John Moran

Organizational behavior

Chapter 9

1. List the stages in Tuckman’s model of group development including the phase added later in
his work. Briefly describe the nature of each stage.

There are five stages to Tuckman’s model of group development. The first stage is the
forming stage. In this stage the group can experience anxiety and exchange pleasantries
while coming together for the first time. The next stage is storming. In this stage members of
the group become more argumentative and try to differentiate themselves from other
members. In the third stage of norming members have been committed to each other. They
are now ready to work and set their goals and objectives. Next stage is called the performing
stage. In this stage members have a sense of a shared vision and getting the work done and
paying extra detail to how they are getting it done. The last stage which was added later to

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enhance the model is the adjourning stage. This is when the group is dissolved due to a
restructure or the end of a project. This stage is where members can discuss what worked

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well and what could have been done better to improve results.

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2. Briefly discuss the punctuated equilibrium model.

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The punctuated equilibrium model is a model like Tuckman’s with respect to the stages but
instead of it being linear its cyclic. This model suggests that many groups can regress back to the
storming stage from the performing stage due to a new CEO or another disruption. A group may revert
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back and forth several times. Because of this cyclic nature idea can become innovative and more
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creative. In this model is also is stated that any regression in the phases will result in a higher functioning
group.
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2. List and describe three factors which affect group cohesion.

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Three factors that affect group cohesion are size, stability and similarity. Size affects group
cohesion because smaller groups will have a more cohesive unit. Stability affects group cohesion because
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when a group stays together longer is it also more cohesive. Groups that are similar in race, sex or age
tend to be more cohesive as well.

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 3. What is the difference between a group and a team?

A group is a collection of individuals. A team is small group who are working towards a
common goal. A group works interdependently of one another while a team works
collaboratively. A team’s purpose is to achieve larger more complex goals.

4. Describe task interdependence levels as they relate to teams.

The three task levels of interdependence are Pooled Interdependence, Sequential

Interdependence and Reciprocal Interdependence. Task interdependence is the level at which
team members rely on other team members to get information, support or materials in order to
be successful. Sequential Interdependence is when one team members input becomes another

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team members output. They are using the team member’s information before them to complete

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their assignment. When their assignment is complete the next team member is utilizing their

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input. Reciprocal interdependence is when team members work together and pass work and
assignments back and forth until the work is completed.

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Chapter 9 Case: Putting Peer Pressure to Work: The Case of Pret a Manager (5 questions)
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What are the benefits of creating a team whose members hold hiring power over potential new
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employees? What are the potential negatives?

The benefits of creating a team whose members hold hiring power is that you are giving the power and
freedom to assemble their team. They should know who they believe will be a good fit to their team. You
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are essentially letting the stores be self-managed teams. They will have put an emphasis on succeeding
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and hiring the right person. A negative is that some persons might not be hired if they don’t fit into the
same similarities as others working there. A team member who is 30 might not feel someone who is in
their 60’s is a good fit. This can have the potential for discrimination lawsuits if not monitored properly.
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What do you think inspires individuals at Pret to work as a cohesive team?

I believe that by putting an emphasis on team first your mindset is that you are no bigger than the
whole store. You wouldn’t have got hired unless it was for the other team members helping you and
selecting you. Right when your hired the group selected you to ensure that their collective efficacy

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 would remain intact. I also believe that because members are promoted within they have a desire to do
well.

In the case of Pret, do you view the team members or the management leaders as the most important
part of the story?

I believe the team members are the most important part of the story. One for their longevity and
low turnover rate. They stay committed to the team culture and work hard. When they are promoted
they give their monetary award to others who have helped them succeed. They also work together to
receive money for a shop party. All of these factors are what keeps the business model intact.

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How do you think Pret holds team members accountable for their actions?

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I think give credit where credit is due. Chances are if you are successful in the company it’s
because someone else showed you the way. The showed you the procedures, policies and culture.
Having a trainer on site will enable people to be sure of what their job expectations are. This is the
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reason for the lower than average turnover and high promotion rate from within. I also believe that
because the team votes on potential hires, they feel they can share opinions. If your vote in hiring new
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employees counts than I believe if someone did something wrong, they wouldn’t be afraid to point out
that person’s mistake.

Do you think that Pret offers enough of a support system for its employees in order to create this type of
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team cohesion?
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Yes, I believe they offer enough a support system. Most likely you will have a manager in the
store who has worked their way up through the ranks. This person will be able to guide other employees.
You also have someone in the store who is labeled a trainer and it’s their main responsibility to ensure
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new hires adapt to the company’s culture.

