Module 2 – Case
Managing Groups and Teams
Assignment Overview
Group Dynamics and Teams
We will continue our experiential approach to the study of Organizational Behavior by engaging in a
personal applied case on the topic of group dynamics and teams. As in module 1, use the following
outline to structure your 4-6 page paper. You may use the subtitles as headings for your paper.
Introduction: Discuss the topic of the paper and how you will approach it. It is best to write this section
after you have written the rest of the paper.
Concrete Experience: Begin with a specific situation/event. Describe an experience with a group or team
that was meaningful to you. It may have been an extraordinarily good experience – or it may have been
an experience that did not work out very well at all! The important point is that it should be an experience
which you would like to understand better. Be objective and focus on just the facts: who, what, where,
when, and how – as if you were composing a newspaper article.
Reflective Observation: Reflect upon that experience from multiple perspectives of persons involved or
affected in the experience. Step back from the situation, look at the experience from your own viewpoint,
and from the perspective of all other parties involved or affected. You want to look at the circumstances
surrounding the experience from every relevant point of view. Why did you behave the way that you did?
Why did others behave the way that they did? Did others have the same positive (or negative) experience?
Explain. (Note: your discussion of theories and models from your module materials belongs in the
following section.)
Abstract Conceptualization: Use critical thinking skills in order to understand and interpret the
experience at a deeper, more generalizable level. Interpret and understand the events you have described
by drawing on the concepts, theories, and models in the background material from this module. Explain
how they apply to your experience. For example, what behavior patterns can you identify in yourself and
others that are similar to the ones described in the material on communication, teams, and conflict
management? Does the model of Force Field Analysis (home page) help you better understand why
people behaved the way they did? Be sure to apply at least three concepts, theories, and/or models and
cite all references to concepts, ideas, and/or quotes that you use from any outside source.
[This Abstract Conceptualization section is the “heart” of your paper. Using critical thinking skills,
provide a clear, specific discussion on the logic, theories, and models and how they apply to your
experience.]
Active Experimentation: Identify ways to respond to the next occurrence of a similar experience. What
have you learned about the way groups work from this analysis? What have you learned from your
mistakes? How are you going to put what you have learned to use? What actions will you take to build
more effective work teams in your job?
Conclusion: Sum up the main points of your analysis and the key learning you are taking from it.
Reference List: List all references that you have cited in the paper using APA formatting. References
include materials from the required background readings as well as any outside internet or library sources
you used in researching and writing your paper. If you have APA questions, refer to the optional listings
on the background page. Assignment Expectations
Your paper will be evaluated using the criteria as stated in the Case rubric. The following is a review of
the rubric criteria:
• Assignment-Driven: Does the paper fully address all aspects of the assignment? Is the assignment
addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does the paper meet minimum length
requirements?
• Critical Thinking: Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information
derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated and
synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper address the topic
with sufficient depth of discussion and analysis?
• Business Writing: Is the essay logical, well organized and well written? Are the grammar,
spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included? Are
paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding, or is
justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations?
• Effective Use of Information: Does the submission demonstrate that the student has read,
understood and can apply the background materials for the module? If required, has the student
demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality (library?)
sources? Do additional sources used provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they
help in shaping the overall paper?
• Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of referencing, by
inclusion of proper citations (for paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all
sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and outside
research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all sources cited in the paper been
included on the References page?
• Timeliness: Has the assignment been submitted to TLC (Trident’s learning management system)
on or before the module’s due date?
