Seeing Organizational Transformation in Practice - Essay Example

? Organisational Transformation in Practice Module BB315O15S REFLECTIVE REPORT SID: 0814158 As I complete the final year of my three year business management course at Anglia Ruskin University, it's a good time to reflect on the skills and lessons learnt, the challenges faced, and how these may shape my career and my life going forward. As Gibbs once said; ‘It is not sufficient simply to have an experience in order to learn. Without reflecting upon this experience it may quickly be forgotten, or its learning potential lost. It is from the feelings and thoughts emerging from this reflection that generalisations or concepts can be generated. And it is generalisations that allow new situations to be tackled effectively.’(Gibbs 1988) The following essay presents a reflection of my experiences in a group assignment undertook as part of a Cross Cultural Issues module. On reflection I realise that, during the project, our group went through Tuckman’s (1965) four stages of group development. namely Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. During the formation process, several issues arose which resulted in lack of critical analysis on the research, and unsystematic decision making within the group. In this report I am going use Gibbs’ (1988) model of reflection in order to look at the issues and to find solutions to overcome the problems in future. This evaluation is the first step in ascertaining how my beliefs and assumptions as well as my background and experiences may impact on my future organisational functioning as I search for a career in management. I will use cognitive complexity (Bieri 1955) by utilising a wide variety of theories of practice to support my reflection. Figure Gibbs reflective model 1 Contents Page 1 Abstract.....................................................................................................2 2 Contents page...........................................................................................3 3 Introduction...............................................................................................4 4 Problem & context....................................................................................4 5 Self-awareness..........................................................................................5 6 Evaluation..................................................................................................6 7 Analysis......................................................................................................9 8 Conclusion................................................................................................10 9 Action plan................................................................................................11 10 Appendix...................................................................................................13 11 Bibliography.............................................................................................14 12 Reference list...........................................................................................17 1 Introduction Diversity in the workplace has taken on new importance (Thomas 2004) as changing economic circumstances prompt many companies to downsize and restructure themselves into flatter, more decentralized entities. The result is that today's corporations are built around groups that must find answers to novel and complicated business issues. These teams bring together diverse groups of people who incorporate a variety of backgrounds, ideas, and personalities. A reflection on my study would provide important bearing for me in preparation for workplace dynamics. 1 Problem & context As part of the Cross Cultural issues module, we had to prepare a group presentation based on a critical analysis of the cross cultural issues a UK based firm would encounter establishing an Indian subsidiary. My diverse group of six comprised of three females: one British (X), one Polish (Y) and one Brazilian (Z). and three males: two British (J and A) and one Zimbabwean (M), myself. Cultural distance was statistically visible as described by Hofstede’s (2001) cultural dimensions (Appendix 1). Based on the social identity theory (Kelly 2009) it is clear to me now that everyone was trying to fit into the team with each member of the group in accordance to their preference and cultural proximity. The problem we had was that we all had different interpretations of what the module required of us; we could not move on without a consensus or clarification of the issue. It is clear to me now that this was a typical “storming” stage of our group’s development, characterised by differences of opinions which led to arguments and potential conflict and a dip in morale (Dimock and Kass 2007) Team members began to confront differences in their personalities and values. The Academy of Management Executive (2002) suggests that this condition is present any time strangers meet. The problem was not helped by the fact that our teacher went off sick and could not be contacted for assistance. It was clear to me then, that we had to reach an agreement and at least put something together as a group if we were to complete the exercise. On reflection I realise that, during the arguments, although I acted in a manner consistent with the interests of the group as a whole, my failure to consider others’ views did not make me a good leader. I have learnt that my pragmatic approach did not help, or set a good example to others. The approach was also time-consuming. This experience has made me realise the importance of demonstrating self awareness and empathy towards others when leading I have also learnt that it takes longer to achieve a result when there are several complex variables to consider and resolve.