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 Chapter 9 Case: Teamwork Takes to The Sky: The Case of General Electric (4 questions)

Would Robert Henderson’s strategy have worked if GE was manufacturing an entire plane rather than
just an engine? What about if they were manufacturing medical equipment?

I don’t believe it would have worked if they were building a whole plane. I believe that because the
engine was specifically stated they could focus their energy and a lot of money on the development of
the engine. If it was a new plane, I feel the costs would have really been exuberant and they would have
needed more structure. When building a large aircraft, you will need workers there who are like cogs to
achieve your goal. IF they were manufacturing medical equipment I believe it could work. I think they
would have taken great pride and effort to try to build a AED machine or a blood pressure monitor. I
think

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Jack Welch stated that productivity “comes from challenged, empowered, excited, rewarded teams of

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people.” Do you agree with this statement? What are some other factors of productivity that Welch may
have left out?
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I do agree that you want challenged, empowered, excited rewarded teams of people to have
productivity. I believe that those qualities describe a team of people that would be able to focus on a
goal and achieve results. I believe that another factor Jack Welch forgot was cohesive. You want your
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team to be cohesive to achieve more. I also believe you would want the team to have stability and have
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worked together for a period of time to create the cohesive unit. Another factor that would aid the
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productivity would be to keep the size of the team down to ensure productivity.
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One of the factors that contributed to the success of Henderson’s new factory was the use of FAA-
certified mechanics. How could Henderson have accomplished his goal if the industry was suffering a
shortage of FAA-certified individuals?
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If there was a shortage of FAA-certified individuals he could have hired the ones he could have hired and
made them leaders of the project. Although he wants a different atmosphere he could have hired other
mechanics whose specialty was in engine repair or building. He would have had to have been resourceful
and not spend a lot more money than he already did. I believe the model he presented worked because
of the intelligence and specialty trade associated with the project.

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 As stated at the opening of the GE story, GE had already invested $1.5 billion in the jet engine project.
This implies that GE has a large amount of money at its disposal. Could Henderson have pulled off his
revolutionary production facility without the amount of financial capital GE provided? How might his
initial planning and the development of the factory have differed if he was working for a new, small,
start-up organization?

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If he was working for a small startup organization, he definitely wouldn’t have had that much capital to

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work with. He would have had to use persons who weren’t yet certified mechanics but were going to

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school to get innovative ideas. He could have hired a few licensed mechanics who could have informed

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the new mechanics if their ideas didn’t make sense or wouldn’t work but it might have worked. I also

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don’t believe they would have been able to afford to outsource the toilet cleaning or other factory
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chores. That could have been given to lower level employees. He wouldn’t have the structure of a typical
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plant but he still would have to put some structure in place because he wasn’t given a blank check.
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Imagine you work at an ad agency and your team is charged with coming up with the name for True
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Beauty’s latest perfume. You have been with the company for six months. The branding team has been
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brainstorming for the last two hours, filling up pages and pages of the flipchart with innovative,
imaginative names. Feeling daunted by how loudly, quickly, and assertively branding team members are
shouting out suggestions, you decide to sit this one out, even though you have some ideas. You are
uncomfortable shouting over everyone else and you reason that the group would discount your input
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anyway. Plus, everyone else is generating so many good names that the group is bound to succeed
regardless of your input.

What Do You Think?

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 As someone that has experienced an issue like this I would say that if you have an idea shout it out. The
worst thing that could happen is that it doesn’t get received well. I have not expressed ideas when I
should have and I missed out on opportunities to help the team because of my own anxiety.

Is your lack of participation ethical? Why or why not?

I think its unethical. It makes you look like you’re a noncontributing member of the team. I
wouldn’t want to be considered a poor performing member of the team. In an effort to balance the
dominating team members that are shouting out names the best bet is to participate.

What are the implications of speaking up or not speaking up?

By speaking up you will have included yourself as a functioning member of the team. The
dominating team members will respect you’re for your contribution. Although your name could be
ignored, laughed out or flat out dismissed, I feel it is best to do the right thing.

Would you change your answer if you’d been with the company for 10 years instead of six months?

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I wouldn’t change my answer if I was there for 6 months or 10 years. When you are part of a team, you
are expected to contributed. By not contributed you could be labeling yourself as lazy or not interested. I

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learned from my mistakes of being too shy or anxious to speak in the past and I wouldn’t make that
mistake again.

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