Structuring Change: Familiarity and Formal Interventions in Problem-Solving Groups

Abstract

This article presents evidence for an incremental change process in decision-making groups whereby change unfolds through self-generated interruptions. Group members initiate self-interruptions by switching their attention to social concerns (in familiar groups) or to discussion instructions (in groups using formal interventions). During such interruptions, members evaluate activities, propose alternative approaches, and change working strategies. Results suggest that familiarity and formal interventions provide flexible structures that lead to superior performance. A central finding reveals that using a formal intervention in familiar groups hurts performance because prees-tablished interaction patterns are altered.