Hello, colin1981-ga!
The ability to successfully work as part of a team is an important
skill for any individual contemplating a career in business.
Therefore, most Business Schools stress the importance of group work
as an educational component.
According to the John Molson School of Business:
"We tell all business students that communications and teamwork skills
are absolutely essential for success in the business program, and in
fact within any other university program or initiative."
From "Teamwork - A Recipe for Success in the Business World," by
Romesh Vadivel. The Bridge. (2001/2001)
http://newstudent.concordia.ca/bridge-special2001-2002/teamwork.shtml
******
The BC Ministry of Education department has compiled some
instructional techniques for teaching Business Education:
"Teamwork and leadership are essential in a business environment in
which the whole organization focusses on accomplishing business
goals."
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/be1112/bca11pre.htm
"The workplace requires that people work effectively individually and
with others to solve problems and to complete tasks. Students need to
experience the dynamics of group work to enhance their understanding
of the problem-solving process. Group work focusses on skills such as
collaboration, communication, leadership, and co-operation."
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/be810/intro6.htm
******
The US Department of Labor has also stressed the value of knowing how
to apply group working skills in the business environment. The
following excerpt is from a proposal concerning the effectiveness of
teaching methods by Business Instructors, titled:
"Sequencing Instruction and Practice In Business Communications," by
Michael L. McDonald, Diane J. Fisher and Lajuan D. Bisnette. Submitted
to SIG: Business Education and Information Systems (2001)
http://edtech.connect.msu.edu/Searchaera2002/viewproposaltext.asp?propID=4946
"Another U.S. Department of Labor report that suggested that group
work skills are very important is the Workplace Basics report by
Carnevale, Gainer, & Meltzer (1990). According to the authors of this
report,
"Whenever people work together, successful interaction depends upon
effective interpersonal skills, focused negotiation, and a sense of
group purpose (teamwork)."
..."All this puts a premium on developing employees' group
effectiveness skills."
..."This is particularly relevant to working teams. Teamwork skills
are critical for improving individual task accomplishment at work
because practical innovations and solutions are reached sooner through
cooperative behavior." (pp. 31-32)
"Carnevale, Gainer, & Meltzer (1990) reported the need for training
employees to be effective group participants. Their report suggests
that the effective use of groups results in higher productivity and
product quality."
******
In an article discussing the importance of teaching business ethics
in the business curriculum, the value to students of learning to work
in a group is highlighted:
"Group work also helps them realize the differences between people,
and how one action could have no implications for one person, but many
for someone else."
From "Business ethics must be lived, not taught." by Luis Lopez.
Express News. University of Alberta. (June 13, 2003)
http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/expressnews/articles/ideas.cfm?p_ID=4495&s=a
******
The ability of an individual to work well in a group is a quality
sought out by prospective employers.
The following excerpt is taken from:
"Perceptions of final year business students of their group work
experiences," by Jane Burdett. Research Proposal. EdD Research
Studies: Semester 1, 2001
http://wwwed.sturt.flinders.edu.au/edweb/programs/eddprops/burdett.htm
(Please read entire paper for research cited)
2."Group work - effective learning and preparation for work."
"Mutch (1998) argues that because of continued resource pressures on
universities, it is likely that group work will become a common
learning methodology. The desire of universities to develop skills for
employability will also see a drive to develop group work
competencies."
"These claims are reflected in the University of South Australia
(UniSA) statement that 'at university teamwork is emphasised and
practised because it is an effective and meaningful way to learn'
(2000a, p1). Not only is group work an important strategy for the
enhancement of student learning, UniSA states that group work skills
prepare students for future work. The relevance of these skills in the
workplace is supported by the Business/Higher Education Round Table's
own research in the early nineties. It was established that university
lecturers, business chief executives, managers and business students
held the view that 'the development of general skills associated with
communication, thinking and problem solving, cooperation and team work
[were regarded] as more important than knowledge learning' (Feast, in
unpublished paper, 2000, p 3). More recent research by DETYAs (2000)
of 1105 employers from all industry sectors, found that employers
whose last graduate came from the university sector, appear to attach
greater importance to a small range of skills: interpersonal skills,
teamwork, numeracy and business communication skills. Furnham (2000)
asserts also that the ability to work collaboratively as part of a
team is a skill valued in the world of work today."
....
