Groups and teams continue to play a vital role in organizational behavior and performance. Advanced technologies give organizations the ability to use virtual teams that may have members from anywhere in the world. This chapter offers a traditional discussion of group behavior and group development in the first two sections, a discussion of teams in the third section, and an exploration of issues such as self-managed teams and upper echelon teams in the final two sections.
Define group and work team.
Explain four important aspects of group behavior.
Describe group formation, the stages of group development, and the characteristics of a mature group.
Explain the task and maintenance functions in groups.
Identify the social benefits of group and team membership.
Discuss diversity and creativity in teams.
Discuss teamwork and self-managed teams.
Explain the importance of upper echelons and top management teams.