Conflict Management

One concept that I find interesting is conflict management. The book points out that because people come from different cultures, they are raised to see similar things differently. I like how the book points out that confrontation in the United States resides in truth and debate, while in Asian cultures it resides in maintaining harmony.

This topic is important because now more than ever, cultures will mix. In SJSU, group projects can often have members from four to five different cultures. It is important to understand these different cultures so that we don’t mistake their actions in a negative sense. It is important to know how certain cultures perceive information, as their response can be important to the project at hand.

I think the only true way to understand people from different cultures is to ask questions. I know sometimes I am quick to “jump the gun” when it comes to things I don’t understand. Being a student at SJSU has opened my eyes to different cultures and the way they tackle problems. This is important because the work force will vary with people from all around the world.

Henry

White Men of Power

“White Men of privilege” deals with the concept of white men having the power in the United States. Harris states that “social, economic, and political power” have long been associated with upper-class and upper-middle-class white Europeans. He states that other members of society are simply placed on different hierarchies.

I agree with the concept, that this is the way it has been for sometime. No matter where we are in the United States, The man or men of power are white. Looking at top Ceo’s of companies, we can see that the majority are white. Mike Duke is the CEO of Wal-Mart, and he is white. The CEO of Exxon Mobil is Rex Tillerson, and he is white.

I don’t think this concept will completely change over time. In the United States, money is power. Those who have money will change. As more investors and innovators start to migrate from different parts of the world, the power will change. However, I don’t think that money will ever stop being associated with power

Henry

Stereotype

I have been apart of a group that has been stereotyped. I have been stereotyped because I was black. I can still remember walking down the street with my brother, who is a lawyer, and an older white lady gripping her purse tight as we walked by. She stereotyped us as muggers, when we were simply walking from our car to the store. We weren't using any non-verbal communication that may have given off the intention of a crime in the future.

This does reflects the concept in the book. One of the concepts is communication contexts. This could be true because the lady may have had learned her views from the culture she was in. There could also be pressure for conformity. Her group that she is from could pressure her to act a certain way. The book states that “We learn our automatic and perceptual responses to our surroundings from those who nurture and care for us.” If this lady was raised to view certain cultures in a negative connotation, then this will clearly explain her reaction.

Henry

Cohesiveness

The concept that I found interesting was cohesiveness. Cohesiveness is the process of the group working together,keeping them motivated, and encouraging them to give more time to the group project. I think cohesiveness is important because it allows the group to interact more,and feel more open to discuss concerns than if the groups members were not comfortable. Because groups members can come from different backgrounds, it is important for all members to feel comfortable. By creating a cohesive group, members may feel better about the group, and may result in a better outcome on the project.

From personal experience, I think it is important for the group to be cohesive. I have been in a group where others members were already friends. This makes it difficult as sometimes they can engage in "social loafing" and forgot about the other members. It is sometimes hard to break through to become a cohesive group. I think the textbook gives a good example of a cohesive group. Page 55 of the textbook shows a rowing team working together to complete the task.

Henry

My Norms

"Norms establish the accepted rules and behavior." (Harris 46). Norms provide us the tools and guidelines as to what is and is not acceptable in the functioning of a group. As the book states, group norms are not enforced by a certain person. These are guidelines that the group is expected to follow. When we follow the norms in our group, we feel excepted as if we are apart of the group. The norms of the group can affect everything from how we speak, walk, even what food we eat.

One of the norms that I have with my family is to always greet each other when we arrive home. This norm shows a couple of things: 1st, this norm shows respect for everyone in the family. By greeting each other, we are acknowledging that we have arrived home, and are again a family. 2nd, this shows common courtesy. This norm shows that we are respectable human beings, and that we have the communication skills to go with it.

Henry

Norms Around Us

I believe that there are norms at SJSU. One of the norms that SJSU has is a crucial norm. A crucial norm is defined as having a "primary impact on how well the group performs its task."(Harris 47). SJSU has a crucial norm that students will not cheat. It is crucial because if it is not done, then the task of graduating will not be fulfilled. Another crucial norm is for teachers to give test. This norm can be classified as crucial, and implicit. Students sign up for classes knowing that teachers will give a test at some point in the semester. This norm also does not have to be written, as most students have come to expect it.

As far as my group of friends that I spend time with, yes there are norms. One norm is that we all attend a social event at least once a month. This can be something as big as a concert, or as small as dinner. This would also be identified as a crucial norm because if someone misses the event, then members of the group would be disappointed. Another norm that we have is to always tell the truth. I know it may sound hard to believe, but we do practice this norm. An example would be when a friend of ours was going out with a girl that was not right for him. We knew that he cared for her, but we could see her real intentions. We had evidence, but no one wanted to tell him how we felt, in fear of how he would react. But we knew that we had no choice, but to tell him the truth about her.

Henry

Entropy and Equifinality

Entropy can impact any group size. Entropy has to do with the group being disorganized, and not moving forward as a group. This can happen for a number of reasons. One reason could be the lack of leadership. If the group has no leader, then the group can go off course. A good personal example of this was a sales meeting I had one year. Our sales manager at the time felt that she should reprimand the group because of down sales. Our sales manager was not a very motivating person, which translated into us doing poorly. She wouldn’t celebrate the good, but instead emphasize the bad.
Equifinality states that there is more than one way to complete a task. Members in a group often may start their project in different ways. For instance, one group member may choose to type first, while another member may choose to read first. This is also true with working people from different cultures. Workers from Europe may have been brought up to tackle problems more qualitatively, while workers from India may be more quantitatively.

Groups Not Functioning

In order for a small group to function, all parts of the group must function well. If all parts of the group do not function, then the group falls apart. In every aspect of our lives, we experience groups that are functioning together. Have you ever seen a fire truck driving down the street? Operating the fire truck is a group task. There is a driver that steers the vehicle from the front, and sometimes one from the rear. There is a person who is the navigator: the person who directs the driver where to go. If these people don’t function together as a team, then help may not be on its way.

When thinking of a scenario from my own experiences that illustrates interdependence, I think of group projects in class. Usually the project is broken up so that each member has an equal part in the project. If each person does not complete their part, then the project will be incomplete. In my experience, there is always one person who does not fulfill their part of the project. Whether it is a small part like bringing the actual assignment to class, or a big part like doing the research, it never fails.

An example that illustrates interrelationship is a family. A family has to depend on each other on a regular basis. One person cooks and cleans, and another person cuts the grass and the hedges. One person pays the electric bill, while another pays the insurance premium. If one person does not complete their part, then the group falls apart. My example includes a lazy ex-girlfriend. We both have our parts. If I pay the electric bill, it is up to you to pay the cable bill. If the cable bill does not get paid, it is not up to me. Each person must do their part so that the group can function. It is not up to her to buy the new dress she saw at the mall instead of paying the cable bill. All parts must function together.

Henry