Organisational Behaviour: Tuckman's Theory and Conflict Management

This document discusses Tuckman's theory of group development, the factors influencing group cohesiveness, and conflict management in a business scenario. It also describes the Ohio State University behavioural leadership model and evaluates the effectiveness of Sir Howard Stringer's leadership style in turning Sony around.

Organisational Behaviour
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Contents
Question 1........................................................................................................................................3
A. Using appropriate examples based on your experience, describe Tuckman’s theory of the
stages of group development.......................................................................................................3
B. Describe the five factors that influence the cohesiveness of a group.....................................5
C. Scenario – Conflict Management............................................................................................6
Question 2........................................................................................................................................7
A. Describe the Ohio State University behavioural leadership model........................................7
B. Based on the University of Ohio study on the behavioural perspective of leadership,
identify Sir Howard Stringer’s leadership style in Sony.............................................................9
C. Evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership style adopted by Sir Howard Stringer in turning
Sony around.................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13
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Question 1
A. Using appropriate examples based on your experience, describe Tuckman’s theory of the
stages of group development.
For a team or group of people to work together in an effective manner it is important that each
member in the team contributes collectively in the larger interest of the group outcome. Group or
team development can be defined as the process of learning how to work together in an effective
and efficient manner. Bruce Tuckman proposed a theory which suggested five stages or steps
which every team goes through in the process of team development into a high performing team
(Tuckman and Jensen, 1977). The stages involved in the process are forming, storming, norming,
performing and adjourning (Barsade and Gibson, 2012). Here is a detailed discussion of each
stage in a process of group development:
Forming: It is the first stage in the process of group development where team members
usually get to know each other and there exists an uncertainty in the team behaviour. During this
stage, team members are generally looking for a leadership and answers to questions in terms of
their roles and responsibilities and expected performance levels etcetera. For example, during
any project implementation, the project manager organises an orientation meeting which is
concerned with the forming stage of group development where every members is made aware of
his role and tasks in the project and expectation setting is done (Bush, 2012).
Storming: The next stage or the second stage in the process of group development is
storming stage which is considered the most difficult or critical stage to pass through for any
team to develop into a high performance working team. Conflicts arise in team due to personal
interests of members and lack of agreement on the vision and goals of the team. It is important
for the team leader or the group leader to help his members in accepting the individual
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differences and work towards the achievement of team goals rather than personal interests and
objectives. For example, team leaders usually have the challenge of aligning team goals with
personal goals and objectives of each team member and assure the members that attainment of
team goals would also result in achievement of their personal and individual objectives.
Norming: During the norming stage, team behaviour and bonding starts to emerge. Members
become aware of the individual differences and starts admiring the knowledge and skill of their
co-members (Kelly, Lowndes and Tolson, 2012). This is the stage where mutual respect for other
members in the team arises and conflicts are resolved out of mutual respect and admiration. For
example, a member in the team might not agree with the technique suggested by another member
but he still admires the other person’s knowledge, skill and experience which helps him to
develop a belief in the technique suggested by his co-member (Barsade and Knight, 2015).
Performing: This is the stage where cooperation and harmony in the team is completely
establishes and each member of the team is willing to contribute for the achievement of team
goals and vision. However, conflicts still arise in the team but the members of the team are
mature and stable enough at this stage to deal with those conflicts in a constructive manner. Main
objective of every team member is to realise the vision of the team and attain the team goals. For
example, performing stage in a project team can be noticed where there is very little or no
requirement of the constant direction and involvement of the team leader in solving conflicts and
problems. The members of a team at performing stage are motivated and confident enough to
operate together without constant supervision of the team leader.
Adjourning: This can be defined as the stage in the process of group development where
most of the team goals and objectives have been accomplished and the focus is on wrapping up
the remaining tasks and then the members of the team are reallocated to repeat the process of
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team development in a new atmosphere. For example, the team leader usually at the adjourning
stage expresses his gratitude for the team members and the efforts which have been put by them.
This might be a difficult stage for some of the team members due to a feeling of loss and it is the
responsibility of the team leader to help his members pass through this phase.
B. Describe the five factors that influence the cohesiveness of a group.
Group cohesiveness can be defined as the degree of closeness between the members of a
group or team. The factors which influence the cohesiveness of a group are as follows:
Group Size: The size or the number of people in a group largely determines the degree of
closeness in the group members. If the number of people in a group is high or the size of the
group is large, it reduced the probability of all the people agreeing upon the same objectives and
team goals which influences the cohesiveness of the group (Barsade and Knight, 2015). On the
contrary, a group where the number of people is very low or not high and the group size is small,
it is relatively much easier to obtain agreement of each of the group member on the team goals
and vision which improves the cohesiveness within the group.
