FUNCTIONS OF GROUP BEHAVIOR

WHAT IS GROUP?
According to Schein A group is any no. of people who: -Interact with one another. -Are Psychologically aware of oneanother -Perceives themselves to be a group Thus group has emotional substance. If We extract a person from a group and no one feels the loss, then it is not group.

TYPES OF GROUP
First Way: - Types of Interdependence, (Fielder
defined): 1. Interacting- Assembly Line-one man to perform job depend on the fact that other has completed his job. 2. Co-Acting- Relatively independent insurance agency. 3. Counter-Acting-Working for the purpose of negotiating and reconciling conflicting opinion and purposes. Cases-Management Negotiating Teams.

Contd.
Second Way:
1. Primary: - Small (where there is face to face interaction). 2. Secondary: - Large (where there is indirect interaction). Third Way: -

1. Formal: - Can further be bifurcated into two groups: a) Temporary: - For Particular Job. b) Permanent: - For Top Management, Work Groups, Staff Groups. It Provides Specialized Services.

Contd.
2. Informal: - It is based on the INTEREST and FRIENDSHIP because they share one or more common characteristics. They spontaneously come in to being to satisfy those roles of individual which the rigid formal organization is unable to satisfy.

STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
ADJOURNING Completion, Ending, or Evolution PERFORMING Achieving the Purpose NORMING Agreeing Purpose and Conduct STORMING Resolving differences FORMING Initial Meeting Together

Contd.
Forming: - At this stage, the individuals
that comprise the group are uncertain about the groups purpose, structure, tasks and leadership. In this stage, members try to identify what behavior would be acceptable to others in the group and try to mold their own behavior accordingly.

Contd.
Storming: - This stage is characterized by
conflict and confrontation within the group. In this stage of group development, although the members acknowledge the existence of a group, they may resist the constraints imposed by the group. There is emergence of a relatively clear hierarchy of leadership within the group.

Contd.
Norming: - This stage is characterized by
the development of close relationships and cohesiveness within the group. Members develop a strong sense of group identity and camaraderie. There are common set of expectations defining appropriate behavior that has been developed.

Contd.
Performing: The Group becomes fully functional and involves in activities aimed at achieving the goals defined in the norming stage. Members are committed to the achievement of group goals

Contd.
Adjourning: This is for temporary groups that have only a specific task to perform (like task groups, or temporary committees). The members are concerned with finishing their activities (priority is not given to high task performance).

THE PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM MODEL

Punctuated equilibrium model, the process of
group formation is characterized by long periods of inertia, punctuated or interspersed with brief periods of activity. These periods of activity primarily take place when the members become aware of the time and the approaching project deadline. Research studies reveal that the timing of group formation and the modification in their way of functioning over time stays consistent.

Contd.
The first meeting of the group sets the
direction for the group. Direction is unlikely to change during the first half of the duration of the project. First meeting of the group, a framework of behavioral patterns and assumptions emerges. First half of the project is characterized by a period of inertia.

Contd.
Halfway through the project duration, the
members of the group suddenly experience a heightened sense of awareness of the lapse of time and the lack of progress in the project. Awareness of the limited time left to complete the project acts as an alarm and leads to a flurry of activity. The group works toward completing the project on time by finishing all the tasks that remain to be done and resolving all the details pertaining to the project.

NORMS
Hare calls: - Rules of behavior which have been
accepted as legitimate by members of a group. They introduce games, hold parties, invent rituals powerful in standardizing behavior. Group Pressure of Individual Judgments: experiment by Asch: - Individual tends to match his opinion/judgment as per group. Similarity among member environment: Similarity of exposure makes people know, perceive and do things in a similar fashion.

INFORMAL GROUPS
Purpose is to satisfy those needs which rigid formal organization is
unable to satisfy. John M. Pfiffnes & Sherwood identifies five groups: 1. Social Overlay: - Employees with similar works related needs. 2. Functional Overlay: - Composed of employees of extra ordinary amount of knowledge & know-how. 3. Decision Overlay: - Consults on account of age, mature judgment and wisdom. 4. Power Overlay: - Consulted Executive become wield power in excess of authority. 5. Communication Overlay: - Channels of communication have different path than formal. It can be due to Location of desk/machine/partition, common facilities, relationship in social or religion organization.

