Presentation 4: The Forgotten Group Member

1. Identify the five group development stages in the case.

Forming

In the Forming stage, personal relations are characterized by dependence. Group members rely on safe, patterned behavior and look to the group leader for guidance and direction. Group members have a desire acceptance by the group and a need to be know that the group is safe. Rules of behavior seem to be to keep things simple and to avoid controversy. Serious topics and feelings are avoided. 

Professor Sandra Thiel had divided the class into group of 5 people and had given them a major group assignment worth 30% of final grade.The task was to analyze a seven-page case and to come up with written analysis. Christine was elected as a "Team Coordinator" at the first group meeting. 

Storming

Storming is characterized by competition and conflict in the personal-relations dimension an organization in the task-functions dimensions. As the group members attempt to organize for the task, conflict inevitably results in their personal relations. Individuals have to bend and mold their feelings, ideas, attitudes and beliefs to suit the group organization. Because of "fear of exposure" and "fear of failure", there will be an increased desire for structural clarification and commitment. Although conflicts may or may not surface as group issues, they do exist. 

Diane was quiet and never volunteered suggestions, but when directly asked, she would come up with high quality ideas. Mike was the clown. He was playful, never serious and didn't prioritize his work. Steve was the business-like individual, always wanting to ensure that group meetings were guided by an agenda and nothing the tangible results achieved or not achieved at the end of every meeting. Janet was the reliable one who would always have more for the group than was expected of her. Christine saw herself as meticulous and organized and as a person who tried to give her best in whatever she did. 

Norming

In the Norming stage, interpersonal relations are characterized by cohesion. Group members are engaged in active acknowledgment of all members’ contributions, community building and maintenance, and solving of group issues. Members are willing to change their preconceived ideas or opinions on the basis of facts presented by other members, and they actively ask questions of one another. 


Christine had called everyone to arrange a meeting for a time that would suit them all but seemed to be running into a roadblock. Mike couldn't make it. In fact, he seemed to miss most meetings. 


Performing
Performing stage is not reached by all groups. If group members are able to evolve to stage four, their capacity, range, and depth of personal relations expand to true interdependence. In this stage, people can work independently, in subgroups, or as a total unit with equal facility. Their roles and authorities dynamically adjust to the changing needs of the group and individuals. By now, the group should be most productive. Individual members have become self-assuring, and the need for group approval is past. Members are both highly task oriented and highly people oriented. There is unity: group identity is complete, group morale is high, and group loyalty is intense.


While Christine was in the cafeteria, she saw her OB group and joined them. The discussion was light and enjoyable as it always was when they met formally. Sandra Thiel had frequently told them that if there were problems in the group, the members should make an effort to deal with them first. If the problems could not be resolved, she had said that they should come to her. Mike seemed so distant, despite the apparent camaraderie of the first meeting.


Adjourning
Adjourning involves the termination of task behaviors and disengagement from
relationships. A planned conclusion usually includes recognition for participation and 
achievement and an opportunity for members to say personal goodbyes. Concluding a group can create some apprehension - in effect, a minor crisis.



All the others had done their designated sections, but Mike had just handed in some rough handwritten notes. Mike was having problems with her girlfriend. Yet, it's still a group project. The final mark would be peer evaluated. This meant that whatever mark Sandra gave them could be lowered or raised, depending on the group’s opinion about the value of the contribution of each member. She was definitely worried. 

2. Identify and describe the causes of conflicts in the case

Conflicts:

- Mike would rather watch Happy Harry show instead of attending the group meeting at 8.30am in the morning. 

- Mike couldn't make it for group meeting cause he was working at night that time. In fact, he seemed to miss most meetings.

Causes of conflicts:

- As a "Team Coordinator", Christine didn't talk to Sandra about the Mike issue

- She and other group members didn't make much effort to get to know one another and to cooperate with each other to get the task going

3. Suggest the approach leadership best suitable for the case
Task Management leadership
Style of leader or manager who is concerned with goals or task achievement while exhibiting little concern for personal relationships.
Not only it's important to prioritize our tasks and goals, it is also important to create friendship between group members. 

