Download (1) differentiate between formal and informal groups

Chapter 3
Groups in the Organization
1. Foundations of Group
Behavior
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(1) differentiate between formal and informal
groups
(2) explain why people join groups
(3) describe how role requirements change in
different situations
(4) explain the importance of the Hawthorne
studies
(5) describe the importance of the Asch studies
(6) identify the implications of social loafing
(7) outline the benefits and disadvantages of
cohesive groups
(8) explain the effect of diversity on group
performance
(9) contrast groupthink and groupshift
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Madness is the exception in
individual but the rule in groups.
—— Nietzsche
1.1 defining and classifying groups
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A group is defined as two or
more individuals, interacting and
interdependent, who come
together to achieve particular
objectives.
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Groups can be either formal or informal.
By formal groups, we mean defined by the
organization’s structure, with designated
work assignments establishing tasks and
work groups.
Informal groups are alliances that are
neither structured nor organizationally
determined. These groups form naturally as
responses to the need for social contact.
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Command group
Task group
Interest group
Friendship group
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Why do people join group?
• Security
• Status
• Self- esteem
• Affiliation
• Power
• Goal achievement
1.2 basic group concepts
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1.2.1 Roles
All the world’s a stage, and all the
men and women merely players.
—— shakespeare
We mean a set of expected
behavior patterns that are
attributes to someone occupying
a given position in a social unit.
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Role identity（角色认同）
Certain attitudes and behaviors consistent
with a role.
Role perception（角色知觉）
An individual’s view of how he or she is
supposed to act in a given situation.
Role expectation（角色期望）
How others believe a person should act in s
given situation.
• Psychological contract
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Role conflict（角色冲突）
A situation in which an individual is
confronted by divergent role expectations.
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An experiment: Zimbardo’s
Prison Experiment
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1.2.2 Norms
There are acceptable standards of
behavior within a group that shared
by the group’s members.
Each group will establish its own set
of norms.
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The Hawthorne Studies
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1.2.3 Conformity （从众）
Groups can place strong pressure on
individual members to change their
attitudes and behaviors to conform
to the group’s standard.
Reference groups（参照性群体）
the important groups
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The Asch Studies
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1.2.4 Cohesiveness（凝聚力）
The degree to which members are
attracted to each other and are
motivates to stay in the groups.
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Performance- related norms
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Relationship of cohesiveness to
productivity
Exhibit 7-3
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1.2.5 Size（规模）
Small group——completing task
doing something
productive with that input
Large group——gaining diverse input
fact- finding
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Social loafing（社会惰化）
is the tendency for individuals to
expend less effort when working
collectively than when working
individually.
Max Ringelmann
Rope- pulling task
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Increases in group size are inversely
related to individual performance.
the dispersion or responsibility
（责任分散）
There will be a reduction in efficiency
when individuals think that their
contribution cannot be measured.
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Social facilitation （社会助长）
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1.2.6 status （地位）
Is a prestige grading, position, or
rank within a group.
Anything can have status value if
others in the group see it as statusconferring.
Informal status is not necessarily less
important that the formal variety.
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incur
Status —— Norms
High-status people also better able to
resist conformity pressures than their
lower-status peers.
It’s also important for group members to
believe the status hierarchy is equitable.
Status —— equitable
People expect rewards to be proportionate to costs incurred.
Heterogeneous individual （异质个体）
Heterogeneous groups（异质群体）
Status —— culture
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1.2.7 group decision making
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Two heads are better than one.
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Many decisions in organizations are
made by groups, teams, or committees.
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(1)the individual vs the group
Individual --- plus
• speed
• clear accountability
• consistent values
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Group --- plus
• more complete information and knowledge
• increased diversity or view
• higher quality decisions
• increased acceptance of a solution
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Effectiveness VS efficiency
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Groups
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more alternatives
more creative
more accurate
produce higher-quality decisions
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(2) groupthink and groupshift
Groupthink
Four characteristics
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Five variables
• the group’s cohesiveness
• its leader’s behavior
• its insulation from outsiders
• time pressure
• failure to follow methodical decisionmaking procedures
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Groupshift（群体偏移）
In some case, the group decisions
are more cautious than individual
decisions. More often, the shift is
toward greater risk.
The group discussion tends to
exaggerate the initial position of the
group.
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• familiarization--bolder and more daring
• diffuses responsibility
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1.2.8 Group decision- making
technique
Interacting groups（互动群体）
Brainstorming（头脑风暴）
Nominal group technique（名义小组技
术）
Electronic meetings（电子会议）
Delphi Method（德尔菲法-专家调查法）
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Implications