Increasing Minority Group Participation and Influence Using a Group Support System

Abstract

Abstract Irrelevant source cues such as age, sex, or ethnicity sometimes cause people to devalue the contributions of others who are different. In this study heterogeneous groups of Chinese and Caucasian men solved a management problem. In the groups that met face-to face, where irrelevant source cues were readily observable, the Caucasian men dominated the Chinese male subjects. However, in the group-support-system groups, where these source cues were less visible or absent, the participation rates and influence levels of the Caucasian subjects were not significantly different from those of the Chinese subjects. Resume L'age, le genre ou l'origine ethnique peuvent affecter la perception que se fait une personne du travail d'autrui, quand ce dernier provient d'un groupe presentant des caracteristiques differentes de celles de l'evaluateur. Dans cette recherche, des groupes heterogenes, formes de personnel d'origine chinoise et d'occidentaux (caucasiens), ont travaille sur des problemes de gestion. Dans les groupes qui avaient des rencontres face-a face, oie les differences etaient facilement observables, les sujets occidentaux ont eu une performance superieure aux sujets chinois (participation, controle du processus, etc.). Toutefois, Bans les groupes utilisant le collecticiel, ou ces differences etaient reduites ou meme invisibles, les niveaux de participation et d'influence des sujets occidentaux n'etaient pas significativement differents de ceux des sujets chinois. The workplace is becoming increasingly diverse, and the majority of new entrants over the next decade will come from nontraditional groups: women and ethnic minorities (Harvey & Brown, 1996). Unfortunately, the contributions of women and minority group members are sometimes devalued simply because of the sex or ethnicity of the proposer (e.g., Aries, 1987; Greenhaus & Parasuraman, 1993). This is cause for concern since every organization needs to ensure that it is getting the maximum contribution from its employees if it is to succeed and remain competitive. It would be useful if some ways could be developed to reduce the level of devaluation of opinion based upon irrelevant source cues (e.g., age, sex, ethnic background). Apart from sensitivity training, another possible way to do this is through the appropriate use of a technological intervention such as computerized group support systems. Initial research has shown that the use of computer-mediated communications such as group support systems can make participation rates and influence levels of group members more equal (George, Easton, Nunamaker, & Northcraft, 1990; Hiltz, Turoff, & Johnson, 1989; Siegel, Dubrovsky, Kiesler, & McGuire, 1986). However, after analyzing the results of 250 studies involving groups using computer-mediated communications, including group support systems, Hollingshead and McGrath concluded: We found a body of literature that reflects several rather serious limitations and confounds (Hollingshead & McGrath, 1995, p. 63; McGrath & Hollingshead, 1994). One of these limitations was that too little attention had been paid to the effects of personal characteristics of group members-including sex, ethnicity, and race-on group processes and dynamics. Thus, it is not clear whether this method is effective in overcoming the devaluation of others' opinions based on irrelevant source cues. Theoretical Review The research has shown that both external and internal factors affect to what extent a minority group member will participate in a group's discussion and decisionmaking (e.g., Kirchmeyer, 1993). Two theories that deal with external or situational factors are tokenism and social role theory. Tokenism theory posits that only the composition of the group determines a person's participation rate and level of influence (Kanter, 1977a, 1977b). Social role theory proposes that people bring with them socially endorsed roles and characteristics that affect the participation rate and influence level of each group member (Eagly, 1983). …