The Study of Groups: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

A century of research on small groups has yielded bountiful findings about many specific features and processes in groups. Much of that work, in line with a positivist epistemology that emphasizes control and precision and favors the laboratory experiment over other data collection strategies, has also tended to treat groups as though they were simple, isolated, static entities. Recent research trends that treat groups as complex, adaptive, dynamic systems open up new approaches to studying groups. In line with those trends, a theory of groups as complex systems is offered and some methodological and conceptual issues raised by this theory are identified. A 3-pronged research strategy based on theory development, computational modeling, and empirical research that holds promise for illuminating the dynamic processes underlying the emergence of complexity and the ongoing balance of continuity and change in groups is proposed.

Integrating the group within models of information processes

“…Past research also indicates that, groups fail to take advantage of the unique information held by an individual due to a range of factors including conflict and trust. (McGrath et al, 2000;Hinsz, Tindale & Vollrath, 1997). In addition, some of the elements such as task appear to be well understood according to this table.…”

Improving corporate performance by enhancing team dynamics at the board level

“…According to Curry et al (2012), team dynamics is defined as being able to deal with differences, trusting the other, creating a meaningful context, handling conflict and tension, and enacting effective leadership roles within the team (Curry et al, 2012). McGrath et al (2000) define it as 'team members engaged in tasks using tools and resources' to satisfy two team objectivesto complete group projects and to fulfill member needs (McGrath et al, 2000). Therefore, we measure dynamics to determine the degree to which team members interact successfully to achieve the team's and their personal objectives by capturing how the team operates through these interactions.…”

A Call for Engaging Context in HCI/MIS Research with Examples from the Area of Technology Interruptions

“…Yet, most technology interruptions do not occur in a vacuum, but rather in the context of users collaborating on interdependent tasks embedded in larger projects/processes. Indeed, much organizational work occurs in group-settings and is organized around projects (e.g., Edmondson and Nembhard, 2009, LePine et al, 2008, McGrath et al, 2000, to the extent that project teams have become the "building block of organization" (Law and Chuah, 2004). Hence, there is a need to complement the individual level literature with a focus on the contexts in which technology interruptions take place.…”

“…According to Tyre and Orlikowski (1994), interruptions manifest at the group level if an event that interrupts an individual affects the task-flow of other group members. Today, much organizational work is organized as a sequence of interdependent group tasks that comprise higher-level processes (McGrath et al, 2000). Because of the contextual effects of task interdependence, individual-level technology interruptions can manifest at the group level.…”