GROUP DYNAMICS AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Organizational effectiveness may be either enhanced or inhibited through the actions of internal groups (Bettenhausen, 1991, p. 345). An understanding of group processes, thus, is essential for organizational managers. Increasing cultural pluralism emphasizes the need to both understand and manage group processes in contemporary organizations (Bernal, 1993, pp. 228-232). The delegation of autonomy to groups within nursing practice empowers nurses within groups to develop the strategies that effectively integrate pluralistic perspectives (Laschinger & Shamian, 1994, pp. 38-47). The integration of culturally differing perspectives within organizations is accomplished through the process of group dynamics (Smith & Comer, 1994, pp. 553-582). Group dynamics is a field of study that explains how individuals interact and build unity.

Groups are collections of individuals that are attracted to one another and who are held together by a variety of social forces (Bettenhausen, p. 347). Social identity theory posits that groups are formed on the bases of self-definition, attraction, and cultural participation (Bagby & Rector, 1992, pp. 397-406). This hypothesis leads to a conceptualization of groups as the "sum of the individual properties of their members" (Bettenhausen, 348). Bornewasser and Bober (1987, pp. 267-276) contended, however, that groups represent an amalgam of individual and structural attributes

. . .
ld be beneficial to both. Maton (p. 870) went on the state that the STS approach lacks conceptual substance, so it is unable to maintain a consistent direction or application. To meet with success, according to Maton (p. 883), the STS approach must place human needs over technology, while at the same time persuading management that the benefits of the STS approach are greater that those of other alternatives available to the organization. Maton (p. 885) concluded that, unless STS proponents deal effectively with the internal inconsistencies, confusion, and contradiction within STS theory that have contributed to the problems encountered in the application of STS analysis, there is little hope that the STS approach will become acceptable to either workers or managers in the near future. The most "common application of STS analysis to organizational redesign has involved firms employing continuous process technologies" (Shani, Grant, Krishnan, & Thompson, p. 93). Autonomous work teams are sociotechnical systems (Persico, 1989, pp. 33-37). Contemporary information science technology makes it feasible to form autonomous work teams comprised of members of each functional area. These autonomous work teams, under such a technical
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Williams Rogers, Szilagy Wallace, Abrams Hogg, Krishnan Thompson, Kimberly Rottman, Conflict Organizational, SMWTs Barton, Mahler Nicholson, Warren Bennis, Symanski Harkins, social identity, job satisfaction, organizational structure, within-group conflict, social psychology, decision process, 1988 pp, social identity theory, identity theory, 1989 pp, cultural diversity, grant krishnan thompson, shani grant krishnan, levels job satisfaction, journal social psychology,
Approximate Word count = 8413
Approximate Pages = 34 (250 words per page)

More Essays on GROUP DYNAMICS AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY