CHAPTER- THREE

3. FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP BEHAVIOR

Groups are two or more employees who have an ongoing relationship in which they interact and
influence one another’s behavior and performances. In other words, a group is an; assemblage,
cluster, or aggregation of persons considered to be related in some way or united by common ties
or interests, for example family, recreation or occupation. A group is defined as two or more
individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular
common objectives.
There are certain characteristics of group:
 Collection of two or more people
 Common goal or interest- the shared goal determines and identifies that all the members of
the group have common goals.
 Interaction and interdependent
 Collective identity: groups are composed of people who recognized each other as a member
of their group and can distinguish these individuals from non- members.
 A stable structure: groups have a defined structure which gives relationship that keeps group
members together the stable functioning as a unit. It clarifies roles, authority and
responsibility of each group members which is important to accomplish group goal.
These broad definitions of groups cover families, neighborhood, Athletic teams, school sections,
committees, subparts of departments in a large organizations etc.

3.2 Types of Groups

The major categories of groups in organizations are informal, formal, a reference and
membership groups.
i. Informal Groups
These are groups that evolve to meet social or affiliation needs by bringing people based on
shared interests or friendship. Informal groups develop naturally among an organization’s
personnel without any direction from the management of the organization within which they
operate. A group that is neither formally structured now organizationally determined; appears in
response to the need for social contact. If several people periodically work together and take
walks together during their lunch hour they may constitute informal group interested in
conversation. Other interest groups might evolve from shared enjoyment, sport events, and
political news particularly among people who have the same viewpoint or enjoying a friendly
argument. In other case, people can set up a group for achieving some mutual objectives such as
setting up a car pool or convincing a manager to change working conditions.
Friendship Group: Those brought together because they share one or more common
characteristics.
Interest Group: Those working together to attain a specific objective with which each is
concerned.

In general, many factors explain why people form a group and attracted to one another, such
factors are; simply proximity if people work near on another, shared similar attitudes and
personalities, and having the same economic status.
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ii. Formal Groups
It is set up by the organization to carry out work in support of the organization’s goals. For
example, accounting department, Executive committee, Product development team etc are
considered as formal groups that aim in achieving their specific goals which they established for.
Formal groups are generally created by the management through the formal chain of command.
Formal groups may be command or task groups.
Command Group: A group composed of the individuals who report directly to a given
manager. Specified by the organization chart and comprised of employees who report directly to
a supervisor. Thus, it is defined in terms of the organization’s hierarchy. Membership arises from
each employee’s position on the organizational chart. Command groups are determined by the
organization’s rules regarding who reports to whom, and they usually consist of a supervisor and
his/her subordinates.
Task Group: it is made up of employees who work together to complete a particular task or
project. Membership arises from the responsibilities delegated to the employee. Task groups may
be composed of individuals with some special interest or expertise in a specific area regardless of
their positions in the organization hierarchy. The duration or the life span of task group can be
temporary, with established life span, or they may be open-ended, with no specified end like
cross-functional group work on quality improvement.

