Since its inception, man has formed teams or work groups to carry out certain activities and by nature the human being has a need for acceptance by the individuals around him. However, nowadays it is common for activities to be developed by work groups or teams made up of various individuals. All human beings are part of a group: family, a committee, neighbors, sports teams, a religion, etc.
Nowadays it is extremely important for organizations to form work groups to achieve the success of the organization and also for managers to become aware that individual and joint behavior of individuals will be completely different in both situations. Cooperative spirit and the union of work teams must be fostered, joining the efforts of the company and both individuals and groups to achieve a common goal and thus increase productivity.
GROUPS
Group definition:
- "A group is a set of people who can interact with each other, are psychologically aware of the existence of others and perceive and are perceived as members of a team" (Hunt, 2010) "A group is a set or aggregate of people who are considered related in some way or united by links or common interests "(Rosenzweig, 1987)" A group is two or more people who interact with each other, share a set of common norms and goals that direct their activities and develop a set of roles and a network of affective relationships ”(Jose Javier Rosales Jimenez, 2013)“ A group is defined as the set of two or more individuals who are related and interdependent and who came together to achieve specific objectives ”(Rees, nd)
Business group:
Also called industrial group, industrial conglomerate, business group or business conglomerate. They are a group of companies that depend on a parent company which makes the decisions because they have a sufficient economic participation in its capital.
The combination of two or more companies doing completely different business is called conglomerates.
The grouping through agreements, mergers or participation in shares to a parent company is called business concentration or industrial concentration.
Companies from the same stage of the production process, that is, from the same sector, are called horizontal concentration. When all or most of the phases of the same production process are grouped, that is, when they belong to the same industry, but operate in different stages of the process, they are called vertical concentration.
The clearest example of a Mexican business conglomerate is Grupo Salinas. This conglomerate was founded by Ricardo B. Salinas, this group operates as a forum for administrative development and decision-making for the leaders of the companies that make up the group and does not manage stock positions.
The companies are:
- ItalikaIusacell GroupElektra GroupAztecaAfore AztecaAzteca AmericaBanco AztecaAzteca InternetSeguros Azteca
Characteristics of a group:
- Formed by two or more people They have a common goal to define the group They have a common culture where they share beliefs and feelings They have operating rules to regulate the behaviors of the members Ø They interact with each other to achieve the achievement of their objectives
Interaction and dynamics:
Any type of oral, written communication including gestures and / or facial expressions can be considered as interaction. Interaction can also include movements, gestures, nodding, patting on the back, glances, caresses, and winks. If there was no interaction in the groups they would simply be considered as individuals. In terms of dynamics, it refers to the kinds of interactions that exist and the changing relationships that adjust between groups and between members.
Why do we form a group?
- Self-esteem: people feel valuable when they belong to a group Safety: by belonging to a group people stop feeling alone and feel stronger to face threats Achievement of goals: sometimes people need more people to achieve a Proposed goal Status: Within the groups there are positions that are taken by the different members of the group Power: By being part of a group you can make the sum of individual forces and achieve what as individuals would be more difficult to achieve or they would not achieve. cultural needs or interests in common physical proximity
Group activities:
- Activities aimed at achieving group objectives Activities for the creation of a group bond: they encourage trust, reciprocity and cooperation among the members of the group by helping to satisfy the needs of the members. Role performance: the roles are expected patterns of behavior and are determined between the group leader and the members Individual activities: each individual in the group will seek to satisfy their own needs and objectives without affecting the group Leadership activities: The group leader ensures that all members of the group pursue the same goal, seeks to create bonds strong among the members and carries out activities aimed at meeting the group objective Rules: the rules establish what the group members can do or not Group cohesion:seeks that the bonding of the group is based on solidarity, empathy and mutual protection.
Classification of groups:
And finally, the one we will focus on in this article:
Groups and Organizations:
Everyone is a member of various formal and informal groups within the company. They all belong to a formal work group that in turn can be subdivided into several informal groups since they are in the process of carrying out a certain activity.
Organized group: it is a continuous group can be dispersed and reorganized with the same members, the relationships that result have a degree of belonging and repeat the relationships established between pairs of positions.
Organizational structure is an entity made up of several positions. The documents that describe the duties and responsibilities of each position are those that define formal organizations.
"An organization can be seen as the fusion of two concepts: 1) the group as a set of people and 2) the structure as a set of positions." (Rosenzweig, 1987)
Groups may change as membership increases and decreases, but the structure does not change until formal adjustments are made. Within organizations there are two types of groups: formal and informal
Formal Groups:
They are officers, they define the structure of the organization and are supported by the high command or authority. They have specific, clear and written functions. In these groups, the behavior of the members is fixed and directed towards the fulfillment of the goals of the organization. Within this classification we can put the committees, project teams, working groups and the meetings of departmental or functional groups.
Informal groups:
They are alliances that lack a formal or official structure and are not defined by the company, they are natural formations of the work environment that arise in response to the need for social contact, they are based on friendship, they are less cohesive, they are usually more fun and have more erratic behavior.
Classification of formal and informal groups:
Command groups: the members of this group report directly to a boss and are determined by the organization chart.
Task groups: it is determined by the company, it is an association of the members united for the fulfillment of a job, its limits do not end with the immediate hierarchical superior, but they can cross command relationships.
Stakeholders: these groups are not determined by the organization, but come together to achieve a specific common goal. Workers who come together to modify their vacation calendars, avoid the dismissal of a worker or seek to improve their working conditions, are trying to serve their common interests.
Groups of friends: they are not determined by the organization and its members share some characteristics (s), they are based on age, origins, politics, hobby of a sports team, etc.
Stable groups: they work for long periods of time
Temporary groups: they are integrated for a short duration to carry out specific projects or tasks.
Informal groups help to satisfy the social needs of their members due to the physical proximity at the time of executing their task, these groups commonly carry out group activities such as having lunch, traveling in a group to their home, forming sports teams, etc.
Phases of group development (Jose Javier Rosales Jimenez, 2013) :
| 1.- Orientation and training | It is characterized by being a phase of confusion and insecurity that the individual goes through. His behavior is driven by the desire to be accepted by others, avoiding controversy and conflict.
It is produced: a) A search for guidance and information b) Approaches of what is going to be done and how it is going to be done In this phase, communication issues are superficial, for example, they talk about the weather, soccer, etc. |
| 2.- Establishment of standards | In this phase, communication between group members becomes more fluid by establishing norms or guidelines about the behaviors that should govern the operation of the group. Among the fundamental norms for the effectiveness of any group may be cooperation, dialogue, respect, etc. |
| 3.- Stage of conflicts | In groups of people in which the objective is external to them, it is very frequently the existence of conflicts between the members of the same. These conflicts may be as a result of diversity of interests or as a result of the assumption of functions, etc. |
| 4.- Structuring the group | If the group has been able to overcome the tensions or conflicts that arose in the previous stage and has not deviated towards calm submission, then we can say that it is ready to organize and work in a group.
At this point formal authority issues, group roles, and decision procedures are discussed. |
| 5.- Balanced and effective group | In this phase the group already knows how to organize, work together, set their work plans, make decisions, resolve conflicts, etc. If the group has reached this stage, we can say that it has reached its maturity, since it is controlled, reflected and governed. |
| 6.- Final stage | Those groups that have been formed to achieve some objective or for the development of a specific activity, when they have achieved their objective or finished their activity, the group loses the meaning for which it was created. |
Five-stage model:
Punctuated equilibrium model (it is usually for time groups):
Elements of a group structure:
Status: it is the position that is occupied in a hierarchy of a social group or community and is determined by factors such as culture, social factors, economic factors and by the relationships that one has with other people. Status involves prestige, category, dignity and recognition
Group cohesion: it is a dynamic process where the degree to which the group feels united and satisfied with itself is marked. This can be determined by two factors:
- Internal: arising from the experiences of success or failure shared by all, personal attraction and satisfaction of the needs of the members. External: arising from around the group.
Roles: it is the expected behavior of someone who occupies a certain position within a group. Roles can be classified as shown in the following table.
Rules:
The norms have a shared character, they must be explicit and they are the ones that govern the conduct and behavior of the members of the group. The rules can be:
- Formal: produced by the group and involving technical aspects Informal: they are rules of coexistence that have to do with social relations.
WORK TEAMS
Definition of work team:
"The work team refers to all the strategies or methodologies that the work team uses to achieve certain objectives." (Jose Javier Rosales Jimenez, 2013)
According to Gerar M. Blair, the formation of a team must necessarily lead to the development of a spirit of cooperation, coordination and the existence of understood and shared procedures that allow the increase in productivity as a result of the practical and moral support that is given. members to each other.
