GROUPS AND TEAMS
TOPIC 6
Wan Zainuddin Hj Awang
BBGO4103 - OUM
Defining and Classifying Groups (6.1)
Group(s)
Two or more individuals interacting and
interdependent, who have come together
to achieve particular objectives.
Formal Group Informal Group
A designated work A group that is neither
group defined by the formally structured now
organization’s structure. organizationally determined;
appears in response to the
need for social contact.
6–2
Defining and Classifying Groups (cont’d) 6.1
Command Group Task Group
A group composed of Those working together
the individuals who to complete a job or
report directly to a task.
given manager.
Interest Group Friendship Group
Those working Those brought together
together to attain a because they share one
specific objective with or more common
which each is characteristics.
concerned. 6–3
Why People Join Groups (6.1)
• Security
• Status
• Self-esteem
• Affiliation
• Power
• Goal Achievement
6–4
The Five-Stage Model of Group Development (6.1.1)
Forming Stage
The first stage in group development, characterized by
much uncertainty.
Storming Stage
The second stage in group development, characterized by
intragroup conflict.
6–5
…Group Development (cont’d) (6.1.1)
Norming Stage
The third stage in group development, characterized by
close relationships and cohesiveness.
Performing Stage
The fourth stage in group development, when the group is
fully functional.
6–6
…Group Development (cont’d) (6.1.1)
Adjourning Stage
The final stage in group development for temporary
groups, characterized by concern with wrapping up
activities rather than performance.
6–7
An Alternative Model: Temporary Groups with Deadlines (6.1.2)
Punctuated-Equilibrium
Sequence of actions:
Model
1. Setting group direction
Temporary groups go through 2. First phase of inertia
transitions between inertia and 3. Half-way point transition
activity. 4. Major changes
5. Second phase of inertia
6. Accelerated activity
6–8
Group Behaviour Model (6.1.3)
6–9
Resources for Group Members
(6.1.5)
6–10
Group Structure (6.1.6)
6–11
Group Structure (6.1.6)
•Formal Leadership
Nearly all work groups have a formal
leader. The leader is normally known as
a unit or department manager,
supervisor, project leader and head of a
particular committee. Leaders play an
important role in the success of a group.
6–12
Group Structure - Roles (cont’d)
Role(s)
A set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone
occupying a given position in a social unit.
Role Identity
Certain attitudes and behaviors consistent with a role.
Role Perception
An individual’s view of how he or she is supposed to act in
a given situation.
6–13
Group Structure - Roles (cont’d) (6.1.6)
Role Expectations
How others believe a person should act in a given
situation.
Psychological Contract
An unwritten agreement that sets out what management
expects from the employee and vice versa.
Role Conflict
A situation in which an individual is confronted by
divergent role expectations.
6–14
Group Structure – Norms (6.1.6)
Norms
Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are
shared by the group’s members.
Classes of Norms:
• Performance norms
• Appearance norms
• Social arrangement norms
• Allocation of resources norms
6–15
Group Structure - Norms (cont’d) (6.1.6)
Conformity
Adjusting one’s behavior to align with the norms of the
group.
Reference Groups
Important groups to which individuals belong or hope to
belong and with whose norms individuals are likely to
conform.
6–16
Group Structure - Norms (cont’d) (6.1.6)
Deviant Workplace Behavior
Antisocial actions by organizational members that
intentionally violate established norms and result in
negative consequences for the organization, its members,
or both.
6–17
Group Structure – Status (6.1.6)
Status
A socially defined position or rank given to groups or
group members by others.
Group Norms
Group Member
Status Equity
Status
Culture
6–18
Group Structure – Size (6.1.6)
Social Loafing
The tendency for individuals to expend less effort when
working collectively than when working individually.
Performance
Other conclusions:
• Odd number groups do
better than even.
• Groups of 7 or 9 perform
better overall than larger
or smaller groups.
Group Size
6–19
Group Structure – Composition (6.1.6)
Group Demography
The degree to which members of a group share a common
demographic attribute, such as age, sex, race, educational
level, or length of service in the organization, and the
impact of this attribute on turnover.
Cohorts
Individuals who, as part of a group, hold a common
attribute.
6–20
Group Structure – Cohesiveness (6.1.6)
Cohesiveness
Degree to which group members are attracted to each
other and are motivated to stay in the group.
Increasing group cohesiveness:
1. Make the group smaller.
2. Encourage agreement with group goals.
3. Increase time members spend together.
4. Increase group status and admission difficultly.
5. Stimulate competition with other groups.
6. Give rewards to the group, not individuals.
7. Physically isolate the group.
6–21
Group Process (6.1.7)
6–22
Group Process (6.1.7)
6–23
Defining and Classifying Teams
(6.2)
• A team is a group of individuals, all
working together for a common
purpose.
• The individuals comprising a team
ideally should have common goals,
common objectives and more or less
think on the same lines.
• Individuals who are not compatible
with each other can never form a team.
• They should have similar if not the
same interests, thought processes,
attitude, perception and likings.
6–24
Difference between Group and Team (6.2)
A group is not necessarily a team.
A group can have individuals with varied interests, attitude as
well as thought processes.
It is not necessary that the group members would have a
common objective or a common goal to achieve.
What happens in a political rally ? The political leader appeals to
the individuals to cast the votes in his favour only. Do you think
all of them would cast the votes in favour of the leader ? There
would always be some individuals who would support his
opponent. This is example of a group. All individuals gathered on
a common platform but had dissimilar interests and likings. Some
were in favour of the leader while some against.
A team must have individuals with a common objective to
achieve. They should all work together and strive towards the
achievement of a common goal. 8–25
Why Have Teams Become So Popular (6.2)
• 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 and
organization and increase motivation.
