Groups & Team in OB

Subject-Organization Behaviour

BBA-II

Unit-III

8–2

Defining and Classifying GroupsDefining and Classifying Groups

Group(s)

Two or more individuals interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives.

Formal Group

A designated work group defined by the organization’s structure.

Informal Group

A group that is neither formally structured now organizationally determined; appears in response to the need for social contact.

8–3

Defining and Classifying Groups (cont’d)Defining and Classifying Groups (cont’d)

Command Group

A group composed of the individuals who report directly to a given manager.

Task Group

Those working together to complete a job or task.

Interest Group

Those working together to attain a specific objective with which each is concerned.

Friendship Group

Those brought together because they share one or more common characteristics.

8–4

Why People Join GroupsWhy People Join Groups

• Security

• Status

• Self-esteem

• Affiliation

• Power

• Goal Achievement

E X H I B I T 8–1E X H I B I T 8–1

Forming StageThe first stage in group development, characterized by much uncertainty (अस्थिरतस्थिरता).

Forming StageThe first stage in group development, characterized by much uncertainty (अस्थिरतस्थिरता).

8–5

Characteristics of the Forming StageExploration require get to know one anotherFocus on similarities and differencesFirst impressions are key to figure out the similarities and differencesConfusion/anxiety (िरतचनता वयाकुलता/  )Lower productivityIssues of inclusion, leadership, developing trustOpen communication is a mustIn this stage, most team members are positive and polite. Some are anxious, as they haven't fully understood what work the team will do. Others are simply excited about the task ahead.As leader, you play a dominant role at this stage, because team members' roles and responsibilities aren't clear.This stage can last for some time, as people start to work together, and as they make an effort to get to know their new colleagues.

The leader's task is directing, so that the group can get coordinated in their efforts. Orientation is an important task in the forming stage.

It's also helpful to set group ground rules, which are expectations about how work will be done, decisions will be made, and how people will treat each other. In short, the supervisor has a wonderful opportunity to be sure that the right people are in the right place using the right process.

Storming StageThe second stage in group development, characterized by intra group conflict.

Storming StageThe second stage in group development, characterized by intra group conflict.

8–6

Characteristics of the Storming StageCompetitionStrained (थिकाना) relationships

Leader is challengedTension and disunityDifferences are uncomfortableIssues of autonomy vs. control, support vs. competition, influence, decision-makingNext, the team moves into the storming phase, where people start to push against the boundaries established in the forming stage. This is the stage where many teams fail.Storming often starts where there is a conflict between team members' natural working styles. People may work in different ways for all sorts of reasons, but if differing working styles cause unforeseen problems, they may become frustrated.Storming can also happen in other situations. For example, team members may challenge your authority, or jockey for position as their roles are clarified. Or, if you haven't defined clearly how the team will work, people may feel overwhelmed by their workload, or they could be uncomfortable with the approach you're using.Some may question the worth of the team's goal, and they may resist taking on tasks.Team members who stick with the task at hand may experience stress, particularly as they don't have the support of established processes, or strong relationships with their colleagues.

When group members get to know each other better, the storming stage begins. This stage is characterized by a bid for power.

The leader's main task at this stage is to coach group members to get them on board and organize work so that it can become effective. This is an excellent time to focus on team building to ensure that people can get to know one another and not get stuck in seeing each other as competitors.

Norming StageThe third stage in group development, characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness.

Norming StageThe third stage in group development, characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness.

8–7

In the norming stage, the group has begun to be effective. The focus of each individual is on "how can I help the group?" Because of this, there is increased cohesion and more collaboration. Trust begins to emerge and differences are appreciated. The issues become how to strengthen relationships, open communication and provide positive and constructive feedback. The team is now focusing on cooperation. The leader's task is to support the group and its members and the group's task is to communicate and ensure the flow of data.Gradually, the team moves into the norming stage. This is when people start to resolve their differences, appreciate colleagues' strengths, and respect your authority as a leader.Now that your team members know one-another better, they may socialize together, and they are able to ask each other for help and provide constructive feedback. People develop a stronger commitment to the team goal, and you start to see good progress towards it.There is often a prolonged overlap between storming and norming, because, as new tasks come up, the team may lapse back into behavior from the storming stage.

Characteristics of the Norming StageIncreased cohesionMore collaborationEmerging trustAppreciation of differencesIssues of strengthening relationships, open communication, positive/constructive feedback

Performing StageThe fourth stage in group development, when the group is fully functional

Performing StageThe fourth stage in group development, when the group is fully functional

8–8

The team reaches the performing stage when hard work leads, without friction, to the achievement of the team's goal. The structures and processes that you have set up support this well.As leader, you can delegate much of your work, and you can concentrate on developing team members.It feels easy to be part of the team at this stage, and people who join or leave won't disrupt performance.

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

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

8–9

Many teams will reach this stage eventually(END). For example, project teams exist for only a fixed period, and even permanent teams may be disbanded through organizational restructuring.Team members who like routine, or who have developed close working relationships with other team members, may find this stage difficult, particularly if their future now looks uncertain.

Tasks for the Adjourning Stage include:• Celebrating• Cataloging the ingredients for success for use the next time• Saying good-bye to the project and/or team members

8–10

Stages of Group DevelopmentStages of Group Development

E X H I B I T 8–2E X H I B I T 8–2

STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT BEHAVIORS

STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT BEHAVIORS

Stage Theme Task -Orientation

Relationship-Orientation

1 Awareness Commitment Acceptance

2 Conflict Clarification Belonging

3 Co-operation Involvement Support

4 Results Achievement Pride

5 Separation Recognition Satisfaction

8–12

An Alternative Model: Temporary Groups with Deadlines

An Alternative Model: Temporary Groups with Deadlines

Sequence of actions:1. Setting group direction

2. First phase of inertia

3. Half-way point transition

4. Major changes

5. Second phase of inertia

6. Accelerated activity

Sequence of actions:1. Setting group direction

2. First phase of inertia

3. Half-way point transition

4. Major changes

5. Second phase of inertia

6. Accelerated activity

Punctuated-Equilibrium Model

Temporary groups go through transitions between inertia and activity.

