Are Student Groups Dysfunctional?

Abstract

In today’s business world, the ability to work efficiently and effectively in a team is mandatory to a business student’s success. Many employers rank “ability to work with a group” as one of the most important attributes for hiring business school graduates. Although an abundance of research has investigated group processes and dynamics during student group projects, no studies to date have specifically examined how instructors perceive the way in which students operate within their groups. The primary goal of this research is to address how student views regarding group work compare to those of their instructors. The results indicate that there are significant gaps between students’ opinions of their team experiences and the perceptions of the faculty who assign the group activities. The findings have implications for the use of team projects and the attitudes and behaviors instructors have regarding the efficacy of student groups.