2. Groups Any number of people who: Interact with one another
Are psychologically aware (conscious) of one another
Perceive themselves to be a group.
Groups are small enough in size to permit each member to communicate with all other members on a face-to-face basis.
The study of groups is important because the most common ingredient (component, element) of an organization is people, and the most common technique for accomplishing work is dividing these people into groups.
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3. Kinds of Groups in Organizations
Formal groups
Groups defined by the organization’s structure that have designated work assignments and tasks.
Appropriate behaviors are defined by, and directed toward organizational goals.
Members in marketing departments, human resources, and production departments are examples of formal groups.
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4. Kinds of Formal Groups Command Groups Task Groups
Groups that are determined by the organization chart and composed of individuals who report directly to a given manager.
They usually handle routine organizational activities.
Task Groups
Groups composed of individuals brought together to accomplish non-routine tasks.
They can consist of people on the same organizational level or from different levels and areas in the organizational hierarchy.
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5. Kinds of Task Groups – Committees
A group of individuals performing some type of specific activity.
Four major reasons for establishing committees:
To allow organization members to exchange ideas.
To generate (make) suggestions and recommendations.
To develop new ideas for solving problems.
To assist in the development of organizational policies.
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6. Kinds of Task Groups – Committees
Managers should use committees because:
Committees can improve the quality of decision making.
Committees encourage the expression (communication) of honest opinions.
Committees increase members’ participation in decision-making.
Committees ensure the representation of important groups in the decision-making process.
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7. Kinds of Task Groups – Committees
Procedural steps to increase the probability that a committee will be successful:
The committee’s goals should be clearly defined
This will focus the committee’s activities.
The committee’s authority should be specified
Is it to investigate, advise, recommend or implement decisions?
The optimum size of the committee should be determined
The ideal number for most tasks seems to be from 5 to 10.
A competent chairperson (leader) should be selected.
A secretary should be appointed to handle communication.
The agenda for the meeting should be distributed before the meeting takes place.
Meetings should start on time and ending time should be known.
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8. Kinds of Task Groups – Committees
People oriented guidelines to increase the probability that a committee will be successful:
Rephrasing (rewording) ideas already expressed
This ensures that people understand what has been said.
Bringing all members into active participation
The manager should spark (activate) participation whenever appropriate (suitable).
Stimulating further thought by members
The manager should encourage members to think ideas through (completely) carefully and thoroughly (well).
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9. Kinds of Task Groups – Committees
Groupthink
It is the mode of thinking when the desire for agreement overrides (is stronger, dominates) the need to consider alternative solutions
Managers should help the committee avoid “groupthink” when individual members tend to agree too easily on every issue, to conform to group opinions, and avert (avoid) conflicts.
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10. Kinds of Task Groups – Work Teams
5 to 10 employees who work together to produce an entire product.
Members learn all the tasks required to produce the product and move from job to job.
Work teams are usually self-managed (autonomous) and assume managerial duties such as scheduling work and vacations, and ordering materials.
Employing work teams is a way to benefit from the talent and creativity of skilled employees to make important decisions.
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11. Kinds of Task Groups – Work Teams
The four stages of formal group development
The Acceptance Stage
It occurs after the group members begin to trust and accept one another.
The Communication and Decision-Making Stage
Once they have passed through the acceptance stage, group members are better able to communicate frankly with one another.
The Group Solidarity Stage
At this stage, members become more involved in group activities and cooperate rather than compete with one another.
The Group Control Stage
In this stage, group members maximize success by matching individual abilities with group activities by assisting one another.
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12. Kinds of Task Groups – Work Teams
Member traits that characterize a mature group
Members function as a unit
The group works as a team.
Members participate in group effort
Members work hard when there is something to do.
Members are oriented toward a single goal
Group members work for the common purpose.
Members have the equipment, tools and skills necessary to attain the group’s goal
Members seek to acquire the resources they need to attain group objectives.
Members ask and receive suggestions, opinions, and information from one another
Group members talk to one another openly and frequently.
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13. Informal Groups
A collection of individuals whose common work experience result in the development of interpersonal relations beyond (outside) those established by management.
Kinds of Informal Groups:
Interest groups
Informal groups that form (are created) because of a common concern (interest, involvement) members have about a specific issue.
Friendship groups
Informal groups that form because of the personal affiliation (connection, association) members have with one another, such as recreational (nonprofessional) interests, race, gender, and religion.
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14. Informal Groups Benefits of Informal Group Membership:
Perpetuation (continuation) of social and cultural values.
Values that group members consider important.
Status and social satisfaction.
Feelings that people might not enjoy without group membership.
Increased ease of communication among group members.
Increased desirability (goodness) of the work environment.
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15. Managing Work Groups Sociometry: Sociograms:
An analytical tool managers can use to determine what informal groups exist within the organization and who their members are.
This information on informal groups will give managers a complete picture of the organization’s group structure.
Sociograms:
Diagrams that visually (visibly) link individuals according to the number of times they were chosen by their workmates and whether the choice was reciprocated.
