Module 2 Group and Team Dynamics

Organisational Behaviour Manjula Devi P
BBA II Semester (NEP) Assistant Professor, GFGC Bettampady
Module – 2
Group and Team Dynamics
Meaning of Group:
A group can be defined as two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come
together to achieve particular objectives.
A group behaviour can be stated as a course of action a group takes as one unit. For example
− Strike.
Meaning and Definitions of Group Dynamics

The term ‘group dynamics’ means the study of forces within a group. Since human beings have
an innate desire for belonging to a group, group dynamism is bound to occur. In an organization
or in a society, we can see groups, small or large, working for the well-being.
The social process by which people interact with one another in small groups can be called
group dynamism. A group has certain common objectives & goals. Because of which members
are bound together with certain values and culture.
Nature / Importance of Group Dynamism
1. Firstly, a group can influence the way the members think. The members are
always influenced by the interactions of other members in the group. A group
with a good leader performs better as compared to a group with a weak leader.
2. The group can give the effect of synergy, that is, if the group consists of positive
thinkers, then its output is more than double every time.
3. Group dynamism can furthermore give job satisfaction to the members.
4. The group can also infuse the team spirit among the members.
5. Even the attitude, insights & ideas of members depend on group dynamism. For
example, negative thinkers convert to positive thinkers with the help of the
facilitator.
6. Also, if the group works as a cohesive group, the cooperation and convergence
can result in maximization of productivity
7. Furthermore, group dynamism can reduce labour unrest. Lastly, it reduces labour
turnover due to emotional attachment among the group members.
Topic: Types of Groups
(Source : https://theinvestorsbook.com/types-of-groups.html)
We can categorize the groups into two major classes according to the purpose it serves.
Whether it is for fulfilling an organizational objective or for meeting the self-interest of the
members.
Formal Groups
When people collaborate to attain the organizational goals or objectives, they are said to form
a formal group.
Following are the three major types of formal groups existing in an organization:
Command Group: As a result of hierarchical arrangement in an organization, a command

group is made of the superiors and their subordinates representing the flow of command or
orders from top to bottom level.
Task Group: A group which includes individuals with different skills and knowledge, to
successfully carry out the assigned project, is called as a task group.
Committees: For the special assignments or projects, a group is formed by appointing the
specialists or people with superior knowledge; which is termed as a committee. After the
project responsibilities are executed successfully, the members can disassociate from the
committee.
Informal Groups
When the individuals associate with one another to serve their common interest or for self-
satisfaction, they are known to form an informal group. Some of the most common informal
groups are:
Interest Groups: The individuals who join hands for a common purpose (related to self-
interest) create an interest group.
Friendship Groups: The group which is formed as a result of personal choice by the
individuals who are already familiar and feel comfortable with one another, is called a
friendship group.
Cliques: In a workplace, few colleagues join hands to form a small group (usually with two
to six members) to share ideas and thoughts on their mutual interest.
Sub-cliques: When a clique comprises of few organizational employees along with some
non-employees (who are associated with the other members in either way), it termed as a sub-
clique.
Sayles’ Classification of Groups: L.R. Sayles categorized the groups into the following
types depending upon the degree of pressure prevalent in each:
1. Apathetic Groups: The group in which the leader does not pressurize the
members; moreover, leadership is hardly widespread; it is termed as an
apathetic group. Usually, it is formed by the lower-level workers who are
unskilled and work on low wages.
2. Erratic Groups: When the people belonging to a group gets enraged quickly
and similarly calms down, they are said to be in an erratic group. Such a group
comprises of semi-skilled workers who perform task
desiring communication between them.
3. Strategic Groups: Such a group includes skilled workers, who hold various job
positions to execute the independent technological task. These members have
the skills of systematically applying pressure on the management and the other
groups, by framing a suitable strategy.
4. Conservative Groups: The group which comprises of the stable and highly
skilled individuals or professional, who have extreme powers to regulate the
functioning of the organization, is called as a conservative group.
Stages of Group Development

