In:
Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, SAGE Publications, Vol. 4, No. 2 ( 2001-04), p. 138-159
Abstract:
In social psychology, much research has been conducted with regard to small groups, focusing on a few recurrent themes. Questions of group structure and group composition, however, have been widely neglected in social psychology research, although their importance is being recognized (Barrick, Stewart, Neubert, & Mount, 1998; Moreland, Levine, & Wingert, 1996). The following study focuses on explaining the emergence of a task role distribution in self-organizing work groups. A theory of task role distribution in work groups is being proposed capable of predicting the distribution of task roles in a team based on group members’ skills and preferences. The basic assumption behind the theory is that teams will strive to organize themselves in a functional way, taking into account both external demands (tasks that are assigned to the team) and internal demands (needs and preferences of the team members). A case study has been conducted on a self-organizing team of 15 student software developers working on a project task over a period of three weeks. The theory has been applied to the student project team. For the majority of team members the task role each team member was going to be assigned was predicted correctly by the theory.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1368-4302
,
1461-7188
DOI:
10.1177/1368430201004002005
Language:
English
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Publication Date:
2001
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2021721-3
SSG:
5,2
