Organizational Behavior Chapter 3

UNIT THREE
FOUNDATION OF GROUP BEHAVIOR
Unit Introduction
This unit examines groups and teams in organizations. The existence of groups can alter a
person’s motivation or needs and can influence the behavior of people in an organizational
setting. Organizational behavior is more than simply the logical composite of the behavior of
separate individuals. It is not their sum or product but rather a much more complex phenomenon,
a very important part of which is the group. The unit provides a model for understanding the
nature of groups in an organization. It explores various types of groups, the reasons for their
formation, their characteristics, and some end results of group membership. It also focuses on
special form of groups – teams- that is playing an increasingly larger role in current
organizational processes.
What is Group?
Groups are two or more employees who have an ongoing relationship in which they interact and
influence one another’s behavior and performances. In other words, a group is an; assemblage,
cluster, or aggregation of persons considered to be related in some way or united by common ties
or interests, for example family, recreation or occupation.
Group is the largest set of two or more individuals who are jointly characterized by a network of
relevant communications, a shared sense of collective identity and one or more shared
dispositions with associated normative strength or it is a collection of two or more people who
have a common goal or interest and interact with each other to accomplish their objective are
aware of one another and perceive themselves to be a part of the group. In general human group
is a collection of individuals;
 Who have significantly dependent relations with each other
 Who perceive themselves as group by reliably distinguishing members from non-
members,
 Whose identity is recognized by non-members,
 Who have differentiated roles in the group as a function of expectations from
themselves, other groups members, and non-group members,
 Who, as group members acting alone or in concert, have significant interdependent
relations with other groups

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These broad definitions of groups cover families, neighborhood, gangs, Athletic teams, school
sections, committees, subparts of departments in a large organizations etc.
Basically, group can be defined as an association of two or more persons who have joined
together at work in order to accomplished some common goals and who thereby experience a
process of interaction and mutual influence that results in group behavior. It should be noted that
there is similarity between this definition and the definition of an organization. Nevertheless, a
group, unlike an organization, may have a less formal structure and its activities may or may not
include “work”.
Three elements should be observed in the definition of “group”.
 At least two people must be involved for a group to exist. A single
individual cannot constitute a group. When the size of a group increases to
a certain point. Say twenty or thirty members, the group may cease to be a
group in its own right and formally informally breaks up into subgroups.
 The individuals must interact regularly if they are really a group. This
interaction need not always follow the same pattern, but it must occur. The
necessity for interaction is a primary reason for the upper limit on group
size. When a group gets too large, it will be difficult for members to interact
with all other members. It is more comfortable to interact with only a few
other members, paving the way for the formation of new small groups.
 Group members must have a common goal or purpose. A collection of six
people using an elevator to go upstairs is not a group. Even though six
people are involved in this case, and even though they share the small
goal (moving upstairs), they do not interact regularly. In the same way,
labor union and management officials may interact regularly, but the
probably do not have a common purpose; so they fail to constitute a group.
The goal or purpose of the group is a primary factor in distinguishing
among different types of groups in organization.
3.1. Characteristics of Group
A group is a collection of individuals whose existence as a collection is rewarding to the
individuals. A group is a dynamic whole based on interdependence rather than on similarity.
Strong, well-organized groups need not necessarily be homogeneous. It is a social interaction

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rather than similarity or dissimilarity that determines the effectiveness of a group or achievement
of group tasks.
The interpersonal relations in the group basically shape what is commonly known as group
dynamics. Group dynamics involves the behavior of small work groups, including the relations
and interactions among members of the same group. From managerial point of view, the aim of
good interpersonal relations is to help employees get on better with each other and with
supervisors and other managers so that they are motivated to work cooperatively and
productively. It can be generally stated that the better the interpersonal relations, the greater an
employee’s satisfaction and sense of personal worth.
Groups, in general have various characteristics. The major and noted ones are described as
follows:
1. Autonomy: - independence exercised by the group
2. Cohesiveness: - the extent to which the group functions as a unit
3. Control: - extent to which the group regulates the behavior of its members
4. Hedonic tone: - extent to which members enjoy belonging to the group.
5. Homogeneity: - for instance, in age, sex, outlook.
6. Intimacy: - familiarity of members with each other.
7. Permeability: - ease of entry of new members
8. Polarization: - extent to which members agree on common goals
9. Stratification: - existence of status levels within the group.
3.2. Why do people join groups?
Factors influencing group formation
One of the major purposes behind the formation of a group is the gratification of the members’
needs. In order to survive a group must yield satisfactions to its members. The reason for group
formation in relation to the following factors
i. Groups provide warmth and support for individuals. Man needs others to feel fulfilled.
When individuals are solitaries lacking that warmth and support they suffer.
Aloneness leads to a degree of insecurity. In fact the harshest punishment that can be
given a prisoner in the US penal system is to be put in solitary conferment for a given
period of time. During his study Elton Mayo observed that employees who are

