GROUP STRUCTURE

GROUP STRUCTURE

  16:55    Rahul R

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Group Structure

Work groups have an internal structure that shapes members’ behavior and makes it possible to explain, predict, and influence a large portion of individual behavior within the group as well as the performance of the group itself

Roles

•          A role refers to behavior patterns expected of someone occupying a given position in a social unit.

•          These roles tend to be oriented toward either task accomplishments or toward maintaining group member satisfaction

•          When an individual is confronted by different role expectations, he/she experiences role conflict

•          Role Identity: there are certain attitudes and actual behaviors consistent with a role, and they create the role identity

•          Role perception: our view of how we are supposed to act in a given situation.

•          Role expectations: how others believe you should act in a given situation.

•          Role conflicts: when an individual is confronted with divergent role expectations the result is role conflict

Norms

•          Norms are standards or expectations that are accepted and shared by a group’s members

•          Norms dictate factors such as work output levels, absenteeism, promptness, and the amount of socializing allowed on the job

Status Systems

•          Status is a prestige grading, position, or rank within a group

•          All organizations have at least two status structures.

•          Formal system follows the hierarchical structure of the organization

•           informal system is one where the values and norms of the group determine status of a particular member

Group Size

•          Small groups are faster at completing tasks than are larger ones

•          Social loafing is the tendency for an individual to expand less effort when working collectively than when working individually

•          Efficiency will decline when individuals think that their contributions can’t be measured

Group Cohesiveness

•          Cohesiveness is the degree to which members are attracted to a group and share the group’s goals

•          Highly cohesive groups are more productive than are the less cohesive ones

Group Processes

•          The communication pattern used by members to exchange information, group decision processes, power dynamics, conflict interactions

Group Decision Making

•          Advantages

–        Generate more complete information and knowledge

–        Generate more diverse alternatives

–        Increase acceptance of a solution

–        Increase legitimacy

•          Disadvantages

–        Time consuming

–        Minority domination

–        Pressure to conform

–        Ambiguous responsibility