8: Foundations of Group Behavioreclass.teiion.gr/modules/document/file.php/DE-DE165... · Web viewFoundations of Group Behavior Click on the title to access video teaching notes

Chapter 8 Foundations of Group Behavior Page

Chapter 8Foundations of Group BehaviorClick on the title to access video teaching notes.

Chapter Overview

The text thus far has been dealing with individual behavior. Another important component of OB is group behavior. This chapter and the next will focus on how groups work and how to create effective teams.

Chapter Objectives

After studying this chapter, the student should be able to:1. Define group and differentiate between types of groups. 2. Identify the five stages of group development3. Show how role requirements change in different situations. 4. Demonstrate how norms and status exert influence on an individual’s behavior. 5. Contrast the strengths and weaknesses of group decision-making. 6. Evaluate evidence for cultural differences in group status and social loafing as well

as the effects of diversity in groups.

Suggested Lecture Outline

I. INTRODUCTIONA. While understanding individual behavior is important, most work takes place in

group settings. B. It is important for an effective manager to understand how people work in groups,

and how to create effective teams. II. DEFINING AND CLASSIFYING GROUPS

A. Types of Groups. There are many different types of groups. Being able to accurately define and classify the groups may help explain their behavior.1. Group: two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who come

together to achieve particular objectives. 2. The two basic types and their subtypes are:

a. Formal Groups : groups that are defined by the organization's structure with designated work assignments that establish tasks. 1) In these groups, acceptable behaviors are stipulated by, and directed

toward, organizational goals.2) Command Group: determined by the organization chart, composed of

individuals who report directly to a given manager.3) Task Groups: also organizationally determined, these groups are

comprised of people working together to complete a job task.

Copyright ©2012 Pearson Education Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

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a) This group's boundaries are not limited to its immediate hierarchical superior; it can span multiple functional and command relationship lines.

b) All command groups are task groups, but the reverse need not be true.

b. Informal Groups : alliances that are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined. 1) Informal groups are natural formations in the work environment that

appear in response to the need for social contact.2) Interest Group: people may affiliate to attain in a specific objective of

shared interest. a) It is the formation of a united body to further its own common

interests.3) Friendship Groups: groups that form because the individual members

have one or more common characteristics. a) These social alliances, which frequently extend outside the work

situation, can be based on a similar demographic or sports/hobby interest.

B. Group Joining Behavior. 1. There is no single reason why individuals join groups. 2. Because people do belong to a number of different groups, it

appears obvious that each group provides different benefits to their members.3. Exhibit 8-1 provides some of the most popular reasons people

give for joining groups.III. STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT

A. Groups generally pass through a standardized sequence of five developmental stages in their evolution. 1. While not all groups follow this pattern, it’s a useful

framework for understanding group development.B. The Five-Stage Model.

1. These progressive steps characterize the growth of groups.a. Forming. Characterized by a great deal of uncertainty

about the group’s purpose, structure, and leadership. 1) Members experiment to determine which behaviors are acceptable. 2) The stage is complete when members think of themselves as part of a

group.b. Storming. This stage is full of intragroup conflict as members resist the

constraints the group imposes upon them and determine leadership. 1) When complete, the team will have a relatively clear hierarchy of group

leadership.c. Norming. The group is cohesive and develops close relationships with a

strong sense of group identity and camaraderie. 1) Stage is complete when the group structure solidifies and the group has

assimilated a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behavior.

d. Performing. Finally, group energy moves toward performing their assigned task. 1) The group structure is fully functional and accepted.


Exhibit 8.1

Exhibit 8.2

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e. Adjourning. While permanent groups may not ever make it to this stage, temporary groups do. 1) In this stage, the group prepares to disband and perhaps join other

groups.2. Many interpreters of the five-stage model have assumed a

group becomes more effective as it progresses through the first four stages. a. Although this may be generally true, what makes a group effective is actually

more complex.b. Under some conditions, high levels of conflict may be conducive to high

group performance.1) So we might expect to find situations in which groups in stage II

outperform those in stage III or IV. c. Nor do groups always proceed clearly from one stage to the next.

1) Sometimes, in fact, several stages go on simultaneously, as when groups are storming and performing at the same time.

2) Groups even occasionally regress to previous stages. d. Therefore, even the strongest proponents of this model do not assume all

groups follow its five-stage process precisely or that Stage IV is always preferable.