Group

Formal Informal

command task Interest frieindship

Characteristics Formal group Informal group

Origin It is deliberate and planned It is voluntary and
spontaneous
Purpose It serves as means to formal ends It provides social
satisfaction
Authority Authority means from superior to As authority is derived from
subordinate it flows downwards peers it flows horizontally
or even upwards
Communication All messages pass through properly All the communications are
system for commands informal channels
Behavior of members Behavior is regulated by rules and Behavior of member is
regulation to attain organization regulated by norms, values
objectives and beliefs of the group
Status It is determined by position or It depends on feelings and
responsibilities of a job sentiments of the members
Size It depends upon the It is smaller size
organization generally larger size
Nature of group It is stable and continues for a larger It is unstable
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 period
Control Management control Only by members
Direction Given by management Only by members
Power Given by manager Given by members
Primary focus Position Person
3.3 Group Development Stages
Team members must resolve several issues and pass several stages of development before
emerging as an effective work unit. They must get to know each other, understand their
respective roles, discover appropriate and inappropriate behaviors and learn how to coordinate
their work or social activities. This is an ongoing process because teams change as new members
join and old members leave. There are five stages of team development:
1. Forming
Group members try to get to know each other, learn about the function of the group and establish
a common understanding as they struggle to clarify group goals and determine appropriate
behavior within the group. Members evaluate the benefits and costs of continued membership.
Members experience from of socialization and try to find out what is expected from them and
how they will fit into the team. Group members are not sure about the purpose, structure, task, or
leadership of the group.
A leader is very important here and he/she directs the group for each and every task has to be
performed. This is the stage that characterized by much uncertainty, people tend to be polite.
2. Storming
In this stage, individual member become more proactive by taking on specific roles and task
responsibilities. This stage is identified by interpersonal conflict as members compete for
leadership, how much power the leader should have and other roles in the team. Coalitions may
form to influence the team’s goals and means of goal attainment. Members try to establish norms
of appropriate behavior and performance standards. During, team member begins to sort out the
specific features of these roles as well as to identify the members responsible for each role.
3. Norming-initial integration stage
During the norming stage, team develops its first real sense of cohesion as roles are established,
close relationships and consensus forms around group objectives. Group members really start to
feel that they belong to the group, and they develop close ties with one another. Members have
developed relatively similar mental models, so they have common expectations and assumptions
about how the team’s goals should be accomplished. This allows them to interact more
efficiently, so they can move into the next stage, performing.
4. Performing-total integration-mature, organized, well-functioning group emerged
The group is ready to tackle group tasks and work toward achieving group goals-the real work
gets accomplished in this stage. At this stage group is fully functional. The team becomes more
task-oriented in the performing stage because it shifts from establishing and maintaining
relations to accomplishing it objectives. Team members have learned to coordinate their actions
and to resolve conflicts more efficiently. Furthermore coordination improvements must
occasionally be addressed, but the greater emphasis is on task accomplishment. In high
performance teams are highly cooperative, have high level of trust in each other, the members
are committed to groups’ objectives, and identify with the group.
5. Adjourning

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The groups disband after having accomplished its goals. Most work teams and informal teams
eventually end. Task forces disbanded per their accomplishment of their specific task they
assigned. Informal work groups reach this stage when several members leave the organization or
are reassigned elsewhere. Some teams adjourn as a result of layoffs or plant shutdowns.
Whatever the cause of team adjournment, members shift their attention away from task
orientation to socio emotional focus as they realize that their relationship is ending.
Groups do not always proceed clearly from one stage to the next. Sometimes several stages go
on simultaneously, as when groups are storming and performing. Groups even occasionally
regress to previous stages.
3.4 Reasons for forming Groups (Why People Join Groups)
Economic reasons: - Join groups because they believe membership will result in economic
betterment. (E.g. a labor union with a record of securing members higher wages)
Safety and security: - Groups provide protection to their members. That is why workers join
trade unions to feel safe and secure. New employees are particularly helpless to sense of
separation and turn to the group for guidance and support

Power: - One of the appealing aspects groups is that they represent power

 Groups additionally provide opportunities for individuals to exercise power over others

 Workers enjoy much greater power to joining than they do as individual

Goal achievement: - people may join a group for goal achievement when it takes more than one
person’s talents, skills, and abilities to do the job.

Status: - indicates a prestige that comes from belonging to a particular group.

The claims that, he is a member of a particular group which gives some identity in the
organization or in the society
Self-esteem conveys people’s feelings of self-worth.
Affiliation with groups can fulfill one’s social needs through social interaction.
3.5 Benefits of effective Group
Groups can be effective if it fulfills the following
1. Achieve high level of task performance
2. Members are satisfied
3. Group viability
So effective group has the following benefits
 Groups are good for people
 Groups can improve creativity
 Groups can make better decision
 Groups can increase commitment to decision
 Groups help to control their members
 Groups can offset large organization size
 Groups can improve performance
3.5 Characteristics of well-functioning groups:
o The atmosphere tends to be relaxed, comfortable, and informal.
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o The group’s task is well understood and accepted by the members.
o The members listen to one another; most members participate in good deal to task-relevant
discussion.
o People express both their feelings and ideas.
o Conflicts and disagreements present and centered around ideas or methods, not personalities
or people.
o The group is aware and conscious of its own operation and function.
o Decisions are usually based on consensus, not majority vote.
o When actions are decided, clear assignments are made and accepted by members of the
group.
3.6 Group Properties
Work groups have properties that shape members’ behavior and help explain and predict
individual behavior within the group as well as the performance of the group itself.
Some of these properties are:
 Roles  Status  Cohesiveness
 Norms  Size and  leadership

I. Roles structure
A role is a pattern of expected behaviors associated with certain position in the group. A role
structure is a set of roles and relationships among roles that has been defined and accepted by
group members. Generally, role assignment should be clear and should not be incompatible with
receiver of it as far as possible.
 Role Identity is certain attitudes and behaviours that are consistent with a role.
 Role Perceptions:
 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 an employee or vice versa.
 Role Conflict (individuals confronted with divergent role expectations)
II. Norms: Acceptable standards of group behavior that are shared by the group’s members are
called norms. Groups will exert pressure upon members to bring their behavior into
conformity with the standards of the group. Since members desire acceptance by the group,
they are susceptible to these conformity pressures.
Common Classes of Norms
a. Performance norms are norms that give members;
 Explicit cues on how hard they should work;
 How to get the job done;
 Their level of output;
 Appropriate level of tardiness, etc.
b. Appearance Norms (Dress codes)
c. Social Arrangement Norms.
 With whom group members eat lunch;
 Friendships on and off the job;
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  Social games, etc.
d. Allocation of Resources Norms
These norms can originate in the group or in the organization and cover things such as;
 Pay;
 Assignment of difficult jobs, and
 Allocation of new tools and equipment
III. Status
Status is a socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others.
What determines Status?
 The power a person wields over others.
 A person’s ability to contribute to group goals.
 An individual’s personal characteristics. (Good look, intelligence, friendly personality etc.)
IV. Cohesiveness
Is the degree to which group members are attracted to each other and are motivated to stay in the
group. The commitment of members to a group and the strength of their desire to remain in the
group.
Increasing group cohesiveness is possible through:
1. Make the group smaller.
2. Encourage agreement with group goals.
3. Increase group status and admission difficultly.
4. Stimulate competition with other groups.
5. Give rewards to the group, not individuals
V. Leadership- a group leader has the role of inspiring and empowering group members to
achieve a shared vision.
VI. Size- the number of members, here the optimum is suggested to be from two to
twenty members.
Social Loafing is the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively
than when working individually.
VII. Tasks- refer to activities that can lead to successful completion of the group’s tasks.
These are of three types: disjunctive tasks which needs only individual efforts of a group
members; conjunctive tasks is a situation where group members’ effort are highly
interdependent; additive tasks are tasks where the productivity is measured by adding together
the output of each group member.
3.7 Obstacles to Group Productivity
A group of employees is sometimes less productive than the same member of individuals
working alone. Managers should be aware of the obstacles to group productivity so that they can
look for ways to overcome them.
i. Breakdown in Role development
Sometimes the process of role development breaks down. Role structuring refers to the set of
roles and relationships among roles that has been accepted by group members.
Breakdown with such role structure may result in role conflict, role ambiguity, or role overload.
a) Role ambiguity- it occurs when a sent role is unclear or incomplete or when there is
uncertainty about the content of an expected role. To minimize such breakdown, identifying
roles and role expectations and encouraging group members to seek feedback can be
considered as a means.

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b) Role conflict- when the sent role is incompatible. In addition, when there are contradictory or
mutually exclusive expectations concerning a person’s role(s).
It may take the form of:
I. Person-role conflict- means the requirements of a person’s role violate his or her personal
values, needs, and attitudes. This can occur when the group values and expectations for
behavior reflect a culture different from that of the individual.
II. Intra-role conflict- arises when different people’s expectations for a role are incompatible. In
other words, if an employee satisfies one person’s view of his/her role, the employee will fall
short of another person’s expectations.
III. Inter-role conflict- occurs when the multiple role performed by a person involve
incompatible expectations. A common type of inter-role involves the combating demands of
being a spouse, parent, and employee.

To avoid or at least to minimize such role conflicts the organization has to do something. The
organization can limit it by carefully structuring the organization in a way it takes this issue in to
account. In addition, it can seek to hire and retain employees whose values and attitudes are
consistent with the organization’s needs.

c) Role overload- a role structure is also weak when expected roles exceed group members’
abilities, a condition called a role overload occurred. Role overload involves expectations
that are excessive relative to a person’s abilities. It can arise from a number of roles a person
takes on. By matching assignments to group members’ abilities and by considering whether
employees are expected to take on too many roles such over load can be talked.

ii. Groupthink
Over emphasis on consensus and agreement, leading to unwillingness to evaluate group
members’ ideas critically is known as groupthink. It is a barrier for effective decision making in
groups. It might occur because of the desire of members to suppress differences in their
viewpoints and to maintain conformity. In this case the group leader can inspire the members and
can create procedures and values that encourage diversity of viewpoints. The best way to prevent
groupthink is to frequently seek the opinion of impartial consultants who do not belong to the
group and to encourage at least one group member to serve as a “devil’s advocate,” i.e., a person
who provides strong counterarguments to the group’s arguments. In addition, the leader should
attempt to remain impartial and should avoid revealing his or her preferences too early in the
group discussion.

iii. Social loafing : “Free riding” when working with others

Social loafing is doing less than the fair share of the work on the assumption that group’s results
will not indicate the individual’s failure to contribute. Obviously such sort of behavior in the
group pose obstacles to achieve a competitive advantage as well it decrease the morale of those
who try to take up the slack.
As a remedy, we can control social loafing by fostering norms and instituting controls that
discourage it. In other case, providing rewards for productive behavior and limiting it through

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selection process that is by joining the group employees who are happy and satisfied can be
considered.

iv. Production blocking

It refers to limiting another person’s output by getting in his or her way. It occurs when; too
many workers are trying to work in a given amount of space, organizations has poorly planned
the use of its facilities, and when the organization assigns more than the optimal number of
employees to carry out a task.

Production blocking gives an explanation for why individuals acting alone can generate more
ideas than a group engaged in brainstorming. Two people might have an idea at the same time
but only one person can speak at a time, this means the other must wait. Not only this slow down
the process, but people who are waiting to share ideas may forget them while they are listening
to the other.
3.8 Increasing Group Productivity
Among the factors that can influence group productivity are the motivation of group members,
group cohesiveness, and the group’s communication structure.

1. Members Motivation
Effectively enhancing the motivation of group members can improve group productivity. Studies
have found that there are certain things that make productivity of the group greater such as
Group Goals; in this case, the performance of members is greater when there are specific and
challenging goals. In such case the group performs better jobs of planning how they would meet
the goal; pairing to this the members must believe they can achieve its goals. Reward structure-
refers to the way the organization structures its reward system, on the other side, can increase
productivity. There are two forms of reward structure: Cooperative group reward- this reward is
tied to the group’s overall performance with each individual receiving the same reward. The
problem with such system is id doesn’t recognize exceptional performance by individuals, but it
can bring about collaboration and integration. Competitive group reward – it is a system of
rewarding individual group members for successfully performing as individuals within the
group. Actually this system might undermine cooperation. In some instances membership can
also enhance motivation.
2. Cohesiveness
It refers to the commitment of members to a group and strength of their desire to remain in the
group. To bring cohesiveness in to group high productivity norms should be encouraged. It
entails making group participation rewarding. The manager may limit the size of the group and
involve group members in setting the group goals to this effect as well.
3. Communication structure
A group communication structure includes the direction in which communication flow within the
group and the media used for sending messages. Access to communication can enhance
productivity and managers must create an environment that encourages and recognizes
communication from employees regardless of individual differences. Communication media
group members can communicate through face-to-face, over phone and via e-mail and so on;
particularly, importance for a group Medias such as Meeting, teleconferencing, and
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videoconferencing. Communication networks- communication in organization (as well in groups
in organization) flows in pattern, called communication networks.

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