Groups & Teamwork
What is the definition of a group in OB?
two or more people interacting interdependently to achieve a common goal
What are the four key aspects of motivation?
quantity, persistence, direction of effort, and goal
What does goal-setting theory say about how goals affect behavior?
Goals direct attention, mobilize effort, encourage persistence, and help develop strategies.
What is the difference between perfect and bounded rationality?
Perfect rationality assumes complete information and logic; bounded rationality acknowledges time, info, and cognitive limits.
What are the two types of bargaining strategies?
distributive bargaining and integrative bargaining
Distributive Bargaining: Win-loss negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of resources
2. Integrative Bargaining: Win-win negotiation that assume mutual problem-solving can enlarge the assets to be divided
What task type depends on the performance of the worst group member?
conjunctive task
worst contributor matters: Tasks where group performance is limited by the performance of the worst performer
What kind of motivation is driven by interest or enjoyment in the task itself?
intrinsic motivation
Wanting to do a task for its own sake (e.g., interesting, meaningful for you)
Usually self-applied, from inside
Strong and stable impacts
What type of goals are most effective for motivation?
When they are specific
Challenging but still possible
Organizational members accept them and commit to them
Feedback about progress toward goal attainment is provided
What is satisficing?
Selecting an option that is “good enough” rather than optimal.
What is BATNA?
Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement — your fallback if no deal is reached.
What is the term for when group members reduce effort because others are not contributing?
sucker effect
People lower effort because they feel others are free riding (think Equity Theory)
Which theory says autonomy, competence, and relatedness are fundamental needs?
Self-Determination Theory (Intrinsic)
Proposes a continuum of motivation:
Autonomous motivation (occurs when people are self-motivated by intrinsic factors → we get to choose what we are doing)
Controlled motivation (occurs when people are motivated to obtain a desired consequence or extrinsic reward → other people choose for us)
External Regulation: we are only doing it because we have to
Introjected Regulation: Self-worth is contingent on performance (our ego is doing it to make ourselves look good)
Identified Regulation: We understand the performance/goals that we are in and we know what/why we are doing them
Integrated Regulation: We know the importance of the goals, and now they are our goals as well (we incorporated them into our identities)
What is the relationship between emotion and goal pursuit?
Emotions act as internal feedback on progress — positive for success, negative for frustration.
What theory explains why losses feel more painful than equal gains feel good?
Prospect Theory (Loss Aversion)
Prospect Theory: We can’t assume our judgement are good building blocks for decisions because they judgement themselves may be flawed
Value of Gain < Value of Loss…
A loss of x hurts about twice as much as a gain of x pleases (perception of loss is greater than gain)
What is the “mythical fixed-pie” in negotiation?
The false belief that negotiation is always win-lose and resources cannot be expanded.
What’s the difference between surface and deep diversity?
Surface diversity refers to observable traits like age or gender, while deep diversity refers to differences in attitudes or approaches to work.
What are the three components of Expectancy Theory?
expectancy, instrumentality, and valence
What is the name of the reward bias where we reward A but hope for B?
reward follies
The reward follies occur when organization rewards A while hoping for B
Eg, the company wants to encourage teamwork but reward the best individual team members instead
What is escalation of commitment?
Investing more into a failing decision to justify past losses (aka the sunk cost fallacy)
What is groupthink and why is it harmful?
Group pressure limits mental efficiency, moral judgment, and realistic thinking.
List two ways to combat social loafing in group settings.
Make individual performance visible
Make work interesting
Increase indispensability
Increase feedback
Reward group performance
Change norm
What type of extrinsic regulation is driven by ego and the desire to maintain self-worth?
introjected regulation
Self-worth is contingent on performance (our ego is doing it to make ourselves look good)
What does Job Characteristics Theory say are the 5 core job characteristics?
Skill variety,
task identity,
task significance,
autonomy,
feedback
List two ways to reduce escalation of commitment.
Seek disconfirming info
Reframe losses
Bring in new decision-makers
Don’t factor sunk costs
Clarify goals regularly
Name the 8 symptoms of groupthink.
Illusion of invulnerability
Rationalization
Illusion of morality
Stereotyping outsiders
Pressure to conform
Self-censorship
Mindguards
Illusion of unanimity