DISTINCTION BETWEEN FORMAL AND INFORMAL

FORMAL for goal. Goals and tasks oriented towards productivity, growth. Pyramid Shape System of reward andpunishment Structured-Enduring & permanent in nature INFORMAL spontaneous. Individual & group satisfaction-affiliation friendship & esteem Shapeless Sociogram There is no written system of rewards & punishment Small, Unstable Change. and

Everything structured as Natural

BENEFITS OF INFORMAL GROUPS TO THE MEMBERS

Sense of Belonging: - in comparison of
formal organization. Safety valve for emotional problems. Aid to job: - Accident, illness etc., changing & enhancing work efficiency to cover deficiency of other members. Breeding: - Ground for innovation & originality.

Contd.
Important Channels of Communication: Protected by group individual more free to innovation Larger, detailed & more meaningful communication. Social Control: - A set of norms, easier to control. Check on Authority: - Manager more conscious.

DISADVANTAGES TO INFORMAL GROUP

Resistance to Change Role of Conflict & sub-optimization: When groups objective is in conflict with organizations objective. Rumour: - Can be a source of embarrassment to management Group-think philosophy: - Sometimes individual loses his identity.

BENEFITS OF INFORMAL GROUPS TO MANAGEMENT

The informal group can be used to change the behavior,
attitude, belief and value of people in organization. Depends on we feeling, relevance of change, individual goals and closeness of change to group norms. The informal group is self-policing: if group is cooperative oriented-less super-vision is required. Informal Groups communication system grapevine given the manager must feedback about employees and their work experience: - Knows what he needs to be supportive manager; better communication and sometimes used in negotiations also with labor to get desired result.

HARMONISING INFORMAL GROUP & FORMAL ORGANISATION

Where informal rules are acceptable they should be
institutionalized. Similarly informal pattern of relationship which serves the company well should be incorporated into the formal organization. If informal lines of communication exists they should be used of management. When informal leaders develop they should be appointed to positions of formal authority. Employees should be made to know that management not merely tolerate but willingly accepts existence of informal group.

Contd.
All major cliques composing of informal organization
catalogued about their reactions to one another and to the company. In designing formal structure, team concept should be kept in mind: 1. Work divided in meaningful blocks to be assigned to a task team. 2. Self sufficient having people of all skills to complete a task. 3. Should be given feedback for corrective action. 4. Recognition & rewards based on team in Performance Appraisal System.

GROUP COHESIVENESS
The cohesiveness of a group refers to the degree to which its members are attracted to the group, are motivated to remain in the group and mutually influence one another.

DETERMINANTS OF GROUP COHESIVENESS

Incentive properties of the group: - Nine Types: 1. Attractiveness of group members. 2. Similarity in interests, attitudes, values and beliefs. 3. Nature of Group Goals: a) Content b) How implicitly the goal is formulated 4. Type of Interdependence among members: More interactive-More Cohesive

Contd.
5. Activities of the group 6. Style of leadership and opportunity to participate in decisions: - Democratic Decentralized more likely attractive but dependent on type of leadership. 7. Structural Properties of the Group: - Higher level, More attractive, Central in Communication. 8. Groups Size: - Small group more cohesive 9. Groups Atmosphere: - More attracted if people feel wanted or Valued.

Contd.
Members Individual Needs: - Not only
characteristics relate but also by his assessment of how these characteristics relate to his needs and values. Needs vary on degree of intensities (Need of affliction, status, recognition, security, money etc). Environment in which group exists: - If group confronted with hostile environment sometimes it is more cohesive to defend. Difficulty in getting membership: - More difficult-More Cohesive.

CONSEQUENCES OF GROUP COHESIVENESS

1. There is an increase in the groups capacity to
retain members. 2. There is greater conformity to norm. 3. There is more frequent communication among members, a greater degree of participation in group activities, and lower rate of absences. 4. There is increase in the self-esteem and decrease in the anxiety of members. 5. There is increase in productivity of the group if it is cooperating with the management.

Characteristics of an effective group

Informal climate: Informal, Comfortable and

Relaxed Common Goal Disagreement: No suppression of views, members convinced about correct view point Candor: People giving frank expression Action Plan: Clear, every one knows about authority and responsibility Leadership: Flexible leadership style