IV. GROUP PROPERTIES: ROLES, NORMS, STATUS, SIZE, AND COHESIVENESSA. In order to understand workgroups, it is important that we

realize that the behavior of the members is shaped by the properties of the workgroups. 1. Those workgroup properties allow us to explain and predict a large portion of

individual behavior within the group as well as the performance of the group itself.

B. Group Property 1: Roles. 1. Roles are the set of expected behavior patterns attributed

to someone occupying a given position in a social unit. a. Typically, people are required to play a number of

diverse roles, both on and off the job, which makes the understanding of role behavior more difficult.

b. There are four ways to examine roles:1) Role Identity.

a) The attitudes and actual behaviors consistent with a given role. b) People can shift roles rapidly when they recognize the situation and

its demands clearly require major changes (Zimbardo’s prison experiment at Stanford).

2) Role Perception. a) The view of how a person is supposed to act in a given situation. b) The interpretation of how an individual believes he or she is

supposed to behave will determine behavior.c) Perceptions can be gained through the media, direct experience, or

observation. d) When the role perceptions come together, they often form a role

identity.3) Role Expectations.


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a) How others believe a person should act in a given situation. b) Behavior is largely determined by the role as defined in the context

in which a person is acting. c) Role identities often lead to role expectations.

4) Role Conflict. a) When multiple role expectations are incompatible, individuals

experience conflict. b) Role conflict exists when an individual finds that compliance with

one role’s requirements makes it more difficult to comply with another role's requirements.

C. Group Property 2: Norms. 1. Norms are the acceptable standards of behavior as shaped

by the group's members. 2. When accepted by the group's members, norms act as a

powerful means of influencing the behavior of group, especially in the area of performance (performance norms).

3. The Hawthorne Studies. The importance of norms in influencing worker behavior grew out of a series of studies undertaken at Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne Works in Chicago from 1924 through 1932. a. The initial study determined that increases in productivity were caused by

the fact that the groups were receiving more attention because they were observed, not by changes in the environmental conditions (lighting).

b. In a follow-on study, dealing with pay-for-performance, researchers discovered that workers do not maximize individual economic rewards, but as a group, establish and maintain the norm of a “proper day’s work” level of output. 1) This also included strongly enforced norms of not creating too much or

too little output or “squealing” to supervisors – enforced by sarcasm or punches.

4. Conformity. In order to be accepted, an individual will often change his or her behavior or opinion to conform to the group.a. Reference Groups .

1) While an individual cannot conform to the norms of all groups, he or she is most likely to try to conform to the norms of reference groups.

2) These are groups in which a person is aware of other members; defines himself or herself as a member, (or would like to be a member); and feels that the group members are significant to him or her.

b. Asch Studies . 1) In the set of classic studies by Solomon Asch, effects

of conformity were demonstrated. 2) When the subjects of the experiment were shown

lines of unequal length in the presence of a group who claimed that the lines were of equal length, 75% of the subjects gave at least one answer that conformed, even though they knew it was wrong. However, these experiments are 50 years old and culture-bound: the pressures to conform may not be as strong today as they were then.


Exhibit 8.3

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5. Deviant Workplace Behavior (also called Antisocial Behavior or Workplace Incivility). a. Like norms in general, individual employees’ antisocial

actions are shaped by the group context within which they work. 1) Evidence demonstrates that antisocial behavior exhibited by a work

group is a significant predictor of an individual’s antisocial behavior at work.

2) In other words, deviant workplace behavior is likely to flourish where it’s supported by group norms.

b. Workers who socialize either at or outside work with people who are frequently absent from work are more likely to be absent themselves. 1) What this means for managers is that when deviant workplace norms

surface, employee cooperation, commitment, and motivation are likely to suffer.

2) This, in turn, can reduce employee productivity and job satisfaction and increase turnover.

c. Someone who ordinarily wouldn’t engage in deviant behavior might be more likely to do so when working in a group. 1) A recent study suggests those working in a group were more likely to lie,

cheat, and steal than individuals working alone. a) As shown in Exhibit 8.4, in this study, no

individual working alone lied, but 22 percent of those working in groups did.

b) Those working in groups also were more likely to cheat on a task (55 percent versus 23 percent of individuals working alone) and steal (29 percent compared to 10 percent working alone).

d. Groups provide a shield of anonymity, so someone who might ordinarily be afraid of getting caught can rely on the fact that other group members had the same opportunity, creating a false sense of confidence that may result in more aggressive behavior.

e. Thus, deviant behavior depends on the accepted norms of the group—or even whether an individual is part of a group.

