Chapter

1. 12 Chapter Group Dynamics • Groups: Informal and Formal • The Group Development Process • Roles and Norms: Social Building Blocks for Group & Organizational Behavior • Group Structure and Composition • Three Threats to Group Effectiveness

2. A Group must satisfy four criteria: 1. Two or more freely interacting individuals 2. Who share collective norms 3. Who share collective goals 4. Who have a common identity Formal Groups When the group is formed by a manager to help the organization accomplish its goals Informal Groups This type of group exists when the members’ overriding purpose of getting together is friendship or common interests Groups: Formal and Informal © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

3. Organizational Functions Accomplish complex, independent tasks beyond the capabilities of individuals Generate new or creative ideas or solutions Coordinate interdependent efforts Provide a problem-solving mechanism for complex problems Implement complex decisions Socialize and train newcomers Individual Functions Satisfy the individual’s need for affiliation Develop, enhance and confirm individual’s self-esteem and sense of identity Give individuals an opportunity to test and share their perceptions of social reality Reduce the individual’s anxieties and feelings of insecurity and powerlessness Provide a problem-solving mechanism for social and interpersonal problems Formal Groups Fulfill 2 Functions: Organizational and Individual © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

4. Tuckman’s Five-Stage Theoryof Group Development Performing Norming Adjourning Storming Return toIndependence Forming Dependence/interdependence Independence © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

5. Tuckman’s Five-Stage Theory • Stage 1: Forming members tend to be uncertain and anxious about their roles, who is in charge and the group’s goals • Stage 2: Storming is a time of testing; members test the leader’s policies to determine how they fit into the power structure; subgroups take shape and subtle forms of rebellion occur • Stage 3: Normingquestions about authority and power are resolved through matter-of-fact group discussion; a feeling of team spirit is experienced because members have found their proper roles; group cohesiveness now exists • Stage 4: Performingactivity is focused on solving the problem at hand • Stage 5: Adjourning the group is disbanded © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

6. Roles Role expected behaviors for a given position Role theory outlines three terms: • Role Overload others’ expectations exceed one’s ability; when you’re expected to do too much • Role Conflictothers have conflicting or inconsistent expectations; being pulled in opposite directions • Role AmbiguityOthers’ expectations are unknown; we don’t know what is expected of us © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

7. Norms • Norm shared attitudes, opinions, feelings, or actions that guide social behavior • Norms are typically unwritten and seldom discussed openly • Norms have a powerful influence on group and organizational behavior • What are some norms we have in the classroom? © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

8. Group Structure & Composition Three important dimensions of group structure and composition • Functional Roles of group members • Task Rolesenable the work group to define, clarify and pursue a common purpose (keep the group on track) • Maintenance Rolesfoster supportive and constructive interpersonal relationships (keep the group together) © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

9. Task Roles • Initiatorsuggests new goals or ideas • Information seeker/giverclarifies key issues • Opinion seeker/giverclarifies pertinent values • Elaboratorpromotes greater understanding through examples or exploration of implications • Coordinatorpulls together ideas and suggestions • Orienter keeps group headed toward its stated goal(s) • Evaluator testsgroup’s accomplishments with various criteria such as logic and practicality • Energizer prods group • Procedural technician performs routine duties • Recorder performs a “group memory” function by documenting discussion and outcomes © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

10. Maintenance Roles • Encouragerfosters group solidarity by accepting and praising various points of view • Harmonizermediates conflict through reconciliation or humor • Compromiser helps resolve conflict by meeting others “half way” • Gatekeeperencourages all group members to participate • Standard setter evaluates the quality of group processes • Commentator records and comments on group processes/dynamics • Followerserves as a passive audience © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

11. Group Structure & Composition • Group Size • No decisive answer to the question -- “how many group members is too many?” • Gender composition • Interruptions– mentend to interrupt women more often than they did other men; women interrupt men and women equally, however they are less successful at it than men • Gender dominated situations – as women move into male-dominated situations, men become more resistant; as men move into female-dominated situations, women are willing to share their domain with men © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

12. Group Exercise • Group size will vary; I will put you into groups with the following number of members: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc. until everyone in the class has been assigned to a group • You’ll need to listen carefully to follow my instructions © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

13. Threats to Group Effectiveness: The Asch Effect An example of conformity… Comparison Lines Card Standard Line Card 1 2 3 How often would the naïve subjects conform to a majority opinion that was obviously wrong? 80% yielded to the pressures of group opinion at least once © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

14. Threats to Group Effectiveness: Groupthink • Groupthinkterm for acohesive in-group’s unwillingness to realistically view alternatives • Symptoms: • Invulnerability – leads to risk taking • Inherent morality – ignores ethical implications • Rationalization – protects assumptions • Stereotyped views of opposition • Self-censorship – stifles critical debate • Illusion of Unanimity – silence interpreted as consent • Peer pressure – dissenters are questioned • Mindguards – protectors against adverse information © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill

15. Threats to Group Effectiveness: Social Loafing • Social Loafingthe tendency for individual effort to decline as group size increases • Social Loafing occurs when… • The task was perceived to be unimportant, simple, or not interesting • Group members thought their individual output was not identifiable • Group members expected their coworkers to loaf • To avoid social loafing, managers can use the Stepladder Technique • This entails starting the group with two members and adding additional members one at a time; other rules also must be followed, such as having each new member present his/her idea before the group’s solution has been revealed © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill