1. Groups and teams
Chapter 14

2. Understanding Groups Group Formal groups Informal groups
Two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve particular goals
Formal groups
Work groups that have designated work assignments and tasks directed toward organizational goals
Informal groups
Groups that are independently formed to meet the social needs of their members
Work groups are a common arrangement within today’s business organizations. Work is being restructured around groups of all kinds and in all sizes of organizations. Managers need an understanding of group behaviour and the concept of teams in order to appreciate what groups can and cannot do within organizations and how groups function.
Groups exhibit different behaviour—more than just the sum total of each group member’s individual behaviour.
A group is defined as two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve particular objectives.
Formal groups are work groups established by the organization and who have designated work assignments and specific tasks (see Exhibit 14.1).
Informal groups are natural social formations that appear in the work environment.

3. Exhibit 14-1 examples of formal work groups

4. Reasons for people to join groups
Why People Join Groups
Security
Status
Self-esteem
Affiliation
Power
Goal Achievement

5. Stages in Group Development
Forming
Members join and begin the process of defining the group’s purpose, structure, and leadership
Storming
Intragroup conflict occurs as individuals resist control by the group and disagree over leadership
Norming
Close relationships develop as the group becomes cohesive and establishes its norms for acceptable behaviour
Performing
A fully functional group structure allows the group to focus on performing the task at hand
Adjourning
The group prepares to disband and is no longer concerned with high levels of performance
There is strong evidence that groups pass through five stages as they develop (see Exhibit 14.2).
1. Stage 1. Forming is the first stage in group development, during which people join the group and then define the group’s purpose, structure, and leadership. Forming is a stage characterized by much uncertainty. This stage is complete when members begin to think of themselves as part of a group.
2. Stage 2. Storming is the second stage of group development characterized by intragroup conflict. When this stage is complete, members will agree upon the leadership hierarchy and group direction.
3. Stage 3. Norming is the third stage of group development, characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness.
4. Stage 4. Performing is the fourth stage in group development, when the group is fully functional.
5. Stage 5. Adjourning is the final stage in group development for temporary groups. It’s characterized by concern with wrapping up activities rather than with task performance.

6. Exhibit 14-2 stages of group development

7. Quality Circle

10. Group Structure
Role
The set of expected behaviour patterns attributed to someone who occupies a given position in a social unit
Role conflict: experiencing differing role expectations
Role ambiguity: uncertainty about role expectations
There are seven aspects of the internal group structure. We looked at the first of these aspects, leadership, in chapter 12. The other six are covered here.
A role is a set of behaviour patterns expected of someone occupying a given position in a social unit. Role conflict can occur when an individual is confronted with different role expectations.

11. Group Structure (cont’d)
Norms
Acceptable standards or expectations that are shared by the group’s members
Common types of norms:
Effort and performance
Output levels, absenteeism, promptness, socializing
Dress
Loyalty
Norms are acceptable standards or expectations shared by a group’s members. Although each group has its own unique set of norms, there are common classes of norms that appear in organizations.

12. Group Structure (cont’d)
Conformity
Individuals conform in order to be accepted by groups
Group pressures can have an effect on an individual member’s judgment and attitudes
The effect of conformity is not as strong as it once was, although it is still a powerful force
Groupthink:
The extensive pressure of others in a strongly cohesive or threatened group that causes individual members to change their opinions to conform to that of the group
1. Norms focus on effort and performance, dress, and loyalty.
2. Because individuals desire acceptance by the groups to which they belong, they are susceptible to conformity pressure.
3. When an individual’s opinion of objective data differs significantly from that of others in the group, he/she feels extensive pressure to align his or her opinion to conform to others’ opinions. This is known as groupthink.

13. Group Structure (cont’d)
STATUS SYSTEMS
The formal or informal prestige grading, position, or ranking system for members of a group that serves as recognition for individual contributions to the group and as a behavioral motivator.

14. Group Structure: Group Size
Small groups
Complete tasks faster than larger groups
Make more effective use of facts
Large groups
Solve problems better than small groups
Are good for getting diverse input
Are more effective in fact- finding
Social Loafing
The tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually
Group size can also affect the group’s overall behaviour. The effect depends on which outcomes are focused on. An important finding related to group size is social loafing—the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually.

15. Group Structure (cont’d)
GROUP COHESIVENESS
The degree to which members are attracted to a group and share the group’s goals.
Highly cohesive groups are more effective than are less cohesive ones when their goals aligns organization goals.

16. Group processes: group decision making
Advantages
Generates more complete information and knowledge
Generates more diverse alternatives
Increase acceptance of a solution
Increase legitimacy of decision
Disadvantages
Time consuming
Minority domination
Pressures to conform
Ambiguous responsibility

17. Group processes: Conflict Management
The perceived incompatible differences in a group resulting in some form of interference with or opposition to its assigned tasks
Traditional view: conflict must it avoided
Human relations view: conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome in any group
Interactionist view: conflict can be a positive force and is absolutely necessary for effective group performance
Conflict management is another group concept that we need to understand.
Conflict is perceived incompatible differences that result in interference or opposition. There are a number of views about conflict:
a. Traditional view of conflict argues that conflict must be avoided.
b. The human relations view of conflict is the view that conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome in any group.
c. The interactionist view of conflict is the view that some conflict is necessary for a group to perform effectively.
d. Some conflicts are functional conflicts, those conflicts that support a group’s goals. Others are dysfunctional conflicts, which are conflicts that prevent a group from achieving its goals.

18. Conflict Management (cont’d)
Categories of Conflict
Functional conflicts are constructive
Dysfunctional conflicts are destructive
Types of Conflict
Task conflict: content and goals of the work
Relationship conflict: interpersonal relationships
Process conflict: how the work gets done
Categories of Conflict
Functional conflicts are constructive
Dysfunctional conflicts are destructive
Three types of conflict have been identified:
1. Task conflict relates to the content and goals of the work.
2. Relationship conflict focuses on interpersonal relationships and is always dysfunctional.
3. Process conflict refers to how the work gets done.
Managers can use different conflict resolution approaches (see Exhibit 14.9).

19. Conflict Management (cont’d)
Techniques to Reduce Conflict:
Avoidance
Accommodation
Forcing
Compromise
Collaboration
Avoiding: The desire to withdraw from or suppress a conflict
Accommodating: The willingness of one party in a conflict to place the opponent’s interests above his or her own
Forcing: A desire to satisfy one’s interests, regardless of the impact on the other parties
Compromising: A situation in which each party to a conflict is willing to give up something
Collaborating: A situation where the parties to a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the concerns of all parties

20. Exhibit 14-8 conflict management techniques

21. Group tasks AND GROUP EFFECTIVENESS
Highly complex and interdependent task require:
Effective communication: discussion among group members.
Controlled conflict: More interaction among group members.

22. What Is a Work Team? Work team
A group whose members work intensely on a specific, common goal using their positive synergy, individual and mutual accountability, and complementary skills
Types of Work Teams
Problem-solving teams
Self-managed work team
Cross-functional team
Virtual team

23. Type of teams Problem-solving teams
Employees from the same department or functional area involved in efforts to improve work activities or to solve specific problems.
Self-managed work team
A formal group of employees who operate without a manager and are responsible for a complete work process or segment

24. Type of teams Cross-functional team
A hybrid grouping of individuals who are experts in various specialties and who work together on various tasks.
Virtual team
Teams that uses computer technology to link physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal

25. Exhibit 14-9 groups versus teams