SIXTH EDITION CHAPTER 7 Group dynamics ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

SIXTH EDITION

CHAPTER 7 Group dynamics

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Learning Outcomes Identify the four criteria of a group from a sociological perspective Identify and briefly describe the five stages in Tuckman’s theory of group development Distinguish between role overload, role conflict and role ambiguity Contrast roles and norms, and specify four reasons for norms being enforced in organisations Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 3

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Learning Outcomes Distinguish between task and maintenance functions in groups Summarise the practical implications for group size and group member ability Describe groupthink and identify at least four of its symptoms Define social loafing and explain how organisations can prevent it Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 4

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Groups Identity common to group members Norms (collective) 2+ Individuals, Unconstrained Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Figure 7. 1 Four Sociological Criteria for a Group Goals (collective) Chapter 7 - 5

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Formal and informal groups • Formal vs. informal • Command group vs. task group • Two basic functions: o organisational o individual Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 6

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Formal and informal groups Table 7. 1 Groups Fulfil Organisational and Individual

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Social networks Figure 7. 2 Sociogram Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Social networks STAR ISOLATE BRIDGE BUILDER Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education A person who got a large number of choices (sometimes ‘over-chosen’) A person who makes no choices and is not chosen. A person connecting parts of the network not connected by others Chapter 7 - 10

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Tuckman’s five stages of group development Figure 7. 3 Tuckman’s Five-Stage Theory

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Roles Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 12

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Roles • Role overload is when others’ expections exceed one’s ability • Role conflict is when others have conflicting or inconsistent expectations • Role ambiguity is when others’ expectations are unknown • Task roles is task-oriented group behaviour • Maintenance roles is relationship-building group behaviour Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 13

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Roles: Task TASK ROLES DESCRIPTION Initiator Suggests new goals or ideas Information seeker/giver Opinion seeker/giver Clarifies key issues Eleborator Promotes greater understanding through examples or exploration of implications Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Clarifies pertinent values Chapter 7 - 14

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Roles: Task TASK ROLES DESCRIPTION Coordinator Pulls together ideas and suggestions Orienter Keeps group headed toward its stated goal(s) Evaluator Test group’s accomplishments with various criteria such as logic and practicality Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 15

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Roles: Task TASK ROLES DESCRIPTION Energiser Prods group to move along or to accomplish more Procedural technician Performs routine duties (e. g. handing out materials - rearranging seats) Recorder Performs group memory function by documenting discussion & outcomes Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 16

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Roles: Maintenance MAINTENANCE DESCRIPTION ROLES Encourager Fosters group solidarity Harmoniser Mediates conflict Compromiser Gatekeeper Helps resolve conflict by meeting others ‘halfway’ Encourages participation Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 17

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Roles: Maintenance MAINTENANCE ROLES Standard setter Commentator Follower Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education DESCRIPTION Evaluates the quality of group processes Records and comments on group processes/dynamic Serves as a passive audience Chapter 7 - 18

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Norms • HOW DO NORMS DEVELOP? 1. Explicit statements by supervisors or co-workers 2. Critical events in the group’s history 3. Primacy 4. Carry-over behaviours from past situations Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 19

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Group size and composition Two heads are better than one’ but ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’. • The number of group members grows larger, shared norms will become weaker. • As size increases and as goals begin to become differentiated, it is clear that there is an upper limit to group size. • What the limit is will always depend on the context. • What is the Yetton and Bottger experiment? Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 20

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Homogeneous or heterogeneous groups? • Does diversity in groups enhance or detract from their effectiveness? o Task-related diversity can lead to greater effectiveness. o Relations-oriented diversity can inhibit effectiveness, although studies found mixed results for each of these concepts. o Age diversity reflects differences in values, attitudes and perspectives. o Ethnocentrism can be a problem in heterogeneous work groups. Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 21

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Threats to group effectiveness • The Asch Effect • Groupthink • Social

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Groupthink Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 23

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Groupthink Antecedents of groupthink Group characteristics Time Leadership style Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Defective decision-making • Few alternatives • No re-examination of preferred or rejected alternatives • Rejected expert opinions • Selective bias with regard to new information • No contingency plans Decision outcomes (what happened) Chapter 7 - 24

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Social loafing • Is group performance less than, equal to or greater than the sum of its parts? • Explanations for social loafing: o Equity of effort o Loss of personal accountability o Motivational loss due to the sharing of rewards o Co-ordination loss as more people perform the task Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 25

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Social loafing • WHEN DOES SOCIAL LOAFING TEND TO OCCUR? ü The task was perceived to be unimportant, simple or not interesting ü Group members thought their individual output was not identifiable ü Group members expected their co-workers to loaf Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 26

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Group cohesion • Similarity (background, age, sex, education skills, values) increases cohesion. • Stability (longer time together gives more cohesion) increases cohesion. • Size (small groups are likely to have more cohesive forces). • Support can strengthen the sense of cohesion. • Satisfaction with others in the group increases cohesion. Copyright © 2018 Mc. Graw-Hill Education Chapter 7 - 27