Group Behavior – Meaning, Types of Groups, Group Process, Group Dynamics – factors influencing intergroup behavior and managing intergroup behavior

Group Behavior – Meaning, Types of Groups, Group
Process, Group Dynamics – factors influencing intergroup
behavior and managing intergroup behavior

1. Organizational Behavior and Effectiveness Unit – II Group Dynamics & Group Behavior Points to Cover: Meaning Types of Groups Group Processes Group Dynamics Factors influencing intergroup behavior and Managing Intergroup Behavior

2. Lecture - 1 GROUP

3. What is Group?

4. 6 Definition of GROUPS : Group: A group is a collection of Two or more people who work with one another regularly to achieve common goals. Group can also be defined as more than two employees who have an ongoing relationship in which they interact and influence one another’s behaviour and performance. In a true group members . (a) are mutually dependant on one another to achieve common goals and (b) interact regularly with one another to pursue those goals over a sustained period of time .

5. IMPORTANCE OF GROUPS 1. Groups are good for people.(Security, Confidence) 2. Groups can improve creativity. 3. Groups can make better decisions. 4. Groups can increase commitments to actions. 5. Groups help control their members. 6. Groups help offset large Organization. 7

6. What Makes People Join Groups? Status Security Power Goal Achievement Self- Esteem Affiliation

7. Classifying Groups

8. Tuckman’s Five-Stage Theory of Group Development Performing Adjourning Norming Storming Forming Return to Independence Dependence/ interdependence Independence

9. Stages of Group Development 1. 2. 3.

10. Stages of Group Development (cont’d) 4. 5.

11. Tuckman’s Five-Stage Theory of Group Development (continued) Individual Issues Forming Storming Norming Performing “ How do I fit in?” “ What’s my role here?” “ What do the others expect me to do?” “ How can I best perform my role?” Group Issues “ Why are we here?” “ Why are we fighting over who’s in charge and who does what?” “ Can we agree on roles and work as a team?” “ Can we do the job properly?”

12. Stages of Group Development

13. Lecture - 2 Functions of Groups

14. Functions of Formal Groups Individual Functions Satisfy the individual’s need for affiliation. 2 . Develop, enhance, and confirm the individual’s self-esteem and sense of identity. 3 . Give individuals an opportunity to test and share their perceptions of social reality. 4 . Reduce the individual’s anxieties and feelings of insecurity and powerlessness. 5 . Provide a problem-solving mechanism for personal and interpersonal problems .

15. Functions of Formal Groups Organizational Functions Accomplish complex, interdependent tasks that are beyond the capabilities of individuals. 2 . Generate new or creative ideas and solutions. 3 . Coordinate interdepartmental efforts . 4 . Provide a problem-solving mechanism for complex problems requiring varied information and assessments. 5 . Implement complex decisions . 6 . Socialize and train newcomers .

16. Group Characteristics Group has limited size Group has to achieve set objectives Group has a specific norms Group has a structure Group has a role to perform Group has its own success history Group may be homogeneous or heterogeneous Group may be cohesive, cohesiveness increases it’s status and success rate

17. Group Behavior Model

18. Lecture 3 Types of Groups

19. Types of Groups: Formal Group: a. Command Group b. Task Group 2. Informal Groups a. Friendship Group b. Interest Groups c. Reference Group d. Membership Group

20. Formal Group: It is setup by the organization to carry out work in support of the organization’s goals. Command Group: It is defined in terms of organization’s hierarchy . Ex. Board of Directors Task Group: It comprises employees who work together to complete a particular task. Ex. Production group, manufacturing group, Marketing Group, Sales force group, Purchase Group, ATS, ACB etc.

21. Informal Groups: Informal Groups are alliances that are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined. Informal group is the natural formations in the work environment that appear in the response to the need for social contact. a. Friendship Group Individual members have one or more common characteristics. b. Interest Groups People affiliate to attain a specific objective with which each is concerned. Ex. Music group, Drama group c. Reference Group People use a group as a basis for comparison in making decisions or forming opinions. d. Membership Group The member would be expected to contribute to the groups well being and would enjoy the benefits arising from the group members friendship.

22. Group Processes It refers to the communication patterns used by members for (a) Information Exchanges. (b) Group decision Processes. (c) Leader Behavior. (d) Power Dynamics. (e) Conflict Interactions. Group processes are significant as they can create output greater than the sum of their inputs.