D. Group Property 3: 1. Status.

a. Status is a socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others. 1) Even the smallest group will develop roles, rights, and rituals to

differentiate its members. 2) Status is a significant motivator and has major behavioral consequences

when individuals perceive a disparity between what they believe their status to be and what others perceive it to be.

2. What Determines Status? a. According to this theory, status develops into a hierarchy, and tends to be

derived from one of three sources:1) Power : the power of person wields over others. The more power

(control of resources) that an individual has, the higher his or her status.


Exhibit 8.4

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2) Ability : a person's ability to contribute to a group’s goals. People whose contributions are critical to the group success also tend to have high status.

3) Characteristics : an individual's personal traits. When a group positively values certain personal characteristics, people who carry those traits receive high status.

3. Status and Norms. a. High status members of groups often have more

freedom to deviate from norms than do low status members.

b. High status members are also better able to resist conformity pressures, as they are less likely to be motivated by the need for social rewards.

4. Status and Group Interaction. a. The interactions among members of a group are influenced by status. b. High status people tend to be more assertive, while lower status members

are more likely to be less active participants in discussions. c. The situation may result in a lower diversity of ideas and creativity.

E. Group Property 4: Size. 1. Group size does affect the group's overall behavior, but it is

contingent upon which dependent variables are being examined.

2. Smaller groups complete tasks faster and their individuals perform better, but larger groups consistently do better in problem solving.

3. Group size affects:a. Social Loafing: the tendency for individuals to expend

less effort when working collectively than when working individually. 1) As demonstrated by Max Ringlemann, a group’s effort is not equal to the

sum of the efforts of individuals within that group. 2) Group performance does increase with group size, but the addition of

new members of the group has diminishing returns on productivity.3) Causes of Social Loafing.

a) There are a number of possible causes of social loafing. b) Equity theory would indicate that when an individual and the group

believes that he or she is working harder than the other group members, that individual will reduce effort to match that of the group.

c) Another explanation may be the dispersion of responsibility: because the results of a group cannot be attributed to any single individual, the relationship between an individual's input and the group's output is clouded and difficult to measure.

4) Preventing Social Loafing. While there is no magic bullet, these four suggestions will help minimize its effect:a) Set group goals so that the group had a common purpose.b) Increase intergroup competition (increases focus on shared

outcomes).c) Engage in peer evaluation.


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d) Distribute group rewards by partially basing them on each member’s unique contributions.

F. Group Property 5: Cohesiveness. 1. Cohesiveness is the degree to which members are attracted

to each other and are motivated to stay in the group. 2. Cohesiveness is important because it is been found to be related to the group's

productivity. 3. Groups may become more cohesive when they spend a lot of time together, the

group size is small, or the group has experienced external threats.4. Cohesiveness and Productivity.

a. Performance-related norms established by the group are the key moderating variable between cohesiveness and productivity.

b. If performance-related norms are high and the group is cohesive, they will be more productive than a less cohesive group.

c. However, a cohesive group with low performance norms will experience low productivity.

5. Encouraging Cohesiveness. a. The following methods may increase group

cohesiveness:1) Decrease the size of the group.2) Encourage group members to agree with the group's goals.3) Increase the time members spend together.4) Increase the status of the group and the perceived difficulty of obtaining

membership in that group.5) Stimulate competition with other groups.6) Give rewards to the group rather than to individual members.7) Physically isolate the group.

V. GROUP DECISION-MAKINGA. Groups versus the Individual.

1. Whether or not a group’s decisions are better than an individual’s decisions depends on a number of factors.

2. To understand the group decision-making, we must examine its strengths and weaknesses.

B. Strengths of Group Decision-Making. 1. The use of groups in decision-making provides the following

benefits:a. Generates more complete information and knowledge.b. Offers increased diversity of views.c. Increases the acceptance of the solution.

2. Weaknesses of Group Decision-Making:a. Typically, it takes more time to reach a solution.b. Greater conformity pressures exist.c. Discussion can be dominated by one or a few members.d. Ambiguous responsibility decreases accountability.

3. Effectiveness and Efficiency. a. Effectiveness.


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1) Whether or not group decisions are more effective than are those of an individual depends on the criteria used for defining effectiveness.

2) Accuracy: group decisions are generally more accurate than that of the average individual in the group, but less accurate than the judgments of the most accurate group member.

3) Speed: individual decision-making is much faster than group decision-making.

