10th Edition
Managing Organizational Behavior
Moorhead & Griffin
Chapter 9
Group and Interpersonal
Behavior
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
All rights reserved.
Prepared by Charlie Cook
The University of West Alabama
Chapter Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter you should be able to:
• Discuss the interpersonal nature of organizations.
• Define a group and illustrate their importance in
organizations.
• Identify and discuss the types of groups commonly
found in organizations.
• Describe the general stages of group development.
• Discuss the major group performance factors.
• Discuss intergroup dynamics.
• Describe group decision making in organizations.
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–2
The Interpersonal Nature of Organizations
• Interpersonal relations and group processes
pervade all organizations and are vital in
managerial activities
–Interpersonal dynamics—types of interactions
• Between individuals
• Between groups
• Between individuals and groups
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–3
Outcomes of Interpersonal Behaviors
Results of
Interpersonal Relations
Need
Satisfaction
Social
Support
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
Synergy
Conflict
9–4
The Nature of Groups
• Group Defined
–Two or more people who interact with one another
such that each person influences and is influenced by
each other person
• Categorization of Groups
–By degrees of formalization
• Formal groups—established by organization
• Informal groups—self-created by members
–By degrees of permanence
• Permanent
• Temporary
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–5
Characteristics of Groups
• Members may identify a little or not at all with the
group’s goal
• Members may satisfy needs just by being members
• Behavior of individuals both affects and is affected by
the group
• Accomplishments of groups are strongly influenced by
the behavior of their individual members
• The work group is the primary means by which
managers coordinate individuals' behavior to achieve
organizational goals
• The behavior of individuals is key to the group’s success
or failure
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–6
9.1
A General Model
of Group Dynamics
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–7
Types of Groups
Categorization of
Groups
Formal Groups
Informal Groups
Command
Task
Affinity
Friendship
Interest
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–8
9.1
Classification Scheme for Types of Groups
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–9
Stages of Group Development
• Four-Stage Development Process of Groups
1. Mutual acceptance
2. Communication and decision making
3. Motivation and productivity
4. Control and organization
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–10
9.2
Stages of Group Development
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–11
Group Performance
Factors Affecting
Group Performance
Composition
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
Size
Norms
Cohesiveness
9–12
Group Performance Factors
• Group Composition
–The degree of similarity or difference among group
members on factors important to the group’s work
• Homogeneity
– Degree to which members are similar in one or several ways that
are critical to the group’s work
• Heterogeneity
– Degree to which members differ in one or more ways that are
critical to the group’s work
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–13
Group Performance Factors (cont’d)
• Group Composition (cont’d)
–Variables relating to group composition
• Productivity
• Type of task
• Organizational diversity
– Cultural traits: distrust, stereotyping, and communication
– Effects of diversity on cooperation and understanding in
organizational alliances across country and culture boundaries
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–14
Group Performance Factors (cont’d)
• Group Size
–Is the number of members of the group
–Affects resources available to perform the task
–Affects degree of formalization of interactions,
communication, and participation
–Can increase the degree of social loafing
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–15
Group Performance Factors (cont’d)
• Factors that Determine Ideal Group Size
–Group members’ ability to interact and influence each
other (maturity of the group)
–Maturity of individual group members
–Group tasks
–Ability of the group leader
to deal with communication,
conflict, task activities
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–16
Group Performance Factors (cont’d)
• Group Norms
–Are the standards against which the appropriateness
of the behaviors of members are judged
–Determine behavior expected in a certain situation
–Result from:
• Personality characteristics of members
• The situation
• The historical traditions of the group
–Are enforced only for actions that are important to
group members
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–17
Group Performance Factors (cont’d)
• Purposes of Norms
–Help the group survive
–Simplify and increase predictability of expected
behaviors of group members
–Help the group to avoid embarrassing situations
–Express the group’s central values for membership
identification and identify the group to others
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–18
Group Performance Factors (cont’d)
• Group Cohesiveness
–Is the extent to which a group is committed to staying
together
–Results from forces acting on the members
• Attraction to the group
• Resistance to leaving the group
• Motivation to remain a member of the group
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–19
9.3
Factors That Affect Group Cohesiveness and
Consequences of Group Cohesiveness
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–20
9.4
Group Cohesiveness, Goals, and Productivity
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–21
Intergroup Dynamics
Primary Factors Influencing
Intergroup Interactions
Characteristics
of each of the
groups
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
Organizational
setting in which
groups interact
Task and
situational
bases of
interaction
9–22
9.5
Factors That
Influence Intergroup
Interactions
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–23
Group Decision Making
Factors Affecting
Group Decision Making
Group
Polarization
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
Groupthink
Group
Problem
Solving
9–24
Group Decision Making (cont’d)
• Group Polarization
–The tendency for a group’s average post-discussion
attitudes to be more extreme than its average prediscussion attitudes (risky “shift” or toward a more
conservative view)
• Why Polarization Occurs
–Increasing confidence from shared opinions
–Persuasive arguments convincing weaker supporters
–Individuals substituting group responsibility for
individual responsibility for the decision
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–25
Group Decision Making (cont’d)
• Groupthink
–A mode of thinking that occurs when members of a
group are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group and
the desire for unanimity offsets their motivation to
appraise alternative courses of action
• Effects of Groupthink
–Consideration of and focus on fewer alternatives
–Failure to perceive non-obvious risks and drawbacks
of an alternative
–Rejection of expert opinions
–Ignoring potential for setbacks or actions of
competitors in not developing contingency plans
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–26
Groupthink
Conditions Favoring the
Development of Groupthink
Strong group
cohesiveness
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
Leader’s
promotion of
a preferred
solution
Insulation of
the group
from experts’
opinions
9–27
9.6
The Groupthink Process
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–28
Symptoms of Groupthink
• Illusion of invulnerability
• Collective efforts to rationalize/discount warnings
• Unquestioned belief in the group’s inherent morality
• Stereotyped views of “enemy” leaders
• Direct pressure on a member
• Self-censorship of deviations
• Shared illusion of unanimity
• Emergence of self-appointed “mind-guards”
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–29
9.2
Prescriptions for Preventing Groupthink
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–30
Group Decision Making (cont’d)
• Participation
–Is the degree to which employees should be involved
in decision process
• Benefits of Participation
–Helps in judgmental problem-solving situations
–Produces more and better decisions
–Helps in solving complex problems
–Creates a greater interest in the task
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–31
Group Decision Making (cont’d)
• Group Problem Solving Difficulties
–Factors limiting the generation-of-alternatives phase
• Immediate reactions to alternatives discourages further
proposals of alternatives
• Experience, status, and power of some members intimidates
less confident members
• Limitations on idea generation imposed by the group leader
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–32
Group Decision Making (cont’d)
Group Problem Solving
Techniques
Brainstorming
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
Nominal
Group
Techniques
Delphi
Technique
9–33
Organizational Behavior in Action
• After reading the chapter:
–Which interpersonal behaviors have you seen at work
or in classes that suggest that people have social
needs?
–Which of the groups to which students commonly
belong could be defined as command groups?
–What conflicts could occur when informal and formal
groups overlap in an organization?
© 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning
9–34