"An excerpt from a statement of graduate qualities underscores the
importance of group work:
"The ability to work collaboratively as a professional on a project is
an important quality. This requires students to
*Use logical and rational argument to persuade others to negotiate
with others
*Work collaboratively with different groups, identify the needs of
others and build positive relationships
*Work in a team (cooperate with all team members, share ideas, forgo
personal recognition, negotiate solutions when opinions differ,
resolve conflict, recognise strengths of other team members, share
responsibility, convey a shared vision for the team, display a
commitment to make the team function effectively (2000b, p1)
******
For an interesting insight into the personality traits that make up a
successful working group, read:
"Psychology of Group Work." International Business Economics. Aalborg
University
http://www.business.auc.dk/ivo/studies/Other/project_guide/psychology.htm
******
I trust the information I have provided allows you some good insight
into why learning group working skills is an "essential ingredient" to
a good business school curriculum.
Sincerely,
umiat-ga
Google Search Strategy
"group work" +essential to "business education"
+business +importance of "group work"
"group work" in business |
Clarification of Answer by
umiat-ga
on
23 Aug 2003 14:04 PDT
Hi again, colin!
There are some disadvantages to group work....not because the concept
and the need to learn to work together is faulty.....but because of
the tensions and frustrations which may arise.
It cannot be stressed enough that instruction in group learning is
very important! However, f a teacher or facilitator is not present to
teach the important skills necessary for groups of individuals to work
effectively together as a team, little will be accomplished and
frustration and chaos may be the result!
These challenges are highlighted in a further excerpt from
""Perceptions of final year business students of their group work
experiences," by Jane Burdett. Research Proposal. EdD Research
Studies: Semester 1, 2001
http://wwwed.sturt.flinders.edu.au/edweb/programs/eddprops/burdett.htm
Group work challenges
"Imel (1996) explains that the group work environment is fraught with
problems and challenges the view that effective group skills are
learned by simply giving students more opportunities to work in
groups. Tensions can arise due to concerns about assessment of group
tasks (Gatfield, 1999), competition for high grades (Imel, 1996), and
coping with the complexities of group dynamics."
"The University's own research suggests that students do encounter
frustration with aspects of group work. One Accounting and IS School
student commented:
"I acknowledge the reasons for including group work as a component of
a University course, however due to the nature of groups, it usually
falls to one or two individuals to do the bulk of the work. As a
student motivated to achieve the best results I am capable, I find it
frustrating that not only do other students get a 'free ride' so to
speak, but that through being forced to work in groups, the task
becomes more difficult than it would have if done alone." (University
of South Australia, 2000c)
===
(Furthermore, in order for group learning to be effective, students
must be taught how to be part of a group, rather than just left to
themselves.)
===
"Homan and Poel (1999, p1) express a similar view that 'group work has
been demonstrated to be far less effective than it should be in many
cases' and that students must be taught how to be an effective group
member."
"Homan and Poel (1999) claim that lack of group work effectiveness is
due, amongst other things, to students' insufficient knowledge about
how to work effectively in groups. Mutch (1998) observes that the
forming, storming and performing skills are usually learned through
extra curricula activities rather than in a structured, clearly
defined way as an integral component of course content."
Difficult group dynamics
========================
"Working collaboratively means making significant changes to
conventional learning styles as learners come to grips with the
dynamics of group work. Bosworth and Hamilton (1994, p 43) also point
out that this is not an easy task:
‘Collaborative learning requires students to participate actively and
perform cognitive and social tasks that are new and often difficult.
It is not surprising that students do not always greet this experience
with unalloyed enthusiasm’.
Miller, Trimbur and Wilkes (1994, p 33) also acknowledge the
difficulties in achieving success in collaborative learning:
"Group work invariably produces tensions that are normally absent,
unnoticed or suppressed in traditional classes. Students bring with
them a variety of personality types, cognitive styles and expectations
about their own role in the classroom and their relationship with the
teacher, peers, and the subject matter of the course. As a result
students may well experience confusion and even anxiety about the work
in a collaborative classroom and about how they will be evaluated.’
"Mutch (1998) also claims that students experience tension as they
work in groups and this is often replicated in the workforce."
"Tensions can arise from the elements of group behaviour which takes
individuals through the processes of 'norming, storming and
performing'. During these stages, Mutch (1998) adds, people try to
establish their persona within a group by making claims about who they
are and what they do. Storming is the process of acting in a way that
is consistent with the persona created after which the group moves to
the final stage of performing. Groups need to have time, skill and
motivation to work through these stages, to build trust and emerge as
an effective group."
=========
I hope this further information is helpful!
umiat-ga
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