Comparison of work groups with stable and unstable membership

Abstract

Compared 151 employees in work groups with unstable membership to 582 employees in similar groups with stable membership. Contrary predictions concerning the effects of unstable membership were derived from the R. Likert and the W. G. Bennis conceptions of organization structure. Employees in unstable work groups reported less within-group peer leadership, but more favorable organizational context. Contrary to the prediction derived from Likert's theory, there were no differences on measures of group-referrent intervening variables and end-result variables, suggesting the viability of organic-adaptive structure described by Bennis. Increased lateral linkage among work groups of unstable membership is suggested as the mechanism that appears to compensate for the decreased peer leadership evident in unstable work groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)