Study of Cohesion and Other Factors of Major Influence on Soldiers' and UnitEffectiveness

摘要

The present research focuses on the issue of small unit cohesion based onorganizational bonding, horizontal bonding, and vertical bonding in relation to unit effectiveness. The study analyzes the intervening effects of professionalism confidence in the commander, commander tenure, morale, motivation, and stress on the relationship between cohesion and effectiveness. A questionnaire set composed of the ARI platoon cohesion index, and the IDF Questionnaire was administered to 18 infantry platoon and 7 armor companies. Higher Commanders of the units evaluated the units with regard to the research variables. The results indicate significant correlations between cohesion and unit effectiveness. Differences were found in the relationship of the cohesion dimensions to effectiveness to other variables. The results also revealed differences between soldiers and commanders in their perception of the relationship between cohesion and personal effectiveness. Morale and stress were found to be intervening variables, effecting the relationship between cohesion and effectiveness. The implications of the results to unit processes and further research directions are discussed.