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isolated from each other because of plant layout find their jobs less satisfying than
those group members who are able to socialize on the job.
ii. Groups help employees satisfy their security needs or their needs for power. They serve
the important function of helping individuals cope with their environment. Most
employees join groups (i.e. unions) to protect themselves against what they perceive
to be arbitrary or capricious acts by superiors. Under conditions of an oppressive
boss, or a very difficult and demanding job, people join together to share sentiments
and develop implicit or explicit tactics for dealing with the environment.
iii. The work group is a primary source of recognition and esteem for many individuals. It
gives an individual recognition status and further opportunity to relate to others.
Joining a high status group can help an individual acquire esteem in the eyes of
persons outside the group whether or not he is distinguished member of group. Group
membership provides opportunities for recognition and praise that are not available
outside the group.
iv. Economic reasons also cause group formation. In many instance groups form because
individuals believe that they can drive greater economic benefits in their jobs if they
form in to group.
v. Another important fact or group formation involves the proximity of people to each
other. The proximity makes it possible for people to learn about the characteristics of
others and offers an excellent opportunity to exchange thoughts, ideas, and attitudes
regarding on and off the job activities. This leads to mutual interaction (relieves
boredom) and helps in stabilizing and establishing perceptions of the work place.
Groups also serve as sources of information help out when members are sick or
absent.
vi. Another reason as to why a person joins a group is his feeling that the group can help
him/her accomplish goals. Organizational tasks demand cooperative effort of a
number of people. The formal or informal group can be extremely useful in solving
specific work problems or in preventing the individuals from committing mistakes on
the job.

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3.3.Types of Group
The major categories of groups in organizations classified as formal versus informal, primary
versus secondary, smaller versus larger, reference versus membership groups.
I. Formal and Informal Groups. Formal groups are purposely established under the
organization system and can be further subdivided into functional and task groups. Informal
groups are those which are created through social interactions. The types of groups are
discussed as follows:
a) Functional groups
A functional group is a group created by the organization to accomplish a number of
organizational purposes with an indefinite time horizon. The personnel department, the finance
department, the marketing department, standing committees and all other operating units and
sections of an organization are all examples of functional groups. Each is created by the
organization to serve a number of purposes specified by the organization. It should be noted that
the functional group would remain in existence even after it attains its current objectives.
b) Task groups
A task group is a group created by the organization to accomplish a relatively narrow range of
purpose with in a stated or implied time horizon. Ad hoc committees, task forces, teams, and
classes in a college are all task groups. The organization specific group membership and assigns
a relatively narrow set of goals, such as developing a new product, evaluating a proposed
grievance procedure, or studying the field of economics. The time horizon for accomplishing
these purposes is either specified (the economics class ceases to exist t the end of the term) or
implied (the project team will disband when the new the new product is developed.
c) Information groups
An informal group is created by its members for purposes that may or may not be relevant to the
goals of the organization. It also has an unspecified time horizon. Your lunch group in the
workplace, for instance, is an informal group. The members of this group choose to participate
rather than being formally told to do so.
An informal group is spontaneous, with no continued existence. The activities of the informal
group may or may not match the goals of the organization. Informal groups can be a powerful
organizational force that mangers cannot ignore. They can have negative as well as positive
bearings on the organization and management.

