Group Processes in Organizations

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 6
• Convenor and tutor: Dr Caroline Kamau-Mitchell
• Assessment: coursework of 3000 words (100%)

In this module you will learn about the psychology of groups through the study of advanced theoretical perspectives on social cognition, group socialisation, group decision-making, group performance and the impact of leaders on group productivity. You will develop evidence-based critical thinking through systematic review skills and critical evaluation of meta-analyses about group processes.

Indicative syllabus

• Social cognition in groups (social identity theory, self-categorisation theory)
• Implications of social cognitive theories for practice (organisational commitment, staff turnover and work engagement)
• Cognitive foundations of group formation, initiation and socialisation
• Implications of theories and evidence for employee induction and on-boarding programmes
• Causes, symptoms and solutions to poor group performance
• Causes, symptoms and solutions to poor decision-making
• Perspectives about leadership and the impact of leaders on group productivity (performance and decision-making)
• Advanced critical evaluation skills and learning how to translate theory into practice using critical analysis
• Evidence-based practice and synthesis skills using systematic review skills and the PRISMA protocol to evaluate evidence
• Understanding and critically evaluating meta-analyses about group processes

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• understand key theoretical perspectives about social cognition in groups, e.g. social identity theory, self-categorisation theory, and implications for employees’ commitment to organisation, staff turnover and work engagement
• understand key theories about group socialisation, initiations and the implications for employee inductions or on-boarding programmes
• understand key theories about group performance, including the causes, symptoms and solutions to poor group performance
• understand key theories about group decision-making, including the causes, symptoms and solutions to poor decision-making
• understand key theories about leadership and the impact of leaders on group productivity (performance and decision-making)
• understand key experiments, randomised-controlled trials and complex studies about the causes, symptoms and solutions to work team problems
• critically evaluate the above theoretical perspectives, and the implications for group processes in organisations
• engage in evidence-based practice and synthesis using systematic review skills and the PRISMA protocol to evaluate complex studies about group processes
• understand and critically evaluate meta-analyses about group processes
• apply theories to practice.