...Groups and Teams Before taking this course the student always thought groups and teams were the same, but she has realized even though, these two terms do have some similarities they also have some differences. In this paper the student will explain the differences between groups and teams, examine the importance of workplace diversity in an organization, and how it relates to team dynamics in the workplace. A work group is a collection of people working in similar areas and placed together to complete a task. Groups performance is the outcome of people coming together to share information views and insights. Members of groups have a mutual purpose. As members gather together, each brings a different personal perspective and style to the table. As the members share information, they begin the decision-making processes that help each member perform his or her particular responsibility. The two main types of groups are formal groups and informal groups. A formal group is designed around an organizations formal structure. An informal group is not structured and is normally formed out of a social need (Schermerhorn Jr, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008). (Good ) Teams are groups, but teams are a distinct separation of groups. A team is a reduced number of people with corresponding skills and committed to a common purpose, a set of performance goals and an approach for which they hold themselves accountable. (Good) Teams start out as groups; (Always???) they share some of the same beginning...
Words: 578 - Pages: 3
...Groups and Teams Kit Sumpter MGT/307 May 2, 2011 Randall Voss Groups and Teams Each and every individual is important to their company and every company delegates different individuals to different tasks, groups, or teams. Many people do not emphasize the difference between a group and a team; in fact they often do not think about it or even realize that there is one but in business there is a great difference. The following pages will go into more detail to explain the differences and their importance and how workplace diversity plays a key role in teamwork within the workplace. There is no doubt that more often than not, an objective is more easily reached if there is more than one individual is working towards it. According to Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn ( 2008), “A group is a collection og two or more people who work with one another regularly to achieve common goals.” In essence you could say that the entire company is a group. They don’t necessarily all work on the project of the company itself (for example the janitor), but they all work within the group to ensure the process runs as smooth as possible and each member is important to the whole. A group does not always pertain to a company though; it can be reading groups or even a non-profit organization such as those for the disabled. The latter is considered a formal group (Schermerhorn et al., 2008). “A team is a small group of people with complementary skills who work actively together...
Words: 723 - Pages: 3
...Groups and Teams Paper The future world of management is relying on Groups and Teams, who can function in a business setting for productive success. However, if using the managing skills correctly Teams and Groups may evolve into an effective high performing organization. The effort of writing this paper is to enlighten readers on the difference between Groups and Teams dynamical functioning. Nevertheless, with the provision of exclusive examination this paper will further bring out the importance of workplace diversity in an organizational environment; and team dynamics in the workplace. The most effective way to help readers understand the difference between Groups and Teams begins with defining the two organizations for clarity. The definition of a” Group is a small group of people with complementary skills in which a leader’s goal and approach; and are willing to be held accountable by the leader” (Mackin, 2007). Groups attainments are approached by the leader’s goals for dominate support. The accountability of a group is thrives on individual accountability. However, the viewpoints of leaders are for the production of its organization the supervisor has input. Subsequently group decisions are made by voting rather than members acquiring any input. However, “a team is a small group of people with complementary skills and abilities with common goals and approaches for which they hold each other accountable” (Mackin, 2007). Teams require structure and support, aside from...
Words: 734 - Pages: 3
...Groups and Teams Jeannine Helmig MGT307 Diane Roberts University of Phoenix May 10, 2010 In today’s environment organizations have the employees either works together as group or as team to complete assignments or jobs. There are differences between a group and a team and there are also similarities. What the differences are can determine how an organization wants the employees to work together. Below is an explanation of what a group and a team are and what the differences are between a group and team. “A group involves two or more people working together regularly to achieve common goals (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008).” “In the group members are mutually dependent on each other to reach the goals set forth and to communicate regularly to meet the goals over a period of time (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008).” There are different types of groups, the effective groups, formal groups, and informal groups. “Effective groups strive to achieve high levels of performance, satisfaction, and viability with meeting goals (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008).” Formal groups are groups which have been designated for specific organizational purposes. An example is a manager is the head of the group and one or more people reporting directly to the manager. “Informal groups are groups which are formed to serve special interests such as people which take lunch together and may work together (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008).” No matter...
Words: 860 - Pages: 4
...Groups and Teams Brittany Butler MGT/307 June 20, 2011 John Anderson Groups and teams are made up of individuals who come together for a specific objective or interest. They can do a variety of things including meeting for coffee, making products, listening to music, provide services, make choices, negotiate deals, or coordinate projects to reach a common goal or task. Some of the reasons for the joining of groups and teams are related to responsibility within an organization, and some are related only to personal interest. The makings of a group or team can be diverse, which may lead to conflict or creativity depending on the collaboration. Groups A group consists of two or more individuals who come together to work on a common goal. The different kinds of groups include informal groups, formal groups, command groups, task groups, interest groups, and friendship groups. Groups are either formal or informal and from there can be classified further into the other types. Formal groups are “defined by the organization’s structure, with designated work assignments establishing tasks” (Robbins & Judge, 2009, p. 284). In this type of group the actions of the individuals are directed toward achieving the goals of the organization. Informal groups “on the other hand” are not established or structured around an organization. These groups are naturally forming groups that form from individuals who meet socially in the work environment. It is said that members of...
