The management field of Organization Development approaches institutions from the social, technical, and economic systems with major emphasis on group process. Organization Development contains many possibilities for libraries and their staff to meet the challenge of our greatly changing environment. This paper outlines the methods by which an…

This paper is presented with the hope that those studying or directly involved in the utilization of hard-core persons in employment may gain insights which may make their tasks easier and more productive. It is written in a readable and non-technical nature and integrates experiences of hard-core utilization with accepted organization theory.…

The relationship of 2 important variables -- group composition and time -- to the verbal behavior of sensitivity training groups, using 2 recently developed assessment procedures, is investigated. Sensitivity groups were composed according to the interpersonal skills of participants, as measured by a structured behavioral technique, the Group…

This book is a general report on aspects of group processes in elementary and secondary schools with reference to appropriate research. Group processes are defined as changes in the social unit known as the group that take place over a period of time; the expected changes occur in three domains--cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. The book…

A study of organizational communication identified two structure roles--liaison and nonliaison--in each of three content-functional areas of organization communication--getting a job done, exploring new behavioral alternatives, and keeping the system functioning--and hypothesized that "liaisons" would perceive themselves in similar ways. Each…

This study conducted on policy committee meetings demonstrated a relationship between committee members' seating distance from the chairman and their participation rates in meetings. As a member's participation increased, he began to sit nearer the chairman. A model is proposed interrelating participation, interpersonal spacing, communication…

It is proposed that the sex composition of a group affects the sex-role awareness and sex-related responses of its members, and that such effects can operate even when there is no actual or anticipated verbal interaction among group members. (Author/AM)

The main thrust of the work is to explain how it is that the definition and volume of deviance can change in a particular social system independent of the actions of the deviants within the system. (Author/AM)

Two social psychological theories--similarity theory and equity theory--are employed to elucidate the relationship between group members' abilities and group performance on tasks involving high levels of interdependence. Contrasting hypotheses are drawn regarding specific ability compositions that should evoke performance above or below the simple…

Points out the importance of effective group work in all aspects of education. Provides group members and leaders with 15 practical guidelines concerning member behavior in groups and task or structural characteristics of groups. Suggestions deal with issues such as communication styles, group maintenance, group size, and reaching consensus. (JHZ)

Describes currently active rural women's consciousness-raising group in eastern Nebraska, relating this group's experiences to a model of group development. Emphasizes group process and content evidenced as the group was established and passed through beginning, conflict, and cohesive stages of development. Relates changes in participants' values…

Reviews literature on member characteristics and conditions that increase the likelihood of group participation. Describes positive consequences of small group participation and antecedents to participation including attitudes, atmosphere, leader characteristics, expectations, and group structure. (JAC)

Contemporary theories of organizations are assessed to determine whether their propositions and empirical findings can be directly applied to understand and explain voluntary associations. The inquiry is arranged under five types of characteristics: incentive systems and participant commitment, formal structures, leadership and authority,…

A bibliography is itself a database from which may be extracted useful information about both scientific fields and the practitioners who work in them. How bibliographies store and reveal this information is discussed. For example, one can identify problems being researched by scientists by examining publication titles. (RM)

Experimentally varied conditions relating to the people with whom participants (N=45) interacted prior to beginning a small learning group experience. Results showed that rates of attending and remaining varied according to with whom participants interacted prior to the onset of the group. (LLL)