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The influence of a team development intervention (improvisational theatre) on climate for work group innovation

Thesis (MComm (Industrial Psychology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The present study evaluates the influence on the four factors of an innovative
work group climate, namely participative safety, vision, support for innovation
and task orientation, of a team development intervention based on
improvisational theatre exercises. In the literature study, these four factors
are compared with the principles of improvisational theatre, namely trust and
support, agreement, listening and awareness, and narrative skills. A quasiexperimental
study was conducted. Differences in pre-test and post-test
scores of an experimental group (ne=15), who took part in a half-day
improvisation theatre team development intervention, are compared with the
differences in pre- and post-test scores of a control group (nc=13). The
sample consisted of two teams from a health care management unit, which
formed part of the health care department of a large insurance company in
South Africa. The results show that, for innovative work group climate as a
whole, the experimental group’s scores improved significantly (p<.01) in
comparison to the control group’s scores. The experimental group’s scores
for the three factors, vision, participative safety and task orientation, also
improved significantly in comparison to the control group’s scores (p<.05 for
all three factors). However, the experimental group’s score for support for
innovation did not improve significantly. It is therefore concluded that the
intervention had a positive influence on climate for work group innovation,
based on its impact on the three factors, vision, participative safety and task
orientation. In conclusion, this study builds on previous research that
endorses the application of improvisational theatre techniques in
organisational development settings.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1945
Date12 1900
CreatorsKirsten, Burgert
ContributorsDu Preez, Ronel, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
RightsStellenbosch University

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