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Informal Groups
These are groups that evolve to meet social or affiliation needs by bringing people based on
shared interests or friendship. If several people periodically work together and take walks
together during their lunch hour they may constitute informal group interested in conversation.
Other interest groups might evolve from shared enjoyment, sport events, and political news
particularly among people who have the same viewpoint or enjoying a friendly argument. In
other case, people can set up a group for achieving some mutual objectives such as setting up a
car pool or convincing a manager to change working conditions. They can be characterized as
- They are formed by the individuals of the group rather than by management
- They are natural groupings of people in a work situation in response to the need for social
contact
- They are neither structured nor organizationally determined
Informal groups are formed by the individuals of the group rather than by management. They are
natural groupings of people in a work situation in response to the need for social contact. They
don’t arise as a result of deliberate design but rather evolve spontaneously. They are neither
structured nor organizationally determined. Two specific informal groups can be identified.
Individuals who may or may not be the members of the same command or task groups may
affiliate to attain a specific objective with which each is concerned. This is an interest group.
Employees who join together to support a peer who has been fired, to seek increased fringe
benefits represent the formation of a unified front to further their common interest. Friendship
groups develop because the individual members have one or more characteristic in common
such as age, political beliefs, or ethnic background. Such groups often extend their interaction
and communication to off-job activities.
People may join groups for a variety of reasons. They join functional groups simply by virtue of
joining organizations. People accept employment to earn money or to practice their chosen
profession. Once inside the organization, they are assigned to jobs and roles and thus become
members of functional groups. People in existing functional groups are told, are asked, or
volunteer to serve on ad hoc committees, task forces, and teams. People join informal or interest
groups for a variety of reasons, most of them quite complex.

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The most common reasons for joining groups, however, include such factors as interpersonal
attraction, attraction to group activities, group goals, need satisfaction, and instrumental
benefits.
Interpersonal attraction
Perhaps the most obvious and logical reason that people choose to form informal or interest
groups is that they are attracted to each other. When people see a lot of each other, pure
proximity increases the likelihood that interpersonal attraction will develop. Attraction can also
be facilitated by similarity of attitudes, personality, or economic standing. The perceived abilities
and usefulness of others affects interpersonal attraction. All of these factors lead in varying
degree to the interaction that can result in the formation of informal or interest groups.
Group activities
Individuals may also be motivated to join an informal or interest group because the activities of
the group appeal to them. Jogging, playing basketball, etc are all activities that some people
enjoy. Many of them are more enjoyable to participate in as a member of a group, and most
actually require more than one person.
A person may join a local basketball team not because of any noticeable attraction to other group
members but simply because being a member of the group allows that person to participate in a
pleasant activity. Of course, if the level of interpersonal attraction of the group is very low, a
person may choose to forgo the activity rather than join the group.
Group Goals
The goals of a group may motivate people to join the group. Workers join unions because they
support union goals. Union members may or may not be personally attracted to the other union
members, but they join the group because they support its goals its goals. Consider also a group
that is formed to collect money for various charities. Again, members may or may not be
personally attracted to the other fundraisers, and they probably do not enjoy the routines of
knocking on the doors asking for money, but they join the group because they subscribe to its
goals.
Need Satisfaction
Still another reason for joining a group is to satisfy the need for affiliation. People f same origin
(same birthplace) may establish an association partially as a way to meet their childhood friends
and relatives and partially just to support each other at times of happiness (weddings, for

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instance) and sadness and grief (mourning, for instance). This would provide them with an
opportunity to create a small community of their own, particularly in a big urban center where
they them may feel alien as they come from faraway places.
Instrumental Benefits
Another reason for people to join groups is that membership is sometimes seen as instrumental in
providing other benefits to the individual. Young professionals (university graduates) may join a
professional association, which is already established by the senior practitioners in the field
partly because listing such membership on a resume is thought to enhance the chances of getting
a good job. Memberships in other associations and clubs would also enhance contacts that may
further create other opportunities for the members.
II. Small versus Large Group
Small Group: face to face interaction is quite easy and uncomplicated. Members can easily
communicate with other group members. In most of the time small groups are effective.
Large group: members have a better chance of finding people they like to work with. There
is a great potential for greater variety of talents and greater opportunities for differences
between and among individuals. Larger groups tend to develop splinter groups whose goals
may be divergent with those of the larger organization.
III. Reference Groups
A group used as a basis for comparison in making decisions or forming opinions is known as
reference group. Suppose, a newly hired employee might make decisions about what to wear
to work based on comparisons with the employee’s supervisor and supervisor’s peers. These
groups are benchmarks against which employees compare his or her values, beliefs, or
behaviors with those groups. Reference groups can be inside and outside the organization, for
example, family, coworkers, friends, and members of religious groups.
The person need not admire a group for it to serve as a reference group. Some reference
group Serves as a negative reference where in the employee tries to be unlike member of
these groups.
IV. Membership Groups
People who use a group as reference group are not necessarily group members. When aperson
does belong to a group, the group is called membership group or affiliation group for that person.