(Kelly 2000) . 1 Self awareness 1.1 My experience of change. My initial thoughts about the task were positive; at first I thought it was going to be simple and straight forward. I was very optimistic that we could finish it without difficulties as I had completed a similar task in my first year, which went well. I believed then that, as the last time, I could use my communication, motivation and critical skills to drive the team to produce a superb presentation. However the realisations of the “storming” stage made me feel frustrated, resentful and angry. I could not understand how the group could not see the importance of our working as a team. On reflections I realise that our team required management skills rather than leadership, however this is impossible were there is absence of prior agreed principles and values. I was faced with the prospect of change. As I reflect I realize that my behaviour was related to both personal characteristics and to the circumstances. (Lewin,1951). 1.1 My experience of leading and/ or following Our group did not have a designated leader, which made it difficult to come up with a consensus. I realise now that myself and James emerged as leaders and my leadership role was very influenced by John P. Kotter’s (1996) eight steps for transforming change. I first created a sense of urgency by making everyone realize that we had very little time to complete the exercise and besides that, it was in everyone’s individual interest to get it over and done with so we could focus on our individual assignments, thus bargaining (Conner, 1993). I then created and communicated a vision aimed at getting highest mark possible from the group work to make up for other modules I had a one-to-one discussion with James to persuade him to overcome his “negative capability”, thus enabling him to identify with the moods and concerns of the others. Based on Collins’ (2001) levels of leadership (appendix 2), I was a Level 4 Effective Leader who catalysed commitment and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulating the group to high performance standards. It is about HOW ‘leaders’ get things done that makes them leaders (Keith Grint, 2005). I managed to get the group to agree to working collectively on the project despite fundamentally different opinions as to what should be done. It could be argued (Bion,1961), that unconscious behavioural patterns drove individuals to comply. It was clear then, that J did not agree with the rest of the team’s interpretation of the question. So I took the initiative to meet with him and persuade him to review the problem and consider the consequences of us not completing the task as a group, thereby switching from change “avoidance” to change “acceptance” (Conner, 1993). James’ “transference behaviour” had a rationale. In order to ensure a work-life balance (Hill et al, 1998), in the end due to time restrictions and other commitments we agreed to work as a virtual team using emails to solve problems without concern for time or space. Although in the end our presentation was judged good, at the time I was not satisfied with the mark that we got. What frustrated me even more was the fact that my colleagues appeared to be pleased with the 60% mark. On reflection I am rather pleased with our achievement. The task required us to form a temporary problem solving team, which would facilitate periodic sharing of ideas and suggest improvements to work in progress. 6. Evaluation 1.1 6.1 What I feel went badly for me during the experience. It is apparent to me now that our group did not have a “shaper” (Belbin, 1981), who would have empowered tasks to the group members to promote critical thinking by using high commitment management (HCM) approach which emphasises the need to develop group commitment among team members (Heery and Noon, 2001). For that reason our presentation lacked critical analysis. While this lack of criticism avoided internal conflict (Robbins and Finley, 2000), this approach resulted in the final work lacking critical analysis. It is debatable that dividing the task into parts and assigning work to each other to work independently was the best way, however the strategy might have been different had the conflict been resolved sooner. In reflection, I realise that we could have still discussed the complete project critically, however members did not actively comment on each others’ work as less research had been done for every individual’s part. Reflection of this experience has made me gain knowledge that critical thinking is an essential cognitive tool that any contemplative wanting enlightenment in this modern business lifetime will have to develop. Unlike in my case arguing is not criticising, instead critical arguing should not mean disagreement or unpleasantness, it simply should be about presenting a strong case to support a point of view. I do not have to be an argumentative person to do this, good critical analysis means I should have used reasons and evidence to support my view stand points. I realised during the project that not having an identified leader was resulting in a lot of time-wasting as we deliberated on each other’s opinions without actually reaching decisions and moving on. At the time I could not tell how best to deal with it. In my opinion this problem can be best described as slow group development. Most of our time was spent in the “storming” stage.