This document discusses groups and teams in organizations. It defines groups and teams, and describes different types of groups like formal vs informal groups and task vs command vs interest groups. It also discusses characteristics that distinguish teams from groups. The document outlines factors that influence group dynamics and effectiveness, such as group size, task interdependence, roles, leadership, stages of group development, norms, conformity/deviance, and cohesiveness. It provides guidance for managers to motivate groups, reduce social loafing, and manage groups for high performance. Various group decision making techniques are also summarized.

2. Learning Objectives
• Groups and teams.
• Types of groups and teams.
• Elements of group dynamics influence the
functioning and effectiveness.
• Balance of conformity and deviance and a
moderate level of cohesiveness.
• Managers can motivate group members
to achieve organizational goals and
reduce social loafing in groups and
teams.

3. Groups, Teams and
Organizational Effectiveness
• Group
– Two or more people
who interact with
each other to
accomplish certain
goals or meet certain
needs.

4. Group
Formal Informal
Task
Command Interest
Friendship

5. 5

6. • Formal Group: A designated work group
defined by the organisation’s structure.
• Informal Group: A group that is neither
formally structured nor organizationally
determined; appears in response to the
need for social contact. Membership in
such groups id voluntary.

7. • Command group: A group composed of
the individuals who report directly to a
given manager.
• Task group: represents those who work
together to complete a job task.
“ All command groups are task groups
but all task groups need not be command
groups as task groups can cut across the
organization.”

8. • Interest group : A group of employees who
come together to satisfy a common
interest ;like improving working conditions,
protesting company’s environmental
policies, or adjusting vacation schedules.
• Friendship group

9. Teams
• Team
– A group whose members work intensely
with each other to achieve a specific,
common goal or objective.
– All teams are groups but not all groups are
teams.
• Teams often are difficult to form.
• It takes time for members to learn how to
work together.

10. Groups, Teams and
Organizational Effectiveness
• Two characteristics distinguish teams
from groups
– Intensity with which team members work
together
– Presence of a specific, overriding team goal
or objective

11. Groups’ and Teams’ Contributions to
Organizational Effectiveness
Figure 15.1

12. Group Size
• Advantage of small groups
– Interact more with each other and easier to
coordinate their efforts
– More motivated, satisfied, and committed
– Easier to share information
– Better able to see the importance of their
personal contributions

13. Group Size
• Advantages of large groups
– More resources at their disposal to achieve
group goals
– Enables managers to obtain division of
labor advantages

14. Group Size
• Disadvantages of large groups
– Problem of communication and coordination
– Lower level of motivation
– Members might not think their efforts are
really needed

15. Group Tasks
• Group tasks impact how a group
interacts.
– Task interdependence shows how the work
of one member impacts another; as
interdependence rises, members must work
more closely together.

16. TYPES OF TEAM
• Problem solving team:
Group of employees from same
department.
15-16

17. Self managed team
• Group of people who take on the
responsibility of former supervisors.
15-17

18. Cross functional Team
• Employees form same hierarchy but
from different work areas to accomplish
a task.
15-18

19. Virtual team
• Teams that use computer technology to
tie together
15-19

20. Comparing work group and team
15-20

21. Group Dynamics: Interdependence
• Pooled
– Members make separate, independent
contributions to group such that group
performance is the sum of each member’s
contributions

22. Group Dynamics: Interdependence
• Sequential
– Members perform tasks in a sequential
order making it difficult to determine
individual performance since one member
depends on another.

23. Group Dynamics: Interdependence
• Reciprocal
– Work performed by one group member is
mutually dependent on work done by other
members.

24. Types of Task Interdependence
Figure 15.3

25. Group Roles
• Group Roles
– The set of behaviors and tasks that a group
member is expected to perform because of
his or her position in the group.

26. Group Roles
• In cross-functional teams, members are
expected to perform roles in their specialty.
• Managers should clearly describe expected
roles to group members when they are
assigned to the group.
• Role-making occurs as workers take on more
responsibility in their roles as group members.
• Self-managed teams may assign the roles to
members themselves.

