General Electric Co$.$ is rapidly rolling out real time collaboration tools to all $340000$ employees in a programme

executives say will change the way the conglomerate works internally and interacts with customers and suppliers. The

programme is designed to improve information$-$sharing and tear down geographic and cultural barriers for a company

whose businesses range from plastics and light bulbs to broadcasting and financial services. GE is rolling out web

applications that will ultimately reach all worldwide employees across $12$ divisions and be extended to thousands of

suppliers and business customers.

Team$-$building $$ At the heart of its collaboration project, GE is:

$-$ rolling out Lotus collaborative applications to all $340000$ employees worldwide

$-$ Adding real$-$time communication, information sharing and conferencing using Sametime

$-$ Using QuickPlace as a Web forum for groups and project teams

$-$ Sharing internal processes with suppliers and customers

$2\mathrm{.}1$ General Electric intends to encourage collaborative work processes, based on the excerpt. Describe the type of

team being suggested and explain the ways in which teams can contribute to GE$$s organisational performance.

$(20$ marks$)$

$2\mathrm{.}2$ Describe how group development and norms are likely to be established given the team building project that

General Electric is embarking on$.(10$ marks$)$

$2\mathrm{.}3$ Discuss the types of communication networks and motivate which would be best suited for General Electric$$s

collaboration project. $(5$ marks$)$