Compatibility and Task Group Performance

Abstract

The study examines whether Schutz's aggregate index for measuring compatibility is useful for the formation of work teams, and whether compatibility is more relevant to socioemotional aspects of a group rather than task achievement aspects. Nine subcompatibilities for each subject were determined using the FIRO-B survey. Subcompatibilities were subsequently correlated to dependent measures of team member effectiveness, competence, and friendliness. Results indicate that Schutz's aggregate compatibility index conceals the different degree and kind of relationship between subcompatibilities and the dependent variables. Additionally, relationships between subcompatibilities and socio-emotional dependent measures were more often significant than relationships with task achievement measures but the effect was not pronounced. Consequently there appears to be little utility in seriously examining compatibility when forming a work group. Further theorizing is done concerning the underlying static nature of Schutz's theory and an alternative dynamic model is proposed.