0-1; As Exhibit 13-3 showed, the impact that group processes have on group performance and member satisfaction is moderated by the task the group is doing. More specifically, it's the complexity and interdependence of tasks that inuence a group's effectiveness.776 Tasks can be characterized as either simple or complex. Simple tasks are routine and standardized. Complex tasks tend to be novel or nonroutine. Evidence indicates that the more complex the task, the more a group benefits from group discussion about alternative work methods. For instance, advertising agencies such as WPP Plc, a well-known agency that is responsible for branding Snickers candy bars and Kleenex, assign teams to create a brand identity for a client's products or services. Group members don't need to discuss such alternatives for a simple task, but can rely on standard operating procedures. Additionally, a high degree of interdependence among the tasks that group members must perform means they'll need to interact more. Thus, effective communication and controlled conict are most relevant to group performance when tasks are complex and interdependent. Turning Groups into Effective Teams i8.3 Define teams and best practices influencing team performance When companies like W.L. Gore, Volvo, and Kraft Foods introduced teams into their production processes in the 19705, it made news because no one else was doing it. Today, it's just the oppositethe organization that doesn't use teams would be newsworthy. Without a doubt, team-based work is a core feature of today's organizations. And teams are likely to continue to be popular. Why? Research suggests that teams typically outperform individuals when the tasks being done require multiple skills, judgment, and experience.777 Organizations are using team-based structures because they've found that teams are more flexible and responsive to changing events than traditional departments or other permanent work groups. Teams have the ability to quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and disband. In this section, we'll discuss what a work team is, the different types of teams organizations might use, and how to develop and manage work teams. The Difference Between Groups and Teams Most of you are probably familiar with teams, especially if you've watched or participated in organized sports events. Work teams differ from work groups and have their own unique traits (see Exhibit 13-8). Work groups interact primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each member do his or her job more efficiently and effectively. There's no need or opportunity for work groups to engage in collective work that requires joint effort. On the other hand, work teams are groups Whose members work intensely on a specific, common goal using their positive synergy, individual and mutual accountability, and complementary skills. Making Delivery Drones a Reality at Alphabet When Xthe division of Google's parent company Alphabetlaunched a team to work on delivery drones, they could have recruited members with some attention-grabbing words: How would like to work on a team where you'll be sending burritos into the sky? They didn't have to resort to a sales pitch like that, though, since being a part of this team was interesting for other reasons. It was a team that was given the freedom to work on a creative project separate from the rest of the company while using cutting-edge technology and plentiful resources. And they didn't have to show profitability right away.791 351 This team, called Project Wing, consisted of a combination of researchers, business strategy experts, engineers, and developers. An early goal for the team was to deliver defibrillator kits to heart attack victims. For the first year of the team's work, members worked on a design for a delivery drone. They didn't want the drones to have to land on the ground and then have to use a lot of power to get back into the air, so they tried to figure out a way to deliver packages while the drones hovered in the air. It turns out this was no easy task. They had thought that packages could be lowered to the ground by a cord that would unspool from the drone while it It turns out this was no easy task. They had thought that packages could be lowered to the ground by a cord that would unspool from the drone while it hovered. The problem was that every package seemed to need its own system. They tried numerous other designs that didn't work until finally they came up with a system involving hooks. Another challenge for Project Wing was air traffic management. The team initially worked on building each drone its own path in the sky from its launch to its destination. Sounds good if only Project Wing drones were in the sky, but what about airplanes? Members of Project Wing had to work closely with regulators as well as competitors to avoid crashes with other \"ying objects.\" This kind of relationship building was not something in which project employees had experience?92 For the first test launches, bottled water and batteries were delivered to farmers in Australia. By Fall 2017, drones were making deliveries to homes in rural Australia where people otherwise had to drive long distances to buy groceries. Using an app, customers could order products from a pharmacy company, or they could order burritos from a restaurant called Guzman y Gomez. In 2018, Project Wing drones were working on deliveries in more densely populated For the first test launches, bottled water and batteries were delivered to farmers in Australia. By Fall 2017, drones were making deliveries to homes in rural Australia where people otherwise had to drive long distances to buy groceries. Using an app, customers could order products from a pharmacy company, or they could order burritos from a restaurant called Guzman y Gomez. In 2018, Project Wing drones were working on deliveries in more densely populated areas. The project team reached a milestone in July 2018. They \"graduated\" from being a team within X to being an independent business owned by Alphabet. 793 Discussion Questions 13-11. Which of the team types apply to the Project Wing team? 13-12. How might different group development stages apply to this team? In your answer, note how making changes to the drone design might have impacted the stages of group development. 13-13. What kinds of conict do you think might have occurred at different points described in the case? Why or why not were these kinds of conflict effective for the team? 13-14. How did the \"external conditions imposed on the group\" (see Exhibit 13-3) help or hinder Project Wing