Chapter 9 Foundations of Group Behavior

Chapter 9: Fou Foundation ndation of Group Behavior Behavior By Ms.Sadia Aziz Ansari

Defining and Classifying Groups  A Group

 Two  Two or more individuals interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular par ticular objectives

Formal Groups

Informal Groups

Defined by the organization’s structure with designated work assignments establishing tasks

 Alliances that are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined

Continue… Formal Groups

Informal Groups

Command Group

Interest Groups

 A group composed of the individuals who report directly to a given manager

Members work together to attain a specific objective with which each is concerned

 Task Group

Friendship Groups

 Those working together to complete a job or task  in an organization but not limited by hierarchical boundaries

 Those brought together because they share one or more common characteristics

 Why People Join Groups?

Security

Status Self-esteem

 Affiliation

Power

Goal Achievement

Stages of Group Development  The Five Stage Model

Stage I: Forming

Members feel much uncertainty

Stage II: Storming

Lots of conflict between members of the group

Stage III: Norming

Members have developed close relationships and cohesiveness

Stage IV: Performing

Stage V: Adjourning

 The group is finally fully functional In temporary groups, characterized by concern with wrapping up activities rather than perfor mance

Shortcoming:  Don’t describe the underlying psychological mechanism moving a group from one stage to another. Don't specify the time groups need or do spend in each stage. Don’t take into account the external environment.  When environments can constrain development but cannot alter it. •

•

•

Punctuated Equilibrium Model “All groups move through periods of inertia separated by a brief period of  transition” Long periods of equilibrium are punctuated (interrupted) by periods of radical change and reorientation.

•

•

•

Periods of inertia are marked by the presence of deep structures and incremental changes.  Transition times are triggered by a problem. “We need to change the  way we’re working”  Transition times are “windows of  opportunity "not inevitable (or inevitably good) changes.

Continue…  Transition may also occurs due to: 1. a strong external shock  2. a change in group composition & 3. any dramatically novel state of affairs (e.g., persistent poor performance •

Shortcoming :  Don’t describe group development or deadline pressure. Limited usefulness to managers. Focused narrowly or may only be applicable to temporary  creative problem-solving groups. •

•

•

Group Properties:

Roles are a set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit Role Identity: Certain attitudes and behaviors consistent  with a role Role Perception:  An individual’s view  of how he or 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 Conflicts:

•

•

•

Every member of a group comes to expect certain behaviors from another member, asking that member to essentially perform his role.  When these roles are questioned by  another contradictory role, the results can be disappointing and even cause resentment.  The individual experiencing a role conflict can also feel frustrated or overwhelmed by the contradiction, or even hurt by resentment among  his peers

Norms & Status

•

•

Status is a socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others Status derived through three sources:

1) Power a person has over others 2) Ability to contribute to group goals & 3) Personal characteristics

Cohesiveness

Group Size:

Group Decision Making 

Group Decision Making  Group Decision Making vs. Individual Choice Effectiveness and Efficiency Strengths of Group Decision Making

Weaknesses of Group Decision Making

Generate more complete information and knowledge

Time-consuming activity

Offer increased diversity of views and greater creativity

Conformity pressures in the group

Increased acceptance of decisions

Discussions can be dominated by a few members

Generally more accurate (but not as accurate as the most accurate group member

 A situation of ambiguous responsibility

Group Decision Making 

Group-think

Group-shift

Situations where group pressures for conformity deter the group from critically appraising unusual, minority, or unpopular views

When discussing a given set of alternatives and arriving at a solution, group members tend to exaggerate the initial positions that they hold.  This causes a shift to more conservative or more risky behavior.

Group-think 

Symptoms

Minimizing Groupthink 

Group members rationalize any resistance to the assumptions they have made.

Reduce the size of the group to 10 or less

Members apply direct pressure on those who express doubts about shared views or who question the alternative favored by the majority.

Encourage group leaders to be impartial

Members who have doubts or differing points of view keep silent about misgivings.

Appoint a “devil’s advocate”

There appears to be an illusion of unanimity.

Use exercises on diversity

Nominal Group Technique •

•

Participants write down their own ideas first and then share and prioritize the assemblage of ideas. Participants typically   vote anonymously for their favorite idea

Benefits Everyone in a meeting can voice his or her opinion. Everyone is the meeting is participating and the amount of side comments and conversations is minimal. Limitations  The technique may be too rigid. Ideas and opinions typically are not considered in relation to each other. •

•

•

•

Global Implication •

Groups and task performance Social loafing  Disruptive behaviour

•

Group effectiveness Effective groups