Group

Group- Four essential characteristics

a. Two or more people
b. Shared goals
c. Interaction among members
d. Perceive themselves as members
Group dynamics- KURT LEWIN popularized this word
is concerned with the nature of a group, its formation, function, structures, processes, and
how they affect individual members, other groups, and the organization.

Types of groups
Basis Type
Formal company banati h
• Deliberately created to perform a specific task
Formation • Hierarchy of authority
• Specified rules
• Types Standing task group—Permanent in nature
Task group- Created to solve a particular problem/project-specific
Informal
• Neither formally structured nor created by organizations
• Natural formation out of contact at the workplace
• Types Office informal Vertical Clique---- Seniors (higher rank) + Subordinates
Horizontal Clique—members at same level/rank + same area
Mixed/random--- Different ranks, area, and departments
Sub-clique- Some members from outside of the organization
Others
Interest- Common interest like cricket/polo-playing
Reference- Group with which an individual identifies/ takes
opinion/ makes decisions
Membership In-group- Group to which one belongs
Out-group- Group to which one does not belong
Change in Open- New members are allowed
membership Closed- New members are not allowed
Interaction Primary- Small social group whose members share close, personal, enduring relationships.
(Cooley) Secondary- large groups whose relationships are impersonal and goal-oriented.
Apathetic
• Hardly uses pressure tactics
• Low paid, low skilled assembly workers- lack unity & power
Pressure Erratic
Tactics • Uses power tactics
• Semi-skilled workers who interact regularly
applied by
• Erratic behaviour- Sometimes cooperative, other time against management]
groups • Pacifies/ignites easily
(Sayles) Strategic
• Prepare a strategy to pressurize management and other groups
• Perform technologically independent works- highly united workers
Conservative
 • Professional and highly skilled workers
• Very strong and have stable informal groups
• Exercise restrained pressure to pursue their demands

Theories of group formation

Theory Propounded by Why people join groups?
Propinquity -- Spatial or geographical proximity aspas h hmare
Homan’s George C. Homas Activities Interactions Interplay of these three
factors
Sentiments
Balance Theodore Attraction towards similar attitudes towards commonly
Newcomb relevant objects and goals. Once a group formed,
establish a balance between attraction and similar
attitudes
Exchange Thaibaunt and Reward-cost outcomes, when rewards are greater than
Kelly costs us group ka part jismh profit ho
Social Identity To get self-identity and self-esteem
Equilibrium Bales A balance between task and relationships between team
members
Punctuated Gersick Group does not progress in a linear way.
Inertia (little progress towards goal) Energy burst
(fast track work) Inertia kabhi jyda kam kabhi kam
Stages of Bruce Tukman Forming---Storming--Norming--Performing--Adjourning
group Awareness Conflict Cooperation Productivity Separation
development Acceptance Collective Support Achievement Satisfaction
jannege Bargaining
Stages of Garland, Jones, and Pre-affiliation- Need to join a group
group Kolody Power and control- among members
development Intimacy
Differentiation- Personal goal & group goals
Separation

Group Structure
1) Group Norms- Accepted standards of behaviour shared by group members. They define
what group members are supposed to do/not to do. They influence behaviours of the
group members.
2) Role- Expected behaviour patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position.
3) Expected Role/ Role Expectation- One’s view of how one is supposed
dusra soch raha h tm khana banoge to act in a given situation. Role
4) Perceived Role/ Role perception- Other’s believe about how a person Ambiguity
apne liye banoge toh mere liye v should act in a role. Role
5) Enacted Role- How one actually does the role. bas khud kha rhe h Conflict
6) Role conflict- Divergent role expectations. jaisa dusra expect krte h or hm kuch or krte h
 7) Group size-‘ Two pizza rule’- group size should be equal to the person who can feed on
two pizzas- Jefff Bezos
8) Group Think- Irving Janis
a. It is a group phenomenon in which the norm for group consensus overrides the
realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action.
b. In groupthink, a group pressurizes its members o conform and thereby deters the
group from critically analyzing a topic.
c. It also leads to mind guarding in which members keep outsiders away and protect the
group from disturbing/different viewpoints.
9) Social Loafing- also called Ringelmann effect
a. It is the opposite of Synergy (2+2 =5).
b. As the size of the group increases, the productivity of an individual group member
keeps on decreasing.
10) Group Shift- Difference in what individuals would have decided and what group has
decided.
a. Cautious shift- Individual-risky decision; group- safe/less-risky decision
b. Risky shift- Individual- safe/less-risky decision; group- a risky decision
11) Group Cohesiveness-
It is the degree to which group members are attracted to each other and are motivated to
stay in a group.
12) Group Polarization- coined by Moscovici and Zavalloni
It is defined as the tendency of group members to take extreme conditions.

Group Decision-making
Approaches:-
a) Autocratic- Leader decides by himself/herself independently.
b) Expert member soliciting- Expert advice is obtained, and the decision is made.
c) Consultative- Inputs from all responsible for/affected by the decision, then the decision
is taken independently.
d) Minority control- Small number of people in the group, takes the decision
e) Majority control- The majority of members are involved in the group.
f) Consensus- Finding a proposal acceptable to all.

Methods:-

a) Brainstorming- Five to ten members sit around a table. All members are encouraged to
give their ideas. No idea is evaluated. The aim is to get the maximum number of ideas.free flow ideas
b) Nominal Group Technique-
i. All group members originate idea privately (silently without discussion)
ii. The coordinator collects all these ideas and presents them on a whiteboard.
iii. These ideas are discussed one-by-one
iv. After all ideas are discussed, then each participating member vote and rank all ideas.
 v. The idea with the highest cumulative ranking is selected as a final solution.
c) Delhi Technique
i. Experts are physically distant from each other.
ii. The coordinator sends problem statements to all experts.
iii. These experts return their solutions, and then the coordinator collates all solutions and
returns collated answers to all experts.
iv. All experts review their results in light of the given information and resend the
revised solution to the coordinator.
v. The process continues until a general agreement is achieved.
d) Didactic Interaction
i. The problem has a didactic solution- Yes/No (whether to expand or not)
ii. Group divided into two categories- Yes or No
iii. Discuss- Yes group discusses pros and No group discuss cons
iv. Then groups interchange their stances
e) The Stepladder Technique
a. Two-person discusses the problem with each other
b. Then, the third person is introduced, and now, three persons discuss the solution
c. And, subsequently, members are introduced one-by-one

Team and Group

Types of teams

1) Quality Circle- Small teams of 5-7 employees. They meet regularly to identify quality
and productive issues.
2) Skunkworks- Multiskilled members that are located away from organization, free from
hierarchy. They are entrepreneurial oriented and are engaged in new product/service
development.
3) Self-managed team/autonomous work groups/empowered teams- These teams are given
high degree of decision-making power.
4) Virtual teams- Meet through video-conferencing/electronic information system.
5) Departmental teams- Department-wise teams, like HR dept.
6) Management teams- Managers from various areas/department.