INDU1107 Module Handbook | Teams in Organisations

INDU1107 OUTCOME OF THIS SUBJECT

On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:

1. Understand group processes and social influence
2. Understand the impact of organisational culture on group behaviour
3. Understand the ethical and well-being responsibilities of management in relation to managing teams
4. Have insight into own role in group dynamics
5. Understand the role of power in relation to individuals, teams and organisations
6. Apply critical thinking in relationship to, for example, evaluating and criticising theoretical models of teams.

INDU1107 Assessment Requirement & Guidance

1. THE TEAM PRESENTATION (Groupwork worth 20%)

Scenario & requirement:

• You are part of a small learning and development team (three to five members) for a Human Resources consultancy firm. Your CEO has recently read an academic paper from a peer reviewed journal (which covers one of the topics from the six questions below) and has asked you to create an infographic to disseminate this information to the other teams in your company. The staff are all social scientists with a background in group processes therefore the staff would appreciate you presenting the research in a critical way. You need to briefly  summarise your understanding of the paper to the other teams, not just read out extracts from the paper. These are 6 topic questions:

1. How does SIT inform our understanding of Conformity Studies and Obedience in your chosen case study?
2. How does SIT inform our understanding of Groupthink and faulty decision making in your chosen case study?
3. How does SIT inform our understanding of conflict and group polarisation? Suggest a model for conflict resolution.
4. How does SIT inform our understanding of managing diverse groups and teams?
5. How does SIT inform our understanding of managing multi-cultural remote groups and teams?
6. How does SIT inform our understanding of power in organisations?

• You will need to make the infographic original and visually engaging and explain how the findings in the research paper can be applied to a ‘real life’ case of group processes/team working found in business or political institutions or current affairs.
• You have been allocated a maximum of 8 minutes plus two minutes for question and answer (four minutes to summarise the article, four minutes to outline how you plan to apply to your chosen case study) so it will be important to be succinct and only capture key points from the paper. Your presentation will help you begin to draft your final individual essay.
• You may select an article from the Moodle site or find one of your own from a peer reviewed journal. Your CEO will also assess you for teamworking/presentation skills, your ability to paraphrase, summarise and communicate complex ideas.
• You will email your tutor 3 days before your presentation to confirm your choice of article. Guidance to presentation structure:

The infographic will explain in your own words the:

Abstract (Summary of the paper)

• Introduction (Why is this paper of interest, what’s new?)
• Literature Review (Who else has researched this topic?)

Note:

Methodology/Materials and Methods (How did the author/s carry out the research?) Results (What happened, what did they find?)
Discussion/Analysis (What does it mean for our understanding of the topic?)

Conclusion (What was learned)

Limitations (one example only, i.e. sample size, data collection, bias?)
Apply to the real world (How can this topic be applied to a ‘real life’ case of group processes/team working found in business or political institutions or current affairs?)

• The presentations of infographic will be recorded for moderation purposes. All team members must present on presentation day. At the conclusion of the presentation, your tutor and student peers will provide immediate feedback to the presenting team. This formative assessment will help you and other students build a body of literature to support the final essay.
• One of the easy ways to create infographics is to use Adobe Express, or any tool of your choice. You can sign up for free. On your presentation day, you will project your infographic on the screen in the classroom. You do not need to submit through Turnitin as your tutor will assess your group performance on the day. Here are the youtube guidance link to create inforgraphic by Adobe Express/Powerpoint
  + Adobe Creative Cloud Express Tutorial: Create an Infographic:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rQLAoKLqaU +Creating an Infographic in PowerPoint:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKSYjZRgtql
• Detailed guidance on Infographic Presentation structure

Presentations should last 8 minutes, plus 2 minutes time for questions at the end

Most traditional academic papers adhere to the following basic format:

The presentation will explain in your own words the:

• Paper: Author’s name (publish year) Name of Academic Article
  Ex: Haslam S, Reicher, S (2012) Contesting the “Nature” Of Conformity: What Milgram and Zimbardo’s Studies really Show
  Question it addresses: What question did your group choose among 6 topic questions Ex: Q3. How does SIT inform our understanding of conflict and group polarisation? Suggest a model for conflict resolution.
• Abstract (Summary) An abstract is a concise summation of the entire paper. It should provide enough of a preview that a typical reader will know whether they wish to read the paper. It should reveal both the purpose and conclusions of the paper.
• Literature Review (Who else) A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research. What do the other experts say on this topic? What is the state of the debate?
• Methodology / Materials and Methods (How) In papers that rely on primary research, the methodology section provides a detailed description of the experiment design. For example, it may describe the surveys, interviews, observation methods, etc. In papers that rely on secondary research, this section would provide the necessary background or history for understanding the discussion to come. Secondary research methods may describe how the data was originally created, gathered and which institution created and published it.
  In either case, this section justifies the research done by showing that the writer has a clear understanding of research methods.
• Results (What happened) This is where the authors provide the data collected during their study. That data can sometimes be difficult to understand because it is often quite technical. Do not let this intimidate you; the significance of the results is what really matters and this will be discussed in the next section, discussion/analysis.
• Discussion / Analysis (What it means) This section is the “heart” of the paper, where the writer finally makes the major point or claim the previous sections have led the reader to expect. This section will usually be the lengthiest section of the paper and should include a thorough and well-supported argument, critique or discussion. In papers that rely on primary research, the discussion should set out an interpretation of the results that is reasonable and precise.
• Conclusion (What was learned) The conclusion should reinforce the major claims or interpretation in a way that is not mere summary. The writer should try to indicate the significance of the major claim/interpretation beyond the scope of the paper but within the parameters of the field.
• Limitations (sample size, data collection, bias?) No study is perfect so the writer will present limits of the study and suggest how further research could contribute to knowledge. → Case study: Apply to the real world (Examples, where do you see this played out in group processes?) This is where you use the theoretical concepts found in the paper to explain group processes in the world of business and/or political institutions and/or current affairs. Note: We use the Harvard referencing style.