(Tuckman, Figure 1 below). Figure Stages of group development (Source: Journal of Applied Behavioural Science 1971) It is apparent to me now that, diversity of the group led to errors and assumptions embedded in perception thought, beliefs, and language which then undermined group cohesion and effectiveness. I now realise that each individual within a group has a role to play in the development of that group. To be a good leader who overcomes such problems, I need to develop the skills of observation, understanding of differences, awareness of personal resources and effective communication (Douglas, 1995). 1.1 6.2. What I feel went well for me during the experience. In my opinion, the most significant experience was that there were emergent leaders within the group throughout the “Forming and Storming” stages. In order to factor socio-cultural context of a leadership situation, during the “Norming and Performing” stages we moved away from the ‘individualistic’ focus on to a ‘shared’ or ‘distributed’ leadership approach (Gronn, 2002; Spillane, 2006). I now realise the value of focusing on individual core competencies in group settings (Bhatt, 2000), i.e. commitment and focus. “Distributed leadership is a non-hierarchical and is an inclusive leadership approach that fosters collaborative and ethical practice” (Hodgkinson, 1991) I realise that the reason the group was due to the application of shared leadership. As a result once we had split the task into individual responsibilities, we were able to take responsibility for different parts of the project. Having analysed the situation, I now realise that based on the progress achieved then, there does not have to be just one distinct leader for everyone to do their fair share of work towards a common goal. 1.1 6.3 What happened that contradicted your prior beliefs? Prior to this reflection, I did not believe that virtual meetings would be as effective as to face to face meetings. However from this experience I have learnt, that there are some people who may not be comfortable with face to face group discussions or meetings but may be encouraged to join a meeting because of the ability to do so in the comfort of their home, office, or from anywhere. This supports the notion that many of our goals can be achieved only with the cooperation and coordination of others (Johnson and Johnson, 1975). 1.1 6.4 What happened that confirmed your prior beliefs? The group experience has confirmed my prior beliefs that, as groups develop and change they pass through stages which may be conceptualised (Heap, 1977). Furthermore, many of the groups that a person is a member of can impact greatly on their lives – either positively or negatively, therefore it is encompassing an understanding of peers’ background will lead to a more productive team (Aston Business School, 2003) 1 7 Analysis 1.1 7.1 How the group functioned The best way to describe functionality of our group is through Tuckman’s group development 5 stages (Forming – Storming – Norming – Performing) echoed by (Klepper, 1997) in his description of the main stages organizations go through throughout their growth i.e. (Formative, rapid growth , maturity and declining Period). Although diversity hindered communication during the forming and storming stages, as I reflect I realise that interdependence of knowledge, skills and competencies across group led to innovative problem-solving and active learning during the norming and performing stages. I have also learnt that groups are a part of social life and I now realise that we were all connected to other different groups (Bennis and Shepherd, 1956), hence it was important to recognise each other’ background, values, beliefs and perceptions. Before my cross cultural module I had not really thought about all the different groups that exist as having a similar structure, and as going through similar processes, whether it be a group of professionals conferencing on a topic, a study group, a committee determining policy changes (Forsythe, 1990, 1998). 1.1 7.2 -What enabled or limited the groups’ effectiveness Although the final outcome was a success, I must draw attention to certain limitations that hindered effectiveness of our group. Having discussed with colleagues after the presentation, I realised that effectiveness of our group was hindered by an un-systematic decision making process. Despite that our group consisted of six members which is within an optimum size for a group (Bouchard and Hare, 1970), during decision making process, interruption was one of the major issues (Camacho and Paulus, 1995) especially from my part, speaking out my opinion in between, disturbed members who were talking thus creating a disrespectful atmosphere for the members and hindering the quality of decision making. From this experience I have learnt that I need to ensure that I give others a chance to express their views in group work or in meetings, this in turn will lead to a gratifying group experience (College Teaching, 2010). 