Group Definition: In the setting of an organisation, a group is the collection of people who are located, grouped or gathered together, either by classification or in a more general sense. People are often put in groups, such as a department, or groups are created by the same culture or objectives within an organisation.
Team Definition: A team in an organisation is defined to be more competitive than a group, with the intention of this grouping of people to be able to achieve a common goal, reach the same objectives.
Below are the slightly expanded definitions which have been created by scholars in the field of Organisational Behaviour.
What is a Group?
A group is a number of people who;
- interact with each other;
- are psychologically aware of each other;
- perceive themselves aware of each other;
- or perceive themselves to be a group.
Schein’s (1980)
What is a Team?
A team is a group of people, each of whom possesses particular expertise; each of whom is responsible for making individual decisions; who together hold a common purpose; who meet together to communicate, collaborate and consolidate knowledge, from which plans are made, actions determined and future decisions influenced.
Brill’s (1976)
Key Learning Points?
- What is the Definition of a Group?
- What is the Definition of a Team?
- Why should groups and teams be used within organisations?
Image from Flickr by woodleywonderworks
