Discussion:
Practice Being a Manager
Work Dynamics Effective organization is vital to the accomplishment of company objectives. Two critical aspects of effective organization are departmentalization and the design of jobs. In this role-play exercise you will have the opportunity to experience some of the work dynamics surrounding the grouping of workers and the design of jobs.
Step 1: Form work groups. Your professor will form groups and give you a role assignment.
Step 2: Review your role. Read your role assignment carefully, and prepare to begin working per your role assignment.
Step 3 (10-20 minutes): Begin acting. When your professor directs you to begin, you should start working as assigned by your role.
Step 4: Compile your results. Total your results by work group, and compare across the teams.
Step 5: Debrief as a class. Discuss the results as a class. What factors seemed to play a role in the efficiency and effectiveness of the work groups? What role did organization and job design play? If this were an actual organizational work group, what might you do to improve performance and worker satisfaction?