On January 28, 1986, NASA launched the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded 73 seconds after liftoff and killed all seven crew members. The night before, space shuttle engineers met with NASA executives and expressed concern about the forecast for freezing temperatures, which might affect the functionality of a part called the O-Ring. Executives urged the engineers to reconsider and proceed with the scheduled launch, which was to be televised. As a result, the engineers made a unanimous decision to proceed with the launch. Why did the engineers make this decision, despite knowing that the O-Ring could malfunction in freezing temperatures? The answer is a phenomenon called Groupthink, which occurs when the pressure or desire for conformity discourages dissenting opinions and overrides rational decision-making. In this case, NASA executives pressured the engineers to make the decision to proceed with the launch.

Groupthink is one of the many concepts of group dynamics that explain the erosion of team effectiveness. In this Discussion, you will consider concepts, theories, and models of group dynamics and how they can be applied to improve team effectiveness.

use the scenario above to respond to the following prompts:

Compare and contrast two concepts, theories, and/or models of group dynamics. In your comparison, assess the importance of each for overall team effectiveness.

Then explain how you would apply one of the concepts, theories, or models to the organization you selected to improve team effectiveness.

Include specific examples and current research on group dynamics to support your explanation.

Reference:

Group Dynamics

Aamodt, M. (2016). Industrial/organizational psychology: An applied approach (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage

Stewart, G., & Carter, K. (2018). Team design characteristics. In D. S. Ones, N. Anderson, C. Viswesvaran, & H. K. Sinangil (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of industrial, work, and organizational psychologyLinks to an external site. (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 289-306). London, UK: SAGE Publications, Ltd.

Change Management

Aamodt, M. (2016). Industrial/organizational psychology: An applied approach (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Galli, B. J. (2018). Change management models: A comparative analysis and concerns. IEEE Engineering Management ReviewLinks to an external site., 46(3), 124-132.

Time Estimate: 20 minutes