WORK GROUP BEHAVIOUR

OVERVIEW
 Definition of a Group
 Nature of Groups
 A Model of Group Formation and Development
 Types of Groups
 Reasons for Group Formation
 Stages of Group Development
 Characteristics of Groups
 Group Norms
 Decision-Making Concepts
 Definition of Decision-Making
 Decision-Making Methods
 The Final Decision
 Characteristics of an Effective Decision-Making
DEFINITION OF A GROUP
A collection of two or
more interacting
individuals with a
stable pattern of
relationships who share
common goals and who
perceive themselves as
being a group.
NATURE OF GROUPS
 Theremust be two or more
individuals for there to be
a group.

 Theymust interact with

each other in some
manner.

 Accomplish a common
goal.
A Model of Group Formation and Development

Types of Groups Reasons for

Group
Formal Formation Some Group
-Command group Stages of Group Characteristics
-Task group -Security need Development
satisfaction -Composition
End Results
Informal 1. Forming
-Social need -Status
-Interest group -Performance
satisfaction
-Friendship group 2. Storming
-Esteem need
-Group Structure
-Satisfaction
- Small group satisfaction 3. Norming
-Large group -Leadership
-Development
-Primary group -Proximity and 4. Performing
-Secondary group attraction -Roles
-Coalitions 5. Adjourning
-Membership group -Group goals -Size of a Group
-Reference group -Economic
reasons

Feedback
TYPES OF GROUPS
 Formal Group
 The relationship is defined by the
organizational structure.
 These groups are formed by the organization
to carry out specific tasks.

 Command groups - represented in the

organizational chart. Permanent in nature.
Members report to common supervisors.
Functional reporting relationship exists.

 Task groups - it is a group that is formed to

complete a task.
(CONT.) TYPES OF GROUPS
 Informal Group
 Groups that share relationships or alliances
that are not formally structured or determined
by the organizational chart.

 Interest groups – people working together for

a common interest and not because of any
organizational chart.

 Friendship groups – the focus is on people

bonding together and sharing common
characteristics.
OTHER TYPES INCLUDE:
 Small groups
 Only a few members.
 Face-to-face interaction and better communication is possible.
 Large groups
 Members is very high.
 Personal interaction is not possible.
 Primary group
 It is made up of members who have similar and loyalties and has a feeling of
friendship towards each other.
 Secondary groups
 They share same values and beliefs, but because of the size of the group, they
do not interact often with each other
 Coalitions
 They are created by members for a specific purposed and do not have a formal
structure.
 Membership groups
 They are the groups to which individual actually belongs.

 Reference groups
 It is actually the groups to which an individual would like to belong.
REASONS FOR GROUP FORMATION
 Security need satisfaction – there is strength in numbers. By
belonging to a group, individuals can feel stronger and know they are
not in this alone.

 Social need satisfaction – people believe that membership in a

particular group will help then satisfy one or more important needs.

 Esteem need satisfaction – inclusion in a certain group is deemed

important by others because it provides a sense of identity, recognition,
and status.

 Proximity and attraction – proximity involves the physical distance

between employees performing a job. Attraction designates the
attraction of people to each other because of perceptual, attitudinal,
performance, or motivational similarity.

 Group goals – there are task which requires more than one person
thus by sharing the load, the tasks are broken down into manageable
sizes, making the goal easier to attain.

 Economic reasons – by working and cooperating as a group, the

workers may obtain higher economic benefits.
 STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT
The five-Stage Model:
Adjourning/Mourning
Completion, the group has served its purpose

Performing
Achieving the purpose, members work
together to get their job done

Norming
Agreeing purpose and conduct

Storming
Resolving differences, marked with
conflict and confrontation
Forming
Group members get to know each
other and begin to develop ground
rules
CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUPS
 Composition - Most group
activities require a variety of
skills and knowledge.
Research studies show that
heterogeneous groups are
likely to perform more
effectively.
 Status – The status assigned
to a particular position is
typically a consequence of
certain characteristics that
differentiate one position from
other positions.
(CONT.) CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUPS
 Group Structure - It  Leadership - Leader’s
helps shape the behavior has a
behavior of its significant impact on the
members, predict the
group behavior and
behavior and guide the
performance of the performance . Style of a
group as a whole. leader is imitated by the
members of the group.
(CONT.) CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUPS
 Roles - Set of behavior
pattern which an
individual occupying a
certain position in society
is expected to display.
 Dimensions of role are:
 Expected role
 Perceived role
 Enacted role
 Size of a Group – groups of 5-
7 members exercise the best
elements of both small and
large groups.
 Social Loafing – the tendency
for individuals to extend less
effort when working collectively
than when working
individually.
GROUP NORMS
 Are the standards shared by members of a group, and
they have certain characteristics that are important to
group members.

 First, norms are formed only with respect to things that

have significance for the group.
 Second, norms are accepted in various degrees by group
members.
 Third, norms may apply to every group member, or they
may apply to only some group members.

 In work groups, the most common norm relates to

productivity, and group productivity norms specify
“acceptable” production behaviour.
DEFINITION OF DECISION-MAKING
 Decision making can be
regarded as the mental
processes (cognitive
process) resulting in the
selection of a course of
action among several
alternatives. Every
decision making process
produces a final choice. The
output can be an action or
an opinion of choice.
DECISION-MAKING METHODS
1. STANDARD AGENDA DEVELOPED BY JOHN DEWEY
Problem identification. What is the problem?
What is wrong with the current situation?

Problem analysis. View the current situation as a balance

between restraining forces and helping forces. What are the
forces in play in your group's situation?

Criteria selection. What are the goals of the final

decision?

Solution generation. Generate as many solutions as possible. Avoid

groupthink by listing many solutions.

Solution evaluation and selection. Measure each solution

against the criteria from step three.

Solution implementation. Enact the chosen

solution.
2. BRAINSTORMING
POPULARIZED BY ALEX FAICKNEY OSBORN
 Brainstorming is a group creativity technique designed to
generate a large number of ideas for the solution of a
problem. It involves group members verbally suggesting
ideas or alternative courses of action.
 Group members are encouraged to generate as many ideas
about a particular topic as they can. Every idea is written
down and judgments about ideas are saved until later,
when the group returns to all of the ideas and selects those
that are most useful.
3. NOMINAL GROUP TECHNIQUE
ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED BY DELBECQ AND VANDEVEN

 The nominal group technique is a structured

decision making process in which group members
are required to compose a comprehensive list of
their ideas or proposed alternatives in writing.

 It is a decision making method for use among

groups of many sizes, who want to make their
decision quickly, as by a vote, but want everyone's
opinions taken into account (as opposed to
traditional voting, where only the largest group is
considered).
THE FINAL DECISION

 Consensus

 Compromise

 Majority Vote
 Decision by Leader

 Arbitration
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE
DECISION-MAKING
 It focuses on what is important
 It is logical and consistent.
 It acknowledges both subjective and objective
thinking and blends analytical with intuitive
thinking.
 It requires only as much information and
analysis as is necessary to resolve a particular
dilemma.
 It encourages and guides the gathering of
relevant information and informed opinion.
 It is straightforward, reliable, easy to use, and
flexible.
Thanks for listening!