Chapter 15

Committee

A task group that is charged with performing some type of specific activity.

Work Team

A task group used in organizations to achieve greater organizational flexibility or to cope with rapid growth.

Group

Any number of people who interact with one another, are psychologically aware of one another, and perceive themselves to be a group.

Adjourning

The fifth and last stage of the team development process, is the stage in which the team finishes its job and prepares to disband.

Forming

The first stage of the team development process, during which members of the newly formed team become oriented to the team and acquainted with one another as they explore issues related to their new job situation.

Performing

The fourth stage of the team development process, is characterized by a focus on solving organizational problems and meeting assigned challenges.

Groupthink

The mode of thinking that group members engage in when the desire for agreement so dominates the group that it overrides the need to realistically appraise alternative solutions.

Problem-Solving Team

An organizational team set up to help eliminate a specified problem within th organization.

Informal Group

A collection of individuals whose common work experiences result in the development of a system of interpersonal relations that extend beyond those established by management.

Task Group

A formal group of organization members who interact with one another to accomplish non routine organizational tasks. Members of any one task group can come from various levels in the organizational hierarchy.

Command Group

A formal group that is outlined in the chain of command on an organization chart. Command groups typically handle routine activities.

Sociogram

A sociometric diagram that summarizes the personal feelings of organization members about the people in the organization with whim they like to spend free time.

Sociometry

An analytical tool that can be used to determine what informal groups exist in an organization and who the leaders and members of those groups are.

Friendship Group

An informal group that forms in organizations because of the personal affiliation members have with one another.

Interest Group

An informal group that gains and maintains membership primarily because of a common concern members have about a specific issue.

Norming

The third stage of the team development process, is characterized by agreement among team members on roles, rules and acceptable behavior while working on the team.

Team

A group whose members influence one another toward the accomplishment of an organizational objectives.

Cross-Functional Team

An organizational team composed of people from different functional areas of the organization who are all focused on a specific objective.

Storming

The second stage of the team development process, is characterized by conflict and disagreement as team members try to clarify their individual roles and challenge the way the team functions.

Self-Managed Team

An organizational team that plans, organizes, influences, and controls its own work situation with only minimal intervention and direction from management.

Formal Group

A group that exists within an organization by virtue of management decree to perform tasks that enhance the attainment if organizational objectives.