Cohesion, Productivity Norms and Effectiveness of Small Production Groups and Informal Subgroups

Abstract

The relationship of cohesion and productivity norms (including their combination with each other) to perceived subject-activity effectiveness (fulfillment of the plan and current tasks, success of activity in difficult conditions) and socio-psychological effectiveness (group/subgroup satisfaction, psychological comfort in the group/subgroup) of small production groups and informal subgroups has been studied. The study was conducted among 39 production groups (N=349 employees) in different occupational areas, most of which were dominated by joint-individual forms of organization. All of the surveyed groups were found to have stable informal subgroups, the number of which varied from one to three. Cohesion within groups and subgroups was positively and significantly more strongly related to socio-psychological effectiveness than to subject-activity effectiveness. This relationship is stronger in groups compared to subgroups. The subgroups’ norm of productivity has a significant positive correlation with their fulfillment of the plan and current tasks. No significant correlation was found between the groups’ productivity norm and any indicator of their subject-activity effectiveness. The norm of productivity and cohesion creates a positive interactive effect regarding the success of the groups in difficult conditions and the subgroups’ fulfillment of plan and current tasks. The findings extend the understanding of the direct and mediated links between cohesion and productivity norms and the two types of effectiveness of small production groups and the informal subgroups formed in them.