Academic & Professional Skills: Analyzing Group Work Challenges

This presentation delves into the common problems encountered in group work within academic and professional environments, specifically focusing on language barriers and cultural differences. It identifies the causes of language barriers, such as differences in language, regional accents, unclear speech, and the use of jargon, proposing solutions like engaging interpreters, using plain language, and employing visual communication methods. Furthermore, the presentation addresses the challenge of accommodating diverse cultural, spiritual, and political beliefs, which can lead to communication gaps and reduced team productivity. Drawing upon Tuckman and Belbin's team theories, the presentation suggests managerial strategies to mitigate these issues, emphasizing the potential benefits of mutual support and increased efficiency, ultimately fostering personal growth and development. The presentation concludes that addressing these challenges effectively is crucial for enhancing team productivity and overall success.

Importance of Group Work

Introduction
Group Work includes the
following :
Engaging in any activities
or learning or teaching ,
where it is necessary for the
students to work in groups .
 The group work may
include any formal
assessments , which
requires the involvement of
the students in groups.
(Dobao 2014)

Common Group Work Problem 1
One of the common problem
involved in a Group Work is
Language Barrier .
The cause of the language barriers
are as follows :
Differences in language
Regional accents or dialects
Unclear Speech
Use of Jargons
(Madera, Dawson and Neal 2014)

Solution to Problem 1
Solutions to the problem of Language Barriers
in a team or group complying with the
Tuckman Belbin Theory are as follows:
Engage Interpreters
Use plain language for communication
Use visual methods of communication
(Dong et al. 2017)

Common Work Problem 2
One of the problems is “Accommodation of Beliefs”
Causes:-
Diversity in cultural, spiritual, and political beliefs
Effect:-
Communication gap
Team productivity
(Yi et al. 2015)

Solution to Problem 2
Tuckman and Belbin’s Team Theory are being
collectively used to derive the solution
(Dong et al. 2017)

Conclusion
‘Language Barrier’ and ‘Cultural Differences’ can
affect the team’s productivity
It needs to be dealt with effective managerial
strategies
Potential benefits are like mutual support and
increased efficiency
Personal growth and development is now on a
growth

References
 Dobao, A.F., 2014. Vocabulary learning in collaborative tasks: A
comparison of pair and small group work. Language Teaching
Research, 18(4), pp.497-520.
 Dong, Y., Bartol, K.M., Zhang, Z.X. and Li, C., 2017. Enhancing
employee creativity via individual skill development and team
knowledge sharing: Influences of dual‐focused transformational
leadership. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(3), pp.439-458.
 Madera, J.M., Dawson, M. and Neal, J.A., 2014. Managing
language barriers in the workplace: The roles of job demands and
resources on turnover intentions. International Journal of
Hospitality Management, 42, pp.117-125.
 Yi, X., Ribbens, B., Fu, L. and Cheng, W., 2015. Variation in career
and workplace attitudes by generation, gender, and culture
differences in career perceptions in the United States and
China. Employee Relations, 37(1), pp.66-82.