Inside the Peloton: Social Dynamics of the Tour de France

Case Study 4:

Inside the Peloton: Social Dynamics of the Tour de France

MBA 629

1. What examples of role differentiation are found in this case? To what extent do they help achieve the desired goals?

The text defines role differentiation as “the tendency for various specialized roles to emerge as groups develop” (Greenberg & Baron, 2008, p. 297). In other words, each individual within a group develops their own specialty, or role that helps the group reach their desired goals. Roles can be defined as typical behaviors that characterize a person in a specific social context (Greenberg et al., 2008, p. 297). Using this case as an example, groups consist of nine riders, each of whom has their own specialty or role. These roles are defined as follows:

• Roulers: 2 or 3 particularly fast riders who help create drafts for their team’s leader in flat terrain.

• Hill specialists: riders who have the strength and stamina to support the leader in gaining ground by creating a slipstream (a field of low wind resistance) as they go up mountains.

• Domestiques: new riders who wear shoulder bags to help carry supplies between the team car and various team members (Greenberg et al., 2008, p. 329).

Together, these individuals perform their role with one common goal in mind, to win the race. Similarities can be found in corporations world-wide. For example, any given company will likely have departments such as accounting, human resources, and marketing. Each of these departments performs very different roles within the organization; however, by working together cooperatively each department can help the organization they support to become a leader in the industry and a winner in the market place. Conversely, if any department or group within a department takes on a self-oriented role, being concerned only with self-interests at the expense of the company as a whole, (Greenberg et al., 2008, p. 328) the whole organization will falter.

Role...