BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MEDICAL

TECHNOLOGY:
LABORATORY MANAGEMENT
COURSE MODULE COURSE UNIT WEEK
2 7 7

Management of Work Groups

✓ Read course and unit objectives

✓ Read study guide
✓ Read required learning resources; refer to unit
terminologies for jargons
✓ Proactively participate in discussions
✓ Participate in weekly discussion board (Canvas)
✓ Answer and submit course unit tasks

At the end of the unit, the student is able to:

1. Explain correctly the nature of effective work group interaction
2. Differentiate clearly the people related problem and process related problem.
Affective:
1. Inculcate importance of a reward system in organizations
2. Listen attentively during online discussions
3. Demonstrate tact and respect when challenging other people’s opinions and ideas
4. Accept comments and reactions of classmates on one’s opinions openly and graciously.

Psychomotor:

 1. Participate actively during online discussions

2. Confidently express personal opinion and thoughts in discussion boards and online chats.

Garcia, Lynne S (2014), Clinical Laboratory Management, 2nd Edition, American Society for
Microbiology
(pages373-381)
(*10 points will be coming from this reading in the assessment task exam)

Management of Work Group

Group - two or more people with common interests, objectives, and continuing interaction
Work Team - a group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common
mission, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable
Managing groups
• Group interaction is a key determinant of group performance.

• Flexibility in group composition is limited

• Managers must do the best they can with available people.

Characteristics of a Well-Functioning, Effective Group

∗ Relaxed, comfortable, informal atmosphere

∗ Task well understood & accepted

∗ Members listen well & participate
∗ People express feelings & ideas

Benefits of Group work

∗ Builds essential skills:

o Communication

o Conflict management

 o Problem solving

o Project management
∗ Can finish task within the allotted time or earlier

Factors influencing group working

• Group composition.

• Group cohesiveness.

• Group communications.

• Group organization.

Group composition
• Group composed of members who share the
same motivation can be problematic

• Task-oriented - everyone wants to do their own thing;

• Self-oriented - everyone wants to be the boss;

• Interaction-oriented - too much chatting, not enough work.

• An effective group has a balance of all types.

• This can be difficult to achieve software engineers are often task-oriented.

• Interaction-oriented people are very important as they can detect and defuse tensions that
arise.

Group Development
• Forming
-when the group begins to discuss the task(s) and orientate towards a work plan
• Storming
-conflicts and tensions emerge when there are different working styles, differing
expectations and different work ethics
• Norming
-beginning to develop mutual trust and effective ways of working
• Performing
-when effective work patterns are producing the required results

Group behaviour

 • Encouraging others towards the group goals

• Enable effective internal communications
• Maintaining group discipline, ethics
• Harmonising – reducing tension and building team spirit
• Problem solving –listening to others

Group - two or more people with common interests, objectives, and continuing interaction
Work Team - a group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common
mission, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable

Arnold, J.R. Tony (2008), Introduction to Materials Management, 6th Edition

 For the following study questions, write an essay of the not less than 300 words. It
should compose of a minimum of four paragraphs that address the stated question
based on the class readings and discussion.
1. What is the most important quality of a leader in a work group?
2. How will you manage a self-oriented member in a work group?
3. What would you prefer working alone or working in a group?
Why?

Arnold, J.R. Tony (2008), Introduction to Materials Management, 6th Edition

Garcia, Lynne S (2014), Clinical Laboratory Management, 2nd Edition, American Society for
Microbiology

Daft, Richard L., Management, 9th Edition