The influence of a team development intervention (improvisational theatre) on climate for work group innovation
Year: 2008
Type: dissertation
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: 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 (n e =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 (n c =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.Prof. Ronel du Preez, my supervisor, for her patience, guidance, continuous commitment, input and support in this study.Prof. Martin Kidd, for assistance and guidance with the statistical analysis.Senior Management and staff members of the, health care management unit from which the sample for this study was drawn, for their participation and enthusiasm (due to the ethical agreement their names cannot be mentioned).
Author: Burgert Kirsten
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: National Research Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W2156970725