1.1 What the experience suggest to you about my strengths. Before this reflection I have always thought of communication as my key strength, therefore it has been quite difficult for me to admit my meagreness in communication, from now on I agree with Rowe (1999), that I must identify my weaknesses as an initiative for becoming self-aware. Only with acceptance, I can begin to acknowledge other people’s uniqueness and build upon my strength. 7.3 What the experience suggest to me about my weaknesses and opportunities for development? This experience allowed me to work in a team setting in different role than I have ever experienced previously, and expanded my team-building and collaborative skills. Lastly, this group absolutely necessitated that work be better planned. Prioritizing and time management were essential, as was delegation of my less critical responsibilities in all areas of my life. In addition, the open nature of the classes taught me the value of my own experience, and sharing it with others. Just having an ability to trade text chats with my fellow classmates showed me how much we all have to learn from one another. 1.1 7.4 What happened that most surprised me What surprised me the most is what was pointed out by McCain (1996), and confirmed empirically by Bacon et al. (1998), that in self-selected groups, members tend to ally themselves with those they perceive to be close to their own ability level, thus augmenting the performance gap between strong and weaker members (De Vita, 1999). In reflection I realise that after the first stage of our group development, smaller groups formed which reflect this notion. For example, this experience led to the beginning of my closer friendship with Ashley, whom I felt was of similar ability. 1 8 Conclusion 1.1.1.1.1.1 8.1. What I might do differently as a result of my experience, and my reflections on it. During the period of working together as a team it taught me that, only by having a systematic critical thinking and moderate arguments between group members, the purpose of group formation can be achieved. As supported by Educational Psychology Review (2007), critical thinking promotes combination of opinion, knowledge, and ability of each member to achieve quality work by empowering the group members as a whole. From now on I will promote critical thinking by improving commitment among team members, and make them feel they are an integral part of the group. I have no doubt that although we had our fare share of group dynamics challenges, overall the group presentation went well and we managed to complete the task. I hope the experience has better prepared me as a leader, and that I will be able to use what I have learnt from it: to build on upon the successes and learn from the failures. Furthermore from the experience I have learnt that when Leading I can help the change process by changing followers or employees' attitude from avoidance into acceptance. This is often best accomplished by changing avoidance questions and statements into acceptance questions e.g. From “Why?” to “What new opportunities will this provide?” From “Who is doing this to us?” to “Who can help us?” 1 9 Action plan 1.1 9.1 What I will do to become more effective, and continuously develop, within a group workplace context. 1.2 In order to overcome critical analysis problems, from now on, faced with the same situation I will advocate adoption of Glaser’s facilitative leadership model to solve group problems (Linstead et al, 2004). In this model a group leader takes initiative to group all the members together during team formations and then continuously delegates power and tasks to group members after team members get-to-know each other. Ultimately, our group achieved a successful outcome, but to improve the process, we perhaps needed a delegated leader to help encourage cooperation when tasks were being shared out. In future group work, on the course and at work, I would probably suggest this. The experience has made me learn that Core values are the principles that guide one's actions in all aspects of one's life (Argyris and Schon, 1978), as a result of this learning, from now on I will endeavour to develop better understanding, empathy, and communication within groups, which will facilitate movement away from dependency and fear, toward greater emotional maturity, interdependence, and awareness. Moreover, to understand a group in more detail before problems occur I will use Belbin’s test and personality test (Appendix 3). By understanding group dynamics more during group formations, tasks can be effectively allocated according to members’ strengths while trying to support their weaknesses. Appendix 1.0 Hofstead’s cultural dimensions Power Distance Index (PDI) that is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations Individualism (IDV) on the one side versus its opposite, collectivism, that is the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups. On the individualist side we find societies in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after him/herself and his/her immediate family. On the collectivist side, we find societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, often extended