SYLLABUS

University of Baltimore Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences

Work Groups in Organizations APPL 650.085     Fall 2002

Instructor:        Tom Mitchell, Ph.D.
Homepage: http://home.ubalt.edu/tmitch TMITCHELL@UBMAIL.UBALT .EDU 

            Class meets:     Wednesdays 1:00 to 3:30 PM
            Classroom:      Academic Center, Room 214
            Office:             Academic Center, Room 209D
            Office Hours:   Mon  1:00 - 3:00 PM
                                    Wed 11: AM - 12:30 PM
            Phone:             (410) 837-5348

Last update: 11/27/02  See new article  for week 14!!!!!!111

See Project Proposal info for Sept 18
  Articles on e-Reserve Use password:  BEHFAC  (all caps)
see: Forwarding UBmail to another account

  WEbBoard for class discussions and dissemination of information



Description: A study of group dynamics in the context of organizations, focusing on the predominant psychological theories and research findings that explain the formation and development of work  groups.  Emphasis on learning how effective strtetgies and techniques can be used to enhance team work in organizations.



Course objectives:  :  This course is designed to enable students to learn to apply relevant social, personality, and cognitive psychological theories and models to the creation and maintenance of effective work groups and teams in organizations.  Students will develop an understanding with current theories and practices that contribute to group or team effectiveness.  The course will focus upon the ingredients that combine to make effective groups/teams, including composition, size, types of tasks, resources, leadership, diversity, roles, goals, work, organizational factors, interpersonal processes (including decision-making), training, interventions (including conflict resolution), and commitment.


Texts required:  Group Dynamics for Teams (2001) Sage Publications  Daniel Levi

Schedule of assignments
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATION OF PROJECT/CASE ANALYSIS
Bibliography
Other assigned readings: (see schedule below)



Web Sources:

http://www.siop.org  Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology (see IO related sites) Psychology journals on line
http://www.shrm.org Society for Human Resources Management
Psychology Journals .......on line: http://www.wiso.uni-augsburg.de/sozio/hartmann/psycho/journals.htm
Journal of Applied Psychology   http://www.apa.org:80/journals/apl.html
Center for collaborative organizations (U. N. Tx) 
  
Center for study of group processes (U. of Iowa)

Information from Toronto on Group Dynamics/ teamwork

How to manage groups
Being a valuable group member
Running effective team meetings
Groups that work



Class format: Lecture, class discussions and group problem solving activities.
Course requirements: Demonstration of an understanding of assigned readings;

Effect v. Affect...know the difference

Grade determination:   Exams (60%) +  Project / Case  (40%) = 100%
Mid term and final exams (30% each) + Case Report (40%)
Range of letter grades for each report: A, B+, B, C+, C, F



Schedule of Assignments:


Week 1: Sept  4 (Wed)  Introduction to Groups in Organizations

Description of course objectives, requirements. Description of Project or Case analysis and report

Levi  Group Dynamics for Teams: Introductrion    p. ix
Psychological foundations of group dynamics



Week 2: Sept 11 (Wed)    Levi  PART I: CHARACTERISTICS OF TEAMS

Chapter 1 Understanding Teams (p. 3)
Chapter 2 Defining Team Success (p.19)



Week 3: Sept 18 (Wed)    Levi  PART II:  PROCESSES OF TEAMWORK    See Project Proposal info for Sept 18

Chapter 3: Team Beginnings (p.39)
Measure: FIRO-B CPP, Inc.
FIRO norms for UB Grad Students

Reading: Sundstrom, E., De Meuse, K. P., & Futrell, D. (1990) (MS Word). Sundstrom (html).
Work teams: applications and effectiveness.
American Psychologist, 45(2), 120-133. Matt/Lisa
Reading: Stevens, M.J., & Campion, M. A. (1994).  The knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for teamwork:  Implications for human resource management.  Journal of Management, 20, 503-530. K. Corsoro/Karen D.



Week 4: Sept 25 (Wed)    Levi  PART II:  PROCESSES OF TEAMWORK
Chapter 4: Undertanding the Basic Team Processes (p. 59)
Reading: Guzzo, R. & Dickson, M. W. (1996) Teams in Organizations: Recent Research on Performance and Effectiveness. In Annual Rev. Psychol. 47:307-38 Rebecca
Chapter 5: Cooperation and Competition (p. 77)
Reading: Tjosvold, D. (1995). Cooperation Theory, Constructive Controversy, and Effe tivenes: Learning from Crisis. In
Team Effectiveness and Decision Making in Organizations, Guzzo, R.A & Salas, E. (Eds). Jossey Bass Torrey


Week 5: Oct 2 (Wed)    Levi  PART II: PROCESSES OF TEAMWORK
Chapter 6: Communication (p. 95)
Nonverbal communication
Engleberg, I. N. & Wynn, D. R. (2003). Chapter 5: Verbal and Nonverbal Communiation in Groups (p.97-120). In Working in Groups: Houghton Mifflin: Boston. (K. Pappalardo)


