A group consists of a number of individuals working together for a common objective. Groups have significant influence on an organization and are inseparable from an organization. They are useful for the organization as they form foundation of human resources.
The study of group behavior is
essential for an organization to achieve its goals. Individual and group
behavior vary from each other. In 1920, Elton Mayo and his associates conducted
the Hawthorne experiments and came to know that the group behavior has great
impact on productivity. The importance of group behavior has been realized from
time to time.
Human behavior consists of individuals,
who move in groups. The knowledge of group behavior as well as individual
behavior is necessary for a manager. He must understand group psychology and
should also understand individual behavior in the context of group behavior.
The group in which he moves influences individual work, job satisfaction and
effective performance.
DEFINITION OF A GROUP
A group is a two or more individual who
interact regularly with each other to accomplish a common purpose or goal.
According to Marvin Shaw, "a group
comprises, of two or more persons who interact with one another in such a
manner that each person influences and is influenced by each other person'.
The key parts of this definition are
the concepts of interaction and influence, which also limit the size of the
group. It is difficult for members to interact sufficiently in a large group.
Groups or work teams are the primary
tools used by managers. Managers need groups to co-ordinate individual behavior
in order to reach the organizational goals. Groups can make a manager's job
easier because by forming a group, he need not explain the task to each and
every individual. A manager can easily coordinate with the work of an
individual by giving the group a task and allow them to co-ordinate with each
other. But for a group to work effectively, the interactions between its
members should be productive. Therefore, managers must pay attention to the
needs of individuals.
Need for a Group
The reasons for the need, of groups are
as follows:
- Management of modern organizations
make mutual efforts to introduce industrial democracy at workplace. They
use project teams and work committees where workers get due recognition.
They willingly participate in decision-making.
- The tasks in modern industries are
becoming more complex, tedious arid of repetitive nature. Work committees,
work groups and teams are formed to monitor the work. They also make the
environment at workplace more lively.
- Groups help in making
participative management more effective.
- Groups of all kinds and types help
by cooperating in all the matters related to production and human
relations to work effectively in the organization.
- An individual cannot perform each
and every task. Group efforts are required for its completion. For
example, building a ship, making of a movie, construction of a fly-over,
etc. All these require coordinated and unified efforts of many
individuals, working in a group.
- A group can judge in a better way as compared
to an individual.
- While accomplishing tasks, all
members of a group together use their creative and innovative ideas than a
single individual.
- In a group, individuals
communicate with each oilier, discuss their work performances and take
suggestions from each other to make it better.
- Group efforts affect an
individual, his attitude and behavior.
- Group has the ability to satisfy
the needs of its members.
Types of Groups
In an organization, there are three
types of groups, which are as follows:
- Functional or formal groups
Functional groups are the groups formed
by the organization to accomplish different organizational purposes. According
to A L Stencombe, "a formal group is said to be any social arrangement in
which the activities of some persons are planned by others to achieve a common
purpose". These groups are permanent in nature. They have to follow rules,
regulations and policy of the organization. A formal organizational group
includes departments such as the personnel department, the advertising
department, the quality control department and the public relations department.
- Task group
Tasks groups are the groups formed by an organization to
accomplish a narrow range of purposes within a specified time. These groups are
temporary in nature. They also develop a solution to a problem or complete its
purpose. Informal committees, task forces and work teams are included in task
groups. The organization after specifying a group membership, assigns a narrow
set of purposes such as developing a new product, evaluating a proposed grievance
procedure, etc.
- Informal group
Informal groups are the groups formed
for the purposes other than the organizational goals. Informal groups form when
individuals are drawn together by friendship, by mutual interests or both.
These groups are spontaneous. According to Keith David, "the network of
persons and social relations which is not established or required form an
informal organization". These are the groups formed by the employees
themselves at the workplace while working together. The organization does not
take any active interest in their formation.
Informal groups are very effective and
powerful. These groups work as an informal communication network forming a part
of the grapevine to the organizations. They are also like a powerful force, which
an organization cannot avoid. Some managers consider them to be harmful to the
interest of an organization. They suspect their integrity and consider as a
virtual threat. Some managers do not consider them as threat and seek the help
of group members in getting the organizational task accomplished. Informal
groups are of following types:
o
Interest group: Interest groups are the groups formed
to attain a common purpose. Employees coming together for payment of bonus,
increase in salary, medical benefit and other facilities are the examples of
interest groups
o
Membership group: Membership groups are the groups of
individuals' belonging to the same profession and knowing each other. For
example, teachers of the same faculty in a university.
o
Friendship group: Friendship groups are the groups of
individuals belonging to same age group, having similar views, tastes and
opinions. These groups can also be formed outside the plant or office and can
be in the form of clubs and associations.
o
Reference group: Reference groups are the group where
individuals shape their ideas, beliefs, values etc. They want support from the
group.