Definition: The Group Development means, forming the association of people to work as a
group and direct their actions towards the accomplishment of a common goal. The jobs of
each group member are interdependent and hence the performance of one will affect the
entire group’s performance. It is often called as a team building or team development.
The most famous and a well-known model of group development was proposed by Bruce
Tuckman, that included four stages Viz, forming, storming, norming, performing and later
the fifth stage adjourning was added to this model.
(Source: https://businessjargons.com/stages-of-group-development.html)
1. Forming: At this stage, the formation of a new group begins, wherein the members
come together and get to know each other through the interactions. Here the
individuals are excited and anxious to know about the scope of the task and the ways
to approach it. Generally, the individuals come with a desire to get accepted by others
and avoid controversy or conflicts.
2. Storming: Once the forming stage is over, the individuals will start interacting with
each other in the context of the task to be achieved. The conflict and competition
among the group members will be highest at this stage.
The most dominant group members come in the front while the confrontational
members remain silent and continue to be in the security or calm stage (forming). The
issues related to the leadership, responsibility, strategies, rules, authority, evaluation,
reward system, etc. arises at the storming stage.
3. Norming: Once the role of every member is cleared along with the authority and
responsibility of each, the team members start settling in a group. Here, everybody
works cohesively towards the target and appreciate each other’s experience and skills.
4. Performing: At this stage, synergy gets created between the team members, where
everyone works towards the accomplishment of a goal. This stage is characterized by
flexibility and interdependence. The team members know each other so well that they
can handle any complex problem that comes before the team.
Also, the roles and responsibilities of member changes according to the situation
frequently, because at this stage everyone is equally a task-oriented and people-
oriented and thus can perform efficiently.
5. Adjourning: This is the last stage of group development, where the group is
terminated, and the group members are separated from each other. Every group is
created for a purpose, and once the purpose is fulfilled the group is adjourned.
Determinants of Group Behavior

A group is defined as two or more individuals, interacting and independent, who have come
together to achieve particular objectives. Group behavior in an organization is quite
complex.Group behaviors are affected or influenced by some significant variables or factors.
The major variables are:
1. Group norms
2. Group cohesiveness
3. Group size
4. Knowledge and Skills
5. Goals
6. Rewards
7. Technology
8. Resources and
9. Personality of group members
1. Group Norms:
Norm refers to group behaviour standard, beliefs, attitudes, traditions, expectations shared by
group members. According to Michael Argyle, “Group norms are rules or guidelines of
accepted behaviour which are established by a group and used to monitor the behaviour of its
members.”
The group norms determine how members of group should behave. They determine the
behaviour of group. Group norms regulate the behaviour of group. Group norms help in
understanding the group behaviour.
Norms cannot be violated. Any violation of group norms by any member invites criticism and
imposing of sanctions. Group norms are framed to achieve objectives of the group. Norms
enhance social interaction. Group norms establish role relationships. The high-profile
members have to play a leading role in a group.
Group norms can be social, ethical in nature. Group norms portray certain image of its
members. Norms provide a base for controlling behaviour of group members. Norms applied
to all the members uniformally and all members are expected strictly adhere to them.
Norms in certain companies prescribe for a typical kind of dress for its members. Individual
members and group benefit from the norms. They make the members to identify themselves
with the group
2. Group Cohesiveness:
Cohesiveness is an important characteristic of group. Rensis Likert has defined

cohesiveness as “the attractiveness of the members to the group or resistance of the
members to leaving it.” It refers to the attachment of the members with the group.
According to K. Aswathappa, “cohesiveness is understood as the extent of liking each

member has towards others and how far everyone wants to remain as a member of the
group.” It is a degree of attachment among members of the group and to group membership.
Attractiveness is the key to cohesiveness. Cohesive group attract membership from new
members. It also changes in degree over time.
Factors affecting cohesiveness:

There are some factors that affect cohesiveness of group. They are as under:
1. Group Formation Factors:

The factors which are responsible for group formation such as common interests, shared
goals, etc. serve as the base for cohesiveness.
2. Interaction:
Interaction between the group members makes the group more cohesive.
3. Difficulty in Membership:
Some groups take great care in selecting their members and making admission to them very
difficult. Difficulty in getting membership increases cohesiveness of group. Such groups are
valued by members and feel proud of being members.
4. Success:
Success of individual or shared objectives by the members feels pride about the success
resulting in greater cohesion of the group.
5. Threat:
When members of group feel threatened from any source, external in particular increases
cohesiveness.
6. Size of Group:
Size of the group affects its cohesiveness. Increased size of group decreases its cohesiveness
and vice versa. Small size of group facilitates more interaction among the group members,
hence more cohesiveness.
7. Continued Membership:
Membership of the group is continued by its members for a longer period of time increases
cohesiveness of group. New members do not get membership easily because of opposition
from the old members.
8. Attitude and Values:

Cohesiveness of group increases because of shared attitude and values. Everyone gets
attracted towards the people having identical attitudes, values and beliefs. The sense of
security and safety develops with the likeminded people.
3. Group Size:
The size of a group affects the group's overall behavior but the effect depends on what
dependent variables you look at. One of the most important findings related to the size of a
group has been labelled social loafing.
Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively
than when working individually.
4. Knowledge and Skills
The performance of a group may be influenced by the task relevant intellectual abilities of
each of its members. Research evidence indicates that individuals, who hold crucial abilities
for attaining the group's task tend to be more involved in group activity, generally contribute
more, and more likely to emerge as the group leaders, and are more satisfied of their talents
are effectively utilized by the group. Further, intellectual ability and task relevant ability have
both been found to be related to overall group performance. However, the correlation
between abilities of members and group performance is subject to the impact of such
variables as size of the group. The nature of the task, the action of its leader and the level of
intra group conflict or cooperation
5. Goals / tasks
Groups are created to accomplish some tasks. Group tasks can range from simple to complex
tasks. Simple tasks are routine and standardized in nature whereas complex tasks tend to be
novel and non-routine. Generally, the more complex task, the more group will benefit from
discussion among members on various alternatives. Of the task is simple, the search for
alternatives and thus discussion between group members would be limited.
Group performance and satisfaction tend to be more on complex tasks than when are simple.
This is because of three reasons:
The group task requires members to take initiative and use a variety of high-level skills.
Complex task is perceived as meaningful.
Task accomplishment would increase the prestige of the group
6. Rewards
The rewards associated with the group behaviour also plays a major role. The reward could
be explicit or implicit. The positive and negative rewards associated with the behaviour plays
a major role in group behaviour
7. Technology
Technology also greatly influences working relationships between employees. Companies

that have more updated equipment or computer software usually can expect greater
production from workers. There also tends to be more cohesiveness among employees.
Managers spend less time harping over details when they know employees have the proper
tools. For example, a marketing manager may assign an analyst the task of creating a 10-
page presentation for the department meeting. The manager knows the presentation
software provides tutorials and spends less time explaining how to set up the presentation.
Contrarily, employees who do not have the proper technology and equipment may become
agitated. They may start viewing their job as drudgery and start taking their frustrations out
on other workers.
8. Resources
The resources available for the group plays a major role on the group behaviour. If there are
limitations on the resources it may create competition and conflicts among the group
members. If the resources are sufficient, the group may exhibit cohesiveness and efficiency.
9. Personality
The personality traits of group members can shape group attitudes and behavior. The
attributes that have a positive connotation tend to be positively related to group productivity,
morale and cohesiveness. These include traits such as sociability, self-reliance, and
independence. In contrast, negatively evaluated traits such as authoritarianism, dominance,
and manipulation tend to have adverse effect on group performance in the long run.
Team and Team dynamics