For Michel Levionnois it is the meeting, in a place and in a given moment of the company of a group of people who, under the direction of a competent animator, will seek and propose creative answers to solve the problems that arise or to improve management of the organization in any of its aspects.
“Work team is a unit made up of an indeterminate number of people who organize themselves to carry out a certain task and who are related to each other, who as a result of this relationship interact within the same team to achieve the objectives that have been proposed achieve, recognizing that they need each other for such compliance and set of work done. "(Vertice, 2008)
"A team is a group of people who work together in a coordinated way to achieve common goals" (Eugenio Ruiz Otero, 2012)
Characteristics of the work team (Publishing, 2007) :
- Objective, purpose or goal in common Interdependence: the knowledge that each other is needed Joint work Shared spirit: cooperation and coordination Common systems Mutual support Meetings Coordination Self-management
Structure of a work team:
It is recommended that work teams be multidisciplinary, self-managed and heterogeneous in terms of opinions, knowledge, personality and abilities. The team must be made up of different people who have certain personalities, some of the main ones are the following:
- Coordinator: Promotes everyone to make decisions Trainer: puts pressure on everyone to achieve goals Creative: Looks for solutions all the time Resource researcher: is a good communicator, administrator and analyst Evaluator: Establishes quality filters, measures goals and sets work rhythms.Company worker: It is the operative part, executes well, but has difficulty in making decisions.Finishing: Complement of the evaluator.Specialist: It focuses on a field of action, is dedicated, dynamic and complements the creative Initiator: he is very disciplined
Requirements for teamwork:
- Leadership is essential in a work team for it to function, to encourage the team and to instill confidence in all the members Good, comfortable and relaxed work environment You must have a common goal All team members must have an attitude to Listen and assume majority opinions. The interest of the team is above individual interests. All team members must be assigned responsibilities and must be aware of them. Efficiency Constant communication Sense of belonging Have a healthy individual vision of oneself.
Efficacy of the work team:
“In efficient teams, each of its members takes the place assigned to them, using their talent to make the best use of it. When members integrate their skills to reinforce strengths and minimize weaknesses, they generally achieve the team's goals. ” (Guillen, 2006)
Group phenomena should be used to promote the action of the whole and not to have personal advantages, there must be an environment of trust to freely express ideas and disagreements and everyone must participate in decision-making.
Tasks to be carried out by team leaders:
- Begin: You must take the initiative either by giving an order or by asking a question Get information Give information: Knowledge is power when shared Classify: you must work so that the information is clear for absolutely all members of the work team.: You must analyze the data collected, map it, classify it and anticipate the consequences Make a decision Summarize: The team must know how far they have progressed, where they are and how to keep going.
Advantages and Disadvantages of teamwork:
| Advantage | Disadvantages |
| Ø It allows to value different points of view when making decisions, problem solving is more creative and members have a greater involvement in the decisions made.
It favors customer orientation. You learn from others and exchange information. Enhance staff sensitivity to the importance of change Respect is developed by having to listen to and accept the opinions of others. Improve knowledge management within the company. It helps to make rigid company structures more flexible. |
Ø At the beginning, the work is slower as several people have to coordinate. A lot of time can be spent in meetings discussing actions and solutions.
When a decision requires a single global understanding, the individual approach works best. Sometimes team members avoid speaking their minds for fear of being rejected by the rest of the team. Teamwork requires more time than individual work. Some people may try to use the equipment for their personal benefit. |
| Ø Attitudes such as initiative, decision making, creativity, mastery and knowing how to listen are developed.
Ø Decisions made with the participation of the whole team are more widely accepted than decisions made by just one Ø The working method and consequently the results are improved. Ø Work is done that a person could not do, arising synergy. Ø The motivation and satisfaction of workers is higher when doing larger jobs Ø The collective spirit and commitment to the organization are strengthened, improving the work environment |
Ø Some people hide in the group and do not contribute new ideas.
Ø There may be pressure on team members to accept too many solutions. Ø Ambiguous responsibility, as it is diluted in the team. |
Types of work teams:
Ø According to the objective they pursue:
Troubleshooting teams
- They are teams made up of between 5 and 12 workers from the same department, who meet for a few hours a month to discuss work-related matters. Members contribute ideas to improve the specific tasks they perform.