Physical Distance: People in a group who are situated at close distance have a greater
opportunity for interaction and exchange of ideas which creates a positive impact on the
cohesiveness of the group and brings the members of the group even closer. If physical distance
between the group members makes it difficult for the members to interact freely, the degree of
closeness of the group is bound to be affected in a negative manner.
Time Spent together: Time spent together by the people in a group or team and the
cohesiveness of the group are directly proportional to each other. As people in an organisation
spend more time together, a bond of friendship and admiration develops between them which
improves the cohesiveness of the group which they are a part of. Interactions as a result of
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spending more time together leads to an increased attraction and development of common
interests. Having common interest also improves the degree of closeness within a group or a
team of people.
Past Success: One of the most important and relevant factor influencing the degree of
closeness of a group is the history of pass success and performance results of the group (Barsade
and Gibson, 2012). If the members of the group are linked with any past success or exceptional
group performance, it is natural for the group to more cohesive because of a sense of personal
achievement as a result of being a part of the group.
Similarity: Similarity in the attitudes, values and beliefs of the members of a group
determines and influences the cohesiveness of that group. It is natural for a person to bond with
someone who has a similar attitude and ideology and thus, to increase the cohesiveness in the
group, group leaders make deliberate efforts to have a shared value and belief which leads to
better group performance and achievement of team goals and objectives.
C. Scenario – Conflict Management.
On the basis of an analysis of the above conflict between the two friends who are equal
partners in a very successful business, the best approach which can be followed by the friends for
resolving the conflict is collaborative approach of conflict management. Collaborative approach
of conflict management is used when both the parties in a conflict are assertive and cooperative.
In the above scenario, since the two partners have had a past history of business success, it is
observed that they have cooperation established between them. Under this approach, the partners
can allow each other to make a contribution and create an atmosphere for co-creating a solution
which can be supported by both the parties. An analysis and understanding of the proposal and
business strategy of both the partners can be done by each other to identify the potential risk and
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profit opportunities (Chan, Sit and Lau, 2014). It is important for both of them to be open to
suggestions and recommendations for the purpose of conflict resolution. By developing an
understanding about each other’s position and proposed business strategy, a business plan can be
made which has the elements of strategy made by both the partners. This business plan can be
co-created by the partners by adopting the profit opportunities from their own individual
strategies and avoiding the elements of major risk. In any case, the partners must follow a
collaborative approach for conflict management and the conflict in interest should not be allowed
to have an impact on the existing business operations and performance. It the partners are not
able to come to a conclusion regarding which strategy for future business growth is better or are
not able to co-create a management plan using collaborative approach, the partners should not
raise the dispute and conflict to a level where it starts affecting the current business operations
and performance. Cooperation and collaboration is the most suitable approach for conflict
management in this scenario.
Question 2
A. Describe the Ohio State University behavioural leadership model.
Instead of emphasizing on the traits and characteristics of leaders, a series of studies was
conducted by the Ohio State University in 1945 to determine and ascertain the observed
behaviour of different leaders and draw conclusions on behaviour leadership model (Flores,
2016). The findings of the research were based on the responses of two different questionnaires;
Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LDBQ) and the Supervisor Behavior Description
Questionnaire (SBDQ). It was determined that there are two different characteristic of leadership
which are independent of one another. Under the research, behaviour of different leaders was
narrowed down to two different dimensions as follows:
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Initiating Structure Behaviour: Initiating structure behavioural aspect of leader
determines the extent to which a leader is likely to describe clear structures and roles within the
organisation which makes it possible for every member of the organisation to stay aware about
his roles and responsibilities and expected performance results. Under initiating structure, a
leader clearly outlines the procedure to be followed for task completion and establishes formal
line of communication within the organisation. It can be said that initiating structure more is
more task-oriented and although the leader following this behavioural approach still cares about
the motivation and morale of the workforce but it is not the primary concern or the main
objective of the leadership model.
Consideration Behaviour: Consideration behaviour of a leader can be defined as the
extent to which a leader is likely to establish job roles and responsibilities in the organisation on
the basis of a concern for the employees and mutual respect for subordinates. Under
consideration behaviour, a leader focuses more on satisfying the personal needs of the employees
and improve the employee satisfaction in the organisation as a means of completing tasks and
achieving organisational goals and objectives (Bush, 2012). This style of leadership is more
people-oriented. The main objective under this approach is to establish and cultivate a warm and
friendly environment within the organisation which could help employees to perform to their
best potential by satisfying their personal needs and interests as well.
Both the structures and behaviour are not considered as mutually exclusive and performing
high on one aspect doesn’t necessarily indicate a low performance on the other aspect.
