The Organization

• Group dynamics


  The social process by which people interact and behave in a group environment
• Group dynamics


  • Involves the influence of personality, power, and behavior on the group's processes
• Types of groups


  • Formal groups
  • Informal groups
• Formal groups


  Structured to pursue specific tasks, usually created to address persisting and long-term objectives, characterized by member appointment, delegated authority and responsibility
• Informal groups


  Groups that emerge naturally in response to organizational or member interests, can handle a particular situation or circumstance or come together to improve social and member relationships
• Considerations for forming formal groups

  • Group size
  • Group skills and performance
  • Group diversity
• Group size


  Small groups may be overwhelmed by the workload, while large groups are prone to conflict due to differing viewpoints
• Group skills and performance

  Groups must be created with considerations to time, resources, and relations to other groups. Members must be segregated according to their skills, relationships, and performance
• Group diversity


  Groups must be balanced according to tasks or objectives. Male-only groups accomplish tasks faster but may not be diverse enough, diverse groups may meet organization requirements but diversity may hamper performance
• Stages of group development

  • Forming
  • Storming
  • Norming
  • Performing
  • Adjourning
• Forming


  Occurs right after member assignment, members are preoccupied with familiarizing themselves with the task and to other members
• Storming


  Also called the counter-dependent stage, the most critical stage where the group encounters conflict as members confront and criticize each other and the approach the group is taking
• Norming


  Members start to resolve issues creating conflict and begin to develop social agreements and compromises, recognize their interdependence, develop group cohesion, and agree on what is normal
• Performing


  The group has sorted out its social structure and understands its goals and individual roles to be able to move forward in its tasks, mutual assistance and creativity become prominent
• Adjourning


  Occurring during the completion or continued success in fulfilling its tasks, the group will resort to some form of event that includes rites and rituals
• Group functions


  • Task functions
  • Maintenance behavior
  • Self-interest behavior
• Task functions


  • Initiating
  • Information-seeking
  • Information-giving
  • Clarification
  • Closure
  • Consensus testing
• Maintenance behavior


  • Encouraging
  • Consensus creation
  • Harmonizing
  • Compromising
  • Gatekeeping
  • Standard setting
• Self-interest behavior


  • Domination
  • Blocking
  • Manipulation
  • Belittling
  • Splitting hairs
• Organizational culture


  The underlying beliefs, assumptions, values and ways of interacting that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization
• Types of organizational culture

  • Person culture
  • Market culture
  • Adaptive culture
  • Adhocracy culture
  • Power culture
  • Role culture
  • Hierarchy culture
  • Task culture
• Person culture


  Horizontal structures are most applicable, each is seen as more valuable than the organization itself
• Market culture


  Results-oriented, with a focus on competition, achievement, and "getting the job done"
• Adaptive culture


  Values change and is action-oriented, increasing the likelihood of survival through time
• Adhocracy culture


  Dynamic and entrepreneurial, with a focus on risk-taking, innovation, and doing things first
• Power culture


  Persons making decisions and strategies within groups, requires strong deference to the person/s in charge
• Role culture


  Involves the creation of the groups' functional structures, delegating individual jobs, reporting to superiors, and valuing efficiency and accuracy above all else
• Hierarchy culture


  Similar to role cultures, but have more focus on efficiency, stability, and correctness
• Task culture


  Involves the formation of groups with specific expert members to solve particular problems
• Guidelines for culture change in an organization

  • Formulate a clear strategic vision
  • Display commitment
  • Model culture change at the highest level
  • Modify the organization/group to support change
  • Select and socialize newcomers and terminate deviants
  • Develop ethical and legal sensitivity
• Six steps to manage a potential conflict

  1. Diagnose the situation

  2. Involve all parties

  3. Collect all information

  4. Reinforce agreements

  5. Negotiate disagreements

  6. Solidify agreements