The Impact of Organizational Training Laboratories Upon the Effectiveness and Interaction of Ongoing Work Groups

Summary T he impact upon four work groups ( N = 31) which participated in organizational training laboratory sessions is evaluated in comparison with eight similar groups ( N = 60) which did not participate. Criteria were six‐factored dimensions, each composed of items gathered from earlier interviews which group members perceived as problems. Significant changes occurred in training groups in the following three dimensions: group effectiveness, mutual influence, and personal involvement. No significant changes occurred in leader approachability, intragroup trust, or in the evaluation of group meetings. The relevance of a work unit participating in training as a total group, rather than each member participating in a separate session, is discussed.