GROUP FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Groups can form when individuals with
similar goals and motives come, together. Groups are formed voluntarily. The
individuals of a group can join and leave the group any time and they can also
change their tasks. Hence, understanding how groups form and develop is
important for managers. There are certain motives because of which, the
individuals join a group, which are as follows:
- Organizational motives to join
groups: Organizations form functional and task groups because such
groups help the organization in structuring and grouping the
organizational activities logically and efficiently.
- Personal motives to join groups: Individuals also choose to join
informal or interest groups for unimportant reasons. Since joining these
groups is voluntary, various personal motives affect membership. Some of
these are shown in the figure 11.1:
- Interpersonal attraction: Individuals conic together to form
informal or interest group, as they arc also attracted to each other. The
factors that contribute to interpersonal attraction are sex, similar
attitudes, personality and economic standing. The closeness of group
members may also be an important factor.
- Interest in-group activities: Individuals may also be motivated
to join an informal or interest group because the activities of the group
appeal to them. Playing tennis, discussing current events or contemporary
literature, all these are group activities that individuals enjoy.
- Support for group goals: The individuals may also be
motivated goals by the other group members to join. For example, a club,
which is dedicated to environmental conservation, may motivate individuals
to join. Individuals join groups, such as these in order to donate their
money and time to attain the goals they believe in and to meet other
individuals with similar values.
- Need for affiliation: Another
reason for individuals to join groups is to satisfy their need for
attachment. Retired/old aged individuals join groups to enjoy the
companionship of other individuals in similar situation.
- Instrumental benefits: Group membership sometimes also
helpful in providing other benefits to an individual. For example, a
manager might join a Rotary/ Lions club if he feels that being a member of
this club will lead to important and useful business contacts.
STAGES OF
DEVELOPMENT
Members of new group are unfamiliar
with one another's personalities and : hesitant in their interactions. The new
group must pass s of development, which are depicted in the figure 11.2.
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Mutual Acceptance
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Communication and Decision-Making |
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Burst
of Activities to Next Stage |
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Motivation and Productivity |
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Slow
Evolution to Next Stage |
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Control and Organization ·
Working Independently ·
Assigning Tasks Based on Ability ·
Being Flexible
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Figure 11.2 |
These different stages of group
development are explained as follows:
- Mutual Acceptance
The very first stage of a group
development is called "Mutual Acceptance". During this stage, the members
of the group get familiar with one another and check, which inter-personal
behavior is acceptable and which is unacceptable by the other members of the
group. This helps all the members of a group to know each other better and
helps the group to move to the next stage easily.
- Communication and Decision-making
The second stage of
group development is "Communication and Decision-making''. During this
stage, group members share their opinions and formulate the group's goals.
Through communication and decision-making, the structure becomes clear and the
group moves to the third stage.
- Motivation and Productivity
The third stage is
"Motivation and Productivity", which is characterized by a shared
acceptance among members of what the group is trying to do. Each person
recognizes and accepts his role as well as to accept and to understand the
roles to others. Members also become more comfortable with each other and
develop a sense of group identity and unity.
- Control and Organization
The fourth stage is
"Control and Organization", in which the members perform the roles
they have accepted and direct their group efforts toward goal attainment. In
reality, this developmental sequence varies from group to group, depending on
the time, personal characteristics of group members and frequency of
interaction.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MATURE GROUPS
As groups pass through the stages of
development to maturity, they begin show signs of the following four
characteristics: a role structure, behavioral norms, cohesiveness and informal
leadership.
- Role Structures
A role is the part that
an individual plays in a group to reach its goals. Some individuals are
leaders, some focus on the group's task; some interact with other groups and so
on. Role structure is the set of defined roles and interrelationships among
those roles that the group members define and accept. The failure in role
development result in role ambiguity, role conflict and role overload. Managers
have to take steps to avoid role ambiguity, role conflict and role overload.
- Behavioral norms
Although informal groups
do not have any specific goals to accomplish, but they must have some goals
over a period of time. These goals are
temporary and can be changed in accordance with the needs of the group members. The goals can be achieved effectively depending on
the following factors:
- The extent of cooperation with
management.
- Maintenance of an efficient
communication system.
- Satisfaction of the needs of
group members.
•
Informal leadership
Each informal group has one or more
leaders. These leaders come forward on the basis of acceptance of all the group
members. Every informal group has one primary leader apart from the secondary:
leaders. The primary leader has more influence on the group members than the
secondary leaders.
