ORGANIZATIONAL

BEHAVIOR II
D R . P A R U L YA D A V
 Unit I: Groups Dynamics and Teams

Groups: Meaning and Definition; Why People join Groups; Types of Groups –
Formal Groups and Informal Groups; Characteristics of groups: Composition,
size, status hierarchy, norms, group cohesiveness, size, leadership; Stages of
Group Formation: Tuckman’s Five Stage Model; The Punctuated –
Equilibrium Model; Teams: Meaning and Definition; Nature of Teams;
Benefits of Teams; Differences between Groups and Teams; Types of Teams –
Problem-Solving, Self-Managed, Virtual Teams and Cross-Functional Teams;
Team-effectiveness Model
 CLASSIFYING GROUPS

• Group- Two or more individuals, interacting and

interdependent, who have come together to
achieve particular objectives.

• Skein (1988), a group is any number of people:

Who interact with one another
Who are psychologically aware of one another;
Who perceive themselves to be a group.
 FEATURES OF A GROUP

• Two or more persons

• Interaction -- face to face interaction
• Shared goal interest -- members share at least
one common goal
• Collective identity -- members perceive group
as a unit
 TYPES OF GROUPS

• Formal Groups- defined by the organization’s

structure, with designated work assignments
establishing tasks.
• The behavior team members engage in are stipulated by
and directed toward organizational goals.

• Informal Groups- is neither formally structured

nor organizationally determined.
Why do people form groups?
 Warmth and
Support

Goal Power
Accomplishment

Recognition & Proximity

Security Social Identity
GROUPS AND TEAMS

Group Team

Common
Threads

Two or more
interdependent individuals
who influence one
another
 TUCKMAN’S FIVE-STAGE
MODEL OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT
• FORMING: Initial stage marked by uncertainty and
even confusion. Group members are not sure about
the purpose, structure, task or leadership of the
group.
• STORMING: Is characterized by conflict and
confrontation. It is an emotionally charged state.

• NORMING: As the differences began to resolve,

members develop mutual understanding and clarity
with respect to the task in hand. “We” feeling with
high cohesion, group identity and camaraderie.
 TUCKMAN’S FIVE-STAGE
MODEL OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT
• PERFORMING: As members develop norms for
work and interpersonal relationships, solution to
the problem begin to emerge and constructive
attempts are made to complete the job.

• ADJOURNING: This stage is more apparent in

temporary groups, where the members have to
abandon their membership in the group once the
tasks have been completed.
 TUCKMAN’S FIVE-STAGE
MODEL OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT

Performin
Performin
Forming
Forming Storming
Storming Norming
Norming Adjourning
Adjourning
g
g

Little Conflict Agreement Clear vision Task

agreement increased and and purpose completion
Unclear Increased consensus Focus on Good
purpose clarity of Clear roles goal feeling about
Needs purpose and achievement achievements
responsibili- Recognition
Guidance Power Delegation
ties
and struggles
direction Facilitation
Coaching
 BRUCE W TUCKMAN ， 1977

Prestage I Stage I Stage II

Forming Storming

Stage III Stage IV Stage V

Norming Performing Adjourning
THE PUNCTUATED-EQUILIBRIUM MODEL

• Given by Romanelli and Tushman (1994) .

• According to this approach, groups form in a first

phase in which a target or mission is set and then are
not altered very easily, due to a process called
inertia, or systematic resistance to change.

• Phase II- At some mid point, second phase begins.

