to Newstrom (2015) means the members are drawn from more than one specialty in the organization and are coordinated small groups in regular contact designed to engage in coordinated action (p. 349). This team was formed to perform internal...
Words: 827 - Pages: 4
...Groups and Teams Paper The future world of management is relying on Groups and Teams, who can function in a business setting for productive success. However, if using the managing skills correctly Teams and Groups may evolve into an effective high performing organization. The effort of writing this paper is to enlighten readers on the difference between Groups and Teams dynamical functioning. Nevertheless, with the provision of exclusive examination this paper will further bring out the importance of workplace diversity in an organizational environment; and team dynamics in the workplace. The most effective way to help readers understand the difference between Groups and Teams begins with defining the two organizations for clarity. The definition of a” Group is a small group of people with complementary skills in which a leader’s goal and approach; and are willing to be held accountable by the leader” (Mackin, 2007). Groups attainments are approached by the leader’s goals for dominate support. The accountability of a group is thrives on individual accountability. However, the viewpoints of leaders are for the production of its organization the supervisor has input. Subsequently group decisions are made by voting rather than members acquiring any input. However, “a team is a small group of people with complementary skills and abilities with common goals and approaches for which they hold each other accountable” (Mackin, 2007). Teams require structure and support, aside from...
Words: 734 - Pages: 3
...Running head: Groups and Teams Groups and Teams Tracey Zenaye MGT307 November 8, 2010 Dan Daily Groups and Teams Groups and teams are two terms frequently used interchangeably. Both terms are utilized in the corporate world and within individuals’ personal lives. Although a group and a team are closely related there are notable differences between the two. This paper will discuss the differences between groups and teams, the importance of diversity in an organization, and how diversity relates to team dynamics in the workplace. Groups and Teams Webster’s Dictionary defines groups as a small unit of three to 15 people. A team is a cooperative unit or group of people lined in a common purpose. Groups and teams are formed for one central purpose, which is to achieve a goal. The strength of a team relies on the fact that the members of a team have similarities in their purpose and there is interconnectivity between the individual members and the group is larger in number and the group’s strength could be assessed from the fact that they need to be willing to execute the commands of a leader (Articlesbase, 2008). Forming a group is fairly simple. For instance, if there was a room filled with lawyers, doctors, and police officers, it would be a simple task to form groups according to common traits. Groups can be formed based on experience, gender, and age, or other common factors. In a group, members have a tendency...
Words: 717 - Pages: 3
...Groups and Teams According to Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn (2008), a group is defined as a collection of people who interact with one another regularly to attain common goals whereas a team is defined as a small group of people with complementary skills who work actively together to achieve a common purpose for which they hold themselves collectively accountable. For this reason a group can only be a team if it meets the definition as mentioned (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008, p. 192). Consequently there are three differences between a group and a team: 1. Complimentary skills 2. Accountability 3. Number of people. In order to create and maintain high-performance teams it is important to understand how workplace diversity in a organization relates to team dynamics in an workplace (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008). Therefore the following will detail the three differences between a group and team in addition to explaining how workplace diversity in a organization relates to team dynamics in an workplace. Differences between group and team As previously mentioned, there are three key differences between a group and a team. To begin teams have people with complimentary skills whereas this is not a requirement for groups. Secondly people in a team hold themselves collectively accountable whereas this is not a required distinction for a group. Finally teams are classified as a small number of people whereas a group is not specific on the number of individuals (Schermerhorn...
Words: 719 - Pages: 3
...Groups and Teams Kit Sumpter MGT/307 May 2, 2011 Randall Voss Groups and Teams Each and every individual is important to their company and every company delegates different individuals to different tasks, groups, or teams. Many people do not emphasize the difference between a group and a team; in fact they often do not think about it or even realize that there is one but in business there is a great difference. The following pages will go into more detail to explain the differences and their importance and how workplace diversity plays a key role in teamwork within the workplace. There is no doubt that more often than not, an objective is more easily reached if there is more than one individual is working towards it. According to Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn ( 2008), “A group is a collection og two or more people who work with one another regularly to achieve common goals.” In essence you could say that the entire company is a group. They don’t necessarily all work on the project of the company itself (for example the janitor), but they all work within the group to ensure the process runs as smooth as possible and each member is important to the whole. A group does not always pertain to a company though; it can be reading groups or even a non-profit organization such as those for the disabled. The latter is considered a formal group (Schermerhorn et al., 2008). “A team is a small group of people with complementary skills who work actively together...