•
Cohesiveness
Cohesiveness is defined as the
attractiveness of group members towards the group. It also emphasizes on the
group's ability to satisfy its members needs. It, therefore, helps the group
members to work more consistently and make greater contribution to the
achievement of the organizational goals. It is also psychologically more
satisfying to all of its members.
According to Cartwright there are four
principal consequences of cohesiveness, which are as follows:
- Ability of a group to retain its
members.
- Power of the group to influence
its members.
- Degree of participation and
loyalty of members.
- Feeling of security on the part of
the members.
GROUP NORMS
Norms refer to group behavior standard,
beliefs, attitudes, traditions and expectations shared by group members.
According to Michael Argyle, "Group norms are rules or guidelines of
accepted behavior which are established by a group and used to monitor the
behavior of its members". They are framed to achieve objectives of the
group. They can be social and fair in nature. Norms define boundaries between
acceptable and unacceptable behavior. They make the members to identify
themselves with the group. Norms play a significant role in disciplining the
members of a group to make them to work regularly and properly. This reduces
absenteeism and employee turnover. The members of the group are expected follow
the norms strictly. This will make the group more organized
Types of Group Norms
There are two types of group norms,
which arc as follows:
- Behavior norms: Behavior norms are rules that
standardise how individuals act while working on a day-to-day basis.
Examples are. "do not come to committee meetings unless you have read
the reports to be '"discussed"', "greet every customer with
a smile'', etc. These norms tend to reflect motivation, commitment to the
organization and therefore result in high level of performance.
- Performance
norms: Performance
norms are rules
that standardize employee output
and number of hours worked.
Reasons
for Strong Enforcement of Norms
Groups don't have the time or energy,
to regulate each and every action of the group members. Only those behaviors
that sound to-be important by group members should be brought under control.
Groups, like individuals, try to
operate in such a way that they maximize their chances of task success and
minimize (heir chances of task failure. Groups want to facilitate their
performance and overcome barriers to reach their goals. Moreover, groups want
to increase morale and prevent any interpersonal discomfort to their members.
Norms that will help groups meet these aims of performing successfully and
keeping morale high are likely to be strongly enforced.
Conditions where group norms will be
strongly enforced are as follows:
- If the norms facilitate group
success or ensure group survival,
- If the norms simplify or predict
regarding the behavior which is expected from group members.
- If the norms emphasize the roles
of specific members within a group and
- If the
norms help the
group to solve
the inter-personal problems themselves.
Uniqueness of Group Norms
The norms of one group cannot be easily
mixed with another group. Some differences are primarily due to the difference
in structure of the groups. However, even very similar work groups may develop
different norms-. The members of one group may be friendly with their
supervisor whereas those of another group may not
Norm Conformity
Norms have the power to force a certain
degree of conformity. There are several factors consist of norm conformity,
which are as follows:
- Some groups may exert more
pressure for conformity than others because of the personalities of the
group members.
- The history of the group and its
members also plays a part in conformity. For example, if the group has
always been successful by following certain behaviors, new group members
are also asked to follow the same. If the group was not successful in the
past, a new group member may have greater freedom to exhibit other
behaviors.
Group Cohesiveness
According to Rcnsis Likert,
"cohesiveness is the attractiveness of the members towards the group or
resistance of the members leaving it". It refers to the attachment of
members with the group.
According lo K. Aswalhappa,
"cohesiveness is understood as the extent of liking each member has
towards others and how far everyone wants to remain as the member of the
group". Attractiveness is the key to cohesiveness. Cohesiveness is the
extent to which group members are loyal and committed lo the group and to each
other. In a highly cohesive group, the members work well together, support and
trust one another and are generally effective at achieving their chosen goals.
A group that lacks cohesiveness will
not be very much coordinated. Its members will not support one another and they
may face difficulty in reaching their goals.
Managers should develop an
understanding of the factors that increase and reduce group cohesiveness.
Advantages of Group Cohesiveness
The advantages of group cohesiveness
are as follows:
- The members of cohesive groups
have high morale.
- The members don't have
conflicting views, which decreases the chances of in clash among the views
of group members at the workplace or elsewhere.
- Individuals of cohesive groups
have no anxiety at the workplace.
- Members of cohesive groups are
regular at their work.
- Cohesiveness increases
productivity.
- Organizations gain from the
members of cohesive group because they communicate better they share
ideologies and respect opinions of fellow employees.
The following factors can increase
group cohesiveness:
- Competitiveness with other
groups.
- Inter-personal attraction.
- Favourable evaluation from
outsiders.
- Agreement on goals.
- Frequent interaction. The
following factors decrease cohesiveness:
- Large group size.
- Disagreement on goals.
- Competitiveness within group.
- Domination by one or more
members.