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2. THE ESSAY (Individual worth 80%, 2,500 words)

Scenario & requirement:

• Following on from your infographic presentation, your CEO has asked you to develop your analyses of how this topic can be applied to an event in the real world of business or political institutions or current affairs. (which means the essay will explain and critically evaluate one topic among 6 topic questions and use one ‘real life’ example from business and/or political institutions and/or current affairs to illustrate the concept/literature).
  + you will adopt social identity theory (SIT) to case study analysis so you will consider this in your analysis.
  + All examples of ‘real life’ should be recent (within the last 5 years, maximum 10 years). + A minimum of ten academic articles will support the discussion.
• Conclude your essay with a short self-reflection using a suitable model of self-reflection (400- 500 words included in the total wordcount of 2,500), including a minimum of two academic references to support the reflection (total for assessment minimum 12 references). Your self- reflection is on how you worked in the team, what worked successfully, what challenged you and what you learnt from the experience.

Note:

• The individual essay will look for depth and will be more challenging. Use subheadings to signpost the reader, (Introduction, main body, conclusions).
• Remember the best essays will integrate the theory and the real-life examples. That is to say that as you evaluate and analyse theory or literature you will be able to convincingly apply to real life. Higher marks will be awarded to students who can critique the theory and make convincing applications to the real world.
• What are the limitations of the theory? What are the criticisms of the theory? Your discussion must be supported with reference to academic literature, by that we mean the peer reviewed academic journals found in the electronic databases and discussed through the team presentations.

A. Introduction (recommended 150 words)

An introduction about your research report which could include the purpose of report, brief information about topic question, why this is important topic? key ideas of your essay, real-world application, and the structure of your essay.

B. Body (recommended 1850 words)

1. Brief description of the concept (recommended 250 words):

-Please brief description of SIT and the chosen topic question (concept and theories) Example:
-If you taking 1″ Topic question: “How does SIT inform our understanding of Conformity Studies and Obedience in your chosen case study”
+ A study of conformity (Solomon Asch, 1951)
+ Auto kinetic Effect Experiment (Sherif, 1936)
+ Obedience to Authority (Stanley Milgram, 1963)
*If you taking 2nd Topic question: “How does SIT inform our understanding of Groupthink and faulty decision making in your chosen case study?”
+ The definition of Groupthink
+ Symptoms of Groupthink
+ Cause of Groupthink occur + Group think model
+ Remedies for Groupthink
*other Topics will be discussed later on. 

2. Discussion (recommended 400 words)

-Please critique of what experts say and how they may differ from the theories/concepts and the author’s opinions above.
– Are there any limitations of the theories/concepts? Did any researchers solve those limitations and improve them? And how could their research contribute to knowledge.
– Are there any points which you did not agree with the concepts/theories/authors? Please use academic citation to prove your arguments?
Note:
+ A minimum of ten academic articles will support the discussion.

3. The real-world application (recommended 1000 words):

-Please apply the concepts/theories mentioned [in Section 1. Brief description of the concepts and Section 2. Discussion] to real life example, one example is sufficient.
+ Briefly describe the background to the case
✓ Who are the main characters in this case
✓ What do you identify as the problem?
Cause and effect, this happened because this happened? For example, bad behaviour or decisions may be the result of something else? What?
+ Analyse – using the literature on your topic analyse the case using examples from the case study
+ Analyse using SIT, what perspective does SIT offer on what had happened in the case? + What has been learnt from analysis of the case?

Note: + All examples of ‘real life’ should be recent (within the last 5 years, maximum 10 years). + The real examples from business and/or political institutions and/or current affairs to illustrate the concept/literature.

C. Conclusion (recommended 200 words)

Summarizing what did you write:

• Highlight the key argument presented in the essay
• Summarise the answer to the essay question, as signalled in the introduction
• Refer back to the essay question to show that it has been answered
• Reinforce the main theme of the essay, which has been established in the introduction

D. Self-reflection (recommended 400-500 words):

-Conclude your essay with a short self-reflection using a suitable model of self-reflection on how you worked in the team.
-Belbin’s team roles questionnaire and the Knowledge, skills and attitudes for teamwork feedback (KSA) in Lecture 9. Team roles will give you some theories, concepts about “how your teamwork”
Note:
+ This reflection on how you work in a team using Rolfe’s reflective model (recommended 500 words). Or you could use other models such as Gibbs or Kolb
+ Think deeply about what you contribute positively to the group dynamic and what needs further development. Please note, do NOT describe what the team did but focus on what YOU did.
+ Rolfe et al.’s (2001) reflective model is based upon three simple questions: What? So what? Now what?
+ This section should focus on your self-reflection on your self-leadership. Student should use the pronounce “I, we, our for this reflection section.
+ Include a minimum of two academic references to support the reflection
1. What?
Please indicate one of the following aspects:
-Describe the specific incident or experience involving the teamwork of the group member. Include relevant details such as the task, the role of the member, and the actions or behaviors observed.
-Reflect on your own observations, thoughts, and feelings during the incident. Consider how the member’s and team behaviors impacted the group dynamics and the overall progress of the assignment.
Tips: Helpful questions:
… is the problem/difficulty/ reason for being stuck/reason for feeling bad/reason we don’t get on with working together as a group/team?
… was my role in the situation – follower or leader in the group?

INDU1107 Marking Criteria