Groups

(None of US is equal to (None of US is equal to ALLALL of of US)US)

It is two or more individuals who interact and influence each other in the pursuit of a common goal.

Two or more persons

Interactions

Reasonable Size

Shared Goal Interest

Collective Identity

Security

Warmth and Support

Recognition

Power

Goal Achievement

How groups help organizations?

Groups can improve creativity.

Groups can make better decisions.

Groups can increase commitments to action.

Groups help control their members.

A Model of Group Formation and Development

Types of Group

•Formal:

1. Command

2. Task

•Informal:

1. Interest

2. Friendship

Reasons for Group Formation

Security need satisfaction

Social need satisfaction

Esteem need satisfaction

Power

Achievemen-t

•Stages of Group Development

1.Forming

2.Storming

3.Norming

4.Performing

5.Adjourning

Some Group Characteristics

•Status

•Roles

•Size

•Norms

•Composition

•Leadership

•Cohesiveness

•Conflicts

End Results

Performance

Satisfaction

Development

FEEDBACK

FORMAL GROUPS (TASK ORIENTED)

INFORMAL GROUPS (SOCIAL ORIENTED)

Work Group

FormalWork Group

Informal Work Group

Command Group

Task Group

Interest Group

Friendship Group

ReferenceGroup

Established by management to accomplish specific tasks.

Created under formal authority.

Rules, regulations, incentives guides the members. May exist for a short or long period of time.

Perform tasks requiring the collective skills of more than one person

Good for idea generation

Good for exchange of ideas

Command Group - a formal work group consisting of subordinates who report to the same supervisor.

Task Force - a formal work group consisting of people who come together to accomplish a specific goal.

•Membership evolved voluntarily with common interests

•An individual can be a member of several groups.

Eg : Group of clerks in a bank.

Friendship Group - individuals who enjoy each other’s company and socialize with each other.

Eg : Friendship groups among students

Interest Group – individuals may not be a member of same group may affiliate to achieve some mutual objective which may not related to those of the organization.

Reference Group – in which an individual like to belong. It justifies one’s attitude and values

Eg : Group of cricketers or actors.

Can speed up work flow by supplementing formal lines of authority.

Can satisfy needs that are thwarted or unmet by the formal group.

Can provide members with social satisfaction, security, and a sense of belonging.

FORMAL & INFORMAL GROUP CHARACTERISTICS

Objective: Profit, Efficiency, Service

Origin: Management

Structure: Formal

Task Oriented

Leader is Appointed by Organization

Relationships Established by Job & Work-Flow Patterns

Control: Coercive, Monetary Rewards

Objective: Member Satisfaction

Origin: Individuals

Structure: Informal

Relation Oriented

Leadership is Emergent

Relationships Developed Spontaneously

Control: Social Sanctions

FORMAL GROUPS INFORMAL GROUPS

Problem Solving is easy as multiple suggestions can be evolved from various individuals.

Members feel more committed towards decision making as they are all involved in it.

Possible in finding out and rectify the errors.

Easy to enhance learning by expanding perspectives, interpersonal skills and the development of group concepts.

Members will be encouraged by others to keep focused in the work.

Division of work is possible as every individual could able to work on a specified task. (Eg : pin making).

Possibility of networking so that the communication among the individuals is effective.

Collective knowledge, ideas, opinions and experience makes the decision effective.

Cost of Committee meetings is phenomenally high.

Group action is invariably slow.

Poor Leadership will lead to interminable debate and indecision.

Group meetings often lead to indecision because members may not be interested in ending up discussions without a solution.

Since no one is fully responsible for committee’s decisions it provides slackness, inefficiency and evasion of responsibility of results.

Committee meetings are usually dominated by a strong personality (Eg: Chairman).

In these situations there will be reluctance to disagree with the chairperson.

This Domination may limit the committee’s effectiveness.

Committee members are often chosen to represent the interests of their departments.

This will result in total chaos within the organization.

Group development

Forming

Storming

Norming

Performing

Phase Relations Task

Forming Mistrust Seek objective

Storming Communication Identify problems

Norming Cohesiveness Clarify roles

Performing Cooperation Emerging solutions

Adjourning Disengagement Task completion

Groups can sometimes go back to an earlier stage.

Conflict can sometimes be helpful to the group.

Context can matter: airline pilots can immediately reach performing stage.

Size

Leadership

Status

Roles

Norms

Cohesiveness

Composition

Small Group – consists a minimum number of individuals, say about 8 to 10.

Large Group – consists more number of individuals, it may be over 25 members.

Interaction among group members are more frequent

Information is more easily shared among group members

Group members recognize others contributions to the group

Group has many resources at its disposal to accomplish its goals, including members’ skills, abilities, knowledge, and experience.

Group can have a greater division of labor, so group members focus on particular tasks. When group members focus on particular tasks, they generally become skilled at performing them.

ADVANTAGES:

SMALL GROUPS

ADVANTAGES:

LARGE GROUPS

A major responsibility in working with groups is the recognition of leadership forces.

A formal leader is appointed by the management. He possess the power to discipline and or fire members of his group.

Informal leaders tend to emerge as a group member.

FORMAL LEADERS INFORMAL LEADERS

• Represents the organization.

• Task oriented.

• Dominates and impose.

• Achieves organizational goals by following rules and regulations.

• Represents the values of the group.

•Group oriented.

•Leadership role is based on group consensus and acceptance.

•Achieves group goals without violating group norms.

A person’s relative rank, prestige, or standing in a group.Eg : Project Manager, Engineer etc.

Status CongruenceOccurs when a person’s position within the group is

equivalent in status to positions held outside the group.

When status incongruence is present, problems will likely occur.

A role is a set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit.

Expected Role

Perceived Role

Enacted Role

Accepted rules that guide the behavior of group members.

Maintains consistency in behavior.

Essential to maintain the group as a viable unit.

All norms apply to everyone in a group.

Cohesiveness – the extent that group members are attracted to each other and to the group values and accept group goals

As the cohesiveness of a work group increases, the level of conformity to group norms also increases

Strategies for Increasing Group Cohesion 1. Inducing agreement on group goals

2. Making the group more homogeneous in its composition

3. Increasing the frequency of interaction among group members

4. Making the group smaller

5. Physically and/or socially isolating the group from other groups

6. Allocating rewards to the group rather than to the individual

Group members like and get along well with each other (similarity counts!)

Group members share information, have low levels of conflict, and have few coordination

Group makes good decision because diverse points of view are represented.

Group performs at a high level because the group has a variety of resources at its disposal

ADVANTAGES: HOMOGENEOUS

ADVANTAGES: HETEROGENEOUS