Words: 922 - Pages: 4
...Groups and Teams All for One and One for All Alexander Dumas in his book The Three Musketeers wrote (1844) “All for One and One for All”. This philosophy is what high performance teams are all about. Is it better to belong to a group or a team? Groups or teams can evolve into high performing, extremely effective, useful tools in any organization if developed and managed correctly. Working as a Team What is the importance of working together in groups and teams? A team or group is two or more people working together to achieve a common goal. An increasing body of literature distinguishes between groups and teams suggesting that teams are more effective than groups. Katzenbach and smith (1993) provided a clear distinction between work groups and teams. A work group is a collection of people working in the same area or placed together to complete a task. The group’s performance is the result of people coming together to share information, views and insight. The focus of groups is individual performance and actions within are geared toward it. All teams are groups, but teams are a special subset of groups. They establish a working definition. A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutual accountability where groups do not. The Differences Between Groups and Teams It is helpful to identify the characteristic...
Words: 846 - Pages: 4
...Running head: Groups and Teams Groups and Teams Tracey Zenaye MGT307 November 8, 2010 Dan Daily Groups and Teams Groups and teams are two terms frequently used interchangeably. Both terms are utilized in the corporate world and within individuals’ personal lives. Although a group and a team are closely related there are notable differences between the two. This paper will discuss the differences between groups and teams, the importance of diversity in an organization, and how diversity relates to team dynamics in the workplace. Groups and Teams Webster’s Dictionary defines groups as a small unit of three to 15 people. A team is a cooperative unit or group of people lined in a common purpose. Groups and teams are formed for one central purpose, which is to achieve a goal. The strength of a team relies on the fact that the members of a team have similarities in their purpose and there is interconnectivity between the individual members and the group is larger in number and the group’s strength could be assessed from the fact that they need to be willing to execute the commands of a leader (Articlesbase, 2008). Forming a group is fairly simple. For instance, if there was a room filled with lawyers, doctors, and police officers, it would be a simple task to form groups according to common traits. Groups can be formed based on experience, gender, and age, or other common factors. In a group, members have a tendency...
Words: 717 - Pages: 3
...Groups and Teams Your Name MGT307 Date Instructor Groups and Teams The terms group and team are often used interchangeably, although the two terms represent distinctly different functions. Both groups and teams are used in many organizations to achieve organizational goals and further production. Workplace diversity is an important aspect of an organization, and helps to promote effective team dynamics. Groups and team can work together to achieve organizational success. Groups and teams are similar yet very different from each other. Within an organization groups are often referred to as departments. Examples of departmental groups can include accounting departments, graphic design departments, installation departments, and project management departments. Groups consists of several employees who interact primarily to share best practices, information, perspectives, and make decisions to help each group member perform individual tasks (Executive Evolution, 2004). Groups are focused on accomplishing a particular task or goal such as the accounting department being responsible for an organization´s accounts payable and accounts receivable functions. Group members report to a specific leader, often known as a manager or supervisor, of the department or group. The group leader assigns individual tasks to members of the group, holding each group member responsible for specific functions. Accountability within a group is not shared as in a team environment; instead each individual...
Words: 879 - Pages: 4
...Groups and Teams Brandon Stewart MGT 307 July 14, 2011 Janel Carr Groups and Teams A group and a team may sound the same but in many ways are very different. The reason individuals interact with one another from a group to a team are unique. Diversity inside the workplace can affect the dynamics of a group or team in positive and negative ways. Achieving high levels of job performance, member satisfaction, and team capability is the definition of an effective team or group. Groups A groups is two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives (Robbins & Judge, 2009). A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each group member perform within his or her area of responsibility (Robbins & Judge, 2009). A work group does not assign the same job responsibilities to multiple members. Teams A work team is two or more individuals who individual efforts result in performance greater than the sum of the individual inputs (Robbins & Judge, 2009). A work team assigns multiple members to the same job responsibility. A work team creates positive synergy through a synchronized effort (Robbins & Judge, 2009). Differences The goal for a group is the share information. The goal for a team is their collective performance. The synergy for a group is neutral. The synergy for a team is positive. The accountability inside a group is on individuals...
Words: 642 - Pages: 3
...Groups and Teams James W. O'Sullivan MGT/307 Monday March 28, 2011 Dina Johnson-Cobb Groups and Teams “A group is defined as two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives” (Organizational Behavior, by Robbins and Judge, p. 284, 2009). Different skills of a diverse workforce are an advantage for success of groups and teams within any organization. Promoting a diverse work environment offers group and team members the opportunity to make evident their skills and ideas. These human resources demonstrate creativity, strategies, and a competitive edge over companies of lesser dimensions. Diversity is a valuable resource provided by group and team members of organizations in today’s competitive market. “Work teams ideally operate to maximize flexibility, creativity, and productivity in a business environment. Frustrating this effort, however, is the increasing level of diversity found in the American workplace, which often heightens the difficulty of getting people to work together effectively. The authors argue that organizations must learn to understand and adjust to workplace diversity, because many of the specific assets and liabilities of work teams arise directly out of the diverse talents and perspectives of teams' individual members” (Diversity in Work Teams: Research Paradigms for a Changing Workplace, by Susan E. Jackson and Marian N. Ruderman, p. 271, 1999). Diversity in the workplace influences...
