GROUP DYNAMICS

A group can be defined as “several individuals who come together to accomplish a

particular task or goal”. Group dynamics refers to the attitudinal and behavioural

characteristics of a group. Group dynamics concern how groups form, their structure and

process, and how they function. Group dynamics are relevant in both formal and informal

groups of all types. In an organizational setting, groups are a very common organizational

entity and the study of groups and group dynamics is an important area of study in

organizational behaviour.

GROUP DEVELOPMENT

Group dynamics as related to development concerns not only why groups form but also

how. The most common framework for examining the "how" of group formation was

developed by Bruce Tuckman in the 1960s. In essence, the steps in group formation imply

that groups do not usually perform at maximum effectiveness when they are first

established. They encounter several stages of development as they strive to become

productive and effective. Most groups experience the same developmental stages with

similar conflicts and resolutions.

According to Tuckman's theory, there are five stages of group development: forming,

storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. During these stages group members

must address several issues and the way in which these issues are resolved determines

whether the group will succeed in accomplishing its tasks.

1.Forming: This stage is usually characterized by some confusion and uncertainty.

The major goals of the group have not been established. The nature of the task or

leadership of the group has not been determined. Thus, forming is an orientation

period when members get to know one another and share expectations about the

group. Members learn the purpose of the group as well as the rules to be followed.

The forming stage should not be rushed because trust and openness must be

developed. These feelings strengthen in later stages of development. Individuals are

often confused during this stage because roles are not clear and there may not be a

strong leader.

2.Storming: In this stage, the group is likely to see the highest level of disagreement

and conflict. Members often challenge group goals and struggle for power.

Individuals often vie for the leadership position during this stage of development.

This can be a positive experience for all groups if members can achieve cohesiveness

through resolution. Members often voice concern and criticism in this phase. If

members are not able to resolve the conflict, then the group will often disband or

continue in existence but will remain ineffective and never advance to the other

stages.

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GROUP DYNAMICS

A group can be defined as “several individuals who come together to accomplish a particular task or goal”. Group dynamics refers to the attitudinal and behavioural characteristics of a group. Group dynamics concern how groups form, their structure and process, and how they function. Group dynamics are relevant in both formal and informal groups of all types. In an organizational setting, groups are a very common organizational entity and the study of groups and group dynamics is an important area of study in organizational behaviour. GROUP DEVELOPMENT Group dynamics as related to development concerns not only why groups form but also how. The most common framework for examining the "how" of group formation was developed by Bruce Tuckman in the 1960s. In essence, the steps in group formation imply that groups do not usually perform at maximum effectiveness when they are first established. They encounter several stages of development as they strive to become productive and effective. Most groups experience the same developmental stages with similar conflicts and resolutions.

According to Tuckman's theory, there are five stages of group development: forming,

storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. During these stages group members

must address several issues and the way in which these issues are resolved determines whether the group will succeed in accomplishing its tasks.

1. Forming: This stage is usually characterized by some confusion and uncertainty.

The major goals of the group have not been established. The nature of the task or leadership of the group has not been determined. Thus, forming is an orientation period when members get to know one another and share expectations about the group. Members learn the purpose of the group as well as the rules to be followed. The forming stage should not be rushed because trust and openness must be developed. These feelings strengthen in later stages of development. Individuals are often confused during this stage because roles are not clear and there may not be a strong leader.

2. Storming: In this stage, the group is likely to see the highest level of disagreement

and conflict. Members often challenge group goals and struggle for power. Individuals often vie for the leadership position during this stage of development. This can be a positive experience for all groups if members can achieve cohesiveness through resolution. Members often voice concern and criticism in this phase. If members are not able to resolve the conflict, then the group will often disband or continue in existence but will remain ineffective and never advance to the other stages.

3. Norming: This stage is characterized by the recognition of individual differences

and shared expectations. Hopefully, at this stage the group members will begin to develop a feeling of group cohesion and identity. Cooperative effort should begin to yield results. Responsibilities are divided among members and the group decides how it will evaluate progress.

4. Performing: Performing, occurs when the group has matured and attains a feeling

of cohesiveness. During this stage of development, individuals accept one another and conflict is resolved through group discussion. Members of the group make decisions through a rational process that is focused on relevant goals rather than emotional issues.