4) Creativity: groups tend to be more creative than are individuals.5) Degree of acceptance: group decisions tend to be more readily accepted

than are those of an individual.b. Efficiency.

1) Groups are far less efficient than are individual decision-makers. 2) In deciding whether to use a group, consideration should be given to

assessing whether increases in effectiveness more than offset the reductions in efficiency.

C. Groupthink and Groupshift. 1. These two phenomena of group decision-making have the potential to affect

the group's ability to appraise alternatives subjectively and to arrive at quality decision solutions.

2. Groupthink: a. This occurs when group members become so enamored

of seeking concurrence with the norm that the desire for consensus overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action and limits the full expression of deviant, minority, or unpopular views.

b. It describes a deterioration of an individual's mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment as a result of group pressures.

c. Symptoms of Groupthink.1) Group members rationalize away any resistance to the assumptions

they have made, no matter how strong the evidence may be that those assumptions are incorrect.

2) Members apply direct pressures on those who momentarily express doubts about any of the group’s shared views or who question the validity of arguments supporting the alternative favored by the majority.

3) Members who have doubts or hold differing points of view keep silent about their misgivings and may even internally minimize the importance of their doubts.

4) The illusion of unanimity: unless a group member speaks out, his or her silence is taken as concurrence.

5) Groupthink appears closely aligned with the conclusions Asch drew in his experiments with a lone dissenter.a) Individuals who hold a position different from that of the dominant

majority are under pressure to suppress, withhold, or modify their true feelings and beliefs.

b) As members of a group, we find it more pleasant to be in agreement—to be a positive part of the group—than to be a disruptive force, even if disruption is necessary to improve the effectiveness of the group’s decisions.


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d. Minimizing Groupthink. 1) First, they can monitor group size.

a) People grow more intimidated and hesitant as group size increases, and, although there is no magic number that will eliminate groupthink, individuals are likely to feel less personal responsibility when groups get larger than about ten members.

2) Managers should also encourage group leaders to play an impartial role. a) Leaders should actively seek input from all members and avoid

expressing their own opinions, especially in the early stages of deliberation.

3) In addition, managers should appoint one group member to play the role of devil’s advocate; this member’s role is to overtly challenge the majority position and offer divergent perspectives.

4) Still another suggestion is to use exercises that stimulate active discussion of diverse alternatives without threatening the group and intensifying identity protection. a) One such exercise is to have group members delay discussion of

possible gains so they can first talk about the dangers or risks inherent in a decision.

5) Requiring members to first focus on the negatives of an alternative makes the group less likely to stifle dissenting views and more likely to gain an objective evaluation.

3. Group Shift or Group Polarization. a. There are differences between group decisions and the

individual decisions of group members. 1) Sometimes group decisions are more conservative. 2) More often, they lean toward greater risk. What appears to happen in

groups is that the discussion leads members toward a more extreme view of the position they already held.

3) Conservatives become more cautious, and more aggressive types take on more risk.

b. The group discussion tends to exaggerate the initial position of the group.c. We can view group polarization as a special case of groupthink.

1) The group’s decision reflects the dominant decision-making norm that develops during discussion.

2) Whether the shift in the group’s decision is toward greater caution or more risk depends on the dominant pre-discussion norm.

d. The shift toward risk has generated several explanations. 1) It’s been argued, for instance, that discussion makes the members more

comfortable with each other and, thus, more bold and daring. 2) Another argument is that the group diffuses responsibility.

a) Group decisions free any single member from accountability for the group’s final choice, so greater risks can be taken.

b) It’s also likely that people take on extreme positions because they want to demonstrate how different they are from the outgroup.


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3) People on the fringes of political or social movements take on more and more extreme positions just to prove they are really committed to the cause.

4) So how should you use the findings on groupshift? a) Recognize that group decisions exaggerate the initial position of the

individual members, b) Recognize that the shift has been shown more often to be toward

greater risk, and c) Recognize that which way a group will shift is a function of the

members’ pre-discussion inclinations.D. Group Decision-Making Techniques.