27. Group Leadership
• Effective leadership is a key ingredient in high
performing groups, teams, and organizations.
• Formal groups created by an organization
have a leader appointed by the organization.
• Groups that evolve independently in an
organization have an informal leader
recognized by the group.

28. The Stages of Group Development
Figure 15.4

29. Five stage model of group
formation
Members
get to know
each other &
set ground
rules
Members
come to
Resist
Control by
group
Leaders &
Show
hostility
Members
Work
Together
developing
Close
Relationships
& feelings of
Cohesiveness
Group
members
work
towards
Getting
their jobs
done
Group
may
disband
either
after
meeting
their goals
or because
members
Leave
Stage I
Forming
Stage II
Storming
Stage III
Norming
Stage IV
Performing
Stage V
Adjourning

30. Group Norms
• Group Norms
– Shared guidelines or rules for behavior that
most group members follow
– Managers should encourage members to
develop norms that contribute to group
performance and the attainment of group
goals

31. Group Dynamics
• Conformity and Deviance
– Members conform to norms to obtain rewards,
imitate respected members, and because they
feel the behavior is right.
– When a member deviates, other members will
try to make them conform, expel the member,
or change the group norms to accommodate
them.
– Conformity and deviance must be balanced for
high performance from the group.
– Deviance allows for new ideas in the group.

32. Group Cohesiveness
• The degree to which members are
attracted to their group
• Three major consequences
– Level of participation
– Level of conformity to group norms
– Emphasis on group goal accomplishment

33. Sources and Consequences of
Group Cohesiveness
Figure 15.6

34. Factors Leading to Group
Cohesiveness
Factor
Group Size Smaller groups allow for high cohesiveness;
Low cohesiveness groups with many
members can benefit from splitting into two
groups.
Managed Diversity Diverse groups often come up with better
solutions.
Group Identity Encouraging a group to adopt a unique
identity and engage in competition with
others can increase cohesiveness.
Success Cohesiveness increases with success;
finding ways for a group to have some small
successes increases cohesiveness.

35. Managing Groups and Teams
for High Performance
• Motivating group members to achieve
organizational goals:
– Members should benefit when the group
performs well—rewards can be monetary or
in other forms such as special recognition.
– Individual compensation is a combination of
both individual and group performance.
– Make additional resources (beyond
compensation) such as choice assignments
available to high-performance groups.

36. • Roles: various parts played by group
members. “The Hats We Wear”
• Norms: rules & expectations within
group. “Group's Unspoken Rules”
• Status: rank given to groups by others.
“prestige of group membership”
• Cohesiveness: members sense of
responsibility. “getting the team spirit”
Four different aspects of
group structure are :

37. Managing Groups and Teams
for High Performance
• Social loafing
– The human tendency to put forth less effort
in a group than individually.
– Results in possibly lower group performance
and failure to
attain group
goals

38. Managing Groups and Teams
for High Performance
• Reducing social loafing:
– Make individual efforts identifiable and
accountable.
– Emphasize the valuable contributions of
individual members.
– Keep group size at an appropriate level.

39. Three Ways to Reduce Social Loafing
Figure 15.7

40. Assets & Liabilities of Group
Decision Making
• More complete
information &
knowledge.
• Higher quality
decisions.
• Increased
diversity of views.
• Increased
acceptance of a
solution.
• Time consuming
• Conformity
pressures in
groups.
• Dominated by 1
or a fewer
members.
• Suffer from
ambiguous
responsibility.

41. Group decision making
techniques
• Delphi Technique
• Brainstorming
• Nominal group Technique
• Electronic meeting

42. Delphi Technique
• Members are scattered over large
distances and do not have face to face
interaction for decision making.
15-42

43. Brainstorming
Adopted by Alex osborn in 1938 in an
American company for creative thinking
in groups of six to eight people
• Generate many ideas as possible
• Be creative and imaginative
• With hold criticism of others ideas
15-43

44. Nominal Group Technique
15-44