6–26
Types of Teams (6.2.1)
6–27
Types of Teams (6.2.1)
6–28
Types of Teams (6.2.1)
6–29
Creating Effective Teams (6.2.2)
6–30
Creating Effective Teams (6.2.3)
6–31
Creating Effective Teams (6.2.4)
6–32
Creating Effective Teams (6.2.5)
6–33
Creating Effective Teams (6.2.6)
6–34
Creating Effective Teams
6–35
Turning Individuals into Team Players (6.2.7)
6–36
Individual And Group Decision Making (6.3)
When considering individual versus group decision-making,
a group decision is one made by several people, while
an individual decision is made by one person.
However, group decision-
making has come into favor more
over the past few decades.
6–37
Individual Decision
Making (6.3.1)
• Rational
Decision-Making
Process
• Bounded
Rationality
• Intuition
6–38
Individual Decision Making - The Rational Decision-Making Process
(6.3.1)
6–39
Assumptions of the Rational Decision-Making Model (6.3.1)
Rational Decision-
Making Model Model Assumptions
Describes how individuals should • Problem clarity
behave in order to maximize some
outcome. • Known options
• Clear preferences
• Constant preferences
• No time or cost constraints
• Maximum payoff
6–40
How Are Decisions Actually Made in Organizations (6.3.1)
Bounded Rationality
Individuals make decisions by constructing simplified
models that extract the essential features from problems
without capturing all their complexity.
6–41
How Are Decisions Actually Made in Organizations (cont’d) (6.3.1)
⮚ How/Why problems are identified
– Visibility over importance of problem
• Attention-catching, high profile problems
• Desire to “solve problems”
– Self-interest (if problem concerns decision maker)
⮚ Alternative Development
– Satisficing: seeking the first alternative that solves problem.
– Engaging in incremental rather than unique problem solving through
successive limited comparison of alternatives to the current alternative in
effect.
6–42
Intuition (6.3.1)
⮚ Intuitive Decision Making
– An unconscious process created out of distilled experience.
⮚ Conditions Favoring Intuitive Decision Making
– A high level of uncertainty exists
– There is little precedent to draw on
– Variables are less scientifically predictable
– “Facts” are limited
– Facts don’t clearly point the way
– Analytical data are of little use
– Several plausible alternative solutions exist
– Time is limited and pressing for the right decision
6–43
Individual Differences: Decision-making Styles (6.3.2)
6–44
Common Biases and Errors – Individual Barriers (6.3.3)
⮚ Overconfidence Bias
– Believing too much in our own decision competencies.
⮚ Anchoring Bias
– Fixating on early, first received information.
⮚ Confirmation Bias
– Using only the facts that support our decision.
⮚ Availability Bias
– Using information that is most readily at hand.
⮚ Representative Bias
– Assessing the likelihood of an occurrence by trying to match it with a
preexisting category.
6–45
Common Biases and Errors - Individual Barriers (6.3.3)
⮚ Escalation of Commitment
– Increasing commitment to a previous decision in spite of negative
information.
⮚ Randomness Error
– Trying to create meaning out of random events by falling prey to a false
sense of control or superstitions.
⮚ Hindsight Bias
– Falsely believing to have accurately predicted the outcome of an event,
after that outcome is actually known.
6–46
Organizational Barriers - Constraints on Decision Makers (6.3.4)
⮚ Performance Evaluation
– Evaluation criteria influence the choice of actions.
⮚ Reward Systems
– Decision makers make action choices that are favored by the organization.
⮚ Formal Regulations
– Organizational rules and policies limit the alternative choices of decision
makers.
⮚ System-imposed Time Constraints
– Organizations require decisions by specific deadlines.
⮚ Historical Precedents
– Past decisions influence current decisions.
6–47
Cultural Differences in Decision Making (6.3.5)
⮚ Problems selected
⮚ Time orientation
⮚ Importance of logic and
rationality
⮚ Belief in the ability of people to
solve problems
⮚ Preference for collect decision
making
6–48
Group Decision Making (6.4)
Group decision-making (also
known as collaborative decision-
making or collective decision-
making) is a situation faced when
individuals collectively make a
choice from the alternatives before
them. The decision is then no
longer attributable to any single
individual who is a member of
the group.
6–49
Advantages vs Disadvantages of Group Decision Making (6.4.1)
6–50
Techniques of Group Decision Making (6.4.3)
6–51
Techniques of Group Decision Making
6–52
Techniques of Group Decision Making
6–53
Techniques of Group Decision Making
6–54
Value Of Individual Versus Group Decision Making (6.5)
6–55
SUMMARY
1. An understanding of the foundation of group behaviour is important since each and
every individual is a member of various groups within an organisation.
1. There are two types of groups in an organisation - formal groups are formed to carry
out certain tasks in accordance with the requirements determined by the management
and informal groups are formed without the existence of a formal figure of authority.
1. Understanding the meaning and overall concept of a group development model as well
as group behaviour model will enable a manager to effectively handle conflicts in
groups.
1. Teams are the foundation for a progressive management in the future and are useful in
performing complex tasks.
1. There are some differences between work groups and work teams. 6–56
SUMMARY
6. There are six steps involved in the process of rational decision making - analysing the
situation, setting objectives, finding alternatives, evaluating alternatives, deciding on
the best alternative and evaluating results.
6. In an organisation, decisions are made either by individuals or groups.
6. Decision making in organisations should not be taken lightly since good decisions will
have positive effects on an organisation.
6. Group decision making is said to be more effective as compared to decisions that are
made individually.
6. Although group decision making has its weaknesses, these can be overcome through
good management
6–57
