Group

GROUPProf. KHAGENDRA

BULMIM,NEW DELHI

What is GROUP?

• A group consists of two or more persons who interact with each other, consciously for the achievement of certain common objectives.

What is GROUP?

• A group is two or more persons who are interacting with one another in such a manner that each person influences and is influenced by each other person.

• A group refers to a collection of two or more interacting individuals with a stable pattern of relationships between them ,who share common goals & who perceive themselves as being a group.

In short :group

• Two or more person .• Common objectives.• Influenced by each other person.• Perceive themselves as being a group.

Nature of Group

• The members of the group inter-dependent and are aware that they are part of group.

People must interact with each other.

• People must be psychologically aware of one another.

• People must perceive themselves to be a group.

• A feeling of belongingness & Feeling of Security

Consent ,solving problems and helping others.

Effective communication

Why do people join Groups? Security Status Self-esteem Affiliation Power Identity

&recognition Goal

accomplishment

Other REASONS FOR GROUP FORMATION

1. COMPANIONSHIP2. SENSE OF IDENTIFICATION3. SOURCE OF INFORMATION4. JOB SATISFACTION5. PROTECTION OF MEMBERS6. OUTLET FOR FRUSTATION7. PERPETUATION OF CULTURAL VALUES8. GENERATION OF NEW IDEAS

Identity “ Group”

My ReligionMy School

My State

My Company

My Department

My Race/Ethnicity

My Team/Club

My Generation

Characteristics of Groups

Norms: standard of behavior that every member of the group is expected to follow.

Conformity: behavior or actions that follow the norms.

Cohesiveness: forming a united whole

What is group dynamics ? Dynamics means a force from organizational point of view.

The social process by which people interact face to face in small groups is called group dynamics.

Group dynamics is concerned with the interaction of individuals in a

face to face relationship

Group Dynamic focus on teamwork where in small groups are constantly in contact with each other and share common ideas to accomplish the given tasks.

Group Dynamic

Types of groups:

Formal group• Work group , task

force , committee and quality of team.

• Decided by management

• Clear –cut authority and responsibility relationships

Informal group• Developed

(spontaneously) by social interaction

• Common interest , language ,taste , caste ,religion , background etc.

Other types of Group 1. Command Group : A group composed of the

individuals who report directly to a given manger.

2. Task Group : People working together to complete a job task

3. Interest Group : People working together to attain a specific objective with which each is concerned.

4. Friendship Group : people brought together because they share one or more common characteristics.

Stages of Group Development 1. Forming : When members have begun to think of

themselves as part of group. (uncertainty ).2. Storming: There will be a relatively clear hierarchy of

leadership within the group. (intragroup conflict)3. Norming : When the group structure solidifies and the

group has assimilated a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behaviour. (Close Relationship & Cohesiveness).

4. Performing: Group energy has moved from getting to know and understand each other to performing the task at hand. (Fully Functional ).

5. Adjourning: The final stage in group development for temporary groups ,characterized by concern with wrapping up activities rather than task performance.

Stages of Group Development

E X H I B I T 8–2

Determinants/properties of Group Behaviors -1

External Factors

Group Task

Group Member

Resources

Group Structure

Group Processes Performance

& Satisfaction

1

2

3

4

5

6

1.External Factors : Determinants/properties of Group

Behaviors -2• Corporate Strategy • Organizational structure • Rules and Regulations • Organizational Resources • Staffing Policies • Appraisal • Reward System • Organizational Culture • Physical work Environment such as lay out , interior

decoration , seating arrangement , temperature etc.

2.Group Member Resources Determinants/properties of Group Behaviors -3

• Abilities of members ( Intellectual abilities & Task relevant

Ability )• Personality Characteristics ( sociability , self reliance , and

independence Vs

Authoritarianism , dominance, and manipulation )

3.Group Structure : Determinants/properties of Group

Behaviors -41. Leadership 2. Goals 3. Communication 4. Role Relationship 5. Group Norms 6. Group Status 7. Group Size8. Group Composition9. Group Cohesiveness

Role Relationship Role Set Role identity Role perception Role Incongruence Role Expectations Role Conflict

A set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit.

Group Structure - Norms

Classes of Norms:• Performance norms• Appearance/Behavioural

norms• Social arrangement norms• Allocation of resources

norms

Norms

Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the group’s members.

Group Structure - Norms (cont’d)

Conformity

Adjusting one’s behavior to align with the norms of the group.Reference Groups

Important groups to which individuals belong or hope to belong and with whose norms individuals are likely to conform.

Group Structure - Norms (cont’d)

Deviant Workplace Behavior

Antisocial actions by organizational members that intentionally violate established norms and result in negative consequences for the organization, its members, or both.

Typology of Deviant Workplace Behavior

E X H I B I T 8–5

Category Examples

Production Leaving earlyIntentionally working slowlyWasting resources

Property Sabotage Lying about hours worked Stealing from the organization

Political Showing favoritismGossiping and spreading rumorsBlaming coworkers

Personal Aggression Sexual harassmentVerbal abuseStealing from coworkers

Source: Adapted from S.L. Robinson, and R.J. Bennett. “A Typology of Deviant Workplace Behaviors: A Multidimensional Scaling Study,” Academy of Management Journal, April 1995, p. 565.

Group Structure - Status

Group NormsGroup Norms

Status Equity Status Equity

CultureCulture

Group MemberGroup MemberStatusStatus

Status

A socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others.

Group Structure - Size

Group Size

Performance

Expec

ted

Actual (due to

loafing)

Other conclusions:• Odd number groups do

better than even.• Groups of 7 or 9 perform

better overall than larger or smaller groups.

