Group Model Building or Organization Theory and Design

Group Model Building: Facilitating Team Learning Using System Dynamics

Author: Jac A Vennix

This book is about increasing team performance. It focuses on building system dynamics models when tackling a mix of interrelated strategic problems to enhance team learning, foster consensus, and create commitment. The book is intended to be applied in the organizations of today. As the "command and control" organization evolves into one of decision-making teams, so these teams have become the critical building blocks upon which the performance of the organization depends. The team members face an increased complexity of decision making with the interrelation of several strategic problems. What this means is that people have different views of the situation and will define problems differently. However, research shows that this can in fact be very productive if and when people learn from each other in order to build a shared perspective. Learning in this way might prove to be the only sustainable competitive advantage for organizations in the future. As a result, team leaders want to create "learning teams" and are confronted with issues such as how to:

• create a situation where people doubt their ideas rather than stubbornly cling to dearly held views
• create a learning atmosphere rather than trying to "win" the discussion
• create a shared understanding of a problem in a team
• foster consensus and create commitment with a strategic decision
• facilitate Group Model Building

Those who will benefit most from Group Model Building: Facilitating Team Learning Using System Dynamics are those who are familiar with systems thinking or organizational learning, or those who are working in groups and are coming up against the commondifficulties.

Table of Contents:

Individual and Organizational Problem Construction.

System Dynamics: Problem Identification and System Conceptualization.

System Dynamics: Model Formulation and Analysis.

Designing Group Model-Building Projects.

Facilitating Group Model-Building Sessions.

Group Model-Building in Action: Qualitative System Dynamics.

Group Model-Building in Action: Quantitative System Dynamics.

Analysis of the Housing Association Model.

Summary and Reflections.

Appendices.

References.

Index.

See also: Strategic Management and Cases to Accompany Strategic Management or Electronic Commerce

Organization Theory and Design

Author: Richard L Daft

Richard Daft's best-selling text, Organization Theory and Design, integrates the most recent thinking about organizations, classic ideas and theories, and real world practice, in a way that is interesting and enjoyable for learners. This edition includes many updates including a new chapter on international issues and revisions of other chapters to include the most recent ideas and events. While organization studies and real world examples are insightful for understanding organizations and solve real-world problems, Daft also integrates numerous features that give learners opportunity to apply concepts and develop skills and insights.