23. GROUP PROCESSES INPUTS THROUGHPUTS OUTPUTS Tasks Group Process Task Performance Goals, Rewards Membership, satisfaction Resources. Technology Team Viability. Membership density Group Processing size. The way members work together

24. Factors influencing Group Processes: External Factors Internal Factors

25. External Factors influencing on Group Processes Organization’s overall strategy Authority structures Formal regulations Resource constraints Selection process Performance and evaluation system Organization’s culture Physical work setting

26. Internal factors: Interpersonal relationship of group members Coordination of group members Group Structure Group Norms Social loafing Group Decision making Majority Minority Groupthink

27. Group Structure: Group has a fixed structure. The areas of working are divided according to the interest or skill required. Group may have a leader. Leadership that is imposed on the group by the organization. Leaders who derive their power from the positions they occupy in the organizational structure. Formal leaders may or may not also be the informal leaders of the groups in which they function.

28. Group Role Task role Maintenance Role Personal role

29. Task role: Initiator Information seeker Opinion seeker Information giver Opinion giver Elaborator summarizer

30. Maintenance Role: Encourager Gatekeeper Standard setter Follower Expresser Tension reliever

31. Functional or Personal Role: Aggressor Blocker Confessor Copmpetitor Sympathy seeker Pleader withdrawal

32. Role Ambiguity: When people are uncertain about their duties, and authority, it causes role ambiguity Role Conflict: Role conflict arises when an individual’s performance of one role is made difficult by the performance of another role.

33. Types of role conflict: Person Role conflict Inter Role conflict Intra sender conflict Role overload

34. Lecture 4 Group Norms

35. Group Norms   1. Norms are the rules of the group . 2. Norms are the acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the group members. Norms tell the group members how to behave or how not to behave in different situations. Newcomers who do not follow these rules may be excluded from the group. Norms may be explicit (outwardly stated) or implicit (known only by observation). Examples of norms may include: • How much socializing occurs at meetings? • How members dress at meetings. • Whether group members go out together and when. • Whether meetings start on time or are always 15 minutes late. Whether meeting should start with quorum or without quorum

36. Norms may be positive by exerting a sense of order, but they can be negative or cause uncomfortable exclusion from the group. It is leader’s job to try and change some of the negative group norms and to help newcomers understand positive ones.

37. Classes of Norms: Performance norms Appearance norms Social arrangement norms Allocation of resources norms

38. Not following the norms: Antisocial action by group/organizational member that intentionally violate established norms and that result in negative consequences for the organization, its members or both. This is the deviant behavior at workplace.

39. Typology of Deviant Workplace Behavior

40. Social decision, explicit or implicit, decision rules specifying the processes by which individual inputs are combined into a group decision. 1. Unanimity – Discussion puts pressure on deviants to conform; 2. Majority wins – Discussion confirms the majority position, which becomes the group decisi on; 3. Truth wins – Discussion reveals the position that is demonstrably correct; and 4. Two-thirds majority – Discussion establishes a two-thirds majority, which becomes the group decision. Group decision making:

41. Lecture - 5

42. Group effectiveness

43. What is Group Effectiveness: The group functions in a way that maintains or enhances the ability of its members to work together in the future. Many people can remember being a member of a group that burned out in the process of completing its task. That is, the group got its job done, but the effort strained relationships among members so much that they could not work together effectively anymore. Although some groups may come together for only one task, most groups must work together over time—or at least the members must work with one another in other contexts, as part of their jobs—and it is important to maintain productive relationships.

44. Threats to Group effectiveness

45. Social loafing a reduction in individual effort when working on a collective task (in which one’s outputs are pooled with those of other group members), compared with when one is working alone Tendency of certain members of a group to get by with less effort than what they would have put when working alone. Its two common manifestations are – (1) Free-rider effect , where some members do not put in their share of work under the assumption that others' efforts will cover their shortfall, and thus cause overloaded for others (2) Sucker effect , where the other (fully performing) members lower their efforts in response to the free-riders' attitude. 1. Social loafing

46. Social Loafing (free riding) occurs when… Group members don’t value the group goal Individual contributions to the group effort cannot be measured A group member’s effort is duplicated (or even surpassed) by someone else A group member feels that he or she doesn’t have a unique skill to devote to the group effort When a group member feels that what he or she has been asked to do is harder than what others have been asked to do A group member doesn’t think (or doesn’t know) whether or that others in the group are working on the task (or how hard they are working on the task)

47. Solutions to Social loafing: Make sure that each group member has a different set of skills Everybody has to believe that the task is important Assign roles to group members (note taker, time keeper, questioner reporter, etc.) The group has to know exactly what is expected, i.e., how will you know when the task is “done”? Make sure that the groups break down the larger goal (write a paper, do a project) into smaller “phases” Ask each person in the group to “grade” themselves and everyone else in the group Make sure that the group meets as often as possible – if not every day then every other day. Once a week is probably not often enough Use some Agile methods in these meetings: a) What have you done since the last meeting?, b) What are you planning to do before the next meeting?, c) Is anything blocking you?