8–13

The Punctuated-Equilibrium ModelThe Punctuated-Equilibrium Model

8–14

Group Structure - Roles (cont’d)Group Structure - Roles (cont’d)

Role(s)

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

Role Identity

Certain attitudes and behaviors consistent with a role.

Role Perception

An individual’s view of how he or she is supposed to act in a given situation.

8–15

Group Structure - Roles (cont’d)Group Structure - Roles (cont’d)

Role Expectations

How others believe a person should act in a given situation.

Role Conflict

A situation in which an individual is confronted by divergent role expectations.

Psychological Contract

An unwritten agreement that sets out what management expects from the employee and vice versa.

8–16

Group Structure - NormsGroup Structure - Norms

Classes of Norms:• Performance norms

• Appearance norms

• Social arrangement norms

• Allocation of resources norms

Classes of Norms:• Performance norms

• Appearance norms

• Social arrangement norms

• Allocation of resources norms

Norms

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

8–17

The Hawthorne StudiesThe Hawthorne Studies

A series of studies undertaken by Elton Mayo at Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne Works in Chicago between 1924 and 1932.

Research Conclusions:

– Worker behavior and sentiments were closely related.

– Group influences (norms) were significant in affecting individual behavior.

– Group standards (norms) were highly effective in establishing individual worker output.

– Money was less a factor in determining worker output than were group standards, sentiments, and security.

8–18

Group Structure - Norms (cont’d)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.

8–19

Examples of Cards Used in Asch’s StudyExamples of Cards Used in Asch’s Study

8–20

Group Structure - Norms (cont’d)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.

8–21

Typology of Deviant Workplace BehaviorTypology of Deviant Workplace Behavior

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.

8–22

Group Structure - StatusGroup Structure - Status

Group NormsGroup NormsGroup NormsGroup Norms

Status Equity Status Equity Status Equity Status Equity

CultureCultureCultureCulture

Group MemberGroup MemberStatusStatus

Group MemberGroup MemberStatusStatus

Status

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

8–23

Group Structure - SizeGroup Structure - Size

Group Size

Performance

Expec

ted

Actual (due to

loafin

g)Other conclusions:• Odd number groups do

better than even.

• Groups of 7 or 9 perform better overall than larger or smaller groups.

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 Structure - Composition

Group 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 Structure - CohesivenessGroup 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.

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.

Group TasksGroup 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 MakingGroup 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

8–28

Group Decision Making (cont’d)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.

8–29

Symptoms Of The Groupthink Phenomenon 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.

8–30

Group Decision-Making TechniquesGroup Decision-Making Techniques

Interacting Groups

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

Nominal Group Technique

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

8–31

Group Decision-Making TechniquesGroup Decision-Making Techniques

Electronic Meeting

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

Brainstorming

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

Team Versus Group: What’s the DifferenceTeam Versus Group: What’s the Difference

9–32

Work Group

A group that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each group member perform within his or her area of responsibility.

Work Team

A group whose individual efforts result in a performance that is greater than the sum of the individual inputs.

Comparing Work Groups and Work TeamsComparing Work Groups and Work Teams

9–33

E X H I B I T 9–1E X H I B I T 9–1

Types of TeamsTypes of Teams

9–34

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 (cont’d)Types of Teams (cont’d)

9–35

• Task forces

• Committees

Cross-Functional Teams

Employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task.

Types of Teams (cont’d)Types of Teams (cont’d)

9–36

Team Characteristics

1. The absence of paraverbal and nonverbal cues

2. A limited social context

3. The ability to overcome time and space constraints

Team Characteristics

1. The absence of paraverbal and nonverbal cues

2. A limited social context

3. The ability to overcome time and space constraints

Virtual Teams

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

A Virtual Team WorkA Virtual Team Work

Turning Individuals Into Team PlayersTurning Individuals Into Team Players

The Challenges

– Overcoming individual resistance to team membership.

– Countering the influence of individualistic cultures.

– Introducing teams in an organization that has historically valued individual achievement.

Shaping Team Players

– Selecting employees who can fulfill their team roles.

– Training employees to become team players.

– Reworking the reward system to encourage cooperative efforts while continuing to recognize individual contributions.

9–38

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GROUP AND TEAMDIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GROUP AND TEAM

GROUP Strong, clearly focused. Individual accountability. The group’s purpose is the

same as the broader organizational mission.

Individual work products. Runs efficient meetings. Measures performance

indirectly by its influence on others.

Discusses, decides, and delegates.

TEAM Shared leadership roles. Individual and mutual

accountability. Specific team purpose that

the team delivers. Collective work products. Encourages open-ended

discussions, active problem solving meetings.

Measures its effectiveness direct by collective work products.

Discusses, decides, & does real work together.

ReferencesReferences

Book- Organization Behavior (Stephen Robbins) chapter-8Book- Organization Behavior (Stephen Robbins) chapter-8 www.slideshare.net/parteekbansal/obgroup organizational-behavior.wikispaces.com/group+dynamic www.slideshare.net/jonrwallace/ob-teams www.bus.ucf.edu/faculty/lmigenes/file.axd?file...Behavior+Chapter...