(None of US is equal to ALL of US)

y 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

y Security y Warmth and Support y Recognition y Power y Goal Achievement

How groups help organizations?

y Groups can improve creativity. y Groups can make better decisions. y Groups can increase commitments to action. y Groups help control their members.

A Model of Group Formation and Development

Types of Group Formal: 1. Command 2. Task Security need satisfaction Social need satisfaction Esteem need satisfaction Power Achievemen -t Reasons for Group Formation Stages of Group Development 1.Forming 2.Storming 3.Norming 4.Performing 5.Adjourning Some Group Characteristic s Status Roles Size Norms Composition Leadership Cohesiveness Conflicts Development Satisfaction End Results

Performance

Informal: 1. Interest 2. Friendship

FEEDBACK

y FORMAL GROUPS (TASK ORIENTED) y INFORMAL GROUPS (SOCIAL ORIENTED)

Work Group

Formal Work Group

Informal Work Group

Command Group

Task Group

Interest Group

Friendship Group

Reference Group

y Established by management to accomplish specific tasks. y Created under formal authority. y Rules, regulations, incentives guides the members. y May exist for a short or long period of time.

y Perform tasks requiring the collective skills of more than one

person

y Good for idea generation

y Good for exchange of ideas

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

y 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.

y Friendship Group - individuals who enjoy each others company

and socialize with each other. Eg : Friendship groups among students

y 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.
y Reference Group in which an individual like to belong. It

justifies ones attitude and values Eg : Group of cricketers or actors.

y Can speed up work flow by supplementing formal lines of

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

group.
y Can provide members with social satisfaction, security, and a

sense of belonging.

FORMAL & INFORMAL GROUP CHARACTERISTICS

FORMAL GROUPS
y Objective: Profit, Efficiency, Service y Origin: Management y Structure: Formal y Task Oriented y Leader is Appointed by Organization y Relationships Established by Job & Work-

INFORMAL GROUPS
y Objective: Member Satisfaction y Origin: Individuals y Structure: Informal y Relation Oriented y Leadership is Emergent y Relationships Developed

Flow Patterns
y Control: Coercive, Monetary Rewards

Spontaneously
y Control: Social Sanctions

 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 committees 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 committees effectiveness.  Committee members are often chosen to represent the interests of their departments.  This will result in total chaos within the organization.

y Group

development
y Forming y Storming y Norming y Performing

Phase Forming Storming Norming

Relations Mistrust Communication Cohesiveness

Task Seek objective Identify problems Clarify roles Emerging solutions Task completion

Performing Cooperation Adjourning Disengagement

y Groups can sometimes go back to an earlier stage.

y Conflict can sometimes be helpful to the group.

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

y Size y Leadership y Status y Roles y Norms y Cohesiveness y Composition

y Small Group consists a minimum number of

individuals, say about 8 to 10.

y Large Group consists more number of

individuals, it may be over 25 members.

ADVANTAGES: SMALL GROUPS

y Interaction among group members are more frequent y Information is more easily shared among group members y Group members recognize others contributions to the group

ADVANTAGES: LARGE GROUPS

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

 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
Represents the organization.

INFORMAL LEADERS
Represents the values of the group.

Task oriented.

Group oriented.

Dominates and impose.

Leadership role is based on group consensus and acceptance.

Achieves organizational goals by following rules and regulations.

Achieves group goals without violating group norms.

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

y Status Congruence y Occurs when a persons position within the group is

equivalent in status to positions held outside the group.

y When status incongruence is present, problems will likely

occur.

y 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.

y Cohesiveness the extent that group members are attracted to

each other and to the group values and accept group goals

y As the cohesiveness of a work group increases, the level of

conformity to group norms also increases

Strategies for Increasing Group Cohesion

1. 2. 3.

Inducing agreement on group goals Making the group more homogeneous in its composition Increasing the frequency of interaction among group members Making the group smaller Physically and/or socially isolating the group from other groups Allocating rewards to the group rather than to the individual

4. 5.

6.

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

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

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

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