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In membership group, each member would be expected to contribute to the group’s wellbeing
and would enjoy the benefits arising from the group member’s friendship.
Characteristics of well-functioning groups:
o The atmosphere tends to be relaxed, comfortable, and informal.
o The group’s task is well understood and accepted by the members.
o The members listen to one another; most members participate in good deal to task-
relevant discussion.
o People express both their feelings and ideas.
o Conflicts and disagreements present and centered around ideas or methods, not
personalities or people.
o The group is aware and conscious of its own operation and function.
o Decisions are usually based on consensus, not majority vote.
o When actions are decided, clear assignments are made and accepted by members of
the group.
3.3.1. Teams as Groups
Teams are group of two or more people who interact and influence each other, are mutually
accountable for achieving common objectives, and perceive themselves as a social entity within
an organization. All teams exist to fulfill some purpose, such as assembling a product, providing
a service, or making an important decision. Team members are held together by their
interdependence ad need for collaboration to achieve common goals. All teams require some
form of communication so members can coordinate and share common objectives. Team
members also influence each other, although some members are more influential than others
regarding the team’s goals ad activities.
All teams are groups because they consist of people with a unifying relationship. But not all
groups are teams; some groups are just people assembled together. For example, employees, who
meet for the tea break or lunch, are rarely called teams because they have no purpose beyond
their social interaction. However, many people including professionals use the terms “group” and
“team” interchangeable.
In addition to the general types of groups identified earlier, it is useful to note special-purpose
groups occasionally formed by organizations. Committees and work groups are two common
types.

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a) Committees
Committees are very common in most organizations, and they offer an effective means of
managing group decision-making. A committee can defined as a group assembled to make a
decision, submit a recommendation, conduct an investigation, or solve a problem. Ad hoc
committees, standing committees, task forces, and boards are the most frequently used forms of
committee
i. Ad hoc Committees
An ad hoc committee is a committee created for a relatively narrow and short-run purpose,
although that purpose may be extremely important to the organization. For example, an ad hoc
committee might be appointed by the chief executive officer to evaluate a proposal to merge with
another company. An ad hoc committee might also be created to deal with routine problems such
as reviewing employee benefits package or listing new equipment needs by the organization.
When its purpose has been fulfilled, the ad hoc committee will be normally dissolved.
ii. Standing Committees
A standing committee, as the name implies, is a relatively permanent committee. The
membership of a standing committee is relatively long-term and stable. Some standing
committee, such as budget review committees, deal with the same set of issues on a continuous
basis. Others deal with a variety or problems. One special kind of a standing committee is the
executive (management) committee, which is composed of top mangers and primarily concerned
with strategy and policy.
b) Task Forces
In many ways, a taskforce is similar to an ad hoc committee. Is usually has a relatively narrow
purpose and a limited time horizon, but it also has some unique characteristics. First, a task force
is generally associated with the integration or coordination of activities between units. Task
forces often function to integrate units that are highly interdependent. Second, the membership of
a task force may change regularly as new skills and abilities are needed. Fro example, in its early
stages, a new-product-development task force many need production and engineering people to
develop technical specifications or cost estimates. Marketing people will become more important
later, as promotion and advertisement campaigns are planned.
c) Boards

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Boards are type of committee found in many organizations. Most private corporations have a
board of directors elected by the stockholders to oversee and guide top management. Members of
public organizations are mainly appointed by the government.
Advantages and disadvantages of committee
The advantages of committee decision over individual decisions include the availability of more
information; increased acceptance of the committee’s decisions, solution, or recommendations;
better communication; an (perhaps) improved accuracy of the decision.
Major disadvantages are that the deliberations of a committee can be quite lengthy and,
therefore, costly; too much compromising may occur; one person may dominate the process;,
and there is some possibility of the members to give way to groupthink.
d) Work Groups
A great deal of work in organizations is done by various kinds of work groups, such as operative
work groups, autonomous work groups, and teams.