Meaning of Team:
A team is defined as a group of people who perform interdependent tasks to work toward
accomplishing a common mission or specific objective.
Some teams have a limited life: for example, a design team developing a new product, or
a continuous process improvement team organized to solve a particular problem. Others are
ongoing, such as a department team that meets regularly to review goals, activities, and
performance.
An organization with many teams requires careful alignment. As teams and individuals link
with other teams, the principles of developing understanding and trust will apply, but the
structure will get more complex (Figure 1). Understanding the many interrelationships that
exist between organizational units and processes, and the impact of these relationships on
quality, productivity, and cost, makes the value of teams apparent.
Meaning of Team Dynamics:
Team dynamics are the behavioral relationships between members of any given team. How a
team interacts, communicates, and works together has a dramatic impact on how successful a
team is in meeting its goals.
Characteristics of Team Dynamics that Make for a Winning Team

1. Shared Purpose
The difference between a team and a group is that a team has a shared goal. When a group of
people work together, it is crucial that everyone is clear on what that goal is. If your team has
trouble making decisions and seems to battle itself at every critical point, it’s time to do some
digging to find out whether or not everyone is on the same page.
A popular method for goal-setting uses the acronym SMART. Effective goals should be
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. Our course on setting “SMART
goals” will help you to focus efforts, keep you accountable, and help you attain your goals.
2. Trust and Openness
Team members need to feel safe to share information and ideas without fear of punishment or
embarrassment. Trust opens the door to dialogue that can lead to better ideas and more
creativity. Team members must also be able to trust that everyone will meet their deadlines,
carry their weight, and do their part of the work. As the leader, it is your responsibility to
build accountability.
If you are in a leadership position, ask yourself “Do my team members trust me?” Our course
on “Building Accountability: Trust and Performance at Work” addresses the trust in leaders.
It also explains how to build accountability among the team through honesty, transparency,
and openness.
3. Willingness to Correct Mistakes
An important aspect of accountability is the willingness to acknowledge and correct mistakes.

When success is dependent on results, a productive team must establish the appropriate
processes for measurement and evaluation. Track your work and be willing to change course
if results are not where they should be.
Our course on "Surviving Poor Decisions” will walk you through the three steps of
acknowledging the issue, identifying corrective action and moving forward. A successful
team will look for opportunities to learn from the situation. They will not let past mistakes
limit their future success.
4. Diversity and Inclusion
Winning teams leverage the different thoughts and ideas held by each member to come up
with more innovative and creative solutions. If you find that your team comes up with ideas
unanimously quickly and often, your team might be experiencing groupthink, which is death
to creativity. Be sure to encourage diversity within your team so it can settle on the best idea,
not the easiest one.
In a cross-functional team, you may achieve diversity simply by mixing members from
different departments with different skills and perspectives. If you are building a
departmental team, you can achieve diversity in your hiring practices by expanding your
recruiting sources to attract diversity in age, sex, ethnicity, and sexual identity. We offer a
series on "Unconscious Bias." It will help you better understand how you formed prejudices
and how you can become more aware so you can change moving forward.
5. Interdependence and a Sense of Belonging
Each team member should know why they are part of the team. They should understand their
value and responsibility. If your onboarding is rushed or disorganized, you may miss this. If a
new team is created for a special project, the team leader must establish this up front.Think
about how much more productive your team would be if each member had the sense of
ownership for the work of others as they did for their own work. Members of such a team
could lean on each other for ideas and assistance-- after all. two heads are better than one.
When a team is focused on fulfilling its purpose, members can work together to make it
happen without keeping tabs on how much they give or take.
In our series on "Team Building,” we offer a course that explains the Tuckman Model. As the
team leader, it is your responsibility to support the members in their interdependence, and
reinforce their sense of belonging through all of the stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, and
Performing.
6. Consensus Decision Making
Harnessing the power of the team can result in innovative and out-of-the-box solutions.
Having more people involved in decision making can channel the creative power of multiple
minds. The key is consensus decision making which requires the right processes to be in
place. A few strong personalities might dominate the discussion. You want to avoid decisions
by peer pressure. Of course, there will be times when members will have to compromise and
come up with the best blend of an idea, as long as they don’t feel coerced.
Our course on “Making Group Decisions” explains how to take an organized approach to
group decision making to gain consensus. Decision-making meetings must begin with a
clearly defined desired outcome to focus the group. Designate a facilitator and timekeeper.
The process continues with information gathering, analysis, brainstorming, and evaluation.
7. Participative Leadership
There is nothing worse than a micro-manager. Not only do they stifle creativity, but they
often undermine an employee’s sense of ownership, confidence and sense of trust by
encouraging a climate of fear. Participative leaders step back and give members the space to
work autonomously. Instead of controlling their group, they provide resources, guidance, and
information.
How do leaders get their followers? You have to understand the difference between
leadership and power. The challenge is for leaders to understand what power works best in
each situation.
Good teamwork forms the backbone of a successful business. A Team is generally a set of
individuals working together to achieve a common goal.
Types of Teams in An Organization:
We can differentiate teams on the basis of the way they function in the organization.
Operationally different teams can be categorized into seven basic types:
1. Project teams
a. Functional team
b. Cross-functional team
c. Matrix team
d. Contract team
2. Operational teams
3. Virtual teams
4. Self-managed teams
5. Problem-solving teams
6. Informal teams
7. Leadership teams
1. Project Team
A project team represents a group of individuals with shared goals and strategies. Work in a
project team is structured very specifically with set deadlines, roles, and responsibilities, etc.
The members of a project team are usually assembled to work on a specific project or
objective. The members can be from the same department or different departments,
depending upon the requirements of the project.
Project teams are usually brought together for a specific time period and are eventually
disbanded once the project is complete. The team members are under the supervision of
a project manager and report to them.
The efficient working of a project team requires seamless collaboration and communication
among the team members. Project teams are, further subdivided into four categories, all of
which are listed below, along with a brief explanation.
a. Functional Teams
Starting with the most known type of project team- functional teams.
Functional teams comprise a group of individuals with specialized skills and education. For
example, the marketing team deals with brand promotion and awareness; the sales team is
responsible for driving revenue, and so on.
All the members of the functional team work towards the achievement of a common goal
linked with the goal of the organization.
This team is usually permanent and is managed by a manager who leads projects. All the
team members report to the manager.
b. Cross-functional team
Cross-functional teams, as the name suggests, are the teams whose members are picked from
various departments for projects that require a diverse skillset. The team is united to work
together on a specific project and is often split following the completion of the project.
Cross-functional teams are gaining popularity in recent years but a study reported that 75% of
these teams are dysfunctional. Another article states that teams with strong support from
upper management have a success rate of 76%. In contrast, teams with little or no support fail
approximately 80% of the time.
The dysfunctionality arises due to the differences between individuals hailing from different
teams, the variation in their skill set, and changing roles and responsibilities.
Decision-making is also a tough feat; team members can vote for a decision or work under a
project manager. Leading a cross-functional team is also a challenge since the PM must make
sure that the goals of all individuals are aligned with the collective goal of the team and that
of the organization.
c. Matrix team
Matrix teams function according to the Matrix Management approach where team members
report two more than one boss i.e., two boss matrix.
Working in a matrix team requires a lot of patience since individuals have to deal with two
bosses, which can get burdensome. Also, it can create confusion in the team and difficulty in
the decision-making process.
d. Contract team
Contract teams are the last of project teams. Contract teams are gathered by outsourcing
resources. The company signs a contract with the team for a specific project. Once the project
is complete, the organization can dissolve the team.
Contract teams often work remotely which makes it tricky for the PM to lead the team. They
have to communicate with all the team members and keep an eye on their performance to
make sure the team is on track.
2. Operational Teams
The operational team, in an organization, is responsible for the smooth working of other
teams. The members of this team support other teams in carrying out their responsibilities
with efficiency. They make sure that there are no hitches in the progress of a project and
things are completed on time.
In addition, the members of an operational team have specified roles and responsibilities. So,
they can have their projects as well.
The operational team manages and optimizes working in an organization to ensure

