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FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP BEHAVIOR

Defining and Classifying Groups


• GROUP comprises two or more Individuals,
interacting and interdependent, who have come
together to achieve particular objective.
• FORMAL GROUPS: those defined by the
organizational structure with designated Work
Assignments Specific tasks.
The behavior of group members is stipulated
and is directed towards organizational goals.
Appropriate Behaviors are Established by org.
Goals and are also Directed toward them.
Defining and Classifying Groups
INFORMAL GROUPS:
• These groups Occur Naturally in the workplace

• They are Alliances that are neither formally


structured nor organizationally determined.

• Informal Groups are Social. They appear in


response to the need for Social Contact.
E.g. commuting with co-workers,
eating lunch together of different
department workers
Defining and Classifying Groups
SUBCLASSIFICATION OF GROUPS

• COMMAND GROUP:
It is determined by the organization CHART.
Composed of those individuals who report directly to their
manager.

• TASK GROUPS:
They represent those working together to
complete a Job Task.
Its command is not limited to its immediate
hierarchical superior. It has cross command
relationships.
Defining and Classifying Groups
• Interest Group
A united body to further their common
interest, e.g., people seeking improved
working conditions

• Friendship Groups
Social Alliances, can be based on Age or
Ethnic heritage, similar political views
Stages of Group Development
Groups Evolution- the Sequence
THE FIVE STAGE MODEL

1. FORMING:
(a) i. People Join the group as Work
Assignment
ii. People Join the group for
Status, Affiliation,
Self-esteem, Power or Security
(b) The Task of Defining the group’s
Purpose Structure Leadership
Uncertainty prevails about group’s purpose,
structure, and leadership
Stages of Group Development
2. STORMING:
Inter group Conflicts-
-resistance on the restraints on
the individuality
-who will lead the group
-at the end -Clear Hierarchy of
Leadership
Stages of Group Development
3. NORMING:

• Close relationships develops


• Strong sense of group Identity
• Common sense of expectations

4. PERFORMING:
• Attention is diverted from getting to know each other and
understanding to performing the Tasks
• The Group Structure is fully Functional and
Accepted
Stages of Group Development
Permanent work groups’ stages end at performing
stage

Temporary committees, Teams, Task forces etc the


last stage is
ADJOUNING;
• High task performance is no longer the top
priority
• Attention towards wrapping up activities
Stages of Group Development
ALTERNATIVE MODEL
(Punctuated Equilibrium Model)
for TEMPORARY GROUPS with deadlines
follow the under mentioned sequencing:

• Groups Direction
• Inertia- group tends to be locked into a fixed course of
action. It becomes incapable of acting on new insights
• Transition takes place- New revised Directions
• Transition initiates changes
• Second phase of Inertia
• Accelerated Activities
EXPLAINING WORKGROUP
BEHAVIOR
1. EXTERNAL CONDITIONS IMPOSED ON
GROUP
• A Work group is INFLUENCED by External
Conditions Imposed from Outside on it,e.g.,
-Org’s Strategy,
-Authority Structure,
-Formal Regulations,
-Availability or Absence of Org’s Resources,
-Org’s Culture,
-Physical Layout of group’s workplace,
-Employee Selection Criteria,
-Org’s Perf. Mng. System,
-High Quality Tools and Equipment
EXPLAINING WORKGROUP
BEHAVIOR
2. GROUP MEMBER RESOURCES
• Potential level of group performance
depend on the Resources that the
Members Individually bring to the group;
-KNOWLEDGE
-ABILITIES
-SKILLS
-PERSONALITY
CHARACTERISTICS
GROUP PROPERTIES: ROLES

• Set of expected behavior patterns attributed to


someone occupying a given position in a social
unit
• We are all required to play a number of role
and our behavior VARIES with the role we
are Playing
• Different groups impose different Role
Requirement on individuals
GROUP PROPERTIES: ROLES
• ROLE INDENTITY
There are certain attitudes and actual behaviors consistent
with a role, and they create the role identity.
- Lower level employees promotion to officer cadre and later
demotion
• ROLE PERCEPTION
Our view of how we are supposed to ACT in a given
situation is Role Perception.

-We get these perceptions from Stimuli all around


us- friends, books, movies, television etc.
- Apprenticeship programs; watching an expert so
that they learn to act as they are supposed to.
GROUP PROPERTIES: ROLES
• ROLE EXPECTATIONS
they are defined as how others believe you
should act in a given situation.
- Role of a Judge…
- Role of a Popular singer in a concert

• ROLE CONFLICT
When a individual is confronted by Divergent
role Expectations, the result is Role Conflict.
GROUP PROPERTIES:
NORMS
• All groups have established Norms, that is,
Acceptable standards of behavior that are
shared by the group’s members.