Words: 761 - Pages: 4
...Groups and Teams James Patterson MGT/307 October 24, 2011 D'Andre W. May CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY: I/We certify that the attached paper is my /our original work. I/We affirm that I/we have not submitted any portion of this paper for any previous course, and neither has anyone else. I/We confirm that I/we have cited sources from which I/we used language, ideas, and information, whether quoted verbatim or paraphrased. Any assistance I/we received while producing this paper has been acknowledged in the References section. I/We have obtained written permission from the copyright holder for any trademarked material, logos, images from the Internet, or other sources. I/We further agree that my/our name typed on the line below is intended to have, and shall have, the same validity as my/our handwritten signature. Students’ signature (name(s) typed here is equivalent to a signature): __ James Patterson_________________________ Groups and Teams A number of leadership courses intended for the business world pressure the significance of team building, not group building, for example. A team's strong point remains influenced by the team spirit of resolve and interconnectivity among different friends, although a group's gift may come from total size or inclination to...
Words: 983 - Pages: 4
...Groups and Teams Sharon Young MGT/307 November 28, 2011 Dennis Keegan Groups and Teams Groups and teams are important to organizations. Although people seem to believe groups and teams are the same, they are not. The two have their own social relevance and are important in their own way. To gain a better understanding of how groups and teams differ, this summary will define the two. The summary will further discuss how diversity is important in an organization and how workplace diversity relates to team dynamics. Groups A group consists of small collection of individuals who share equivalent abilities and skills. The members of a group must work together to accomplish their leader’s goal. According to “WebFinance” (2011) “A group is a collection of individuals who have regular contact and frequent interaction, mutual influence, common feelings, and who work together to achieve a common set of goals” (Business Dictionary). Group members follow the guidance of their leader to reach the goal that the leader has set. For example, the leader sets the goals for the group. After setting the goals, the leader informs the group members of the plan of action that the group will take to attain the goal. However, the leader holds the group members individually accountable for the made contributions to the group. Groups are important assets for organizations because they help organizations accomplish tasks too difficult for one individual to achieve. With the right leadership...
Words: 870 - Pages: 4
...Groups and Teams An explanation of the difference between a group and a team will be addressed. By definition groups and teams are not the same thing. Workplace diversity has an important role in an organization. Diversity covers areas beyond race and gender. Diversity can affects the dynamics of a team in positive and negative ways. [A group is defined as two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives] (Robbins & Judge, 2009). A group with two members is a dyad; one with three is a triad. There a two types of groups formal and informal. Formal groups are defined by the structure of the organization with selected responsibilities create jobs. The behaviors of a formal group are usually aimed at achieving the organization’s objectives. Groups that are formed by natural agreement that have no structure are informal. Informal groups are formed in response to a social need. The two main groups can be divided farther. Formal groups have command and task groups. Informal groups have interest and friendship groups. An organizational chart determines the command group. Command groups are made up of people who report a specific manager. People working with each other to finish a job are a task group. This group is not limited to a specific manager, and can include people from any area of the organization. Interest groups band together to achieve a certain goal that is in their common interest. An individual does not...
Words: 793 - Pages: 4
...Group and Teams Paper By: Evelyn Burns 11/8/2010 Introduction Many people often use the words group and team in the same way, but there are differences when it comes to the real world corporate functions. Everyone has heard many leadership courses often speaking on the importance of the team building events and not the group building events. The word team has many definitions. In a work environment the term team is a number of persons associated in some joint action. A team has one primary goal and will work together to achieve it. The word group is defined as a number of persons or things ranged or considered together as being related in some way. People may being in a group but it doesn’t mean that they will or want to work together on a goal. Some of the differences which can be enumerated between the terms team and group are as follows: The strength of the team relies on the fact that the members of a team have similarities in the purpse and there is interconnectively between the individuals members and on the other hand the group is larger in number. The group’s strength could be assessed from the fact that they need to be willing to execute the commands of a leader. Workplace diversity refers to the mixture of differences between people within an organization. This may sound simple but diversity includes race, gender, ethinic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, education and background are naming a few. Diversity...
Words: 724 - Pages: 3
...Groups and Teams Brigitte Nichols MGT/307 June 27, 2011 David Woodruff Groups and Teams Organizations concentrate on achievement of company goals by employees working as a group or as a team. Here groups and teams have been defined and explanations given to differentiate the two. “A group involves two or more people working together regularly to achieve common goals “(Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008). By majority rules is how the group comes to decisions. “In the group members are mutually dependent on each other to reach the...
Words: 599 - Pages: 3
