Determinants of work group effectiveness in a manufacturing setting
Abstract
Thirteen hypotheses which investigated relationships between specific sets of predictors and three dimensions of work group effectiveness--efficiency, quality, and cohesiveness--were tested on a sample of 61 work groups employed in a manufacturing setting. The model which predicted work group efficiency to be determined by technology and three properties of work group structure, was generally supported. No support was found, however, for the second model which specified quality of the group's output to be determined by characteristics of the group's communication processes and task design characteristics. A third model which predicted work group cohesion to be determined by decentralized decision making, the group's ability to resolve conflicts in a constructive manner, group based performance rewards, and small group size was partially supported. Decentralized decision structures and the group's ability to resolve conflict in a constructive manner were found to be positively related to work group cohesiveness. In addition, "openness of communication" was found to be an important predictor of work group cohesion. Exploratory analyses were conducted on a fourth model which tested a measure of work group performance. Properties of the work group structure and three characteristics of the group's communication processes were found to interact with technology in determining work group performance. Comparing the observed results across the four models tested, we find properties of the work group structure and intra-group communication processes to be key determinants of the outcomes studied. In some models the effects of these predictor variables were found to interact with technology. While in other models the predictors were found to have direct effects on the outcomes studied. This is an important finding. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Schoorman, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Management
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