Description
Write a paper (1,500-1,750 words) in which you address the following based on the information provided in the "West Coast Transit Case Study" resource.
- Define the three criteria for evaluating effective team/group work (as stated in the reading this week) and analyze whether the "team" assembled by Bernie Hollis and Pete Denson is effective or not.
- Provide a review of each of Tuckman's five stages of group formation and identify what stage(s) are evident in the case. Explain your answer.
- Define Schein’s three behavioral profile roles during team entry and identify how the profiles are demonstrated in the case. Explain your answer.
- Was the communication among the participants in the case effective or not? Justify your answer (this is not just an opinion).
- The Organizational Behavior textbook describes two main types of conflict. Define them and then describe the type (s) of conflict that are evident in the case.
- Propose how Denson should manage the conflict in this case using one direct conflict management and one indirect conflict management approach? Explain your response.
- Identify one specific task leadership activity and one specific maintenance activity that should be encouraged. Identify the most significant disruptive behavior that should be discouraged.
- Identify the most obvious individual motivational problems experienced by Jing, Mahonney, and Tanney. How should Denson motivate each person? Be sure to provide a specific motivational suggestion for each person based on that person's motivational needs. Ensure that at you have at least one suggestions from each of the motivational theories/techniques (content theories, process theories, and reinforcement strategies).
Use at least two academic resources as references for this assignment.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
Unformatted Attachment Preview
Purchase answer to see full attachment
Explanation & Answer
Attached.
Running head:WEST COAST TRANSIT CASE
West Coast Transit Case Study
: MGT-420
1
West Coast Transit Case
2
Introduction
Creating and sustaining active teams require discovery of good practice and persistent
renewal. Groups vary in the tasks that they undertake. Change is constant. Teams must,
therefore, come up with strategies to confront the changes that face them in any given
environment. This, therefore, requires flexible organizations, flexible teams, processes, and
elastic team members. Well does the West Coast Transit exhibit these?
Effective Teams
A competent team does three things well- remain viable for the future, satisfy its
members, and perform its tasks, (Schermerhorn, 2011). On the criterion of the task performance,
a work team or group to transform resource inputs such as information, materials, and ideas into
product outputs such as commodity, service, decision, and report. Regarding future viability, the
team should have a work climate and a social fabric that will make it possible for the team
members to work well again and again in the future, (Schermerhorn, 2011). As to member
satisfaction, the members should take pleasure from the contribution and the performance
accomplishments toward making it happen, (Schermerhorn, 2011).
The team that was assembled by Pete Denson and Bernin Hollis was ineffective. Using
the task performance criterion, there was an unproductive first meeting. Tanney and Mahonney
noted that the proposed plan and the agenda were "unattainable" and "massive" considering the
constraints the workloads and time. The second criterion of member satisfaction was also not
achieved as Tanney pointed out that she has personal family problems and the new project would
place undue stress on her and her family. The team does not pass the criterion of future viability.
For instance, Lea Jing notes that she has about one month left in the department before being
West Coast Transit Case
3
relocated to some other company. This, therefore, shows that she has already veered her focus
away from the project.
Five Stages of Group Formation
Several theorists have come up with there own multistage models of team development.
Jensen and Tuckman's models use five stages: forming, Storming, norming, performing, and
adjourning, (Priest & Gass, 2005).
The forming stage focuses on the initial setting of teams where the members attempt to
find out what is required of them. So, forming is characterized by the ambiguity say regarding
the direction, structure, and goals of the team. For this reason, the majority of the members of the
group are inclined to hide their feelings, (Andriopoulos & Dawson, 2008).
Storming, which is the second stage is where the members realize that there is a team.
However, they occasionally conflict and disagree as they attempt to figure out they fit in the
team's evolving power structure, (Andriopoulos & Dawson, 2008). For this reason, this stage is
characterized by the team members expressing their strong views on something hence bringing
about conflicts.
This stage is followed by norming where there is the development of initial relationships,
and the members of the team start organizing themselves, (Andriopoulos & Dawson, 2008). The
team identifies their expectations and then agree on the behaviors that are acceptable. In the
norming stage, the team develops the "we" attitude and also understand their roles,
(Andriopoulos & Dawson, 2008).
The fourth stage is the performing stage which is attributed to team loyalty where all the
team members contribute, and they resolve conflicts efficiently and constructively,
West Coast Transit Case
4
(Andriopoulos & Dawson, 2008). The atmosphere of trust and openness is developed, and the
members, therefore, commit to the goals and objectives of the team.
Finally, there is the adjourning stage where the goals and objectives that were initially set
are achieved, and the team members are therefore moving on to the next challenge,
(Andriopoulos & Dawson, 2008). During this stage, the members' reaction may differ where
others may be said that the team is disbanding while others may be very proud that the team
achieved its sets goals and objectives. Other members may also criticize and judge the
effectiveness of the team.
So, the team at West Coast Transit is currently at the storming stage. Well, this has been
characterized by conflicts and infighting together with the lack of expectations by the team
members. Well, an example would be where Denson points out that they all have complaints and
problems and that they should get all of them out. Later, Tanney stands and leaves, pointing out
that she is not willing to work with Pete Denson until he apologizes and teats her with respect.
Behavioral Roles
Edgar Schein pointed out that people may attempt to cope with individual entry
problems in self-serving manners which may, therefore, hinder the operations of the team,
(French, 2011). Consequently, he identifies the three behavioral profiles in such instances. To
begin with is the tough battler who is frustrated by his lack of identity in the new team thereby
rejecting authority or acting aggressively. Such a person wants to comprehend his roles and
responsibilities in...
Review
Review
