Name: tafadzwa

Surname: dhenya

Reg number: r158915c

Programme: bachelor of social work honors degree

Course: social work with groups

Lecturer: dr mundau

Due date: 07 October 2016

Social work is a profession which is complex and there is no universal definition to define what
it is and there are no universally fixated roles of a social worker thus different definitions of who

a social worker is. A social worker according to Fanning (2008), is a highly trained professional
who is responsible for helping individuals, families, and groups of people to cope with problems
they are facing in order to improve their patients lives. Shelley (2004), is of the view that social
workers assist people by helping them cope with issues in their everyday lives, deal with their
relationships and solve personal and family problems .Hackman (1982), defines a group as a
social system that has the following properties: it is perceived to be an entity by its members and
by non-members familiar with it, its members have some degree of interdependence and a
differentiation of roles and duties takes place in the group. Shulman (2006), views the group as
an enterprise in mutual aid, alliance of individuals who need each other, in varying degrees, to
work on certain common problems. Group effectiveness is the capacity a group or team has to
accomplish the goals or objectives administered by an authorized personnel (Aube and Rousseau
2011).A social worker can employ different approaches to increase group effectiveness like
group dynamics which is mainly concerned about social interactions between group members ,
group size and group composition .In a group set up a social worker functions as an enabler ,
someone who is concerned with achieving group effectiveness thus the use of different strategies
to strengthen groups.

Under group dynamics , social integration is a strategy that can be used by a social worker to
elevate group effectiveness since social integration builds unanimity about the purposes and
goals of the group ,helping members to move forward in an orderly and efficient manner to
accomplish work and achieve goals (Ronald and Toseland 2005a ).Norms , roles and status are
group dynamics that promote social integration by influencing group members behavior .They
lend order and familiarity to group processes ,helps to make members individual behaviors
predictable and comfortable for [Link] , roles and status are interrelated concepts that affect
social integration of individuals in the group .They limit individuality ,freedom and
independence ,but at the same time stabilize and regulate the operation of the group ,helping
members to feel comfortable and secure in their positions within the group and with each
other(Ronald and Toseland 2005 ). For example status serve a social integration function in a
rather complex manner .Low-status members are the least likely to conform to group norms
because they have little to lose by deviating .So workers in order to enhance group effectiveness

should provide opportunities for low-status members to the group so that they can become more
socially integrated and achieve a higher status .Therefore in working with task and treatment
groups , a social worker should balance the needs of individuals and of the group as a whole and
manage deviance and conformity thus increasing group effectiveness .

Group cohesion is another method that a social worker can use to amplify group effectiveness
.Group cohesion is the result of all forces acting on members to remain in a group (Festinger
1950).Cohesion is a multi-faceted concept that ,depending on the context can be viewed along
many dimensions such as task and social cohesion ,vertical and horizontal ,personal and social
attraction , belongingness and morale (Dion 2000).Cohesive groups satisfy members need for
affiliation and they also recognize members accomplishments and promote members sense of
competence. Access to resources and prestige also tends to make groups cohesive. Cohesion can
however lead to dependence on the group , thus while promoting the development of cohesion in
group , a social worker should ensure that members individuality is not sacrificed .It also
encourages pathological conformity and dependence on the group. A social worker should
encourage members to express divergent opinions and to respect divergent opinions expressed by
other group members and while providing group cohesion and while providing group cohesion,
workers should strive to preserve members individuality. Through empowering individuals to
make their own decisions, a social worker enhances group effectiveness. This therefore shows
that group cohesion is a strategy that can be employed by a social worker to elevate group
effectiveness since cohesion calls for unity between members and also encourages individuality
at the same time.

Another strategy that can be used by a social worker to enhance group effectiveness is group
size. The size of the group is usually determined by the task at hand, both small and large groups
have a negative and positive impact on the group somehow. Increased group size lead to fewer
opportunities for participation of which participation is one major important aspect in groups
since it somehow enhance members confidence. Although larger groups are more able than
smaller to diversify into specialized roles and activities and this is likely to make them efficient
in some ways (Bond and Keys 1993), larger groups are however more likely to suffer from

coordination problems and social loafing. According to Stewart (2006), research has shown that
larger group generate more accurate answers to problem, are more likely to retain more
important information and generally have higher performance .The problem with larger groups is
that members are less likely to feel that their effort is going to make a difference to the output of
the group as a whole or that their contribution will be noticed and appreciated by the other group
members. Sub-groups are likely to be formed as a result of large group size and consistent
subgroup formation can negatively affect the performance of a group as a whole. So a social
worker in order to amplify group effectiveness must advocate for a small group because small
groups maximize interaction between members .If a group consists of a small number maximum
participation will occur unlike in large groups where other members will become back benchers
in issues concerning their group. This therefore shows that group size is an important strategy
that can be used to increase group effectiveness.

Group composition is a strategy which can be used by social workers to strengthen group
effectiveness. Group composition is characterized by the concepts of homogeneity and
heterogeneity .Homogeneity involves working with members with same characteristics, values
and beliefs, while homogeneity involves working with members of different cultures
.Homogeneity contributes to member satisfaction, creates less conflict and increase the chance of
harmonious working relationships among group members since they share the same beliefs and
have similar values. It is however important to note that it is difficult to create homogeneous
groups since they are composed of both males and females. For tasks that are non-routine and
require diverse skills ,opinions and behaviors a heterogeneous group yields better results .To
enhance group effectiveness , a social worker must encourage groups to have heterogeneous type
of group since heterogeneous membership can bring variety of skills and viewpoints to bear on
problems and thus facilitate task accomplishment and goal achievement hence group
effectiveness.

In conclusion, a social worker can make use of different strategies to ensure group effectiveness.
Group dynamics which are mainly concerned about group members interaction are employed to
enhance group effectiveness, group size and group composition. A social worker can encourage

group members to accept each other through social integration since groups cannot function
effectively without a fairly high level of social integration of members. Group size affects the
functioning of a group so a social worker must advocate for a small group since it allows for
maximum interaction and participation which is essential to group effectiveness. Homogeneity
and heterogeneity are important components of group composition which enhance group
effectiveness. For a group to be effective it must be composed of people who have different
abilities and skills since different views and opinions are needed to accomplish tasks.

Reference
Aub, C., Rousseau, V., & Tremblay, S. (2011). Team size and quality of group experience: The
more the merrier? Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 15(4), 357.

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