They summarize the informal relationships among group members.
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16. Managing Work Groups Homans’ Model:
According to Homans, the informal group develops (is created) to provide satisfaction and growth for its members. The sentiments (friendships), interactions, and activities (interests) within an informal group are caused by the sentiments, interactions and activities that prevail (exist) in the formal group (team, department, functional area).
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17. Teams Team: Types of Teams
A group whose members influence one another toward the accomplishment of an organizational objective.
Types of Teams
Problem-solving teams
Self-managed work teams
Cross-functional teams
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18. Types of Teams Problem-solving Team Self-managed Team
Employees from the same department and functional area who are involved in efforts to improve work activities or to solve specific problems.
Self-managed Team
A group of skilled employees who operate without a manager, perform specified activities and have some traditional (managerial) responsibilities such as hiring, planning and scheduling, and performance evaluations.
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19. Cross-functional Team
Types of Teams
Cross-functional Team
A work team composed of people from different functional areas of the organization – marketing, finance, human resources, and operations, for example – who are all focused on a specified objective.
E.g. teams established to choose and implement new technologies, teams formed to improve marketing effectiveness, teams established to control product costs.
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20. Stages of Team Development
Forming
Members join and begin the process of defining the group’s purpose, structure, and leadership.
Storming
Intragroup conflict occurs as individuals resist control by the group and disagree over leadership.
Norming
Close relationships develop as the group becomes cohesive and establishes its norms for acceptable behavior.
Performing
A fully functional group structure allows the group to focus on performing the task at hand.
Adjourning
The group prepares to disband and is no longer concerned with high levels of performance.
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21. Stages of Group Development

22. Team Effectiveness
Effective teams are those that come up with innovative ideas, accomplish their goals, and adapt to change when necessary. Their members are highly committed to both the team and organizational goals.
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23. Team Effectiveness People-related steps to build an effective team:
Trying to make the team’s work satisfying.
Developing mutual trust among team members and between the team and management.
Building good communication – from management to the team as well as within the team.
Minimizing unresolved conflicts and power struggles within the team.
Dealing effectively with threats toward and within the team.
Building the perception (feeling) that jobs of team members are secure (protected, liable to continue).
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24. Team Effectiveness
Organization-related steps to build an effective team:
Building a stable (sound) overall organization or company structure that team members view as secure (not failing).
Becoming involved in team events and demonstrating interest in team progress and functioning.
Properly rewarding and recognizing teams for their accomplishments.
Setting stable (fixed) goals and priorities for the team.
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25. Team Effectiveness Task-related steps to build an effective team:
Developing clear objectives, directions and project plans for the team.
Providing proper technical direction and leadership for the team.
Establishing autonomy for the team and challenging work within the team.
Appointing experienced and qualified team personnel.
Encouraging team development.
Building visibility within the organization for the team’s work.
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26. Effectiveness and Trust
Team Effectiveness
Effectiveness and Trust
Trust is belief in the reliance (support, assistance), ability, and integrity of another. Unless team members trust one another, the team leader, and management, managers may find that building an effective work team is impossible.
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27. Team Effectiveness
Strategies managers can use to build trust within groups
Communicate often to team members
Keeping members informed, explaining decisions sharing info.
Show respect for team members
Show members that they are valued by delegating tasks to them, listening to feedback from the group and acting on it.
Be fair to team members
They must receive the rewards they have earned.
Be predictable
Managers must be consistent in their actions. Team members should be able to forecast management decisions.
Demonstrate competence
Managers must show they able to diagnose problems and have the skill to implement solutions to those problems.
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28. Characteristics of Effective Teams

29. C H A P T E R R E V I E W 1/3 Groups (slide 2)
Define group.
Why should managers study groups?
Kinds of Groups in Organizations (slides 3~8)
What is a formal group?
Define command group.
What is a task group?
Define committee.
Why should managers use committees?
What procedural steps can increase the probability that committees will be successful?
What people oriented guidelines can increase the probability that committees will be successful?
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30. C H A P T E R R E V I E W 2/3
Kinds of Groups in Organizations (slides 9~14)
Define groupthink.
Define work team.
Discuss the stages of formal group development.
What member traits characterize a mature group?
Define informal group.
What is an interest group?
What is a friendship group?
What are important benefits of group membership?
Managing Work Groups (slides 15, 16)
Define sociometry.
What is a sociogram?
Discuss Homans’s ideas on how informal groups develop.
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31. C H A P T E R R E V I E W 3/3 Teams (slides 17~20, 22) Define team.
What is a problem-solving team?
Discuss self-managed teams.
What is a cross-functional team?
What is forming?
Discuss storming.
What is norming?
What is performing?
Discuss adjourning.
Discuss the performance of an effective team.
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32. C H A P T E R R E V I E W 4/3 Teams (slides 23~27)
What people-related steps can help build an effective team?
What organization-related steps can help build an effective team?
What task-related steps can help build an effective team?
What is the relationship between team effectiveness and trust?
What strategies can be used to build trust in groups?
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