Groups form for several key reasons: security, status, self-esteem, affiliation, power, and goal achievement. Groups go through stages of development including forming, storming, norming, and performing. A team is defined as a group that works together as a unit with little supervision to accomplish tasks. Teams can be classified as problem-solving, management, work, virtual, or quality circle teams based on their purpose and composition. Work teams differ from work groups in that they have collective performance objectives rather than just sharing information, focus on work tasks over group tasks, have lower supervision, and involve mutual rather than just individual accountability.

1. 8–1
DDeeffiinniinngg aanndd CCllaassssiiffyyiinngg GGrroouuppss

2. 8–2
Defining Defining aanndd CCllaassssiiffyyiinngg GGrroouuppss ((ccoonntt’’dd))

3. Why Why ddoo PPeeoopplele JJooinin GGrroouuppss
Security: By joining a group, individuals can reduce the
8–3
insecurity of “standing alone”. People feel stronger,
have fewer self-doubts, and are more resistant to
threats when they are part of a group.
Status: Inclusion in a group that is viewed as important
by others provides recognition and status for its
members.
Self-esteem: Groups can provide people with feelings
of self-worth. That is, in addition to conveying status
to those outside the group, membership can also
give increased feelings of worth to the group
members themselves.

4. Why Why ddoo PPeeoopplele JJooinin GGrroouuppss
Affiliation: Groups can fulfill social needs.
People enjoy the regular interaction that
comes with group membership.
Power: What cannot be achieved individually
often becomes possible through group
action.
Goal achievement: There are times when it
takes more than one person to accomplish a
particular task-there is a need to pool talents,
knowledge, or power in order to complete a
job.
8–4

5. 8–5
SSttaaggeess ooff GGrroouupp DDeevveellooppmmeenntt
1.
2.
3.

6. 8–6
SSttaaggeess ooff GGrroouupp DDeevveellooppmmeenntt ((ccoonntt’’dd))
4.
5.

7. 8–7
SSttaaggeess ooff GGrroouupp DDeevveellooppmmeenntt
E x h i b i t: Stages of Group Development

8. 8–8
DDeeffiinniittiioonn ooff TTeeaamm
A group of workers who function as a
unit, often with little or no
supervision, to carry out work-related
tasks, functions, and
activities.
Stephen P. Robbins, “A group whose
individual efforts result in a
performance that is greater than the
sum of the individual inputs”.

9. 8–9
CCllaassssiiffiiccaattiioonn ooff TTeeaammss
Problem solving
team
Most popular team type; comprises
knowledge workers who gather to solve
a problem and then disband.
Management team Consists mainly of managers from
various functional areas who coordinate
the work among other teams.
Work team Are responsible for the daily work of the
organization, when empowered, they are
self-managed teams.
Virtual team A new type of team that interacts by
computer, member enter and leave the
network as needed and may take turns
serving as leader.
Quality circle Declining in popularity, quality circles,
comprising of workers and supervisors,
meet intermittently to discuss workplace
problems.

10. 8–10
Comparing Comparing wwoorrkk ggrroouuppss aanndd wwoorrkk tteeaammss
Contents Work Groups Work Teams
Objectives Share information Collective
performance
Task Group related Work related
Supervision High supervision Low supervision
Accountability Individual accountability Mutual accountability