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SYNOPSIS
Interpersonal dynamics are a pervasive element of all organizations. Interpersonal relations can vary
from positive to negative and from personal to professional. Numerous outcomes can result from various forms
of interpersonal relations, including different levels of need satisfaction, social support, synergy, performance,
and conflict.
A group is two or more people who interact so as to influence one another. It is important to study
groups because they can profoundly affect individual behavior and because the behavior of individuals in a group
is key to the group’s success or failure. The work group is the primary means by which managers coordinate
individual behavior to achieve organizational goals. Individuals form or join groups because they expect to
satisfy personal needs.
Groups may be differentiated on the bases of relative permanence and degree of formality. The three
types of formal groups are command, task, and affinity groups. Friendship and interest groups are the two types
of informal groups. Command groups are relatively permanent work groups established by the organization and
usually are specified on an organization chart. Task groups, although also established by the organization, are
relatively temporary and exist only until the specific task is accomplished. Affinity groups are formed by the
organization, are composed of employees at the same level and doing similar jobs, and come together regularly
to share information and discuss organizational issues. In friendship groups, the affiliation among members
arises from close social relationships and the enjoyment that comes from being together. The common bond in
interest groups is the activity in which the members engage.
Groups develop in four stages: mutual acceptance, communication and decision making, motivation
and productivity, and control and organization. Although the stages are sequential, they may overlap. A group
that does not fully develop within each stage will not fully mature as a group, resulting in lower group
performance.
Four additional factors affect group performance: composition, size, norms, and cohesiveness. The
homogeneity of the people in the group affects the interactions that occur and the productivity of the group. The
effect of increasing the size of the group depends on the nature of the group’s tasks and the people in the group.
Norms help people function and relate to one another in predictable and efficient ways. Norms serve four
purposes: They facilitate group survival, simplify and make more predictable the behaviors of group members,
help the group avoid embarrassing situations, and express the central values of the group and identify the group
to others.
To comprehend intergroup dynamics, we must understand the key characteristics of groups: that each
group is unique, that the specific organizational setting influences the group, and that the group’s task and setting
have an effect on group behavior. The five bases of intergroup interactions determine the characteristics of the
interactions among groups, including their frequency, how much information is exchanged, and what type of
interaction occurs.
Interactions among work groups involve some of the most complex relationships in organizations. They
are based on five factors: location, resources, time and goal interdependence, task uncertainty, and task
interdependence. Being physically near one another naturally increases groups’ opportunities for interactions. If
groups use the same or similar resources, or if one group can affect the availability of the resources needed by
another group, the potential for frequent interactions increases. The nature of the tasks groups perform, including
time and goal orientation, the uncertainties of group tasks, and group interdependencies, influences how groups
interact.
Group decision making involves problems as well as benefits. One possible problem is group
polarization, the shift of members’ attitudes and opinions to a more extreme position following group discussion.
Another difficulty is groupthink, a mode of thinking in which the urge toward unanimity overrides the critical
appraisal of alternatives. Yet another concern involves employee participation in decision making. The
appropriate degree of participation depends on the characteristics of the situation.