i. Operative Work Groups

The operative work group is used when a group can do a particular job more efficiently than a set
of individuals can. For example, the maintenance of an airplane is best carried out by an
operative work group. Each group member has individual responsibilities, and coordination is
achieved by means of a common supervisor, let us say, the chief technician.

ii. Autonomous Work Group

The autonomous work group generally works more independently than the operative work
group. The members may rotate jobs among themselves and are rewarded for group rather than
individual performance. The group leader is seen more as a facilitator than as supervisor.
e) Teams
Teams bring together functional expertise from several areas to work a single project. Basically
creating a team involves selecting representatives from appropriate departments (such as finance,
marketing, and production) and assigning them to a particular project such as introducing a new
product.
3.4. Stages of Group Development

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Group members must resolve several issues and pass through several stages of development
before emerging as an effective work unit. They must get to know each other, understand their
respective roles, discover appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, and learn how to coordinate
their work or social activities. This is an ongoing process because teams change as new members
join and old members leave. Groups evolve and develop through the discrete stages of forming
storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
The five-stage model of group development (by Bruce Truman) shows that groups progress from
one stage to the next in an orderly fashion, but they might also fall back to an earlier stage of
development as new members join or other conditions disrupt the team’s maturity.
Stage 1: Forming
Forming is the first stage of group development. It is a period of testing and orientation in which
members learn about each other and evaluate the benefits and costs of continued membership.
People tend to be polite during this stage and will totally abide by the rules provides by the
existing authority of formal or informal leadership. Members experience a form of socialization
as they try to find out what is expected of them and how they will fit into the team.
Stage 2: Storming
During the sorting stage of group development, individual members become more proactive by
taking on specific roles and responsibilities. This stage is marked by interpersonal conflict as
members compete for leadership and other roles in the team. Members try to establish norms of
appropriate behavior and performance standards. This is a fragile stage in the group’s
development, particularly when the leader is autocratic and lacks the necessary conflict-
management skills.
Stage 3: Norming
During the norming stage, the group develops its first real sense of cohesion as roles are
established and a consensus forms around group objectives. Members have developed relatively
similar mental models, so they have common expectations and assumptions about how the
team’s goals should be accomplished. This common knowledge structure allows them to interact
more efficiently, so they can move into the next stage, performing.
Stage 4: Performing
The group becomes more task-oriented in the performing stage because it shifts from
establishing and maintaining relations to accomplishing its objectives. Group members have

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learned to coordinate their actions and to resolve conflicts more efficiently. Further coordination
improvements must occasionally be addressed, but the greater emphasis is on task
accomplishment. In high-performance teams, members are highly cooperative, have a high level
of trust in each other, are committed to group objectives, and identify with the team.
Stage 5: Adjourning
Most work teams and informal groups eventually end. Task forces disband when their project is
completed. Informal work groups reach this stage when several members leave the organization
or are reassigned elsewhere. Some teams adjourn as a result of layoffs or plant shutdowns.
3.5.Obstacles to Group Productivity
A group of employees is sometimes less productive than the same member of individuals
working alone. Managers should be aware of the obstacles to group productivity so that they can
look for ways to overcome them.
I) Breakdown in Role development
Sometimes the process of role development breaks down. Role structuring refers to the set of
roles and relationships among roles that has been accepted by group members. Breakdown with
such role structure may result in role conflict, role ambiguity, or role overload.
a) Role ambiguity- it occurs when a sent role is unclear or incomplete or when there is
uncertainty about the content of an expected role. To minimize such breakdown,
identifying roles and role expectations and encouraging group members to seek
feedback can be considered as a means.
b) Role conflict- when the sent role is incompatible. In addition, when there are
contradictory or mutually exclusive expectations concerning a person’s role(s).
It may take the form of:
a) Person-role conflict- means the requirements of a person’s role violate his or her
personal values, needs, and attitudes. This can occur when the group values and
expectations for behavior reflect a culture different from that of the individual.
b) Intra-role conflict- arises when different people’s expectations for a role
are incompatible. In other words, if an employee satisfies one person’s view of his/her
role, the employee will fall short of another person’s expectations.

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c) Inter-role conflict- occurs when the multiple role performed by a person involve
incompatible expectations. A common type of inter-role involves the combating
demands of being a spouse, parent, and employee.
To avoid or at least to minimize such role conflicts the organization has to do something.
The organization can limit it bay carefully structuring the organization in a way it takes
this issue in to account. In addition, it can seek to hire and retain employees whose values
and attitudes are consistent with the organization’s needs.
d) Role overload- a role structure is also weak when expected roles exceed group members’
abilities, a condition called a role overload occurred. Role overload involves
expectations that are excessive relative to a person’s abilities. It can arise from a
number of roles a person takes on. By matching assignments to group members’
abilities and by considering whether employees are expected to take on too many roles
such over load can be talked.
II. Groupthink
Over emphasis on consensus and agreement, leading to unwillingness to evaluate group
members’ ideas critically is known as groupthink. It is a barrier for effective decision making in
groups. It might occur because of the desire of members to suppress differences in their
viewpoints and to maintain conformity. In this case the group leader can inspire the members and
can create procedures and values that encourage diversity of viewpoints.
III. Social Loafing
When employees work as individuals, evaluating the contribution of each employee is relatively
easy. But when a group carries out a task, it is harder to attribute the group’s output to individual
contributions. Social loafing is doing less than the fair share of the work on the assumption that
group’s results will not indicate the individual’s failure to contribute. Obviously such sort of
behavior in the group pose obstacles to achieve a competitive advantage as well it decrease the
morale of those who try to take up the slack.
As a remedy, we can control social loafing by fostering norms and instituting controls that
discourage it. In other case, providing rewards for productive behavior and limiting it through
selection process that is by joining the group employees who are happy and satisfied can be
considered.
IV. Production blocking

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It refers to limiting another person’s output by getting in his or her way. It occurs when; too
many workers are trying to work in a given amount of space, organizations has poorly planned
the use of its facilities, and when the organization assigns more than the optimal number of
employees to carry out a task.
Production blocking gives an explanation for why individuals acting alone can generate more
ideas than a group engaged in brainstorming. Two people might have an idea at the same time
but only one person can speak at a time, this means the other must wait. Not only this slow down
the process, but people who are waiting to share ideas may forget them while they are listening
to the other.
Moreover, group productivity cal also affected by issues like organizational structure, authority
structure, formal rules and regulations, organizational resources, physical work setting and
group shift.

3.5. Increasing Group Productivity

Among the factors that can influence group productivity are the motivation of group members,
group cohesiveness, and the group’s communication structure.
1. Members Motivation
Effectively enhancing the motivation of group members can improve group productivity. Studies
have found that there are certain things that make productivity of the group greater such as
Group Goals; in this case, the performance of members is greater when there are specific and
challenging goals. In such case the group perform better jobs of planning how they would meet
the goal; pairing to this the members must believe they can achieve its goals. Reward structure-
refers to the way the organization structures its reward system, on the other side, can increase
productivity. There are two forms of reward structure: Cooperative group reward- this reward is
tied to the group’s overall performance with each individual receiving the same reward. The
problem with such system is id doesn’t recognize exceptional performance by individuals, but it
can bring about collaboration and integration. Competitive group reward – it is a system of
rewarding individual group members for successfully performing as individuals within the
group. Actually this system might undermine cooperation. In some instances membership can
also enhance motivation.
2. Cohesiveness

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It refers to the commitment of members to a group and strength of their desire to remain in the
group. Or it is an important indicator of how much influence the group as a whole has over the
individual members. It is the degree to which members are attracted to one another and share the
groups goals. Cohesiveness cause more harmonious behavior in group members. A cohesive
group is able to act as one body to achieve its goals. To bring cohesiveness in to a group a high
productivity norm should be encouraged. It entails making group participation rewarding. The
manager may limit the size of the group and involve group members in setting the group goals to
this effect as well. Members of highly cohesive groups are
- Energetic in group activities
- Less likely to be absent from group meeting
- Happy when the group successes and sad when it fails
On the other hand members of less cohesive groups are
- Less concerned about the groups activities
- Members are not dedicated to the group
- Its purposes, their loyalty and support are mediocre or variable
Moreover, those groups that are high in cohesion are likely to be groups
- That have relatively few members
- Members have similar interests and backgrounds
- Have a high degree of status within the organization
- Members have ready access to one another so that interpersonal communication is easy to
maintain
- Groups are physically remote or isolated from groups in the organization
- The leader rewards cooperative behavior
- Are pressured or threatened by some common outside force
- Have a history of past success
Factors that determine the degree to which a group is cohesive
a. Size – other things being equal, small group have a greater probability of being
cohesive than larger once.
b. Location – more near , high cohesive, more disperse –low cohesiveness
c. Outside pressure – external threats create higher bonds b/n members. In the face of
common enemy members forget their common differences and become cohesive.

