This document discusses factors that affect group behavior and outputs. It covers individualism vs collectivism, individual vs group interests, types of groups including task and friendship groups. It also discusses stages of group development including forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Additional factors covered include group size, member composition and roles, norms, goals, and cohesiveness. It discusses how cohesiveness can lead to groupthink, which results in poor decision making.
This document discusses factors that affect group behavior and outputs. It covers individualism vs collectivism, individual vs group interests, types of groups including task and friendship groups. It also discusses stages of group development including forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Additional factors covered include group size, member composition and roles, norms, goals, and cohesiveness. It discusses how cohesiveness can lead to groupthink, which results in poor decision making.
This document discusses factors that affect group behavior and outputs. It covers individualism vs collectivism, individual vs group interests, types of groups including task and friendship groups. It also discusses stages of group development including forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Additional factors covered include group size, member composition and roles, norms, goals, and cohesiveness. It discusses how cohesiveness can lead to groupthink, which results in poor decision making.
This document discusses factors that affect group behavior and outputs. It covers individualism vs collectivism, individual vs group interests, types of groups including task and friendship groups. It also discusses stages of group development including forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Additional factors covered include group size, member composition and roles, norms, goals, and cohesiveness. It discusses how cohesiveness can lead to groupthink, which results in poor decision making.
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I. An Individual Group Relations.
A. Individualism vs. collectivism.
Cultural belief in individualism causes discomfort about collectivism. Believe individuals should have most influence in organizations. Cultural belief in collectivism leads to use of groups in decision making within organizations. The principal difference is between "fitting into the group" and "standing out within the group." Even in individualistic societies the impact of group is strong. I. An Individual Group Relations.
B. Individual vs. group interests.
Conflicts may exist, but not always. Groups do exist and thus must be dealt with. Groups are inevitable. Groups are powerful and produce important effects for individuals. Group produces both good and bad consequences/results. Groups can be managed to increase benefits from them Problems to be avoided: Free-rider - group member can produce sucker effects II. Group Types and Development A. Types of groups. Friendship and task groups. According to the purpose they might serve. Friendship group--personal needs of security, esteem, and belonging. Task group-organizationally defined goals. Any single group can serve both purposes. Interdependence in task groups. Interacting group-can't perform task until all members complete their shares. Eg. Task forces Coacting group-perform independently in the short run. Counteracting group--interact to resolve some conflict. Usually through negotiation and compromise. II. Group Development
B. Stages of group development.
Types of task and social behavior differ in different stages. Stages: (Need to understand; can fail at any stage.) Forming. Task behaviors-define goals and develop procedures. Relation behaviors--resolving dependence issues among members. Getting acquainted; understanding leader and member roles. Individuals might: Hide feelings until they know situation. Act more secure than they really are. Feel confused about expectations. Act polite. Do cost/benefit analysis of being in group. Figure 9.1 Stages of Group Development II. Group Development
B. Stages of group development.
Stages: (Need to understand; can fail at any stage.) Storming Task behaviors--conflicts over priorities, responsibilities, leadership. Relation behaviors--hostility, competition, isolation. Need to manage rather than suppress conflict. Otherwise, won't make it into third stage. Norming. Task behaviors-sharing information, accepting different opinions, reaches agreement on goals and rules. Relation’s behaviors-cohesion, resulting from empathy, concern, positive expression of feelings. Cooperation dominant and sense of shared responsibility. II. Group Development
B. Stages of group development.
Stages: (Need to understand; can fail at any stage.) Performing. Individuals accept and understand roles. Know when to work independently and when to work interdependently. Some groups continue development; others perform minimally. Minimal if: excessively self-oriented behavior, norms hindering effectiveness develop; poor leadership. Adjourning. Terminate task behaviors and relation behaviors. May be well-defined (e.g., task force) or indefinite. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. A. Size. Beyond 12-16, members cannot react and interact. Depends partly on time available, member commitment. B. Member composition and roles. Problem-solving styles. Members differentiated by: How obtain information (sensation or intuition). How reach decision (thinking or feeling). Combination of member differences affects group processes and decisions. Different viewpoints may be constructive or conflictive. Managers need to try to alter behavior rather than trying to alter personalities. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. B. Member composition and Self-oriented roles. roles. Blockers. Task-oriented roles. Recognition seekers. Initiators. Dominators. Information seekers. Avoiders. Information givers. Members often play Coordinators. both task and relations Evaluators. roles. Relations-Oriented roles. High status if play one Encouragers. or more roles especially Harmonizers. well. Gatekeepers. Group effectiveness Standard setters. hurt if persons playing Followers. self- oriented roles dominate. Group observers. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. C. Norms. Defined-rules of behavior accepted by members of group. Define behavior necessary to realize goals. Individuals may join group wherein norms already established. Facts about groups in organizations. Group norms may differ from standards management sets. Peers may be more influential than management in pressuring workers to follow norms. Workers are concerned with both task and relations behaviors. Managers must consider relations behavior when trying to change task behavior. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. C. Norms. Norms -vs- organizational rules. Norms are unwritten. Members must accept norms in order for them to exist. Must be a power system to back up norms. Rules may be unacceptable and widely ignored. Members may be only vaguely aware of some norms by which they live. Subconscious norms should be brought to conscious level. Increases potential for individual and group freedom and maturity. They influence individual, group, and organizational effectiveness. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. C. Norms. Conditions for enforcement. If they aid in-group survival and provide benefits. If they simplify or make predictable the behavior that is expected. If they help avoid embarrassing personal problems. If they clarify values, goals, or distinctiveness of the group. Conformity to norms. Pressures to adhere to norms may produce conformity. Compliance-even if personally do not accept. May feel a united front appearance necessary. Want to be liked and accepted. Cost of non-conformity too high. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. D. Goals. Group goals--only in minds of group members. Not sum of individual goals. Objectives/states desired for group. Refer to the group as a system. Relation to group norms. Groups usually adapt norms to help attain goals. Even seemingly counterproductive norms may be rationalized as necessary. Pervasiveness of goals. Need to understand goals to understand changing individuals, groups, and organizations. Each is a goal-oriented system. Individual goals may influence group goals, behavior, and output. Compatible and incompatible goals may exist within and between individuals, groups, and organizations. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. E. Cohesiveness. Defined-strength of members' desires to stay in the group and commitment to the group. Influenced by compatibility between individual and group goals. Relation to conformity. Low cohesiveness usually positively related to low conformity. Could have high cohesiveness and low conformity. When common commitment to group goals. When facing complex problems. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. E. Cohesiveness. Relation to groupthink. Defined-when decision-making groups are both conforming and cohesive. Groupthink is an agreement-at-any cost - mentality that results in ineffective group decision making and poor decisions III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. E. Cohesiveness. Relation to groupthink. Characteristics of Group think: illusion of invulnerability; collective rationalisation; belief in inherent morality of the group; stereotypes of other groups; direct pressure on dissenters; self-censorship; illusion of unanimity; self-appointed “mind guards” Initial conditions of Group Think: High cohesiveness; insulation of the group from outsiders; lack of methodological procedures for search and appraisal; directive leadership; etc Effects of group think: incomplete survey of alternative, goals and information; failure to have contingency plans III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. E. Cohesiveness. Relation to groupthink. Conditions likely to lead into groupthink. Illusion of invulnerability. Collective rationalization (discounting warnings). Unquestioned belief in group's morality. Stereotype of rivals as not worth trying to negotiate with. Pressure members so they understand any dissent is not good. Results in self-censorship. Shared illusion of unanimity. Results from self-censorship and assumption that silence is consent. "Mind-guards" who protect other members from adverse information. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. E. Cohesiveness. Relation to groupthink. Groupthink is not inevitable. Leaders can encourage new ideas and criticism. Impact on productivity. Productivity and cohesion interrelated (especially in groups with highly task- oriented goals). Success in goal attainment obtains feedback, which obtains commitment. Low cohesiveness may hurt group's ability to achieve goals. Must know group's goals before can understand relationship between cohesion and productivity. III. Factors Affecting Group Behavior and Outputs. F. Leadership. Informal leader is one who emerges over time and has influence in the group. Multiple leaders. May have "relations-oriented" and "task-oriented" leaders. "Relations leader" more likely to be informal than is "task" leader. Effective group leaders. Virtually all other factors affecting group output and behaviors are strongly affected by leader. G. External Environment. Defined-factors not controlled by group. E.g. technology, physical conditions, management practices etc. Task group may jointly try to influence external factors: e.g. introduction of technological change. IV Effective Group Decision-Making A. Continuum of group decisions. As group deals with increasingly important decisions, gains autonomy. . Six-phase model for decision-making. Problem-definition. Explore fully and identify. Collect detailed information. What goals trying to serve. Problem solution generation. Look at alternatives. U.S. managers too often pick solution first. Ideas to actions. Evaluates alternatives and picks one. Involves group through participation. IV Effective Group Decision- Making A. Continuum of group decisions. Six-phase model for decision-making Solution action planning. Forecast problems. Pick right people. Involve those whose support necessary. Assign and accept responsibilities. Solution evaluation planning. Groups usually do not see end-results of their plan. Need to revise plans if fail. Need information. Evaluation of the product and the process. After evaluate solution. Look at process. V. Stimulating Group Creativity- The NGT ---There is Delphi also A. NGT defined-structured process to stimulate creative group decision-making where members lack agreement or there is incomplete knowledge regarding the problem.
B. Key to effective group decision making is to separate the idea-
generating phase from the task of evaluating ideas and making a final decision B. The process. Step 1-Generation of ideas. By each participant in response to central focus. Developed privately in group session. Step 2-Recording of ideas. Each person's ideas recorded on visible device until all are represented. Round-robin so equal opportunity and so will get everything. Listing makes potential conflict less threatening. Having the ideas visible de-personalizes them. V. Stimulating Group Creativity- The NGT. B. The process. Step 3-Clarification of ideas. Each idea discussed to clarify. Members may agree or disagree. Must show logic. Step 4-Voting on ideas. Feedback and discussion tend to yield decisions close to the true preferences of the group. C. Conditions for effectiveness. Advantages of NGT. Greater emphasis on idea generation. Increased attention to each idea. Greater likelihood balanced participation of each member in group. NGT best when: Members unaware of existing problem. Communication process in-group is inadequate.