48. Thanks

49. Lecture - 6

50. Group Cohesion The concept of cohesion has been an important factor in the study of group behavior and its significance is often a source of motivation for group leaders. Cliches such as: "Together We Stand, Divided We Fall", "There is No I in Team", or "Players Play, Teams Win" are often used to show individuals the importance of Group cohesion.

51. Definitions of Group Cohesion Carron, Brawley, and Widmeyer (1998) defined cohesion as “a dynamic process that is reflected in the tendency of a group to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of its instrumental objectives and/or for the satisfaction of member needs”

52. What is Group Cohesion? Group cohesion has been conceptualized in many ways Cohesion = Attraction: Festinger and his colleagues considered cohesion to be a form of attraction Members of cohesive groups tend to like their fellow members Hogg: social attraction (depersonalized liking for others in our group) vs. personal attraction (liking for specific individuals)

53. Cohesion = Attraction, Liking Attraction between members Attraction to the group-as-a-whole Attraction Cohesion

54. Cohesion = Unity Cohesive groups stick together as members “cohere” to one another &the group The group is unified; solidarity is high in the group. Members report feeling a sense of belonging to the group

55. Cohesion = Unity Group Unity Belonging (part of the group) Unity Cohesion

56. Cohesion = Teamwork The combined activities of two of more individuals who coordinate their efforts to achieve goals Collective efficacy: a high level of confidence about success at the tasks the group accepts Esprit de corps : feeling of unity commitment, confidence, and enthusiasm for the group shared by most of all of the members

57. Cohesion Group morale, esprit de corps Teamwork Collective Efficacy Task Moti- vation Cohesion = Teamwork

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

59. Groupthink, a mode of thinking in highly cohesive groups in which the desire to reach unanimous agreement overrides the motivation to adopt appropriate, rational decision-making procedures. Groupthink is a concept that was identified by Irving Janis that refers to faulty decision-making in a group. Groups experiencing groupthink do not consider all alternatives and they desire unanimity at the expense of quality decisions . Groupthink : An excessive tendency to seek concurrence among group members, often leading to sub-optimal decision-making. 2. Groupthink

60. Some symptoms of groupthink are: Having an illusion of invulnerability (Resistance) Rationalizing poor decisions Believing in the group's morality Sharing stereotypes which guide the decision Exercising direct pressure on others Not expressing your true feelings Maintaining an illusion of unanimity (Harmony) Using mind guards to protect the group from negative information Symptoms of groupthink

61. Some negative outcomes of groupthink include: Examining few alternatives Not being critical of each other's ideas Not examining early alternatives Not seeking expert opinion Being highly selective in gathering information Not having contingency plans Negative outcomes of groupthink

62. Some solutions include: Using a policy-forming group which reports to the larger group Having leaders remain impartial Using different policy groups for different tasks Dividing into groups and then discuss differences Discussing within sub-groups and then report back Using outside experts Using a Devil's advocate to question all the group's ideas Holding a "second-chance meeting" to offer one last opportunity to choose another course of action Solutions to Groupthink

63. 3. Polarization: Group polarization refers to the tendency for groups to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclination of its members . These more extreme decisions are towards greater risk if individual's initial tendency is to be risky and towards greater caution if individual's initial tendency is to be cautious. In this phenomenon, after participating in a discussion group, members tend to advocate more extreme positions and call for riskier courses of action than individuals who did not participate in any such discussion.

64. Thanks

65. Lecture – 7 Factors Affecting Group Performance 1. Cohesiveness 2. Group Size 3. Task versus Maintenance Roles 4. Presence of Others 5. Social loafing

66. Cohesiveness It is the strength of group members' desires to remain a part of their groups. Cohesion is strengthened by: Homogeneity The severity of the initiation to join the group. A high external threat or competition. The amount of time spent together. The smallness of the group. The group's history of success . Factors Affecting Group Performance

67. Group cohesion has some important consequences : Positive people enjoy membership. members participate more fully. they tend to be highly productive. they experience low turnover. Negative groupthink arises when groups are too cohesive. group commitment might hinder productivity. groups may conspire to sabotage employers for the group's benefit.  

