We. Watson et al., TEAM ORIENTATION, SELF-ORIENTATION, AND DIVERSITY IN TASK GROUPS - THEIR CONNECTION TO TEAM PERFORMANCE OVER TIME, Group & organization management, 23(2), 1998, pp. 161-188
Members of more than 50 student groups involved in a team problem-solv
ing environment were surveyed with the Group Style Instrument (GSI) to
examine interpersonal group processes for task groups. Analyses of th
e GSI data resulted in team-oriented and self-oriented dimensions for
both samples by comparing several factor models. In a second sample, m
ore than 80 culturally diverse and nondiverse groups involved in a sim
ilar team problem-solving format completed the GSI at three points in
time after they had completed team projects involving substantial coll
aborative member effort. For Sample 2, culturally diverse teams report
ed more self-oriented behaviors (SOBs) over time and performed better
that nondiverse teams on two of the three projects. Periodic feedback
regarding team performance and interpersonal processing was given to a
ll teams. By the third team project, nondiverse teams performed better
. Emphasis is given concerning the importance of managing the balance
of team-orientated behaviors and SOBs within teams over time.