This phase commences when group members
suddenly recognize that if they don’t change tactics,
the group goals or mission will not be accomplished.
This is ‘mid-life crisis’ in group.
THE PUNCTUATED-EQUILIBRIUM MODEL

14
 CHARACTERISTICS / PROPERTIES
OF GROUPS
• Work groups are not unorganized mobs; they
have properties/characteristics that shape
members’ behavior and help explain and predict
individual behavior within the groups as well as
the performance of the group itself.
 CHARACTERISTICS / PROPERTIES
OF GROUPS

Composition

Status
Size
Hierarchy

Roles Cohesiveness
Norms
GROUP PROPERTIES—COMPOSITION

• The extent to which group members are alike

• Homogeneous group – members share a
number of similar characteristics

• Heterogeneous group – members have few or

no similar characteristics
• Group composition can influence outcomes
 GROUP PROPERTIES—ROLES

Role(s)
A set of expected behavior patterns attributed to
someone occupying a given position in a social
unit
Role Expectations
How others believe a person should act in a
given situation

Role Perception
Our view of how we’re supposed to act in a given
situation is a role perception.
 GROUP PROPERTIES—NORMS
Norms
Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that
are shared by the group’s members

Classes
Classesof
ofNorms
Norms
•• Performance
Performancenormsnorms
•• Appearance
Appearancenormsnorms
•• Social
Socialarrangement
arrangementnorms
norms
•• Allocation
Allocationofofresources
resourcesnorms
norms
• Conformity: As a member of a group, you desire
acceptance by the group. Thus you are
susceptible to conforming to the group’s norms.

• The impact that group pressures for conformity

can have on an individual member’s judgment
was demonstrated by Asch Studies.
CONFORMITY: ASCH STUDIES
Which line is the same length as “X”?
 GROUP PROPERTIES—STATUS
HIERARCHY
• Status – the rank, respect, or social position
that an individual has in a group.

• What determines status?

• The power a person wields over others-

managers/formal leader
• A person’s ability to contribute to a group’s
goals-outstanding performers.
• An individual’s personal characteristics- good
looks, money, intelligence
GROUP PROPERTIES—SIZE

Small Group

Medium Group

Large Group
 GROUP PROPERTIES—SIZE

• Interaction and communication are much more

likely to be formalized in larger groups.
• Large size may inhibit participation and increase
absenteeism.
• Social loafing – It is the tendency for individuals
to expend less effort when working collectively
than working individually.
• This occurs when members reduce their effort and
performance levels when acting as a part of a group.
GROUP PROPERTIES—GROUP COHESIVENESS

• GROUP COHESIVENESS
• The degree to which members are
attracted to a group and share the group’s
goals
• Highly cohesive groups are more effective and
productive than less cohesive groups when their
goals align with organizational goals
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COHESIVENESS
AND PRODUCTIVITY

Cohesiveness
High Low

Strong Increase Moderate Increase

in Productivity in Productivity

Decrease in No Significant Effect

Productivity on Productivity
HOW TO INCREASE COHESIVENESS

Cohesiveness is the degree to which group

members are attracted to each other and are
motivated to stay in the group. How can we
increase this?
•Make the group smaller.
•Encourage agreement with group goals.
•Increase time members spend together.
•Increase group status and admission difficultly.
•Stimulate competition with other groups.
•Give rewards to the group, not individuals.
•Physically isolate the group.
• Dysfunction of highly cohesive groups and teams
is called Groupthink.
• Term given by social psychologist Irving Janis.

• It is defined as ‘a deterioration of mental

efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment
that results from in group pressures.
If between friends and partners
we were geese...
Ah!
 The next season,
when you see the geese migrating,
going to a warmer place,
to sort the winter...
Pay attention that they fly in a “V” formation
Maybe you will be interested in knowing
Why they do it this way...
By flying in a “V” formation....
 The whole flock increases
the flight efficiency by 71%

Compared to just one bird flying alone

 Lesson 1:
Sharing the same
direction
and working as a team,
get us to the destination
quicker and easier.
By helping ourselves, the
accomplishments are
greater!.
When a goose leaves the
formation..
He feels the resistance of the air and the
difficulties of flying alone....
Then, he quickly comes back to the formatio
to take advantage of the the flock’s power
in front of him ..
 Lesson 2:

By staying in tune and united

beside those who
are going in the same
direction,
the effort will be less.

It will be easier and pleasing to

reach the goals,

Everyone will be inclined to

accept and give help.
When the leader goose gets tired of flying...
... He goes to the end of the “V” formation.
While another goose takes the lead.
 Lesson 3:

To share the leadership,

There must be mutual respect

between us
all the time...

