Suchergebnisse

This research investigated the impact of small and large work groups on developmental processes and group productivity. There were 329 work groups operating in for-profit and nonprofit organizations across the United States in this study. Groups containing 3 to 8 members were significantly more productive and more developmentally advanced than groups with 9 members or more. Groups containing 3 to 6 members were significantly more productive and more developmentally advanced than groups with 7 to 10 members or 11 members or more. The groups with 7 to 10 members or 11 members were not different from each other. Finally, groups containing 3 to 4 members were significantly more productive and more developmentally advanced on a number of measures than groups with 5 to 6 members. Work-group size is a crucial factor in increasing or decreasing both group development and productivity.

A laboratory study utilizing sixteen three-man groups varying in member trait composition was executed using measures of group task behavior as well as group performance. The research suggests the fruitfulness of employing measures of group composition, task behavior, and group performance simultaneously. The data suggest that the two group member traits studied, remote associates proficiency and social differentiation had an effect on group performance by shaping the quantity and distribution of both evaluative and elaborative behaviors of the groups. The traits also had an effect on group performance by molding the amount of group conflict generated over the discussion of alternative solutions to group problems.