profitability. It supports other teams to help them achieve their goals successfully.
3. Virtual Teams
Virtual teams do not interact in real life and rely on different tools to collaborate on their
work. These teams often consist of members from different geographical regions.
Virtual teams are the future of the business world. People are on the lookout for work-from-
home opportunities owing to the work-life balance it offers. As a result of remote work,
virtual teams are formed.
These teams bring together creative individuals from different parts of the world, resulting in
better ideas and more creativity. In addition, remote work also enhances productivity rates, a
survey suggests that 77% of individuals feel more productive when working from home.
To stay connected, virtual teams rely on the use of management tools. These tools are armed
with features that not only help teams communicate in real time but also let them plan, create,
and track their workflows.
4. Self-Managed Teams
Self-managed teams have no managers or leaders. The team members, themselves are
responsible for the decisions and working. They identify and define roles and
responsibilities on their own, work together to resolve issues, and set expectations.
Self-managed teams have more autonomy and as such, are more flexible. Moreover, since
they define their own rules, they can manage time and tasks according to their preferences.
The team members of self-managed teams are the most empowered. Each individual brings
their skillset to the table and adds to the overall efficiency of the team. Also, It has been
reported that self-managed teams can be 15-20% more productive than other types of teams.
The team members of a self-managed team have more room for improvement and
continuously upgrade their skills.
5. Problem Solving Teams
Problem-solving teams are assembled temporarily. They are usually brought together in case
of a crisis or an unplanned event. Such a team aims to resolve the issue at hand and bring the
company out of the crisis.
The team consists of leaders and team members from different departments who sit together
to carve out a solution for the problem plaguing the smooth working of an organization.
The output from these teams strengthens the structure of the organization and alleviates the
risk of potential issues.
6. Informal Teams
Unlike other teams, informal teams are not formed by the company but are created by
employees. These teams are not under the supervision of a project manager.
Since informal teams are formed by employees, they communicate more, have better
productivity rates, and are more efficient. The individuals in an informal team share common
interests and are better connected. They share a strong bond that makes work more fun for
them.
7. Leadership Teams
Leadership teams consist of leaders from different departments who work together to devise
new strategies for better working. The members of the leadership team are skilled and
experienced individuals. Each individual brings his expertise to the table, and altogether, they
carve out a plan for the betterment of the company.
Conflicts – Meaning and Sources

MEANING
Conflict occurs when different ideas or actions cause disagreement or lead to unrest. Discover
sources of the four main types of conflict: interpersonal, intrapersonal, intergroup, and
intragroup.
Conflict is simply differing ideas or actions, often related to the selfish pursuit of needs
(known and unknown) that end in a state of unrest. It is a necessary and permanent part of
life. The important thing to remember is that conflict is natural. It can be a slight conflict
that causes no harm or an egregious conflict that results in irreparable damage.
Conflict itself is neither good nor bad. When conflict is addressed maturely with an eye to a
positive resolution it can, in most cases, lead to growth among all the conflicting parties.
There are four main types of conflict, and they stem from many sources. This lesson reviews
the major types and sources of conflict and offers examples of each.
Sources of Conflict
Interpersonal conflicts occur between individuals in the organization. The major causes of
conflict in an organization are as follows:
(Source : https://tyonote.com/causes_of_conflict_in_the_organization/)
1. Misunderstanding
Misunderstanding is one of the major causes of conflict in the organization. When employees
do not understand their tasks, roles, and responsibilities conflict arises. Due to this, they may
not complete their tasks as the manager expected from them. It may be due to poor
communication from manager to employees.
2. Personal Differences
Personal differences are the fundamental causes of interpersonal conflict in the organization.
The differences occur in the individual due to various reasons such as family background,
values, attitudes, traditions, culture, education, and socialization process. Personality
differences create conflict among people. It effects on emotions of individuals.
3. Information Deficiency
Communication breakdown is one of the reasons for conflict. The lack of close
communication and transformation of rigid information create misunderstanding among the
people. It creates the problem of distrust and conflict. Therefore, it is essential to
communicate the right information at the right time to the related persons.
4. Goal Differences
The goal is the basis for organizational performance. All activities of the individuals
concentrate on achieving predetermined goals. Therefore, if individuals in the same group
initiate different goals it may cause conflict among group members. They can not do work
effectively.
5. Lack of Role Clarification