1. One of the most common forms that groups take when making decisions is that of interacting groups.

2. The techniques presented below are designed to reduce many of the problems inherent in the traditional interacting group.a. Interacting Groups: groups in which the members meet face-to-face and

rely on both verbal and nonverbal interaction to communicate with each other.

b. Brainstorming. 1) It can overcome the pressures for conformity that dampen creativity by

encouraging any and all alternatives while withholding criticism .2) This somewhat ineffective technique does not lead to a solution, and

may in fact lead to fewer creative alternatives than an individual could come up with, due to production blocking (distractions to thought caused by the technique itself).

c. Nominal Group Technique (NGT). 1) This technique restricts discussion or interpersonal communication

during the decision-making process. a) This is why it is referred to as a "nominal" (in name only) group

technique.2) Group members are all physically present, but operate independently.3) A problem is presented and the following steps take place.

a) Each member independently writes down ideas on the problem without discussing it in the group.

b) Sequentially, each member will present one idea to the group until all ideas have been presented and recorded. No discussion is allowed until all ideas have been recorded.

c) Group discusses ideas for clarity and evaluates them.d) Each group member silently and independently rank orders the

ideas. e) The idea with the highest aggregate ranking determines the final

decision.4) The use of NGT does not restrict independent thinking; groups that use

this technique tend to outperform brainstorming groupsV. GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS

A. Status and Culture. 1. Cultural differences affect status.


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2. The relative importance, external signs, and derivation of status vary dramatically.

3. Managers must be aware of the differences.B. Social Loafing.

1. Consistent in individualistic cultures that are dominated by self-interest, but do not appear consistently in collectivistic societies.

C. Group Diversity. 1. Diversity (cultural or demographic) often leads to increased group conflict,

lower morale, and withdrawal behaviors. 2. However, these diverse groups tend to perform better once they get over their

initial conflicts. 3. The assumption is that surface-level diversity (overt characteristic differences)

cues group members to be open-minded and accept differences of opinion, which lead to superior outcomes

VI. IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGERSA. Performance. A number of group properties show a relationship

to performance. 1. There is a positive relationship between role perception and

an employee's performance evaluation. 2. When group norms support high output, managers can expect individual

performance to be markedly higher than when group norms aim to restrict output.

3. Group norms that support antisocial behavior increase the likelihood that individuals will engage in deviant workplace activities.

4. Status inequities can increase frustration and adversely influence productivity and turnover.

5. Group size has an impact on both group effectiveness and efficiency. 6. Group cohesiveness can play an important part in influencing a group’s level of

productivity if the group has high performance-related norms.B. Satisfaction

1. High congruence between a boss’s and an employee’s perception of the employee’s job correlates strongly with high employee satisfaction.50

2. Role conflict is associated with job-induced tension and job dissatisfaction. 3. Most people prefer to communicate with others at their own status level or a

higher one rather than with those below them. a. As a result, we should expect satisfaction to be greater among employees

whose job minimizes interaction with individuals lower in status than themselves.

4. The group size–satisfaction relationship is what we would intuitively expect: a. Larger groups are associated with lower satisfaction. b. As size increases, opportunities for participation and social interaction

decrease, as does the ability of members to identify with the group’s accomplishments.

c. At the same time, having more members also prompts dissension, conflict, and the formation of subgroups, which all act to make the group a less pleasant entity of which to be a part.

VII. KEEP IN MIND


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A. ¨Group norms, roles, and identities have powerful affects on individual behaviorB. ¨Conformity can be a problem: have leaders minimize initial inputsC. ¨Group decision making is not always better than individual decision

making

VIII. SUMMARY

Discussion Questions

1. What is the difference between formal and informal groups? Give an example of each.Answer: Formal groups are those defined by the organization’s structure, designated work assignments and established tasks. It may be in the form of the command group or a task group. Informal groups are alliances that are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined. Informal groups are typically interest groups or friendship groups. Examples will vary.

2. Describe the five-stage model of group development and the caveats associated with its use.Answer: Five-stage model includes forming (group is unsure what is expected of it), storming (conflict period while leadership is determined), norming (further conflict period where social rules are established), performing, (actually accomplishing the work) and adjourning (formally breaking up the group). Caveats: teams may not actually go through the steps sequentially, multiple steps may be taken at the same time, and teams can regress in the earlier steps. But the model is a good overall guide.

3. How can group cohesiveness be increased? Give specific recommendations.Answer: Group cohesiveness can be increased by: (1) decreasing the size of the group, (2) encouraging group members to agree with the group's goals, (3) increasing the time members spend together, (4) increasing the status of the group and the perceived difficulty of obtaining membership in that group, (5) stimulating competition with other groups, (6) giving rewards to the group rather than to individual members, and (7) physically isolating the group.

4. Describe the three sources of status.Answer: (1) Power: the power of person wields over others. The more power that an individual has, the higher his or her status. (2) Ability: a person's ability to contribute to a group’s goals. People whose contributions are critical to the group success also tend to have high status. (3) Characteristics: an individual's personal traits. When a group positively values certain personal characteristics, people who carry those traits receive high status.

