Chapter 5 HumanB

• Group


  Two or more persons, interacting and interdependent
• Groups classified


  • Formal group
  • Informal group
• Formal group


  Defined by the organization structure, with designated work assignments and establish task
• Informal group


  Not formally structured nor organizationally determined
• Interest group


  Formed because of some special topic interest, the group disbands when the interest declines or a goal has been achieved
• Friendship group


  Members are bought together because they share one or more common characteristics such as age, political beliefs, or ethics background
• Command group


  A group of individuals who report directly to a certain manager
• Task group


  Consisting of persons working together to complete the job
• Reasons why people form groups

  • Need of satisfaction
  • Proximity
  • Attraction
  • Goals
  • Economics
• Stages of group development

  1. Forming stage

  2. Storming stage

  3. Norming stage

  4. Performing stage

  5. Adjourning stage
• Forming stage


  Initial entry of members to a group is a primary concern. Members are eager to learn what tasks they will be performing, how they can benefit from group membership, what constitute acceptable behavior, and what rules must be followed
• Storming stage


  Conflict within the group happens. Members get involved in competition for desired assignments, disagreements over appropriate behaviors, and responsibilities related to task performance. Coalitions or cliques may form
• Norming stage


  Also known as initial integration stage, when the group really begins to come together as coordinated unit. Cooperation and collaboration are its main characteristics. Members feel a preliminary of closeness
• Performing stage


  The group emerges as a mature, organized, and well-functioning group, and it is ready to focus on accomplishing its key task. Referred as total integration stage. Intrinsic and creativity are likely to emerge as the group perform
• Adjourning stage


  Involves the termination of activities. Applicable to temporary groups such as committee, project groups, task forces, and similar entities. Group activities that triggered termination: Groups purpose has been fulfilled, Group has failed to revitalized itself during the performing stage
• Roles within the group

  • Knowledge contributor
  • Process observer
  • People supporter
  • Challenger
  • Listener
  • Take-charge leader
  • Gatekeeper
  • Mediator
• Knowledge contributor


  Provides useful and valid information
• Process observer


  Forces members to look at how group functions
• People supporter


  Provides emotional support to teammates and resolve conflicts
• Challenger


  Confronts and challenges bad ideas and regarded as a part of problem solving process
• Listener


  Listens to whatever ideas or proposal presented by any member of the group
• Take-charge leader


  With the leader, the group can then move forward by defining its mission and determining its objectives
• Gatekeeper


  Provides the opportunity for every member to express his or her opinion. Also reminds every member about good ideas that were recognized previously
• Mediator


  Assumes the role of mediator to avoid disputes between each other
• Advantages of group work

  • Synergism is more likely when people work together as a group
  • More inputs from various perspective can be made available for effective decision making
  • People in the group are more supportive of decision that were formulated with their assistance
  • It allows the efficient exchange of information for effective problem solving
  • The opportunity for fulfilling the safety, affiliation, and esteem needs of group members is made available
  • Group members get mutual support from each other
• Disadvantages of group work

  • Group meetings are held to disseminate strictly routine data that could be more efficiently conveyed in writing through interoffice memorandum
  • The group decision may be diluted by every member input making the decision ineffective
  • Group activity is usually slower and more cumbersome
  • Accountability is often a problem with group activity
  • When the group is highly cohesive and outside criticism
• Groupthink


  Deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment in the interest of group cohesiveness
• How to minimize groupthink


  • Monitoring group size
  • Encouraging group leader to play an important role
  • Appointing a member to play the role of devil's advocate
  • Using exercises that stimulates active discussion of diverse alternative without threatening the group
• Interacting group


  Groups in which members interact with each other face to face. This technique is its susceptibility of "groupthink"
• Brainstorming


  Group problem-solving technique which promotes creativity by encouraging members to come up with any ideas, no matter how strange, without fear of criticism
• Nominal group technique


  Group decision-making method in which individual members meet face-to-face to proof their judgments in a systematic but independent fashion
• Electronic meeting


  Decision-making technique wherein members interact through computers allowing anonymity comments and aggregation of votes. This technique distinct the advantages of anonymity, honesty and speed
• Work team


  A formal group comprised of people interacting very closely together with a shared commitment to accomplish agreed-upon objectives
• Work group


  One that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each member perform within his or her area of responsibility
• Team


  Emphasize shared leadership, mutual accountability, and collective work products
• Types of teams


  • Cross-functional teams
  • Virtual teams
  • Problem solving team
  • Self-managed work team
• Cross-functional teams


  Composed of employees from about the same hierarchical levels, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task
• Virtual teams


  Use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal
• Problem solving team


  Composed of 5 to 12 employees from the same department who meet for few hours each week to improve quality, efficiency, and work environment
• Self-managed work team


  Empowered to make decisions about work schedules, task allocations, job skills training, performance evaluation, selection of new team members, and controlling quality of work