68. 2. Group Size How many group members is too many? The answer to this deceptively simple question has intrigued managers and academics for years. Folk wisdom says "two heads are better than one" but that "too many cooks spoil the broth (soup)." So where should a manager draw the line when staffing a committee? At 3? At 5 or 6? At 10 or more ? The most appropriate size of the group is between 7 – 9.

69. 3. Task versus Maintenance Roles Task roles enable the work group to define, clarify, and pursue a common purpose . Task roles keep the group on track. Ex: "What is the real issue here? We don't seem to be getting anywhere." Maintenance roles foster supportive and constructive interpersonal relationships. Maintenance roles keep the group together . Ex.: "Let's hear from those who oppose this plan," is performing a maintenance function .

70. 4. Presence of Others Presence of Others - when someone performs differently, either more effectively or less effectively, in the presence of others than when alone, they are experiencing social facilitation . If the dominant response is appropriate, performance will be enhanced. If the dominant response is inappropriate, as in a new situation, performance will be impaired. Social facilitation may result in evaluation apprehension , the fear of being evaluated or judged by another.

71. 5. Social Loafing : Social Loafing : "Free Riding" When Working with Others Additive tasks are those in which each person's contributions are added together to another's. Unfortunately, as people work together, some in the group may ride on the efforts of others . This is social loafing. Another explanation is that the contributions of others makes each individual feel that his/her contribution is less important .

72. Helpful Behaviors in Groups • Seek to make each person welcome • Ask or comments from those reacting nonverbally • Encourage each to listen to others • Request that all state their feelings • Give positive feedback or support • Involve everyone – ask for everyone’s reactions • Keep relationships honest and supportive

73. • Maintain a sense of freedom and mutual responsibility Listen to those who speak • Encourage group members to state their opinions • Avoid direct argument with a group member • Ask individuals to try something –never insist • Use inclusive language (i.e. “we ”) • Exhibit “Sharing Behavior ” (offer rides, bring snacks)

74. What is required to know about the Groups • Who are the high participators? • Who are the low participators? • What are the greeting behaviors? Do they serve to bond the group? • Who talks to whom? • Early arrival and late departure phenomenon –do people want to spend time together? • Who keeps the ball rolling? And why? • How are the silent people treated? And how is their silence interpreted?

75. For Effective Leader and organizations - How members work together, Which roles they fill and whether members are contributing equally. Group process observation and analysis can help identify problems early. As a group member provides a great opportunity to regularly observe how things are going on. Depending on the frequency of meetings and an understanding of what to look for, you can be instrumental in ensuring group and individual success.

76. Duties of a Leader within a Group • It is leader’s job to stimulate and promote goal-oriented thinking and behavior. Make people feel strong (help them feel that they have the ability to influence their future and their environment). • Structure cooperative relationships rather than competitive. • Build members’ trust in the leader (lack of mutual trust means lack of faith in the system). • Resolve conflicts by mutual confrontation of issues rather than avoidance or forcing a particular solution.

77. Attributes of high -performance Teams Participative L eadership Al igned on Purpose High Communication Creative Talents Future Focused Shared Responsibility High-performance Teams Rapid Response F ocused on Task

78. Dysfunctional Behaviors in Groups (Not functioning properly) • Cutting off others • Attacking people rather than issues • Topic jumping • Withholding reactions, feelings or information • Dominating • Attending to side issues -nitpicking (fault finding) • Side grouping –side conversations • Avoiding responsibility • Operating on assumptions – “not checking it out ”

79. End of Lecture - 7 Thanks

80. Lecture - 8

81. Case-1 on Group Behavior Group Cohesion Case Study Purpose: To apply information about group cohesion. Instructions: Read the case study below and answer the questions. A group of business students decides to form an investment club to learn more about the stock market and investments, and to contribute small amounts of money (Rs.500-1500) each month to be invested as a group. Mohan and Mamta came up with the idea and recruit some other students — Dinesh , Jayant , and Jitendra . They realize the optimal number for an investment group is 12-15, so each agrees to recruit two or three more persons. A meeting time is set, and the group discusses ways to get started.

82. There are other organizations in town they can learn from. There are national organizations that you can affiliate with and use their materials, get their newsletters, etc. 1. What factors are already at work to promote cohesion? 2. At this point, if you were an advisor to the club, and you wanted to promote cohesiveness among group members, What four specific things would you recommend? 1. 2. 3. 4. Your turn: If you want more cohesiveness in a group you belong to, what can you do? Choose one group and describe what you could do to promote cohesiveness.

83. End of Lecture - 8 Thanks