Progress teams
- They may be called development or improvement teams. Its objective is to identify, analyze and seek solutions to specific problems that affect different areas or departments. They are formed in a multilevel and multifunctional way. Team members are selected for their knowledge and experience, and as they reach the goal they are usually disbanded.
Process equipment
- They focus on a process for its improvement, redesign or total change in order to make it more efficient. It is run by a person who knows the particular process.
Ø According to its components:
Teams from the same area
- They are made up of personnel from the same department or area of different hierarchical levels and carry out specific tasks.
Interdisciplinary Teams
- They are made up of personnel from different areas and of the same hierarchical level. They are used to carry out projects that cannot be carried out without the collaboration of personnel from different areas.
Creative teams
- They are used for the design of new services, products or projects and bypass decision-making systems so as not to interfere with creative work.
Planning management teams
- They are in charge of strategic planning and the definition of the main lines of action in the medium and long term for each function carried out in the company. They are also called "strategic vertex."
Why work as a team?
By working as a team, it is possible to increase the quality of work, innovate, generate opportunities, overcome obstacles, attract resources and face a common front to develop joint tasks. Working as a team is the best way to develop a project and generate resources.
Nowadays, companies require multidisciplinary work and it is not enough for them to master an activity perfectly, but rather to coordinate with the work of other people. Projects today are interdisciplinary and one person alone is not capable of covering all areas and teamwork ends with this kind of situation.
Differences between groups and work teams:
| WORKGROUP | WORK TEAM |
| Ø Set of people who carry out similar work in the same company or organization.
OR Ø The members of the group perform the same type of work and usually have the same boss. Ø The members are autonomous: each one carries out their work and responds individually to it. Ø The people who make up the groups want to achieve a similar objective, but individual for each one of them. |
Ø The teams have a common goal that is to be achieved by cooperating and helping each other.
Ø In the work team, each member usually masters a certain facet and performs a specific part of the project. Ø Each member of the team is responsible for a task, and only if all of them fulfill their function will it be possible to achieve the objectives. Ø The team is responsible for the final result and not each of its members of independently OR |
| EXAMPLE:
The cardiologists of a hospital form a working group: they carry out the same activity and have a common boss, but each one is responsible for their work. A cardiologist can do an extraordinary job, while the cardiology department as a whole can be mediocre. |
EXAMPLE:
A team of cardiovascular surgery doctors in an operating room (surgeon, anesthetist, cardiologist, nurses…) form a work team. Each member of the team has a specific role; but the common goal of all of them is that the operations be successful. |
Conclusions:
The work teams help a lot to meet the goals and objectives of the companies, however, it is not enough to carry out work teams but must comply with certain characteristics and standards so that they are effective and efficient work teams.
Today's companies seek interdisciplinarity and it is difficult for a person alone to meet these expectations and to have all the necessary knowledge of different areas to fulfill projects or tasks that require it.
Work teams are an excellent tool to improve the efficiency and productivity of the company.
Thesis proposal:
"Increased productivity of companies through the implementation of efficient work teams"
Thanks:
I thank my alma mater the Orizaba Technological Institute, Professor Fernando Aguirre y Hernández who teaches the subject of Fundamentals of Administrative Engineering for showing us that we are capable of writing articles on various topics, for promoting the habit of reading and above all for helping us realize what we are capable of achieving.
Bibliography
- Eugenio Ruiz Otero, CG (2012). Human resources and corporate social responsibility. Madrid: McGraw-Hill Spain.Guillen, M. d. (2006). Business management. Balancing goals and values. Madrid: Ediciones Diaz de Santos. Hunt, JW (2010). The management of personnel in the company: guide on behavior in organizations. Madrid: McGraw-Hill Interamericana. Jose Javier Rosales Jimenez, IM (2013). Social skills. Spain: McGraw-Hill Spain. Publishing, M. (2007). Effective teamwork management. Madrid: Ediciones Diaz Santos. Rees, D. (sf). Managers Magazine. Retrieved from Managers Magazine: http: //managersmagazine.com Rosenzweig, FE (1987). Administration in organizations: systems and contingency approach. Mexico: McGraw-Hill Interamericana. Vertice, E. (2008). Team work cordination. Spain:Editorial Vertice Publications.
