Supervisory Methods and Group Performance Norms

What kind of organizational conditions encourage work groups to be concerned about performing efficiently? This paper examines some of the determinants of group performance norms in an industrial firm. Encouragement of efficiency and attempts by the foreman to obtain rewards for subordinates together are associated with high performance norms, but each alone has a negative effect on performance. Close supervision is found, in seeming contradiction to previous studies, to facilitate high performance norms. Reward for efficiency and strong group cohesiveness have the best effects when supervision is close. The conditions under which close supervision is effective and ineffective are discussed.' Martin Patchen is study director, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan.