GROUP DYNAMICS

What Does It Take to Make a Group?

What is a group?
Two or more individuals interacting who have come together to achieve a particular goal. Two or more interacting individuals with a stable pattern of relationship between them who perceive themselves as a group.

Groups and Teams Contributions to Organizational Effectiveness

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

Reasons for joining groups 1. security: group reduces insecurity and standing alone syndrome.

2. Status : recognition and status same as that of group

3. Self-Esteem: Self importance

4.Affiliation: Fulfills need of affection

5. Power: There is power in number

STAGES OF GROUP FORMATION

STAGE -I FORMING: CONFUSIONnot certain about purpose, task and leadership.

 STAGE II STORMING: conflict and confrontation(disagreements).

STAGE III NORMING: settling down, coop, collaboration

STAGE IV PERFORMING: group fully functional, devoted to task at hand.

STAGE V ADJOURNING: end of group/ new modified group

happy
sad depressed

TYPES OF GROUPS
FORMAL & INFORMAL GROUPS Formal Informal

The Types of Groups and Teams in Organizations

Figure 15.2

Types of Groups
Formal Groups
Command group : formal group determined by structure Task group: formal group organized for a specific task Committees: handles problems outside of regular assignments

Informal groups
Social groups: people who enjoy each others company (chat groups) Interest groups: groups that develop informally around a common interest (news groups, listserv members)

Formal Groups
Cross-functional teams
composed of members from different departments

Cross-cultural teams
composed of members from different cultures or countries

The Types of Groups and Teams

Type of Team
Top-management team Research and development team Command groups A group composed of the CEO, the president, and the heads of the most important departments A team whose members have the expertise and experience needed to develop new products A group composed of subordinates who report to the same supervisor, also called a department or unit, A committee of managers or nonmanagerial employees from various departments or divisions who meet to solve a specific, mutual problem; als o called an ad hoc committee

Task forces

The Types of Groups and Teams

Type of Team
Self-managed work team Virtual team A group of employees who supervise their own activities and monitor the quality of the goods and services they provide. A team whose members rarely or never meet face to face and interact by using various forms of information technology such as email, computer networks, telephone, fax and video conferences. An informal group composed of employees who enjoy each others company and socialize with each other. An informal group composed of employees seeking to achieve a common goal related to their membership in an organization.

Friendship group

Interest group

Virtual Teams
A team whose members rarely meet face-toface Interact by using various forms of information technology Email, computer networks, telephone, fax, and videoconferences

The Types of Groups and Teams

Informal Group
A group that managers or nonmanagerial employees form to help achieve their own goals or to meet their own needs.

Friendship Groups
An informal group composed of employees who enjoy one anothers company and socialize with one another

Interest Groups
An informal group of employees seeking to achieve a common goal related to their membership in an organization

Group Size
Advantage of small groups
Interact more with each other and easier to coordinate their efforts More motivated, satisfied, and committed Easier to share information Better able to see the importance of their personal contributions

Group Size
Advantages of large groups
More resources at their disposal to achieve group goals Enables managers to obtain division of labor advantages

Group Size
Disadvantages of large groups
Problem of communication and coordination Lower level of motivation Members might not think their efforts are really needed

FACTORS AFFECTING GROUP PERFORMANCE

COMPOSITION SIZE NORMS COHESIVENESS

Fundamental Group Dynamics

Norms
The standards (degrees of acceptability and unacceptability) for conduct that help individuals judge what is right or good or bad in a given social setting.
Are culturally derived and vary from one culture to another. Are usually unwritten, yet have a strong influence on individual behavior. May go above and beyond formal rules and written policies.

Types of Norms
Standards related to: conduct; work performance/attendance; rearranging personal space; assisting co-workers; loyalty; dress codes; rewards.

Sources and Consequences of Group Cohesiveness

Figure 15.6

Group Cohesiveness
The degree to which members are attracted to their group Three major consequences
Level of participation Level of conformity to group norms Emphasis on group goal accomplishment

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GROUP COHESIVENESS & AGREEMENT WITH ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS

Agreement with organizational goals Low Performance probably oriented away from organizational goals High Performance probably oriented toward achievement of organizational goals Performance oriented toward achievement of organizational goals

Low

Degree of group cohesiveness

High

Performance oriented away from organizational goals

 Socio-Emotional Cohesivness

Steps Managers Can Take To Enhance the Two Types of Group Cohesiveness

Keep the group relatively small Strive for a favorable public image to increase the status and prestige of belonging Encourage interaction and cooperation Emphasize members common characteristics and interests Point out environmental threats (e.g., competitors achievements to rally the group)

 Instrumental Cohesivness

Steps Managers Can Take To Enhance the Two Types of Group Cohesiveness (continued)

Regularly update and clarify the groups goal(s) Give every group member a vital piece of the action Channel each group members special talents toward the common goal(s) Recognize and equitably reinforce every members contributions Frequently remind group members they need each other to get the job done

Disadvantages to Cohesiveness
Changing course of action is difficult due to high levels of commitment Socialization can detract from work issues and productivity Group goals can replace organizational goals

Factors Leading to Group Cohesiveness

Factor
Group Size Smaller groups allow for high cohesiveness; Low cohesiveness groups with many members can benefit from splitting into two groups. Diverse groups often come up with better solutions. Encouraging a group to adopt a unique identity and engage in competition with others can increase cohesiveness. Cohesiveness increases with success; finding ways for a group to have some small successes increases cohesiveness.

Managed Diversity Group Identity

Success

Theories of Group formation

Propinquity theory Homans theory Balance theory Exchange theory

 Propinquity theory- Individuals affiliate with one another because of spatial or geographical proximity. Homans theory- It is based on three concept concepts, namely,activities, interactions,sentiments,which is related to each other.The members of a group share activities and interact with one another. Not just because of physical proximity, but they develop some common sentiments for each other & accomplish group goal. Balance theory-This theory proposed by Theodore Newcomb, It says that persons are attracted to one another on the basis of similar attitudes towards commonly relevant objects & goal. once the relationship is formed, it strives to maintain a symmetrical balance between the attraction and the common attitudes. Exchange theory- This theory is based on reward-cost outcomes of interactions between the people. To be attracted towards a group, a person thinks in terms of what he will get in exchange of interactions with the group member.Thus there is an exchange relationship in terms of reward & cost of associating with the group.

THEORIES
Based on spatial/geographical proximity. Balance theory Individual X

individual Y

Individual Z Exchange theory( cost & reward)

Group decision-making
Data suggests that innovative groups possessed high levels of both minority dissent and participation in decision making Note four requirements of effective decision making in a group focus on process, e.g. requirements for an effective choice, assess positive and negative qualities of alternative solutions, which suggest openness, dissent?

9-11 Table 9-2

Advantages and Disadvantages of Group-Aided Decision Making

Advantages
1. Greater pool of knowledge 2. Different perspectives 3. Greater comprehension 4. Increased acceptance 5. Training ground

Disadvantages
1. Social pressure 2. Minority domination 3. Logrolling 4. Goal displacement 5. Groupthink

Two byproducts of group decision making.

Group think: Phenomenon in which the norm for consensus overrides the realistic appraisal of alternatives courses of action.

Group shift: A change in decision risk between the groups decision and the individual decision that members within the group would make, can be either toward conversation or greater risk.

How do groups make decisions?

How groups make decisions. Decision by lack of response. Decision by authority rule. Decision by minority rule. Decision by majority rule. Decision by consensus. Decision by unanimity.

Group decision making techniques

Interacting groups Brainstorming Nominal group Technique Delphi technique Electronic meeting

How do groups make decisions?

Brainstorming. Group members actively generate as many ideas and alternatives as possible, and they do so relatively quickly and without inhibitions. Brainstorming rules.
All criticism is ruled out. Free-wheeling is welcomed. Quantity is wanted. Piggy-backing is good.

How do groups make decisions?

Nominal group technique.
A form of structured group decision making that

enables everyone to participate and have his/her ideas heard without hostile criticism or distortions.
A structured voting procedure is used to prioritize

responses to the nominal question.

How do groups make decisions?

Delphi technique. Used in situations where group members are unable to meet face to face. The process.
A series of questions is distributed to a panel. Panel members submit their responses to a decision coordinator. The decision coordinator summarizes the responses, and sends

the summary along with a follow-up questionnaire to the panel. Panel members send in their responses. The process is repeated until a consensus is reached.

How do groups make decisions?

Computer-mediated decision making.
Electronic brainstorming through the use of

special software and personal computers..

The nominal group and Delphi techniques lend

themselves to computer mediation.

Summary: Group Decision Making Advantages:

Multiple views and types of expertise Social facilitation due to directed open discussion Brainstorming might lead to creative solutions Disadvantages: Often fails to equal the best individual solution Conformity bias (e.g., the Asch (1951-1956) 3 lines experiments) Groupthink (overconfidence, ignorance of facts) Polarization effect (e.g., risky shift phenomenon) Social loafing (pool, elevator experiments) In general: No optimal decision rule exists for more than 2 options

Much depends on how the discussion is managed (e.g., order of speaking; use of a discussion facilitator; a consensus, dictator or a Delphi methodology)

Conformity
[Asch, 1951, 1955, 1956]
Is the test line equal in length to A, B, or C? Small (3 of 4) majorities are sufficient to elicit substantial conformity with a wrong result Any opposition can have a major effect; even a single dissenting individual can nullify the effect!

Test line

Asch Results: The Pressure to Conform

Condition Error rate

Subject is alone
With 1 person who says A With 2 persons who say A With 3 persons who say A With 6 persons who say A and 1 person who says B

1%
3% 13% 33% 6%

COMPOSITION
Heterogeneous group with diverse abilities and information more effective. Effective outcome with heterogeneous group in terms of gender, personality, opinions, skills and perspective. More conflict laden and less expedient- more deliberate. Cultural diversity useful when diversity of view points are required. However, culturally diverse group have difficulty in learning.

Contd.. Common demographic attributes like age, sex, race, education level strength of service in organisation result in better outcome. Composition of a group acts as a predictor of turn over. Groups which have cohorts( persons with common attributes) are likely to perform better.

SIZE
Does the size of a group affect the groups overall behaviour? YES For completion of a particular task ( something productive)- smaller group but for problem solving a larger group more effective. Social loafing effect more people individual effort less. Individual becomes a free rider. Preferable to have odd number.

NORMS
What do they mean? All groups have norms. These are acceptable standards of behaviour that are shared by group members. These define what ought/ought not to be done by members. When accepted and agreed upon by members these act as behaviour influencing parameters for conduct without outside control. Norms differ group to group. These could be formally or informally laid down.

Common classes of norms

Performance norms: laid down parameters as to how hard a person is required to work, what production level to achieve and so on. Appearance norms: dress, seeming to look for a new job etc. Arrangement norms: basically applicable to informal groups. These laid down degree of social interaction. In essence participative social activities. Allocation of resources norms: these could include pay, bonus, tools equipment, assignment of difficult jobs etc.

HOWS & WHYS OF NORMS

HOW Norms normally develop in one or more ways: Explicit statement by manager: no personal calls during working hours. Critical events in groups history: monitoring each other, eg: accident. Primacy: the first behaviour pattern that emerges sets the norms. My seat, my friend etc. Carry over behaviour: what one followed.

WHY It facilitate group survival- as group they dont want to fail and forbid interference from other groups. It increases the predictability of group members predictability of behaviour. It reduces embarrassing inter personal problems of group members. It allows group members to express the central values of the group and clarify.

Inter group Behaviour

What are group and intergroup dynamics?

What goes on within groups. Required behaviors.
Those formally defined and expected by the

organization.

Emergent behaviors. Those that group members display in addition to what the organization asks of them. Emergent behaviors often supplement and extend

required behaviors.

What are group and intergroup dynamics?