families (with uncles, aunts and grandparents) which continue protecting them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. The word 'collectivism' in this sense has no political meaning: it refers to the group, not to the state. Again, the issue addressed by this dimension is an extremely fundamental one, regarding all societies in the world. Masculinity (MAS) versus its opposite, femininity, refers to the distribution of roles between the genders which is another fundamental issue for any society to which a range of solutions are found. The IBM studies revealed that (a) women's values differ less among societies than men's values; (b) men's values from one country to another contain a dimension from very assertive and competitive and maximally different from women's values on the one side, to modest and caring and similar to women's values on the other. The assertive pole has been called 'masculine' and the modest, caring pole 'feminine'. The women in feminine countries have the same modest, caring values as the men; in the masculine countries they are somewhat assertive and competitive, but not as much as the men, so that these countries show a gap between men's values and women's values. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) deals with a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; it ultimately refers to man's search for Truth. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. Unstructured situations are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual. Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to minimize the possibility of such situations by strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in absolute Truth; 'there can only be one Truth and we have it'. People in uncertainty avoiding countries are also more emotional, and motivated by inner nervous energy. The opposite type, uncertainty accepting cultures, are more tolerant of opinions different from what they are used to; they try to have as few rules as possible, and on the philosophical and religious level they are relativist and allow many currents to flow side by side. People within these cultures are more phlegmatic and contemplative, and not expected by their environment to express emotions. Long-Term Orientation (LTO) versus short-term orientation: this fifth dimension was found in a study among students in 23 countries around the world, using a questionnaire designed by Chinese scholars It can be said to deal with Virtue regardless of Truth. Values associated with Long Term Orientation are thrift and perseverance; values associated with Short Term Orientation are respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and protecting one's 'face'. Both the positively and the negatively rated values of this dimension are found in the teachings of Confucius, the most influential Chinese philosopher who lived around 500 B.C.; however, the dimension also applies to countries without a Confucian heritage. 1.1 Levels of Leadership Level 1 is a Highly Capable Individual who "makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills and good work habits." Level 2 is a Contributing Team Member who "contributes individual capabilities to the achievement of group objectives and works effectively with others in a group setting." Level 3 is the Competent Manager who "organizes people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives." Level 4 is an Effective Leader who "catalyses commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance standards." Level 5 is the Executive who "builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will." Every one of the good-to-great companies has level 5 leaders in the critical transition phase.  None of the comparison companies did.  These leaders are described as being timid and ferocious, shy and fearless and modest with a fierce, unwavering commitment to high standards. (Source:Collins 2001) 1.2 Organisations’ four main changes throughout their growth 1 Formative Period — This is when a new organization is just getting started. Although there is a founding vision (the purpose of the organization), there are no formal definitions. This is just as well because normally there are a lot of experimentation and innovation taking place. These changes of creativity and discovery are needed to overcome obstacles and accomplish breakthroughs. 2 Rapid Growth Period — Direction and coordination are added to the organization to sustain growth and solidify gains. Change is focused on defining the purpose of the organization and on the mainstream business. 3 Mature Period — The strong growth curve levels off to the overall pace of the economy. Changes are needed to maintain established markets and assuring maximum gains are achieved. 4 Declining Period — This is the rough ride. For many organizations it means down-sizing and reorganization. To survive, changes include tough objectives and compassionate implementation. The goal is to get out of the old and into something new. Success in this period means that the four periods start over again. Source: (Klepper, 1997): Bibliography Alderfer, C. (1969). An Empirical Test of a New Theory of Human Needs. Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance, vol. 4, pp. 142 - 175. Ballantyne, R. Packer, J., 1995. Making Connections: Using Student Journals as a Teaching/Learning Aid, HERDSA ACT. Barker, L. L. Cegala, D. J. Kibler, R. J. and Wahlers, K. J., 2006. Groups In Process New Jersey, USA: Prentice-Hall Bloom, B, 1964. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives : Handbook 1: Cognitive Domain. Longman. Bolden, R. 2006. Leadership Development in Context, Leadership South West Research Report, University of Exeter Bolden, R. Gosling, J. 2006. Leadership Competencies: time to change the tune? Leadership, 2(2), 147-163. Bolden, R. Kirk, P. 2005. Leadership in Africa: Meanings, impacts and identities, Studying Leadership Conference, Lancaster University, 12-13 December. Bouchard, T.J. Hare, M. 1970. Size, performance, and potential in brainstorming groups, Journal of Applied Psychology, 54 (4), pp. 51-55. Boud, D. Keogh, R. Walker, D. 1995. Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning, Kogan Page, London. Brookefield, S. D. 1995. On Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, Jossey Bass, San Francisco. Brown, A. 1994. Groupwork 3rd Edition Great Yarmouth: Ashgate Publishing Camacho, L.M. Paulus, P.B. 1995. The Role of Social Anxiousness in Group Brainstorming, Journal of Management, 23 (3) pp 691-710. Collins, J. 2001. Good-to-Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't, Random House, London Delbecq, A.L., Van de Van, A.H. and Gustafson, D.H. 1976. Group Techniques for Program Planning: A Guide to Nominal Group and Delphi Process, 55(3), pp 154 . Gersick, C. 1988. Time and transition in work teams: Toward a new model of group development, Academy of Management Journal, 31(1). Pp. 9-41. Hatton,N. Smith,D,. 1995. Reflection in teacher Education. Teaching and Teacher Education. 11 (3), p.33 – 49 Kelly, P. 2008. Achieving Desirable Group-work Outcomes Through the Group Allocation Process, Team Performance Management, 14(?). pp.22-38 Kelly, P., 2009. International Business and Management, Cengage Learning, United Kingdom Kolb, D. 1984. Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, Prentice Hall, New Jersey Moon, J, 1999. Learning Journals: A handbook for academics, students and professional development. Kogan Page.London Schon, D. 1987. Educating the Reflective Practitioner; Jossey Bass, San Francisco. Wallace, M. and Wray, A., 2006, ‘Critical reading and writing for postgraduates’, Sage, UK. White, R.E., 1995, Building your team, Koganpage, UK. References: Academy of Management Executive, The: http://www.jstor.org/pss/4165869 Argyris,C., and Schon, D. (1978) Organisational learning: A theory of action perspective. Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley. Bennis, W. G., & Shepard, H. A. (1956). A theory of group development. Human Relations, 9, pp415-437 Belbin, M. (1981), Management Teams. London; Heinemann. I Bhatt, G.D., 2000. Organizing knowledge in the knowledge development cycle, Journal of Knowledge Management 4 (1). pp.15 - 26 Bieri, J. (1955) Cognitive complexity-simplicity and predictive behavior. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 51, 263-268 Bion, W.R. (1961) Experiences in Groups. London, Tavistock Conner, Daryl R. 1993. Managing At the Speed of Change. How Managers Succeed and Prosper Where Others Fail. New York: Villard Books. Dimock, Hedley G. and Kass, Raye, 2007. How to Observe Your Group. 4th ed. Canada: Captus press Douglas, T. 1995. Survival In Groups: The Basics of Group Membership Buckingham: Open University Press Grint,.Prof Keith2005 The Sociology of Work. Cambridge: Polity Press.. Gronn, P. (2002), Distributed Leadership, in K. Leithwood, P. Hallinger, K. Seashore Louis, G. Furman Brown, P. Gronn, W. Mulford and KR iley (eds). Second International Handbook of Educational Leadership and Administration, Dordrecht: Kluwer Heery, E. and Noon, M. 2001. Human resource management”, Oxford University Press, United Kingdom. Hill, E.J. Miller, B.C. Weiner, S.P. Colihan, J., 2006. Influences of the virtual office on aspects of work and work/life balance. Journal of Personnel Psychology. 51 (3), pp. 667-683. Hodgkinson, C. (1991) Educational leadership: The moral art. Albany N.Y.State University of New York Press Hofstede, G. 2001. Culture’s consequences. 2nd ed. Sage, USA Jarzabkowski, P. Searle, R. 2003. Top management team strategic capacity: diversity, collectivity & trust. Birmingham: Aston Business School. Johnson, D.W. Johnson, R.T. and Smith, K., The State of Cooperative Learning in Postsecondary and Professional Settings. Educational Psychology Review [Online]. 19 (1), pp.15-29. Available at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/84qr667t6401515x/ [Accessed on 25 March 2011 Kelly, P., 2009, International Business and Management, 1st ed. United Kingdom: Cengage Learning, Klepper, S. 1997. Industry life cycles. Industrial and Corporate Change, 6 (1), pp.145-182. Kotter, John P. (1996) Leading Change. Harvard Business Press Lewin, K. (1951) Field Theory in Social Science, New York: Harper & Row Linstead, Stephen; Fulop, Liz; Lilley, Simon; (2004) Management and organization : a critical text. New York : Palgrave Macmillan, Robbins, H. Finley, M. 2000. Why teams don’t work, Texere, United Kingdom Spillane, J.P. (2006).Distributed Leadership. Jossey-Bass. Thomas, D.A., 2004. Diversity as Strategy. Boston: Harvard Business School. Tuckman, B.W., 1965. Developmental sequence in small groups, Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), pp 384-399 Read More