Social LoafingThe tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually.

Group Structure - CompositionGroup Demography

The degree to which members of a group share a common demographic attribute, such as age, sex, race, educational level, or length of service in the organization, and the impact of this attribute on turnover.

Cohorts

Individuals who, as part of a group, hold a common attribute.

Group cohesiveness : Determinants/properties of Group

Behaviors -7• The degree of attachment of the members to

their group. • Factors Influencing Group Cohesiveness ( nature of the group , size of the group , location

of the group , communication , Status of the group , outside pressures , Inter-dependency , Leadership of the group , Success , Management behaviour )

Relationship Between Group Cohesiveness, Performance

Norms, and Productivity

E X H I B I T 8–6

Group cohesiveness

Group Structure - Cohesiveness

Increasing group cohesiveness:1. Make the group smaller.2. Encourage agreement with group goals.3. Increase time members spend together.4. Increase group status and admission difficultly.5. Stimulate competition with other groups.6. Give rewards to the group, not individuals.7. Physically isolate the group.

Cohesiveness

Degree to which group members are attracted to each other and are motivated to stay in the group.

4.Group Process : Determinants/properties of Group

Behaviors -5• Group processes refers to the communication

patterns used by members group decision processes , leader behaviour , power dynamics , conflict interactions

• Group processes are significant as they can create out puts greater than the sum of their inputs because of the effect of synergy.

• Group process refers “to the understanding of the behavior of people in groups”.

5.Group Tasks : Determinants/properties of Group

Behaviors -6

Group Tasks

• Decision-making– Large groups facilitate the pooling of

information about complex tasks.

– Smaller groups are better suited to coordinating and facilitating the implementation of complex tasks.

– Simple, routine standardized tasks reduce the requirement that group processes be effective in order for the group to perform well.

Group Decision Making

• Strengths– More complete

information– Increased diversity of

views– Higher quality of

decisions (more accuracy)

– Increased acceptance of solutions

• Weaknesses– More time

consuming (slower)– Increased pressure

to conform– Domination by one

or a few members– Ambiguous

responsibility

Group Decision Making (cont’d)Groupthink

Phenomenon in which the norm for consensus overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative course of action.

Groupshift

A change in decision risk between the group’s decision and the individual decision that member within the group would make; can be either toward conservatism or greater risk.

Symptoms Of The Groupthink Phenomenon

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

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

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

• There appears to be an illusion of unanimity.

Group Decision-Making TechniquesInteracting Groups

Typical groups, in which the members interact with each other face-to-face.

Nominal Group TechniqueA group decision-making method in which individual members meet face-to-face to pool their judgments in a systematic but independent fashion.

Group Decision-Making Techniques

Electronic Meeting

A meeting in which members interact on computers, allowing for anonymity of comments and aggregation of votes.

BrainstormingAn idea-generation process that specifically encourages any and all alternatives, while withholding any criticism of those alternatives.

Evaluating Group Effectiveness

E X H I B I T 8–8

TYPE OF GROUP

Effectiveness Criteria Interacting Brainstorming Nominal Electronic Number and quality of ideas Low Moderate High HighSocial pressure High Low Moderate LowMoney costs Low Low Low HighSpeed Moderate Moderate Moderate ModerateTask orientation Low High High HighPotential for interpersonal conflict High Low Moderate

LowCommitment to solution High Not applicable Moderate ModerateDevelopment of High High Moderate Lowgroup cohesiveness

Determinants/properties of Group Behaviors -1

External Factors

Group Task

Group Member

Resources

Group Structure

Group Processes Performance

& Satisfaction

1

2

3

4

5

6

Importance of Groups to the Organization

• Filling in gaps in manager’s abilities. • Solving work problems • Better Coordination• Channel of communication • Restraint on mangers. • Better relations • Norms of Behaviour • Save time & energy • Effective work & result oriented

Quality Circles

• A quality circle is a small group of employees doing similar or related work who meet regularly to identify , analyze, and solve product-quality problems and to improve general operations .

• The Concept of QC emerged from quality control & quite popular in Japan .

• The Quality circles are relatively autonomous units (ideally about 10 workers), usually led by a supervisor or a senior worker and organized as work unit .

• The workers, who have a shared area of responsibility ,meet periodically to discuss, analyze and propose solutions to ongoing problems.

Objectives &benefits of QC

• Overall improvement of quality of products manufactured by the enterprise.

• Improvement of production methods and productivity of the enterprise

• Development of the employees who take part in quality circles.

• Building high morale of employees by developing team-work in the organization.

Problems in Implementation of QC

• Negative Attitudes • Lack of Ability • Lack of Management Commitment • Non-Implementation of Suggestions

For the effective Implementation of QC

• Commitment of top Management • The Attitude of Managers and workers about

quality circles should be modified through providing them necessary information about the positive aspects of QC.

• Sufficient training • Useful suggestions of QC should be duly

acknowledged and implemented by top management.

• Sufficient publicity through notice boards and company publications.

Possible Questions1. Define groups and give examples of different

type of group.2. What are the five stages of group development? 3. Do role requirements change in different

situations? If so, how?4. How do group norms and status influence

an individual’s behaviour? 5. How does group size affect group

performance?6. What are the advantages and limitations of

cohesive groups?

Questions & -Tell Answers• What are the strengths and weakness of

Group (versus individual) decision Making? • How effective are interacting,

brainstorming, nominal and electronic meeting groups?

• Give reasons as to why you joined a favourite group other than your family.

• What is the evidence for the effect of culture on group status and social loafing? How does diversity affect groups and their effectiveness over time?

This is beginning ………………..