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d. Status of the group- high status group are successful in achiving its goals tends to
have grater cohesiveness.
e. Success – there is nothing like success to increase group spritis and cohesiveness
f. Other reasons- like compatible goals – goals of the group and the members are
essentially alike and expressed in a clear language. Attractive leaders- the group has a
dynamic energetic leader, collective power – people join groups to obtain personal
power are also compel members to seek membership in well-knit groups.
It is not always true that highly cohesive groups are productive because cohesiveness is useful to
be productive and moderately it requires the real efforts of the members of all the group.
3. Communication structure
A group communication structure includes the direction in which communication flow within the
group and the media used for sending messages. Access to communication can enhance
productivity and managers must create an environment that encourages and recognizes
communication from employees regardless of individual differences. Communication media
group members can communicate through face-to-face, over phone and via e-mail and so on;
particularly, importance for a group Medias such as meeting, teleconferencing, and
videoconferencing. Communication networks- communication in organization (as well in groups
in organization) flows in pattern, called communication networks. The network may take the
form of wheel, chain, and circle or all-channel network.
4. Group size: the upper limit of the group size is usually specified by some rule of thumb.
Prescriptions in this connection vary from situation to situation. Generally the size of a group
depends to a large extent on the groups situation and purpose. However, some studies have
come up with definite numbers for example 7 is the ideal maximum for a decision making
group and is the maximum for a fact finding group. When we increase the number of group
size, the group effectiveness can be grown up but individual effectiveness might come
down/goes down. Means group productivity increases while individual productivity goes
down.
Number of relationships (R)= n(2n-1+ (n-1))
n=5/7 is effective as per the formula, R=100 relationships
Basically, effectiveness might be depends up on the size of the group and the size of the
group also depends up on the type of job they perform.

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5. Group status
It is a social rank means the rank which is given by the society. Status is important kinds
of cement that binds an organization together. Loss of status is more than loss of its
emoluments; it is more than loss of prestige. It is a serious injury to the personality.
Therefore, it is highly important to achieve status congruency in the organization. To
meet this objective, it is necessary to distribute the rewards according to the perceived
value of the skills demanded by the task. It may be two type.
Formal status:- it follows the formal hierarchical structure of the organization. It is based
on the superiors –subordinate relationships and it is closely related to the chain of
command.
Informal Status: it is also called the informal system. Here the value and norms of the
group determines the status of a particular member. This is a status may be informally
acquired by such as education, age, sex, skill or experience. Anything can have status
value if others in the group evaluate it as such.
6. Group Norms
Norm is a rule of conduct that has been established by group members to maintain
consistency in behavior. Or they are code of conduct or code of behavior. It tells an
individual how to behave in a group. Any norm will have the following features
- Norms summarize and simplify group influence process
- Norms apply only to behavior not to private thoughts and feelings
- Norms are generally developed only for behaviors which are viewed as important by
most group members
- Norms usually develop gradually but the process can be shortened if members so desire
- Not all norms apply to everyone.
Factors influencing conformance to norms
I) Personality factors
II) Situational factors-
 Group size – larger size higher conformity behavior
 Communication patterns – decentralized patterns enhance conformity
behavior
 Degree of group unanimity etc

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III) Inter group relationships

IV) Compatible goals- when group goals mesh with individual goals people are
quite willing to adhere to group norms of performance
Among the managers most important tasks are learning the norms of different groups, finding
out which are critical and which are not, and determining the degree of conformity needed and
degree of non-conformity allowed. Effective manager try to change norms that challenge the
accomplishment of organizational goals.

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