Sharing the hardest problems

and tasks..

Gathering our abilities and

combining our
talents and resources….
The geese flying on a “V” formation, they qua
to encourage to the ones in the front.

In that way, they keep the same speed.

 Lesson 4:

When there is courage and encourageme

the progress is greater..

A timely word of encouragement,

always motivates, helps and strengthen
It produces the best of benefits...
When a goose gets sick, is injured
or gets tired ,
And he must leave
the formation...
 Other geese leave the formation too,
and they fly with him to help him out
and protect him.
They remain with him
until he dies
or he is able to fly again.
They reach their bevy
or they just make another “V” formation
 Lesson 5:

Let’s stay
beside each other
no matter what the differences.

Specially in times of difficulty

and great challenges..
If we bond together and support
each other..
If we make true the spirit of
teamwork..
Regardless of our differences,
we can rise to meet our
challenge.
 WHY HAVE TEAMS BECOME SO
POPULAR?
• Teams typically outperform
individuals.
• Teams use employee talents
better.
• Teams are more flexible and
responsive to changes in the
environment.
• Teams facilitate employee
involvement.
• Teams are an effective way to
democratize an organization
and increase motivation.
 TEAM VERSUS GROUP: WHAT’S THE
DIFFERENCE?
Work Group
A group that interacts
primarily to share
information and to make
decisions to help each group
member perform within his
or her area of responsibility

Work Team
A group whose individual
efforts result in a
performance that is
greater than the sum of
the individual inputs
• Work Team – a group of people with
complementary skills who are committed to a
common mission, performance goals, and
approach for which they hold themselves
mutually accountable.
COMPARING WORK GROUPS AND WORK
TEAMS
 GROUP VERSUS TEAM DIFFERENCES
Formal Work Group
Works on common goals
Accountable to manager
Skill levels are often random
Performance is evaluated by
leader
Culture is one of change and
conflict
Performance can be positive,
neutral, or negative
Team
Total commitment to
common goals
Accountable to team
members
Skill levels are often
complementary
Performance is evaluated by
members as well as leaders
Culture is based on
collaboration and total
commitment to common
goals
Performance can be greater
than the sum of members’
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMS
 TYPES OF TEAMS

Problem-solving Teams
Groups of 5 to 12 employees from
the same department who meet to
improve quality, efficiency, and the
work environment

Self-Managed Work Teams

Groups of 10 to 15 people who take
on the responsibilities of their
former supervisors (i.e., select
employees, control operations,
working with suppliers, etc.)
 TYPES OF TEAMS (CONT’D)

Cross-Functional Teams
Employees from about the same hierarchical level,
but from different work areas (production,
accounting, marketing, etc.), who come together
to accomplish a task
• To improve coordination with cross-functional
teams, organizations can carry out five steps.
• (1) choosing the membership carefully
• (2) clearly establishing the purpose of the Team
• (3) ensuring that everyone understands how the
group will function
• (4) conducting intensive team building up front so
that everyone learns how to interact effectively
• (5)achieving noticeable results so that morale
remains high and the members can see the
impact of their efforts
 TYPES OF TEAMS (CONT’D)

Virtual Teams
Teams that use computer
technology to tie together
physically dispersed
members in order to
achieve a common goal

Characteristics
CharacteristicsofofVirtual
VirtualTeams
Teams
1.1. The
Theabsence
absenceofofnonverbal
nonverbalcues
cues
2.2. AAlimited
limitedsocial
socialcontext
context
3.3. The
Theability
abilitytotoovercome
overcometime
timeand
andspace
spaceconstraints
constraints
• a key to effective virtual teams has been the
importance of choosing the appropriate
communication media to fit the requirements of
the task and the message. For this the
organization uses synchronous technologies,
which allow members to interact at the same
time, or in real time.
• Virtual teams can be effective because they are
flexible and are driven by information and skills
rather than time and location
 A TEAM-
EFFECTIVENESS
MODEL