ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
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T E N T H
E D I T I O N
Defining and Classifying Groups
Defining and Classifying Groups (cont’d)
The Five Stage Model of Group Development
Stages of Group Development (cont’d)
The Punctuated-Equilibrium Model
EXHIBIT
8-3
Group Behavior Model
External Conditions Imposed on the Group
Imposed Conditions:
• Organization’s overall strategy
• Authority structures
• Formal regulations
• Resource constraints
• Selection process
• Performance and evaluation system
• Organization’s culture
• Physical work setting
Group Member Resources
 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
– Interpersonal skills
• Conflict management and resolution
• Collaborative problem solving
• Communication
– Personality Characteristics
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•
•
•
Sociability
Initiative
Openness
Flexibility
Group Structure - Roles
 Formal Leadership
– Leadership that is imposed on the group by the
organization.
– Leaders who derive their power from the positions they
occupy in the organizational structure.
– Formal leaders may or may not also be the informal
leaders of the groups in which they function.
Group Structure - Roles (cont’d)
Group Structure - Roles (cont’d)
Group Structure - Norms
Classes of Norms:
• Performance norms
• Appearance norms
• Social arrangement norms
• Allocation of resources
norms
Examples of Cards Used in Asch’s Study
EXHIBIT
8-5
Group Structure - Size
Performance
Other conclusions:
• Odd number groups do
better than even.
Group Size
• Groups of 5 or 7 work
well
Relationship Between Group Cohesiveness,
Performance Norms, and Productivity
Group Processes
Group Tasks
 Decision-making
– Large groups facilitate the pooling of information about
complex tasks.
– Smaller groups are better suited to coordinating and
facilitating the implementation of complex tasks.
*Consider: What is the task? Simple or complex?
Group Decision Making
 Strengths
– More complete
information
– Increased diversity
of views
– Higher quality of
decisions
– Increased
acceptance of
solutions
 Weaknesses
– More time
consuming
– Increased pressure
to conform
– Domination by one
or a few members
– Ambiguous
responsibility
Group Decision Making (cont’d)
Summary & Implications for Managers
Performance:
 Structural factors show a relationship to performance.
 There is a positive relationship between role perception and
an employee’s performance evaluation.
 Norms control group member behavior by establishing
standards of right and wrong.
 Status inequities create frustration and can adversely
influence productivity.
 The impact of size on a group’s performance depends upon
the type of task in which the group is engaged.
Satisfaction:
 Most people prefer to communicate with others at their own
status level or a higher one.
 Large groups are associated with lower satisfaction.