PYC4812
Assignment 2
(Detailed Answers)
Due June 2025
, PYC4812 Assignment 2
Due June 2025
QUESTION 1: Case Study – Vodacom Bulls
1.1 Identification and Motivation of the Main Challenge
The primary challenge facing the Vodacom Bulls in the Currie Cup is a significant deficit
in team cohesion, intricately linked to interpersonal dysfunctions. These dysfunctions
manifest as diminished trust, poor communication, and conflictual interactions. The
head coach’s observations highlight players’ tendencies to withhold information, avoid
discussing critical issues, and operate under assumptions of mind-reading. This
breakdown in open dialogue and psychological safety fosters a fractured team
environment, impeding collective efficacy (Wachsmuth, Jowett, & Harwood, 2017) and
undermining resilience under pressure, particularly evident during late-season
performance dips.
This challenge is critically significant because team cohesion—the extent of
interpersonal bonds and shared goals—has been empirically linked to success in team
sports (Carron, Bray, & Eys, 2002). The Bulls’ historical success underscores their talent
and strategic capacity; however, recurrent late-season lapses suggest that internal
dynamics—specifically trust, communication, and conflict resolution—are eroding their
capacity to sustain performance. The coach’s indication of ongoing conflicts points
toward deficits in psychological safety (Edmondson, 1999), a key determinant of
effective team functioning. If unaddressed, these deficits can precipitate decreased
morale, impaired decision-making, and ultimately, suboptimal on-field results.
Assignment 2
(Detailed Answers)
Due June 2025
, PYC4812 Assignment 2
Due June 2025
QUESTION 1: Case Study – Vodacom Bulls
1.1 Identification and Motivation of the Main Challenge
The primary challenge facing the Vodacom Bulls in the Currie Cup is a significant deficit
in team cohesion, intricately linked to interpersonal dysfunctions. These dysfunctions
manifest as diminished trust, poor communication, and conflictual interactions. The
head coach’s observations highlight players’ tendencies to withhold information, avoid
discussing critical issues, and operate under assumptions of mind-reading. This
breakdown in open dialogue and psychological safety fosters a fractured team
environment, impeding collective efficacy (Wachsmuth, Jowett, & Harwood, 2017) and
undermining resilience under pressure, particularly evident during late-season
performance dips.
This challenge is critically significant because team cohesion—the extent of
interpersonal bonds and shared goals—has been empirically linked to success in team
sports (Carron, Bray, & Eys, 2002). The Bulls’ historical success underscores their talent
and strategic capacity; however, recurrent late-season lapses suggest that internal
dynamics—specifically trust, communication, and conflict resolution—are eroding their
capacity to sustain performance. The coach’s indication of ongoing conflicts points
toward deficits in psychological safety (Edmondson, 1999), a key determinant of
effective team functioning. If unaddressed, these deficits can precipitate decreased
morale, impaired decision-making, and ultimately, suboptimal on-field results.
