CONCEPT: Group:

Two or more individuals, interacting and Interdependent, who have, Come together to achieve particular objectives. Groups have their own properties that are different from the properties of the individuals who make up the group. A collection of individuals, the members accept a common task, become interdependent in their performance, and interact with one another to promote its accomplishment.

Group Behavior:
Group behavior emanates from the causes that contribute to the Groups effectiveness. Group behavior in sociology refers to the situations where people interact in large or small groups. The field of group dynamics deals with small groups that may reach consensus and act in a coordinated way. Groups of a large number of people in a given area may act simultaneously to achieve a goal that differs from what individuals would do acting alone. A large group (a crowd or mob) is likely to show examples of group behavior when people gathered in a given place and time act in a similar way. Indian Institute of Technology Madras Purpose: Groups always have a reason for being. The almost endless variety of reasons people form small groups can be divided into three general categories based on the purpose of the group.

Primary Informal Formal

Primary groups consist of family and close friends. The reason for continued existence of a primary group is essentially the self-satisfaction of the group members. Although it is possible for some individuals to form primary groups on the job, primary groups are not typical of organizations and do not behave the same way.

Informal groups are formed to foster improved interpersonal relationships rather than to accomplish any particular task or objective. Coffee-break gatherings, group lunches, and organizational golf outings and bowling or softball teams are among the most common informal groups in organizations. The communication skills required in informal groups are essentially interpersonal skills. It is only when an informal group assumes a task becoming for the moment a formal groupthat other skills are required. Formal groups are those that have a specific task or objective. People may belong to formal groups either because they share a common concern or because they are assigned to the group by their organization. The most common formal groups in organizations are the following: Group Roles: Group behavior differs from interpersonal behavior primarily in its degree of formality. Participants in interpersonal situations have greater freedom in satisfying personal needs than group participants do. Groups can, however, help their members satisfy personal needs. For example, groups give people a sense of belonging and importance and allow people to contribute to the accomplishment of a goal without assuming the risk of independent action. Participants in groups tend to assume certain stylized roles that help them to satisfy psychological needs. These behavior patterns can either contribute to solving the groups problem or block the solution. The key roles are as follows: a) Leadership: Leadership in a group may be either ascribed or earned. Ascribed leadership results from a persons position or status in the organization, whereas earned leadership occurs when an individual assumes the responsibility for facilitating communication and goal achievement. b) Task specialist: Persons performing the role of task specialist are goal-oriented; their chief concerns are with the facts, nature of the problem, and with ensuring a workable solution by the specified deadline.

c) Human relations specialist: Human relations specialists attempt to resolve conflicts by including participants who might otherwise be left out, offering compromises, supporting the ideas of others, and testing for consensus. d) Self-serving.: Any dysfunctional behaviorbehavior that works to prevent the group from accomplishing its goalis essentially self-serving. Refusing to cooperate by rejecting the ideas of other participants, withdrawing from the discussion, and attempting to monopolize the discussion are typical examples...

Group Influence:
All group settings include certain assumptions about the behavior of participants. These assumptions, typically called group norms, may be either explicit (verbalized rules and regulations) or implicit (unspoken but agreed upon). In a group situation, participants typically feel conflicting needs to conform to and to resist the groups norms. Because participants seek prestige, acceptance, and status within the group, the situation also produces competition and conflict. These factorsconformity, resistance, competition, and conflictinterrelate in complex ways. We all tend to conform most closely with the norms of the groups that are most important to us; we risk deviation in groups that are less important. Competition and conflict between groups usually promote greater conformity within each group, but intragroup conflict tends to reduce both conformity and productivity. A group in which the participants adhere strictly to the norms is said to be cohesive. Cohesive groups, which are generally more productive than no cohesive groups, are marked by a greater willingness to communicate, to accept the ideas of all participants, and to work toward specific goals. A certain degree of resistance, competition, and conflict can also be productive, however. A person who is willing to deviate from the groups norms may make suggestions and raise objections that would not occur to, or be expressed by, group conformists. Another important influence is the perceived power of certain group members. Group members with high status usually send and receive more messages than members with

low status, but high-status members sometimes use their power to criticize and manipulate others rather than to achieve the groups objectives. High-status members also have more freedom to establish and to deviate from group norms should they choose to do so.

WHY DO PEOPLE WORK IN GROUPS?

Security by joining a group, individuals can reduce the 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. Power what cannot be achieved individually often becomes possible through group action. There is power in numbers. 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. STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT Forming The first stage in group development, characterized by much uncertainty Storming The second stage in group development, characterized by intragroup conflict

Norming The third stage in group development, characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness Performing The fourth stage in group development, when the group is fully functional Adjourning The final stage in group development for temporary groups, characterized by concern with wrapping up activities rather than task performance