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B. Based on the University of Ohio study on the behavioural perspective of leadership, identify
Sir Howard Stringer’s leadership style in Sony.
On the basis of University of Ohio study on the behavioural perspective of leadership,
leadership style of Sir Howard Stringer in Sony can be identified as initiating structure
behaviour. Under the leadership of Sir Stringer, the main objective of the organisation was to
ensure completion of tasks at the minimum possible cost along the structure and procedures
established by the top management. He followed a direct command approach where the main
power of take decisions was centralised and individual department managers were held
accountable to the top-managers. Under the leadership of Sir Howard Stringer, focus was laid on
the performance of the company instead of personal interest of the employees and employee
satisfaction which is the main characteristic of initiating structure behaviour. Under initiating
structure, focus is laid on behaviour such as maintaining performance and productivity standards
and planning and mapping out the schedule of tasks (Holloway, 2012). Hence, it can be
concluded that the leadership style followed by Sir Howard Stringer in Sony was initiating
structure behaviour since it was fundamentally task-oriented and had the objective of improving
the financial and operational performance of the company with the help of establishing clear and
definite structures in terms of roles and responsibilities and chain of command in the
organisation.
C. Evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership style adopted by Sir Howard Stringer in turning
Sony around.
The leadership style followed by Sir Howard in turning Sony around was very effective
considering the position and the challenges which the company was facing at that time. The
democratic style of leadership followed by the previous managers and leaders of Sony allowed
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the various departmental heads to preserve and protect the interest of their own departments at
the cost of the organisational interest. A competition between various departmental leaders for
funding of their projects resulted into slow decision making and increased operational cost. At
that time, the autocratic and initiating structure behaviour of leadership followed by Sir Howards
proved to be highly effective for the company. Multi-divisional structure of the company made it
easier for Howards to effectively monitor and control the operations and performance of each
division and sub-division while retaining the power to make decisions in the hands of top-
management. To decrease the operational costs of the company, only those R&D projects were
allotted funding where there were high chances of success and attaining a competitive edge in
the industry. Establishing clear chain of command and defining structures for individual roles
and operational procedures helped the company to overcome the challenges faced by it due to an
increasing operational cost and low financial performance (Kelly, Lowndes and Tolson, 2012).
Sir Howard had to take some harsh steps for improving the organisational structure of the
company and centralising the power structure in the organisation which was the main reason for
increased operational costs and low productivity. The task-oriented style of leadership followed
by Sir Howards helped the company to improve its performance and the sales of the company
increased leading to an improvement in the financial performance. With the help of clearly
defined roles, each and every employee in the organisation was made aware of the performance
results expected from him which provided specific aims to employees and directed their efforts
towards the achievement of organisational goals of reducing the costs and improving market
performance. It can be concluded that the style of leadership followed by Sir Howard Stringer in
turning Sony around and improving the financial as well as the operational performance of the
company was highly effective primarily due to centralisation of control and power which was
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very important considering the situation in which the company was and improving overall
performance level of the employees by maintaining performance standards and effective
monitoring.
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CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned report it has been analysed that organizational behaviour plays
significant role within the every organization by which firm is able to implements on their
desired strategies in order to achieve better outcomes. On the other side, leadership is one of the
best important aspects played by leaders to achieve desired goals on time. Thus, they can easily
achieve their goals and able to develop best ways to adopt more techniques to achieve
predetermined goals.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barsade, S.G. and Gibson, D.E., 2012. Group affect: Its influence on individual and group
outcomes. Current Directions in Psychological Science. 21(2). pp.119-123.
Barsade, S.G. and Knight, A.P., 2015. Group affect. Annu. Rev. Organ. Psychol. Organ.
Behav.. 2(1). pp.21-46.
Bush, C., 2012. Leadership style: initiating structure and consideration. Retrieved from.
Chan, J.C., Sit, E.N. and Lau, W.M., 2014. Conflict management styles, emotional intelligence
and implicit theories of personality of nursing students: A cross-sectional study. Nurse
education today. 34(6). pp.934-939.
Flores, R.G., 2016. Initiating structure and consideration: An examination of therelationship
between leadership, spirituality, and resilience. Our Lady of the Lake University.
Holloway, J.B., 2012. Leadership behavior and organizational climate: An empirical study in a
non-profit organization. Emerging leadership journeys. 5(1). pp.9-35.
Kelly, T.B., Lowndes, A. and Tolson, D., 2012. Advancing stages of group
development. Groupwork. 15(2). pp.17-38.
Tuckman, B.W. and Jensen, M.A.C., 1977. Stages of small-group development revisited. Group
& Organization Studies. 2(4). pp.419-427.
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