FOUNDATIONS OF

GROUP BEHAVIOUR A N
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FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP
BEHAVIOUR
1. GROUP: two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come
together to achieve particular objectives.

FORMAL GROUP INFORMAL GROUP

A Designated work group defined by an
organization’s structure, with designated work
assignments establishing tasks.
Behaviours team members should engage in,
are stipulated by and directed towards
organizational goals
Eg: The 6 members of an airline flight crew
are a formal group.
Neither formally structured nor
organizationally determined
Natural formations in response to the need for
social contact.
Eg: Three employees from different
departments who regularly have lunch or
coffee together are an informal group
FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP BEHAVIOR
—INFORMAL GROUPS
 Promotes friendships as well cooperation at
work
 These interactions, though informal, can
affect their behaviour deeply
 TYPES OF
 GROUP
Formal Groups (Command and Task
Group)
 Informal (Interest and Friendship Group)
1. Command Group ( A group composed
of individuals who report directly to a
given manager)
Eg. A School Principal and her 18
teachers
 Task Group ( A group of people

working together to complete a job
task. A task group can cross
hierarchical command relationships)
*Note: All command groups are task groups but all task groups are not command
groups
 Interest Group ( People working together to
attain specific objective with which each is
concerned)
Eg. Employees who band together to have their vacation
schedules altered.
 Friendship Group (People brought together
because they share one or more common
characteristics)
 SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY
(Foundations of Group Behaviour)
-the perspective that considers when and why
individuals consider themselves members of groups.
-Downside of social identity: Ingroup favouritism: it
leads to stereotyping
  Similarity
 Distinctiveness
 Status
 Uncertainty reduction
WHY DO PEOPLE DEVELOP A SOCIAL
IDENTITY?
FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP BEHAVIOUR (STAGES OF GROUP
DEVELOPMENT)
5 STAGE MODEL
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning
 GROUP PROPERTIES
1. ROLES: A set of expected behavior
patterns attributed to someone
occupying a given position in a social
unit.
2. NORMS: A acceptable standards of behavior
within a group that are shared by the group’s
members.
a. Performance Norms
b. Appearance Norms
c. Social Arrangement Norms
d. Resource Allocation Norms
3. STATUS: A socially defined position or rank given to
groups or group members by others.
Status Characteristics Theory (Sources)
1. The power a person wields over others
2. A person’s ability to contribute to a group’s goals
3. An individual’s personal characteristics
4. SIZE:
- Smaller groups are faster at completing
tasks than larger ones.
-Individuals perform better in smaller groups
than in larger ones
5. COHESIVENESS: The degree to which group members
are attracted to each other and are motivated to stay in the
group.
Affected by:
1. Time
2. Size
3. External threats
GROUP DECISION MAKING
1. Interactive groups: Typical groups in which
members interact with each other face to face.
 2. Brainstorming: An idea-generation
process that specifically encourages any
and all alternatives while withholding
any criticism of those alternatives.
3. Nominal Group Technique: Restrict
discission, hence the term “nominal” .
Group members are all physically
present, but operate independently.
4. Electronic Meeting: A meeting in
which members interact on computers ,
allowing for anonymity of comments
and aggregation of votes.
References:
Robbins, Stephen, Organisational Behaviour, 14th Edition
Lifted from https://www.slideshare.net