Foundations of Group Behaviour A group is defined

Foundations of Group Behaviour A group is defined as two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives. Kinds of Groups Formal group – work group defined by organization’s structure, with designated work assignments establishing tasks Informal group – alliances neither formally structured nor organizationally determined, appears in response to the need for social contact Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 1

Kinds of Groups Command group – group reporting directly to a manager Task group – group working together to complete a job task Interest group – group working together to attain a specific objective with which each individual is concerned Friendship group – group brought together because they share one or more common characteristics Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 2

Stages of Group Development �Forming – Uncertainty about purpose, structure, and leadership. Finally members begin to consider themselves as part of the group �Storming – Intragroup conflict; resistance to constraints imposed by group on individuality; who will control the group? Finally a hierarchy of leadership develops within the group �Norming – Close relationships, cohesiveness and group identity. Finally the group structure solidifies and there is a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behaviour �Performing – Structure fully functional and accepted. From getting to know and understand each other to performing the task at hand �Adjourning – Attention directed at wrapping up activities rather than task performance. Responses of group members? Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 3

Punctuated-Equilibrium Model For temporary groups with deadlines: �The first meeting sets the group’s direction – patterns and assumptions emerge �The first phase of group activity is one of inertia – not capable of acting on new insights �Transition occurs when half the allotted time has passed – midlife crisis, awareness that time is limited and they need to get moving �Transition initiates major changes – dropping old patterns, adopting new perspectives and strategies �A second phase of inertia follows the transition – execution of revised plans �The last meeting is characterized by markedly accelerated activity to finish the work Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 4

External Conditions Imposed on Groups �Organization’s Strategy – reduce cost, improve quality, expand market, shrink operations, etc. �Authority Structures – hierarchy, leaders, decision making authority �Formal Regulations – rules, procedures, policies, job descriptions, etc. �Resources – time, money, raw materials, equipment, and human resources in terms of knowledge, skills, abilities, etc. �Selection Process – who will be part of that particular group �Performance Evaluation and Reward System �Organization’s Culture – standards and values that the organization holds dearest �Physical Work Setting – work space, physical layout, illumination, noise, etc. Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 5

Group Structure �Formal Leadership �Roles – A set of expected behaviour patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit. • Role identity – Certain attitudes and behaviours consistent • • with the role. Role perception – An individual’s view of how he/she is supposed to act in a given situation. Role expectations – How others believe a person should act in a given situation. Psychological contract – An unwritten agreement that sets out what management expects from the employee and vice versa. Role conflict – A situation in which an individual is confronted by divergent role expectations. Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 6

Group Structure (contd. ) �Norms – Acceptable standards of behaviour within a group that are shared by the group’s members. § Common classes of norms • • Performance norms Appearance norms Social arrangement norms Allocation of resources norms § Conformity – Adjusting one’s behaviour to align with the norms of the reference group to which they belong. § Deviant Workplace Behaviour – Antisocial actions by organizational members that intentionally violate established norms and that result in negative consequences for the organization, its members, or both. Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 7

Group Structure (contd. ) �Status – A socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others. • • Status and Norms Status and Group Interaction Status Equity Status and culture �Size • Large groups (12 -15 members) are good for gaining diverse inputs, e. g. fact finding. • Small groups (6 -8 members) are more effective for taking action. • Social loafing – The tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually (diminishing returns on productivity). • Thus, individual efforts should be identified. • Groups with an odd number of members are preferable over Groups those with an. Dr. M Chaudhuri even number. 8

�Composition Group Structure (contd. ) • Heterogeneous groups would have a variety of abilities and information and should be more effective. Diversity promotes conflict, which stimulates creativity and leads to improved decision making. • Large differences within a single group will lead to turnover. �Cohesiveness – the degree to which the group members are attracted to each other and are motivated to stay in the group. Cohesiveness can be increased by the following: • • Groups Make the group smaller Encourage agreement with group goals Increase the time members spend together Increase the status and perceived difficulty of attaining membership Stimulate competition with other groups Reward the group rather than individual members Physically isolate the group Dr. M Chaudhuri 9

Relationship Between Group Cohesiveness, Performance Norms and Productivity Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 10

Group Processes Potential group effectiveness + Process gains - Process losses = Actual group effectiveness �Synergy An action of two or more substances that results in an effect that is different from the individual summation of the substances. �Social Facilitation / Inhibition Effect The tendency for performance to improve or decline in response to the presence of others. Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 11

Group Decision Making �Strengths • More complete information and knowledge • Increased diversity of views • Higher quality decisions • Increased acceptance of a solution �Weaknesses • Time consuming • Conformity pressures • Domination by one or few members • Ambiguous responsibility �Effectiveness and Efficiency • More accurate • More creative • More Acceptable Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 12

�Brainstorming An idea-generation process that specifically encourages any and all alternatives, while withholding any criticism of those alternatives. �Groupthink A phenomenon in which the norm for consensus overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action. �Groupshift A change in decision risk between the group’s decision and the individual decision that members within the group would make. It can be either toward conservatism or greater risk. Groups Dr. M Chaudhuri 13