Presentation 3: McGregor & Maslow

1. What are the important limitations of McGregor's Theory X and Y?
Theory X
- The average of human being is inherently lazy by nature and desires to work as little as possible.
- Employees avoid accepting responsibility and prefers to be led or be directed by some other
- They are self-centered and indifferent to organizational needs.
- They are lack of creativity in solving organizational problems.
- Employees by nature resist to change of any type.

Theory X is an authoritarian style where the emphasis is on "productivity, on the concept of a fair day's work, on the evils of feather-bedding (the practice of hiring more workers than are needed to perform a given job, or to adopt work procedures which appear pointless, complex and time consuming merely to employ additional workers) and restriction of output, on rewards on performance reflects an underlying belief that management must counteract an inherent human tendency to avoid work". In the case of such employees, self-motivation is just not possible. They will work only when there is constant supervision on them. A manager has to persuade, punish or reward such workers in order to achieve organizational goals.

Theory Y
- Work is as natural as play, provided the work environment is favorable. Work may act as a source of satisfaction or punishment. They are not really against doing work.
- Self-control on the part of people is useful for achieving organizational goal. External control and threats of punishment alone do not bring out efforts towards organizational objectives.

Theory Y is a participative style of management which "assumes that people will exercise self-direction and self-control in the achievement of organizational objectives to the degree that they are committed to those objectives". It's management's main task in such a system to maximize that commitment.

2. What are the important limitations of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?
- In reality, people don't necessarily work one by one through these levels. They are much less structured in the way they satisfy their needs.
- Different people with different cultural backgrounds and in different situations may have different heirarchies of need.
- Some cultures appear to place social needs before any others.
- Maslow's heirarchy also has difficulty explaining cases such as the "starving artist" in which a person neglects lower needs in pursuit of higher ones.

Presentation 2: Bob Knowlton

1. Discuss the reasons why what happened happened.
Bob Knowlton was the head project of the Photon Lab where he worked together with his team. One day, Fester came in and took over the project as though it was his. Fester's a brilliant and driven person who knows what he's doing and Knowlton felt that he was being challenged and threatened when Fester suddenly took over the project. Knowlton reacted in a way that not only impacted his own career, but the direction of the company for which he worked. Knowlton, then quit his job for a new position at a new company.

2. Consider the personalities involved, especially those of Knowlton and Fester, and the organizational characteristics.
Given that Bob Knowlton faced with a rival person entered his "territory", he could be considered externally motivated rather than internally driven.

Bob had a low self-esteem when he was being challenged by this new guy that automatically made him feel insecure.

Although Fester was an intelligent and a driven person, he didn't even consider Bob's feelings when he took over the project and that made him a selfish person.


Organizational culture is more to work oriented with little focus of interpersonal relationships and communication. No feelings are discussed openly, hence, the assumption that the team is functioning well is false.

3. Imagine yourself in the position of Dr. Jerrold at the end of the case, reflecting back over the events. Is there anything you could have done, on the basis of what you knew or could have known at the time, that would have led to a more favorable outcome? State your reasoning. 
If I were to be in Dr. Jerrold's position, I would have a mature conversation with Bob or even better with Fester as well to talk about what's going to happen since Fester has joined the company. Maybe both of them could work together as a team and make decisions together to succeed as opposed to work individually and not sharing their work together. OR
I'll think twice before hiring someone who is so intelligent like Fester because it can causes damage to the company and some people like Bob Knowlton might get offended by it. Especially if Dr. Jerrold hasn't say anything to Bob about Fester.

Tutorial Discussion 1

1. What unusual communication demands are placed on the "competent communicator" now that we are living in the information society?

• Communication competence is the ability to choose a communication behavior that is both appropriate and effective for a given situation. 
• Able to access information with the touch of our fingertips on our smart phones.

• Connect with people through social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Blogs.
• Online banking - make purchases/transfer funds over the Internet
• Newspapers are available online.
• Able to maintain relationship from people across the world through Skype, ooVoo.
• Discussion on forums

2. How will you as a "competent communicator" use each of the four components of competency in your personal and professional life?