5. Adjourning: Not all groups experience this stage of development because it is

characterized by the disbandment of the group. Some groups are relatively permanent. Reasons that groups disband vary, with common reasons being the accomplishment of the task or individuals deciding to go their own ways. Members of the group often experience feelings of closure and sadness as they prepare to leave. GROUP STRUCTURE Group structure is a pattern of relationships among members that hold the group together and help it achieve assigned goals. Structure can be described in a variety of ways. Among the more common considerations are group size, group roles, group norms, and group cohesiveness. GROUP SIZE: Group size can vary from 2 people to a very large number of people. Small groups of two to ten are thought to be more effective because each member has ample opportunity to participate and become actively involved in the group. Large groups may waste time by deciding on processes and trying to decide who should participate next. Group size will affect not only participation but satisfaction as well. Evidence supports the notion that as the size of the group increases, satisfaction increases up to a certain point. In other words, a group of six members has twice as many opportunities for interaction and participation as a group of three people. Beyond 10 or 12 members, increasing the size of the group results in decreased satisfaction. It is increasingly difficult for members of large groups to identify with one another and experience cohesion. GROUP ROLES: In formal groups, roles are usually predetermined and assigned to members. Each role will have specific responsibilities and duties. There are, however, emergent roles that develop naturally to meet the needs of the groups. These emergent roles will often replace the

well. Group members are more likely to participate in decision-making and problem-solving activities leading to empowerment and increased productivity. Groups complete most of the work in an organization; thus, the effectiveness of the organization is limited by the effectiveness of its groups. GROUP THINK: Group think is a term developed by social psychologist Irving Janis in 1972 to describe suboptimal decisions made by a group due to group social pressures. It is a phenomenon in which the ways of approaching problems or matters are dealt by the consensus of a group rather than by individuals acting independently. Essentially, group think occurs when a group makes faulty or ineffective decisions just for the sake of reaching an agreement. Group think is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Cohesiveness, or the desire for cohesiveness, in a group may produce a tendency among its members to agree at all costs. This causes the group to minimize conflict and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation. What Is Social Loafing? Social loafing refers to the concept that people are prone to exert less effort on a task if they are in a group versus when they work alone. The idea of working in groups is typically seen as a way to improve the accomplishment of a task by pooling the skills and talents of the individuals in that group. But, in some groups, there is a tendency on the part of participants to contribute less to the group's goal than if they were doing the same task themselves. Consequences of Social Loafing Social loafing has negative consequences for both the group and the individuals in the group. The group dynamic is affected when certain individuals are seen as weak contributors to the group purpose. It tends to split the group and fosters a lack of cohesion. For example, if only five of the eight members of a team are doing most of the work, it will often create an 'in' group (those members that are working hard) and an 'out' group (those members that are not contributing as much). Resentment can easily build between the two factions, causing less productivity and more emotional tension than a cohesive group would experience. Individuals in the group can also be affected by social loafing. While there is a disparity of effort between members of a group, individuals start to gauge their own effort based on

what others are doing instead of maintaining a standard of excellence towards achieving the goal. This lowers the level of satisfaction for the task in all members of the group. For example, if a motivated team member repeatedly feels others are relying on them to do most of the work, they might deliberately reduce their workload or even stop collaborating with group members because they no longer want to feel exploited by the less productive members. Difference between Formal Group and Informal Group:

Basis of Comparison Formal Group Informal Group

Group nature Official Unofficial Major concepts Authority and Responsibility Power and Politics Primary focus Position Person Source of leader power Delegated by Management Given by group Guidelines for behaviour Rules Norms Source of control Rewards and Penalties Sanctions

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Partial preview of the text

Download Group Dynamics: Formation, Structure, and Processes and more Papers Management Theory in PDF only on Docsity!

GROUP DYNAMICS

According to Tuckman's theory, there are five stages of group development: forming,

storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. During these stages group members

1. Forming: This stage is usually characterized by some confusion and uncertainty.

2. Storming: In this stage, the group is likely to see the highest level of disagreement

3. Norming: This stage is characterized by the recognition of individual differences

4. Performing: Performing, occurs when the group has matured and attains a feeling

5. Adjourning: Not all groups experience this stage of development because it is

Basis of Comparison Formal Group Informal Group