$3\mathrm{.}3\mathrm{.}1$ Formal Groups and Teams

Formal groups are formed by the organisation to assist in the achievement of its goals $($Kreitner and Kinicki, $2001).$ Formal groups and teams include:

Command Groups: which are also known as departments or units. A command group consists of subordinates who report to the same supervisor and collectively achieve the objective of the department within which they work $($Jones et al$.,2001).$

Problem$-$Solving Teams: involve groups of $5$ to $12$ members from the same department who meet usually on a weekly basis to discuss issues such as the improvement of productivity, efficiency, quality and the work environment $($Robbins$,2001).$ While this team comes up with solutions to problems, it does not have the authority to implement such solutions. An example of a problem$-$solving team is the quality circle.

Self$-$Managed Work Teams: are groups of between $10$ and $15$ members who perform closely related tasks and therefore need to work interdependently. The team is autonomous and also takes on many of the responsibilities of its former supervisor $($Robbins$,2001).$ Research has shown that self$-$managed work teams are:

$$ Positively impact on productivity;

$$ Positively impact on specific attitudes regarding self$-$management, such as responsibility and control;

$$ Do not significantly impact on general attitudes, such as job satisfaction and organisational commitment; and

$$ Do not significantly impact on turnover and absenteeism $($Kreitner and Kinicki, $2001).$

Cross$-$Functional Teams: involve employees from various organisational levels and departments who form a team in order to achieve a specific objective. Cross$-$functional teams may also take the form of a committee or task force, which is basically a temporary cross$-$functional team $($Robbins$,2001).$ Cross$-$functional teams are effective in bringing together diverse resources within the organisation to solve problems and coordinate complex projects.

Virtual Teams: This involves a group of people who are physically dispersed and who utilise information technology, such as video conferencing, email and wide area networks, to work together and achieve a common objective $($Robbins $2001).$ The advantages of virtual teams are that they are flexible and efficient as they are driven by skills and information and not by time and place. The disadvantages of a virtual team include the lack of face$-$to$-$face communication which can negatively affect trust, communication and accountability $($Kreitner and Kinicki, $2001).$