Week 6:  Oct  9 (Wed)    PTC 25th Jubilee***** Meet at 12:15 to go to Penn Station for MARC train 3:40 to Washington D.C.  be sure to register for the event at PTC


Week 7: Oct  16 (Wed)  Levi  PART III   ISSUES TEAMS FACE
Chapter 7: Managing Conflict (p.115)
Reading: Dyer, W. G. (1995).  Handling conflict and confusion in teams.  In Dyer, W. G. Team building:  current issues and new alternatives, (Ch. 10, pp. 113-126). Marsha
Chapter 8: Power and Social Influence (p. 133)
How could they have done it? WSJ


Week 8: Oct  23 (Wed)   *** Midterm Exam ***


Week 9: Oct   30 (Wed)   Levi  PART III  ISSUES TEAMS FACE
Chapter 9: Decision Making (p. 153) (Marsha)
 Levi  PART III   ISSUES TEAMS FACE
Chapter 10: Leadership (p. 173) (Adam)

Leadership SKAs
Leadership Skills in Teams



Week 10:  Nov 6 (Wed)    Levi  PART III   ISSUES TEAMS FACE
Chapter 11: Problem Solving (p. 191) (Torrey)

Problem solving in groups: TEAM DECISION PROCESS (powerpoint)



Week 11: Nov 13 (Wed)    Levi  PART III  ISSUES TEAMS FACE
Chapter 12: Creativity (p. 211) Lisa)
Chapter 13: Diversity (p. 229) (Karen)


Week 12: Nov 20 (Wed)    Levi  PART IV    TEAMS AT WORK
Chapter 14: Organizational Culture (p. 251) Matt)


Week 13: Dec 4 (Wed)    Levi  PART IV    TEAMS AT WORK
Chapter 15: Electronic Teams (P. 269) Kristy)
Reading: Hollingshead, McGrath, J. E. (1995). Computer-Assisted Groups: A Critical Review. In
Team Effectiveness and Decision Making in Organizations, Guzzo, R.A & Salas, E. (Eds). Jossey Bass Kate
Chapter 16: Work Teams (P. 305) Kate)


Week 14:  Dec 11 (Wed)    Levi  PART IV    TEAMS AT WORK  ***** Projects due!!!!***
Chapter 17: Team Building (p. 323) (Kia)

New Article: (on e-reserve and hard copy at Langsdale)
Gully, S. M., Joshi, A., Incalcaterra, K. A., & Beaubien, J. M. (2002) A meta-analysis of team-efficacy, potency, and performance: Interdependence and level of analysis as moderators of observed relationships. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 819-832.
Week 15: Dec 18 (Wed) same time/place
***Final Exam ***


Bibliography

On Reserve and e-Reserve (password= BEHFAC (all caps) * (Assigned for class)

*(wk 4)Guzzo, R. & Dickson, M. W. (1996) Teams in Organizations: Recent Research on Performance and Effectiveness. In Annual Rev. Psychol. 47:307-3

Driskell, J. E., Hogan, R., & Salas, E. (1987).  Personality and group performance.  In C. Hendrick (Ed.) Group processes and intergroup relations (pp. 91-112).

Dyer, W. G. (1995).  Pretended agreement versus constructive controversy. In Dyer, W. G. Team building:  current issues and new alternatives, (Ch. 5, pp. 33-46).

*(wk 6) Dyer, W. G. (1995).  Handling conflict and confusion in teams.  In Dyer, W. G. Team building:  current issues and new alternatives, (Ch. 10, pp. 113-126).

* (wk 5) Engleberg, I. N. & Wynn, D. R. (2003). Chapter 5: Verbal and Nonverbal Communiation in Groups (p.97-120). In Working in Groups: Houghton Mifflin: Boston. (handout)

Gersick, C. (1988).  Time and transition in work teams: Toward a new model of group development.  Academy of Management Journal, 31, 9-41.

Gully, S. M., Joshi, A., Incalcaterra, K. A., & Beaubien, J. M. (2002) A meta-analysis of team-efficacy, potency, and performance: Interdependence and level of analysis as moderators of observed relationships. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 819-832.

*(wk 13) Hollingshead, McGrath, J. E. (1995). Computer-Assisted Groups: A Critical Review. In Team Effectiveness and Decision Making in Organizations, Guzzo, R.A & Salas, E. (Eds). Jossey Bass

McGlo8gh, A. &n Rogelberg, S. G. (1998). An Exploration of Stevens and Campion's Teamwork Knolwedge, Skill, and Ability Instrument. Papaer presented at SIOP in Dallas.
*(wk 3) Stevens, M.J., & Campion, M. A. (1994).  The knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for teamwork:  Implications for human resource management.  Journal of Management, 20, 503-530.

*(wk 4) Tjosvold, D. (1995). Cooperation Theory, Constructive Controversy, and Effe tivenes: Learning from Crisis. In
Team Effectiveness and Decision Making in Organizations, Guzzo, R.A & Salas, E. (Eds). Jossey Bass

*(wk 3) Sundstrom, E., De Meuse, K. P., & Futrell, D. (1990).  Work teams: applications and effectiveness.
American Psychologist, 45(2), 120-133.
 

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