This article presents a practical exercise that demonstrates the complexity and richness of intra- and intergroup relations to students. In this exercise, students are divided into teams to solve a puzzle for which they lack full information. The teams are dependent on each other for information to complete their puzzles and are challenged with varying restrictions in interteam communications as they seek necessary information. Variations on the exercise and materials to run the exercise successfully are also presented.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Galbraith, J. W.
(1973). Designing complex organizations. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
2.
Garcia, J. E.
, & Lovelace, K. (1992, June). "REALTIME": An inter-group problem solving exercise. Paper presented at the Organizational Behavior Teaching Conference, Calgary, Alberta.
3.
Gersick, C.J.G.
(1988). Time and transition in work teams: Toward a new model of group development. Academy of Management Journal, 31, 9-41.
4.
Kolb, D.
(1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
5.
Lawrence, P. R.
, & Lorsch, J. W. (1969). Organization and environment. Homewood, IL: Irwin.
6.
Shedlin, A.
, & Schmidt, W. (1974). Hollow squares: A communication experiment. In J. W. Pfeiffer & J. Jones (Eds.), A handbook of structure experiences for human relations training (Vol. 2, pp. 32-40). La Jolla, CA: University Associates.
7.
Szilagyi, A. D., Jr.
, & Wallace, M. J., Jr. (1990). Organizational behavior and performance (5th ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman/Little, Brown Higher Education.
8.
Thomas, K. W.
(1977). Toward multidimensional values in teaching: The example of conflict behaviors. Academy of Management Review, 2, 472-489.
9.
Tuckman, B. W.
(1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384-399.