People of a company perform various roles that are interrelated to one another. The absence
of role exposition among people generates conflict. It can create role conflict. For example,
role conflict between production and marketing managers. Thus, it is necessary to make a
proper division of work and delegation of authority on the basis of responsibility.
6. Threat To Status
Status is the social rank that an individual obtains in the organization. It is based on
knowledge and position. When any threat generates to an individual in his status it may create
conflict. The main responsibility of top management is to maintain balance among
subordinates working together for common goals.
7. Lack of Trust
Lack of trust is also one of the causes of conflict in the organization. All individuals working
in a group must have mutual trust to achieve common goals. They need to do activities on the
basis of mutual cooperation and support. Lack of mutual trust among group members creates
conflict. It generates barriers to achieving goals.
8. Scarce Resources
The common reason for the conflict is scarce resources. When organizational resources
become limited it increases the wants of individuals in a group. Limited resources generate
conflict as scarcity motivates people to compete with others to achieve objectives. For this
management needs to take necessary steps so that individuals in the group can mobilize
resources on the basis of their skills and experiences.
9. Poor Communication
Communication is the means of exchanging guidance, instructions, and suggestions between
the members of the organization. The poor communication system in the organization creates
the problem of exact transformation of information among the group members, which leads
to conflict among them. Thus, there must a two-way communication system in order to make
proper communication.
10. Organizational Changes

Changes in organizational structure, division of work, authority and responsibility, etc. are
essential to cope with environmental changes. Such changes can change the job liability,
status, position, and authority of the people in the group. It can change the formal relationship
and job responsibility of group members. This also may be one of the reasons for conflict
among group members of the organization.
Types and Levels of Conflicts
Types of conflict
If we are to try to understand conflict, we need to know what type of conflict is present. At
least four types of conflict can be identified:
1. Goal conflict can occur when one person or group desires a different outcome than
others do. This is simply a clash over whose goals are going to be pursued.
2. Cognitive conflict can result when one person or group holds ideas or opinions that
are inconsistent with those of others. Often cognitive conflicts are rooted in
differences in attitudes, beliefs, values, and worldviews, and ideas maybe tied to
deeply held culture, politics, and religion. This type of conflict emerges when one
person’s or group’s feelings or emotions (attitudes) are incompatible with those of
others.
3. Affective conflict is seen in situations where two individuals simply don’t get along
with each other.
4. Behavioral conflict exists when one person or group does something (i.e., behaves in
a certain way) that is unacceptable to others. Dressing for work in a way that
“offends” others and using profane language are examples of behavioral conflict.
Each of these types of conflict is usually triggered by different factors, and each can lead to
very different responses by the individual or group.
Types of conflict at different Levels of the organisation:
By level of conflict, we are referring to the number of individuals involved in the conflict.
That is, is the conflict within just one person, between two people, between two or more
groups, or between two or more organizations.
Both the causes of a conflict and the most effective means to resolve it can be affected by
level.
Four types of conflicts are identified at different levels of the organisation. They are:
1. Within an individual (intrapersonal conflict),

2. Between two parties (interpersonal conflict),

3. Within groups (Intragroup conflict)
4. Between groups (intergroup conflict), and
1. Intrapersonal conflict: Conflict with in the individual is called Intra personal

conflict. This is the confusion one has about what to do, what is the right course of
action, how to do and things like that. Intra personal conflict occurs when one is
exposed to a new environment and at the transition phases of life.
2. Interpersonal conflict: Conflict between the individuals is called Intrapersonal

conflict. This is quite natural. When two individuals do not agree on anything or
having difference of opinion or have to share the limited resources, inter personal
conflicts occur.
3. Intra group conflict: Conflicts with the group is called Intra group conflict. Group
can be defined as the combination of individuals with shared values and operating for
a common goal. When the group members differ in their opinion about any of the
aspects of the group, there arises the intra group conflict.
4. Inter group conflict: Conflicts among two different groups is called, Inter group
conflict. When two groups have different ideas about a common object or when there
is a competition on using the limited resources or when ideologies differ between the
groups, it causes conflicts among the groups.
Ways to resolve conflicts

Conflict resolution is a way for opposing parties to find a peaceful solution to their
disagreement that leaves all parties reasonably satisfied. Sometimes, the person who resolves
a conflict may be a neutral party or mediator while at other times, they may be someone
involved in the conflict who takes an outside perspective to find a solution.
The ability to resolve conflicts is often seen as a leadership trait. People who can identify
conflicts, acknowledge different opinions and build a consensus are valuable to many
organizations. They make it more likely for personal differences to be set aside so work can
continue.
Conflict resolution strategies
There are five common strategies or methods to resolve conflicts in the workplace:
1. Accommodating
2. Avoiding
3. Compromising
4. Collaborating
5. Competing
They are discussed in detail as follows:

1. Accommodating
This method of conflict resolution, also known as smoothing, involves one party acquiescing,
giving the opposing party exactly what it needs to resolve the problem.
In some cases, accommodating can be an appropriate resolution to conflict. For example, if
your opinion on the matter is not very strong, it is often easier to comply. This method allows
you the chance to resolve a problem in the short term while working toward a long-term
solution.
2. Avoiding
This method involves simply ignoring the fact that there may be a conflict. People tend to
avoid conflict when they do not wish to engage in it. Avoiding allows them to ignore that
there is a problem.
There are situations in which avoiding conflict can be an appropriate response, such as when
there is no clear solution or a frustrated party needs time to calm down before confrontation.
However, avoidance can require more effort than merely facing the problem and can cause
friction between the disagreeing parties.
3. Compromising
Also known as reconciling, compromising seeks a mutual agreement to settle a dispute. Both
parties willingly forfeit some of their conditions in the interest of reaching an agreement. This
can be a quick way to resolve a conflict without it becoming a bigger issue. Compromise can
also be used as a temporary method to avoid conflict until the parties involved can implement
a more permanent solution.
It is appropriate to compromise when it would not be possible to make both sides completely
happy while still moving forward.
4. Collaborating
Like the compromising method, collaboration involves working with the other party to find a
mutually agreeable solution to a problem. For example, a salesperson and client may work
together to negotiate contract terms until both parties find it agreeable.
5. Competing
Competing is an uncooperative, overly assertive method used by people who insist on
winning the dispute at all costs. This method is not often identified as bringing satisfactory
resolutions, as it doesn’t allow for collaborative problem-solving.
********

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Module 2 Group and Team Dynamics

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Organisational Behaviour Manjula Devi P

BBA II Semester (NEP) Assistant Professor, GFGC Bettampady

Meaning and Definitions of Group Dynamics

Nature / Importance of Group Dynamism

3. Group dynamism can furthermore give job satisfaction to the members.

Topic: Types of Groups

Command Group: As a result of hierarchical arrangement in an organization, a command

Stages of Group Development

Determinants of Group Behavior

Cohesiveness is an important characteristic of group. Rensis Likert has defined

According to K. Aswathappa, “cohesiveness is understood as the extent of liking each

Factors affecting cohesiveness:

1. Group Formation Factors:

8. Attitude and Values:

Technology also greatly influences working relationships between employees. Companies

Team and Team dynamics

Meaning of Team Dynamics:

Characteristics of Team Dynamics that Make for a Winning Team

2. Trust and Openness

3. Willingness to Correct Mistakes

An important aspect of accountability is the willingness to acknowledge and correct mistakes.

4. Diversity and Inclusion

5. Interdependence and a Sense of Belonging

6. Consensus Decision Making

Types of Teams in An Organization:

The operational team manages and optimizes working in an organization to ensure

5. Problem Solving Teams

Conflicts – Meaning and Sources

5. Lack of Role Clarification

10. Organizational Changes

Types and Levels of Conflicts

Types of conflict at different Levels of the organisation:

1. Within an individual (intrapersonal conflict),

2. Between two parties (interpersonal conflict),

1. Intrapersonal conflict: Conflict with in the individual is called Intra personal

2. Interpersonal conflict: Conflict between the individuals is called Intrapersonal

Ways to resolve conflicts

They are discussed in detail as follows:

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