• Components of competency; Knowledge, Sensitivity, Value, Skills
• Knowledge - Apply the knowledge of what I learned in college in my professional life. 
• Sensitivity - Never mix your personal life with your job. Try not to be too personal when you're working. Don't put too much trust on colleagues. However, it's important to show your concern to others. 
• Value - Each individual has different values.
• Skills - You're good at your job because you have good skills. However, the skills you have are only for good intentions. Try not to be arrogant or ignorant in your workplace.

3. Think of a person you consider to be a "competent communicator" and describe how he or she demonstrates the four components of competency.

• Knowledge - 
• Sensitivity - Her concern towards the people she talks to on her show and her fans. She and her big heart will always help the people that she cares and solve their problems.
• Value - In my opinion, Oprah values her family, friends and also her fans. Without her fans she would not be where she is today.
• Skills - Winfrey became an honor student and rediscovered her flair for public speaking, emerging as a standout orator. Her speaking skills earned her a scholarship to Tennessee State University, where she majored in speech and drama. In 1973, while only a sophomore, she was offered a job as a co-new anchor at Nashville's CBS affiliate and became not only Nashville's first female co-anchor but the first black co-anchor as well.

Presentation 1: Strategic Organization Communication

Baby Boomers, Generation X & Generation Y

INTRODUCTION

QUESTION 1

What expectations does each of these generational groups have about life and about organizations?

BABY BOOMERS (1946-1964)

Life

• Concern about health
• Concern about retirement lifestyles
• Seek volunteer opportunities to remain active, use their skills and pursue their interests

Organization

• Money and recognition reward
• Seek collaborative, group decision making

GENERATION X (1965-1982)

Life

• They place a higher priority on personal and family related goals than on their career goals
• Flexible - less committed to one employer and more willing to change jobs 

Organizations

• Adopt work hard/play hard mentality
• Values freedom and responsibility - display a casual disdain for authority and structured work hours.

GENERATION Y/MILLENNIALS (1980-2000)

Life

• They don't live for work, they work to live - they have different priorities
• They are optimistic, assertive, positive and friendly - believe they will be rich
• Expressive, but blunt - values self-expression more than self-control. You can expect them to speak their minds. They don't necessarily have trouble respecting authority, but they won't automatically be impressed by age or title

Organizations

• Techno savvy - confidence and swagger is well-earned when it comes to collecting and sharing information. Access to technology and the freedom to use it in innovative ways holds enormous appeals to Gen Y.
• Multi-taskers - difficult to focus on one thing
• Active learners - seek innovations; want immediate response to learning needs and questions

QUESTION 2

What messages and experiences have contributed to those expectations?

• Baby boomers - Retirement life will help them to start a new chapter in life. This is an opportunity for them to pursue their interests or hobbies since they have more free time.
• Generation X - They believe their adulthood is the time where they must determine the meaning of their lives
• Generation Y - They have the motivation to perform their jobs better with the help of technology, hence, exude confidence.

QUESTION 3

Over what issues are the three groups likely to have conflicts? Why?

• Technology. Because Gen X and Y are more technological savvy compared to the Baby Boomers. Gen X and Y are more likely to be active learners with their jobs as compared to the older generation due to difficulty in keeping up with the technology.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1

To which, if any, of the three generational groups do you belong?

• Generation Y

QUESTION 2

How do your expectations and experiences correspond to theirs?

• As for me, my parents are from the Baby Boomer generation and my siblings are from Generation X. So, as I age, I see them working so hard to be better, to fulfill their goals. I was inspired however, I understand that not only our job is important but our personal goals are important too. 

QUESTION 3
Over what issues are you likely to have conflicts with members of the three groups? Why?

• Miss communication. Miss communication is very likely to occur in a workplace. Communication is important to get things done quickly and efficiently. People need to put a lot of effort in getting their job done by communicate with one another. One little mistake might turn your work into a disaster.

QUESTION 4

Are the strategies chosen by Generation Xers appropriate to the situations they face? Generation Yers?

• Generation Xers and Yers are able to work with ease since they are good at handling technology equipment. Therefore, it makes their lives easier to work with one another. 

QUESTION 5

What effects their strategies likely to have on their relationships with their supervisors in traditional firms? With their co-workers? With their subordinates? Why?

• In a workplace, people should treat each other with respect despite their job positions.