Convenience

Chapter 13:
Managing Work Groups and Teams
3 9 3
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This chapter is about the processes that lead to and follow from successes like those
enjoyed by Cirque de Soleil. More important, it’s also about the processes leading to
and following successful group and team dynamics. In Chapter 12, we established the
interpersonal nature of organizations. We extend that discussion here by first introducing
basic concepts of group and team dynamics. Subsequent sections explain the characteristics
of groups and teams in organizations. We then describe interpersonal and intergroup con-
flict and discuss how conflict can be managed. We conclude with a brief discussion of
negotiation.
GROUPS AND TEAMS IN ORGANIZATIONS
Groups are a ubiquitous part of organizational life. They are the basis for much of the
work that gets done, and they evolve both inside and outside the normal structural
boundaries of the organization. We define a
group
as two or more people who interact
regularly to accomplish a common purpose or goal.
2
The purpose of a group or team
may range from preparing a new advertising campaign, to informally sharing information,
to making important decisions, to fulfilling social needs.
Types of Groups and Teams
In general, three basic kinds of groups are found in organizations—functional groups, infor-
mal or interest groups, and task groups and teams.
3
These are illustrated in Figure 13.1.