Words: 723 - Pages: 3
...Group and Teams Even though teams and groups can be confused as one in the same; there are differences between the two. Teams and groups offer certain differences in real world corporate applications. According to Articlesbase, Difference Between a Group and a Team; Strengths of a team can rely on the fact that the members of a team have similarities in the purpose and there is interconnectivity between the individual members. Whereas a group is larger in number and the group’s strength could be assessed from the fact that they need to be willing to execute the commands of a leader. (David, J. 2009). Although teams and groups deliver different things to an organization they are still the comings together of diverse individuals. Organizations spend time focusing on team building. Teams come together to work equally through their own diverse backgrounds in order to work together to deliver success from their organization. Teams continually work together in an organization to meet certain criteria that has been delegated through them within a single organization. Organizations can use team building to help address smaller issues that higher managerial positions can become unaware of. Teams are able to be the voice that bridges the different steps of an organization together. They can do this by using their skills to speak at staff meetings and to have learning clinics for others to become involved. A team offers skills that can be complimentary to one another to achieve...
Words: 732 - Pages: 3
...Cultural Divergence or Convergence: What is Better for the Individual, the Group, and the Organisation? Evelyne Glaser Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria The article applies the balance theory to the ideal composition of multicultural teams and concludes that a moderate level of cultural divergence will achieve best results. Cultural diversity enhances creativity and leads to a new form of consciousness provided that the group undergoes a well-monitored team-building process and that authentic communication takes place between the team members. Key words: cultural diversity, multicultural teams, team performance Possible Effects of Workforce Diversity on Organisational and Group Performance The topic of workforce diversity has been widely treated in management literature over the past fifteen to twenty years. The focus has been mainly on the question how organisations can benefit most from it. Researchers such as Cox1, Taylor2, and Richard3 have argued that workforce diversity, when properly handled, can improve firm performance, raise organisational efficiency and effectiveness, add value, and contribute to competitive advantage. Others, like Kilduff et al.4, Abramson et al.5, and Chikudate6 have looked at the extent to which cognitive diversity affects the group and/or the company. Some attempts have been made by Tsui et al.,7 and Mamman,8 to look at diversity from the employees perspective. Yet the issue of diversity reflects a systemic problem: On the one...
Words: 3155 - Pages: 13
...Groups and Teams Jeannine Helmig MGT307 Diane Roberts University of Phoenix May 10, 2010 In today’s environment organizations have the employees either works together as group or as team to complete assignments or jobs. There are differences between a group and a team and there are also similarities. What the differences are can determine how an organization wants the employees to work together. Below is an explanation of what a group and a team are and what the differences are between a group and team. “A group involves two or more people working together regularly to achieve common goals (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008).” “In the group members are mutually dependent on each other to reach the goals set forth and to communicate regularly to meet the goals over a period of time (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008).” There are different types of groups, the effective groups, formal groups, and informal groups. “Effective groups strive to achieve high levels of performance, satisfaction, and viability with meeting goals (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008).” Formal groups are groups which have been designated for specific organizational purposes. An example is a manager is the head of the group and one or more people reporting directly to the manager. “Informal groups are groups which are formed to serve special interests such as people which take lunch together and may work together (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008).” No matter...
Words: 860 - Pages: 4
...Inquiry as a Team Development Intervention: A Controlled Experiment Gervase R. Bushe Ph.D. Graeme Coetzer MBA Faculty of Business Administration Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 (604) 291-4104 FAX: (604) 291-4920 email: bushe@sfu.ca An edited version of this paper was published in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1995, 31:1, 13-30 Gervase R. Bushe (Ph.D. Case Western Reserve) is Associate Professor, Organization Development in the Faculty of Business Administration, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6. Graeme Coetzer (MBA Simon Fraser University) is a doctoral student in organization development in the Faculty of Business Administration, Simon Fraser University. Appreciative Inquiry as a Team Development Intervention: A Controlled Experiment ABSTRACT In a controlled laboratory experiment the effects of a team development intervention based on the theory of appreciative inquiry was compared with task oriented team development and lectures on group processes, outcomes and performance. 96 undergraduate students in two semesters of an introductory organization behaviour course participated in 4 person teams and had 13 weeks to complete a task worth 25% of each member's final grade. One third of teams received an appreciative inquiry intervention, another third received a task oriented team development intervention and the final third received a lecture on group dynamics (placebo)...
Words: 8562 - Pages: 35
...Groups and Teams Before taking this course the student always thought groups and teams were the same, but she has realized even though, these two terms do have some similarities they also have some differences. In this paper the student will explain the differences between groups and teams, examine the importance of workplace diversity in an organization, and how it relates to team dynamics in the workplace. A work group is a collection of people working in similar areas and placed together to complete a task. Groups performance is the outcome of people coming together to share information views and insights. Members of groups have a mutual purpose. As members gather together, each brings a different personal perspective and style to the table. As the members share information, they begin the decision-making processes that help each member perform his or her particular responsibility. The two main types of groups are formal groups and informal groups. A formal group is designed around an organizations formal structure. An informal group is not structured and is normally formed out of a social need (Schermerhorn Jr, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008). (Good ) Teams are groups, but teams are a distinct separation of groups. A team is a reduced number of people with corresponding skills and committed to a common purpose, a set of performance goals and an approach for which they hold themselves accountable. (Good) Teams start out as groups; (Always???) they share some of the same beginning...