• What group members Ought to do and Ought


not to do.

• They act as a means of influencing the


behavior of group members with a minimum
of External Control.
GROUP PROPERTIES:
NORMS
COMMON CLASSE OF NORMS

• PERFORMANCE NORMS:
Explicit Cues on how to get the job
done?....
• APPEARANCE NORMS:
Loyalty to the work group,
Appropriate dress,
GROUP PROPERTIES:
NORMS
CONFIRMITY
• As a member of a group one desires to be
Accepted by the group.
Thus one has to be confirming to the
group’s norms.

• Individuals confirm to the important


groups to which they belong or hope to
belong.
GROUP PROPERTIES:
STATUS
• Socially defined position or rank given to group
members by others.
- What determines status:
Status is derived from three sources;
1. The power a person wields over others
2. A person’s ability to contribute to a
group’s goal
3. Individual’s personal characteristics
GROUP PROPERTIES:
STATUS
STATUS and NORMS

High status members of groups often are given more Freedom


to Deviate from Norms than the other group members.

STATUS and GROUP INTERACTION;


Interaction among members of group are Influenced by
Status.
High Status people are tend to be more ASSERTIVE
GROUP PROPERTIES:
STATUS
• STATUS INEQUALITY
The status hierarchy must be Equitable among
group member.
People expect rewards in accordance with the
their efforts and the costs they have paid.
All group members must also agree on the
Status Criteria.
• STATUS and CULTURE

• SIZE

• COHESIVENESS
UNDERSTANDING WORK
TEAMS
• WORK GROUP:
A group that interacts primarily to Share Information and
to Make Decisions to help each member Perform within
his or her Area of Responsibility

• WORK TEAM:
-Generates positive Synergy- coordinated efforts
-The individual efforts result in a level of
Performance that is greater than the sum of the
individual inputs
UNDERSTANDING WORK
TEAMS
PROBLEM-SOLVING TEAMS

• Employees from same dept.


• Meeting for few hour each weak
• Discuss ways of Improving-
Quality, Efficiency, Work Environment
• Rarely have Authority to Implement their Suggestions
UNDERSTANDING WORK
TEAMS
SELF-MANAGED TEAMS

• Not only solve problems but IMPLEMENT


solutions

• Take full responsibility for Outcomes


• These teams often perform better than the
teams with formally appointed leaders
UNDERSTANDING WORK
TEAMS
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS

• Employees from same hierarchical levels


• From different work areas
• Come together to Accomplish a task
• Task Force is a Temporary cross-functional
team
• Committees composed of members from
different depts. Are also …
UNDERSTANDING WORK
TEAMS
VIRTUAL TEAMS
• Using computer technology to Tie together physically
Dispersed members to Achieve Common
goal
• Collaborate Online-
WAN, Video Conferencing, E-mail …
• Includes members from the same organization or Link
and organization with other organizations e.g.,
Suppliers, Joint Partners ….
• Absence of Non-verbal Cues
• Limited Social Context
• Ability to overcome Time and Space constraints
CREATING EFFECTIVE
TEAMS
The Key Components making up effective teams is
summed up in the following four categories:

1. Resources and other Contextual


Influences
a. Adequate Resources
b. Leadership and Structure
c. Climate of Trust
d. Performance Evaluation and Reward
System
CREATING EFFECTIVE
TEAMS
2. COMPOSITION :

Variables that relate to how teams should


be staffed

a. Abilities of members:
Technical Expertise,
Problem-solving-decision making,
Interpersonal skills
Team Leader’s Abilities
b. Personality:
Personality Composition is important to
team success
Mixing both Conscientious and not-so-
conscientious members tend to lower
performance
CREATING EFFECTIVE
TEAMS
2. COMPOSITION
c. Allocating Roles
Creator, Linker, Promoter, Assessor, Organizer,
Advisor, Maintainer, Controller, Producer
d. Diversity
Teams Diverse in terms of Personality’
Gender, Age, Education, Specialization,
Experience
e. Size of Team
f. Member Flexibility
Members can complete each others tasks
g. Member Preferences
The people who prefer to work alone may not be
Selected
CREATING EFFECTIVE
TEAMS
3. WORK DESIGN
a. Autonomy

b. Skill Variety: Opportunity to use Different


Skills

c. Task Identity: Ability to complete a task

d. Task Significance: Working on a task that has a


substantial Impact on others
CREATING EFFECTIVE
TEAMS
4. PROCESS

a. Common Purpose
b. Specific Goals
c. Team Efficacy
d. Conflict Levels:
Effective teams are characterized by an
appropriate level of conflict
e. Social Loafing

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