Much of a group's development is part of the natural, interpersonal dynamics that exist when people are working together. Stages in the developmental cycle of groups are identified: polite, why we're here, bid for power, constructive, and esprit de corps. (MLW)

Identifies six major factors that exerted influence on the decision-making process that led to the launch of the space shuttle, Challenger, on January 28, 1986. Concludes that decision to launch Challenger resulted from complex interplay among a number of cognitive, psychological, and social forces constituting the decision environment. (Author/NB)

Business undergraduates wrote unfavorable and persuasive letters either individually (121 controls) or in groups of 4 (92 experimentals). Analysis of variance tests revealed the group writing projects to be of higher quality, significantly for unfavorable letters. Both controls and experimentals wrote better persuasive letters than unfavorable…

Groups can be an effective career counseling method if three important principles are followed: (1) group purpose must be clarified and understood by all members; (2) purpose must dictate structure and function; and (3) the leader must ensure the purpose is accomplished and facilitate group survival and success. (SK)

Argues that member interaction provides a contextual frame through which intersubjective interpretations of media texts emerge. Details the interactional resources that facilitate the reflexive co-accomplishment of context and text by one specific interpretive community. Provides an empirical answer to exactly how one interpretive community frames…

A group process model for team building was tested using a management simulation game with 144 business students. Compared to controls, participants who experienced the team-building process reported significantly higher satisfaction, trust, openness, and social support. (SK)

Finds that, although communicating across organizational boundaries is necessary and beneficial, such communication can result in a struggle for territory. Discusses various social and rhetorical strategies to ease these interactions, enabling professionals to protect the interest of their partners, establish priorities, take a proactive role,…

Studies the activities teams use to manage their organizational environment beyond their teams, using semistructured interviews with 38 new-product team managers in high technology companies. Teams engage in vertical communications aimed at molding top management's views, horizontal communications aimed at coordinating work and obtaining feedback,…

Explored women's experiences of group process in career planning interventions and relationship of those experiences to vocational maturity. Results from 99 career-undecided women revealed that female clients, similar to other counseling clients, highly valued both cognitive and affective components of group process in career counseling groups.…

Traces the history and influence of study circles, describes the opportunities for personal growth provided by this format and the learning behaviors exhibited by participants, and examines how study circles are conducted and how their techniques engage participants. (JOW)

Proposes a synthesis based on persuasive argument theories but including a revised social comparison component to account for group polarization. Indicates that group members first lean toward risk or caution based on the proportion of arguments on "both sides" but henceforth argue for the "correct side" using their…

Presents tips for effective meetings in the following categories: premeeting preparation, group process, presenting views with impact, accentuating the positive, dealing with politics, and bringing closure. (SK)

Seeks empirical data on whether communication is an essential element of effective decision making and whether the variance in group decision making is best accounted for by noninteraction or interaction sources. Shows that group communication is related to group performance independent of the influence of noncommunication factors like group…

Results of a questionnaire sent to human resource personnel (n=76) suggest that much of the interpersonal communication that occurs in business will be in the form of informal small group settings and that business educators should emphasize the communication processes that occur in those settings and provide a variety of experiential exercises…

Examines the structure of participants' conceptions of ideal group discussion procedures. Finds that about one-half of the participants favor a "reach-testing" procedure, one-fifth a linear procedure, one-fifth a procedure beginning with reach-testing and ending with a linear stage, and one-tenth beginning with a linear stage and ending with…