Words: 578 - Pages: 3
...Groups and Teams University of Phoenix- Axia In today’s business society the difference between being a group and a team can determine the success of an organization. Teams play a major role in the success of organizations. Harvard Business School professor asserts that although individuals are important, teams are the central unit of entrepreneurial success (Sahlman, 2007). The fact is that teams and groups are the majority of the world, so that why individuals sometimes seem to be left out. Companies that cannot turn individuals and groups into teams will definitely have a hard time keeping up with their opposition. Groups The fact is that a group is a bunch of individuals who just have not made the decision to become a team. Jennifer Henderson one of the nation's leading organizational development consultants, points out that all organizations start off as a group, but to truly grow and thrive, they eventually must become a team (Klein, 2002). Many individuals forms groups but very few make the transition into becoming a team. Types of groups The three types of groups are: informal, formal, and base. Informal groups are groups of people who spend very little time together but are brought together by a person of authority to either accomplish a goal such as discussion or completion of a project in a short amount of time. Formal groups are groups of people who spend more time together in order for planning to occur as a way to accomplish...
Words: 1089 - Pages: 5
...Conference page 15 CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Brittany Sikes, Florida Institute of Technology Robert D. Gulbro, Athens State University Linda Shonesy, Athens State University ABSTRACT Conflict is almost certain to occur in work teams due to the fact that they are comprised of different people possessing different perceptions, personalities, and behaviors. Although incredibly effective, work teams may stumble upon barriers which must be overcome to allow for growth and continuation towards the common goals of the group. It is quite possible that a work team may perform without the presence of conflict, but oftentimes certain measures have been implemented to prevent such conflict from occurring. Occasional conflict, if managed appropriately, can lead to creativity, better decision-making, and improved results. However, too much conflict can lead to a decrease in performance and group cohesion. In global organizations there is an opportunity for cross-cultural differences that may increase conflict. Contained herein are both the positive and negative consequences of conflict, as well as courses of action to understand, prevent, and resolve conflict that occurs within work teams or groups. THE VALUE OF WORK TEAMS A work team is defined as an organized group, committed to the individuals within the group, whose members share the same intent of accomplishing a common goal. Managers have become more inclined to utilize work teams when presented with missions involving...
Words: 2676 - Pages: 11
...the MGI’s team processes? What were the root causes of the team’s process problems? The MGI team focused more on brainstorming new and alternate ideas rather than identifying and defining the existing problem and finding a solution for it. The team members had disagreements over each other’s expertise and often ended up in conflict. The Team focused more on their personal conflicts rather than working together and finalizing a solution. The Team was composed of individuals with diverse functional attributes. These attributes were different way of thinking, different approaches to time management and problem solving, which resulted in lack of leadership, roles and unclear goals. The Team was more focused on launching the business successfully then winning the competition. There was a lot of conflicting expectations and some confusion between different team members. We evaluated that the team forming took in different phases over few weeks. Not everyone was present in the first meeting. Roman was not present in the first meeting. Alex was introduced in the second meeting and Dav was included in the third meeting. This evaluation also highlights the importance of kick-off meeting. The team should have been organized from the start with clear goals, scope and newness should have been avoided or minimized. We also evaluated that the Team did not discuss the norms and values of the team which would have helped them achieve their goals. Some of the team members were...
Words: 1621 - Pages: 7
...com/2046-9012.htm EJTD 36,4 Developing diverse teams to improve performance in the organizational setting 388 Katherine L. Yeager and Fredrick M. Nafukho Received 2 February 2011 Revised 18 August 2011 Accepted 7 October 2011 Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development, College of Education and Human Development, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA Abstract Purpose – The use of teams in organizations given the current trend toward globalization, population changes, and an aging workforce, especially in high-income countries, makes the issue of diverse team building critical. The purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of team diversity and team performance through the examination of theory and empirical research. Specifically, the paper seeks to answer the question: “How might individuals with diverse characteristics such as culture, age, work experience, educational background, aptitude and values, become successful team members?”. Design/methodology/approach – A review of theories that are pertinent to individual differences and team formation, including social identity theory, mental models, inter contact theory, social comparison theory, and chaos theory, was conducted. Team formation and diversity literature were reviewed to identify ways of developing diverse and effective teams. Findings – It is a truism that working together in teams is a smart way of achieving organizational performance...
Words: 10208 - Pages: 41