5. Why does social loafing occur?Answer: There are a number of possible causes of social loafing. Equity theory would indicate that when an individual in the group believes that he or she is working harder than the other group members, that individual will reduce effort to match that of the group. Another explanation may be the dispersion of responsibility: because the results of a group cannot be attributed to any single individual, the relationship between an individual's input and the group's output is clouded and difficult to measure.

6. List the strengths and weaknesses of group decision-making.


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Answer: Strengths of group decision-making: (1) generates information and knowledge that is more complete, (2) offers increased diversity of views, and (3) increases the acceptance of the solution. Weaknesses of group decision-making: (1) typically takes more time to reach a solution, (2) greater conformity pressures exist, (3) discussion can be dominated by one or a few members, and (4) ambiguous responsibility decreases accountability.

7. Compare and contrast brainstorming and NGT. Ensure you describe both techniques fully in your answer.Answer: Brainstorming. The technique designed to generate a list of creative alternatives. A problem is presented and everyone provides oral input on the solution simultaneously. No feedback or discussion is allowed until all of the inputs have been recorded. This somewhat ineffective technique does not lead to a solution, and may in fact lead to fewer creative alternatives than an individual could come up with, due to production blocking (distractions to thought caused by the technique itself).Nominal Group Technique (NGT). This technique restricts discussion or interpersonal communication during the decision-making process. This is why it is referred to as a "nominal" (in name only) group technique. Group members are all physically present, but operate independently. A problem is presented and the following steps take place:

1) Each member independently writes down ideas on the problem without discussing it in the group.

2) Sequentially, each member will present one idea to the group until all ideas have been presented and recorded. No discussion is allowed until all ideas have been recorded.

3) Group discusses ideas for clarity and evaluates them.4) Each group member silently and independently rank orders the ideas. 5) The idea with the highest aggregate ranking determines the final

decisionThe use of NGT does not restrict independent thinking; groups that use this technique tend to outperform brainstorming groups.

Exercises

1. Self-analysis. Consider the last group that you were in that was required to make a decision. What type of group was it? What types of decision-making techniques were used? How is your input to the group affected by the type of group and decision-making technique?

2. Web Crawling. Using your favorite search engine, locate a group decision-making technique that was not mentioned in the textbook. Write a brief one-page synopsis of the technique that would allow a manager to use it without having viewed the website. Ensure you properly cite the source.

3. Teamwork. In this exercise instructor will break the class up into groups of various sizes, some large (12+ members) and some small (4-7 members) and leaving three individuals by themselves. The instructor will provide three datasheets on a product (cars, laptop computers, MP3 players, or something similar). Using whichever group decision-making techniques the group thinks is appropriate, decide which of the three products is superior. Keep track of the time it takes to


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make your decision. The three individuals will also make this decision, each on their own, and keep track of the time it takes them.As a class, compare the quality of the results and the time it took to achieve them, based on group size and decision-making technique. What are your findings?

4. Analyzing Your Organization (Cumulative Project). Write a one-page paper that outlines the use of groups and/or teams in your organization for decision-making. What decision-making techniques are commonly used and how does the average worker feel about the quality of these decisions?

Suggested Assignment

1. Group Membership Analysis. List out all of the groups that you belong to and categorize each group based on the group subcategories given in the text. Count up the number of groups you belong to in each subcategory and record that subtotal. Sum up all of the subcategories and record your total group memberships. Share your results in class and sum up the individual subtotal counts to get a class total. In what subcategory was group membership most frequently identified and in which was membership least frequently identified? What was the average number of groups to which members of the class belonged?

2. Status Symbols. Examine an organization with which you are familiar and pay particular attention to the use of status symbols by those in high status positions. Make a list of the differences in symbols between those in high and low status positions. Share your findings with the class, and as a class, discuss how being able to identify these high status symbols can help you become more effective in the organization.

3. Identifying Norms. As college students to have been exposed to a continuing series of norms. From elementary school on, you have learned what is considered to be proper behavior in the classroom. As a class (or in small groups), brainstorm and identify these unwritten rules of classroom behavior. How many norms were there? How many of these norms were you consciously aware of prior to listing them?


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8: Foundations of Group Behavioreclass.teiion.gr/modules/document/file.php/DE-DE165... · Web viewFoundations of Group Behavior Click on the title to access video teaching notes