FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP

BEHAVIOUR
Writa Bhattacharjee
AGENDA
Introduction to Groups
Group Development
Structure of Groups
Group Decision Making
Teams
INTRODUCTION TO GROUPS
Section 1
DEFINITION
What is a ‘Group’?
From your experience, tell me about the
following:
 What types of groups are there?
 Why do people form or join groups?
 What do groups do?
 How do groups function?
 What causes conflict in groups?
 What are the characteristics of groups?
 When do groups work and when do they fail?
 What kind of roles do members play in a
group?
 What are the factors that determine group
dynamics?
 How does decision making happen within
DEFINITION (contd.)
Two or more individuals, interacting and
interdependent, who have come together to
achieve particular objectives. – Stephen P.
Robbins
A collection of two or more people who meet
regularly and influence one another over a
period of time, perceive themselves as a
distinct entity distinguishable from others,
share common values and strive for common
objectives. – Kavita Singh
WHICH DEFINITION DO YOU PREFER? WHY?
GROUP ACTIVITY

Broken


Squares
GROUP DEVELOPMENT
 Section 2
WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN GROUPS?
Security
Status
Self-esteem
Affiliation
Power
Goal achievement
TYPES OF GROUPS
Formal, Informal and Virtual
Command & Task
Interest & Friendship
Interacting, Co-acting and Counteracting
Open & Closed
Membership & Referent
In & Out

FUNCTIONS OF GROUPS
Task functions
 Handling complex tasks
 Liaison or coordinating function
 Implementation of complex decisions
 Generating new and complex ideas
 Vehicle for training new employees
Maintenance functions
 Fulfilling the need for social interaction
 Providing a sense of identity and self-esteem
 Solving personal problems
 Reducing anxiety and uncertainty
FIVE-STAGE MODEL (TUCKMAN)

STAGE 1: STAGE 2: STAGE 3:

FORMING STORMING NORMING

STAGE 4: STAGE 5:
PERFORMING ADJOURNING
STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT
PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM
(ROMANELLI AND TUSHMAN)

First Meeting- Establishment of directions
First phase of group activity – Inertia
Transition at mid-point
Transition initiates major changes
Second phase of inertia
Last meeting- accelerated activity for
completion
THE PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM
MODEL
(HIGH)
PERFORMANCE

COMPLETION
PHASE 2

FIRST
MEETING
TRANSITION
PHASE 1

(LOW)
A (A+B) / 2 B
TIME
STRUCTURE OF GROUPS
 Section 3
GROUP STRUCTURE
Groups cannot perform in vacuum –
structure
Structure shapes member behaviour
Explain and predict: individual behaviour,
group performance
Structural variables:
 Formal leadership
 Roles
 Norms
 Status
 Size
 Composition
 Cohesiveness

ROLES
Make a list of roles that each of you play
What is ‘role’?
Role Identity
Role Perception
Role Expectations
 Psychological contract
Role Conflict
Belbin’s team roles
NORMS
What are norms?
Make a list of things you should / should not do
as a member of the group of students of this
class.
Classes of norms:
 Performance norms
 Appearance norms
 Social arrangement norms
 Resource allocation norms
Conforming
 Reference groups
 The emperor’s new clothes
STATUS
What is status?
Make a list of things that contribute to status
for you
Make a list of things that don’t contribute to
status for you
Make a list of things that don’t matter one way
or the other
Motivational impact of status
Status and norms
Status equity
 With input
 With trappings
SIZE & COMPOSITION
Large vs. small groups : problem solving vs.
execution
Social Loafing- causes?
Group size and individual performance
What is the ideal size?
Homogeneous vs. heterogeneous groups –
effectiveness
Group demography
Cohorts
COHESIVENESS
What is cohesiveness?
Cohesiveness, performance norms and productivity
How to increase cohesiveness?
 Make the group smaller
 Encourage agreement with group goals
 Increase time spent together
 Increase status of group and perceived
difficulty of attaining membership
 Stimulate competition with other groups
 Physically isolate the group
GROUP DECISION MAKING
Section 4
GROUP DECISION MAKING
Group vs. individual decision making
Strengths of Group decision making
Weaknesses of Group decision making
Effectiveness and efficiency
Groupthink
Groupshift
Group decision making techniques
 Interacting
 Brainstorming
 Nominal
 Electronic
TEAMS
 Section 5
 TEAMS VS. GROUPS
Work groups Work
teams

Share information Goal Collective

Neutral (sometimes performance
Synergy
-ve) Positive
Individual Accountability
Individual & mutual
Random and varied Skills
Complementary
TYPES OF TEAMS
Problem-solving
Self-managed
Cross-functional

PROBLEM SELF CROSS

SOLVING MANAGED FUNCTIONAL
CREATING HIGH PERFORMANCE
TEAMS
Size of work teams
Abilities of members
Allocating roles and promoting diversity
Having a commitment to a common purpose
Establishing specific goals
Leadership and structure
Social loafing and accountability
Appropriate performance evaluation and
reward systems
Developing high mutual trust
COMMITTEES
Positive attributes of Committees:
 Wide range of knowledge, experience, ability
and personal qualities
 Tool for minimizing conflicts
 Strengthen horizontal communication
 Enhanced motivation and commitment arising
from participation
 Provide human development and growth
Negative attributes of Committees:
 Time consuming and excessively costly
 Divided responsibility – lack of accountability
 Decisions through excessive compromise
REFERENCES
Organizational Behaviour- Stephen P. Robbins
Organizational Behaviour: Text and cases-
Kavita Singh
Human Relations and Organisational Behaviour-
R.S.Dwivedi
Organizational Behaviour- Schermerhorn, Hunt
and Osborn
Understanding Organizational Behaviour- Udai
Pareek
REFERENCES (contd.)
Organisational Behaviour- Uma Sekeran
Organizational Behavior- John W Newstrom
Organizational Behavior- Nelson and Quick
Organizational Behavior- Fred Luthans
Management and Organisational Behaviour-
Laurie J. Mullins
EXERCISE
Divide yourselves into groups of 7 people and
 Prepare a brief analysis of one of the following
from a ‘teamwork’ perspective
 Analyse your own group/team aspects while
performing the task and prepare a brief
report on it.
 Topics:
Chandrayaan as a team effort
Role of group dynamics in the Indo-US Nuclear
Deal
Quality Circles at BHEL
Turnaround in Novino Batteries
The Toyota Story
"Nobody's perfect but a team can
be."
THANK YOU
Questions?
BACK
 COHESIVENESS
HIGH LOW
PERFORMANCE NORMS

HIGH

LOW

BACK
Co-ordinator: take on Plant: the creative Shaper: challenge the
the team-leader role; innovator who comes team to improve;
guide the team to up with new ideas and shake things up to
what they perceive are approaches; thrive on make sure that all
the objectives; calm praise but criticism is possibilities are
and good-natured; especially hard for considered and that
Team Worker:
delegate tasks very Monitor-Evaluator:
them to deal with Implementer:
the team does get
not
provide support and best at analyzing & things
effectively becomedone; turn the
complacent.
make sure that people evaluating ideas that team's ideas and
within the team are other people come up concepts into practical
working together with; weigh pros & actions and plans
effectively; fill the
Resource Investigator: cons of all options
Specialist: have Completer-Finisher:
role of negotiators
innovative and before taking a
specialized see that projects are
curious; explore decision
knowledge that is completed
available options, needed to get the job thoroughly; ensure
develop contacts, and done; expert in their there have been no
negotiate for areas errors or omissions
resources on behalf of and they pay attention
the team to the smallest
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