What goes on within groups.
Member relationships revolve around:
Activities the things people do or the actions they

take.
Interactions interpersonal communications and

contacts.
Sentiments the feelings, attitudes, beliefs, or values

held by group members.

What are group and intergroup dynamics?

What goes on between groups.
Intergroup dynamics.
The dynamics that take place between two or more

groups.

Organizations and their members seek to avoid

the negative aspects and achieve the positive aspects of intergroup dynamics.

What are group and intergroup dynamics?

What goes on between groups.
On the negative side, intergroup dynamics may divert

energies as members focus on animosities rather than performance.

On the positive side, competing groups may:
Work harder. Become more focused on key tasks. Develop more internal loyalty and satisfaction. Achieve creativity in problem solving.

Groups and Teams

Group
Two or more persons who are interacting in such a way that each person influences and is influenced by each other person.

Team
A group of people committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which the team members hold themselves mutually accountable.
G.Dessler, 2003

Comparing Work Teams and Work Groups

Prentice Hall, 2002

TEAM vs GROUP (J & J)

WORK GROUPS
A strong clearly focused leader is appointed
The general organizational mission is the groups purpose Effectiveness is measured indirectly by groups influence on others (eg. Financial
performance of business, student scores on standardized examination)

TEAMS
Shared leadership responsibilities exist among members A specific, well defined purpose that is unique to the team
Effectiveness is measured by assessing team work products

TEAM vs GROUP (J & J)

WORK GROUPS
Individual accountability is only evident Individual accomplishments are recognized and rewarded

TEAMS
Both team and individual accountability are evident Team celebration. Individual efforts that contribute to the teams success are also recognized and celebrated.

Meetings are efficiently run and Meetings with open-ended lasts for short periods of time discussions and include active problem solving

Types of Work Teams

Prentice Hall, 2002

A TeamEffectiveness Model

E X H I B I T 103

Key Roles of Teams

E X H I B I T 104

Why Have Teams Become So Popular?

Teams typically outperform individuals. Teams use employee talents better. Teams are more flexible and responsive to changes in the environment.

Teams facilitate employee involvement.

Teams are an effective way to democratize an organization and increase motivation.

Comparing Work Groups and Work Teams

E X H I B I T 101

Types of Teams
Problem-solving Teams
Groups of 5 to 12 employees from the same department who meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment

Self-Managed Work Teams

Groups of 10 to 15 people who take on the responsibilities of their former supervisors

Types of Teams (contd)

Cross-Functional Teams
Employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task

Task forces Committees

Types of Teams (contd)

Virtual Teams
Teams that use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal

Characteristics of Virtual Teams

1. The absence of paraverbal and nonverbal cues 2. A limited social context 3. The ability to overcome time and space constraints

Basic Distinctions Among Quality Circles, Virtual Teams and Self-Managed Teams
Quality Circles Virtual Teams Self-Managed Teams Production, project, or action Delegation Production/service, technical specialists

Type of team
Type of empowerment

Advice Consultation

Advice or project (usually project) Consultation, participation, or delegation

Managers and technical specialists

Members

Production/service personnel

Basic Distinctions Among Quality Circles, Virtual Teams and Self-Managed Teams (continued)
Quality Circles Basis of membership Relationship to organization Amount of faceto-face communication Voluntary Parallel Strictly faceto-face Virtual Teams Assigned (some voluntary) Self-Managed Teams Assigned Integrated Varies, depending on use of information technology

Parallel or integrated
Periodic to none

Why Teams Fail: The Leadership, Focus, and Capability Pyramid

Source: Adapted from Steven Rayner, Team Traps: What They Are, How to Avoid Them. National Productivity Review. Summer 1996, p. 107. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 133
G.Dessler, 2003

Characteristics of an Effective Team

Clear purpose, Informality Participation Listening Civilized disagreement Consensus decisions Open communication Clear roles and work assignments Shared leadership External relations Style diversity Self-assessment

Characteristics of High-performing Work Teams

Prentice Hall, 2002

Any questions?

Thank you