Understanding Groups and Teams

ninth edition
STEPHEN P. ROBBINS
PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook
The University of West Alabama
MARY COULTER
© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Understanding
Groups and Teams
Chapter
15

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 15–2
L E A R N I N G O U T L I N E
Follow this Learning Outline as you read and study this chapter.
Understanding Groups
• Define the different types of groups.
• Describe the five stages of group development.
Explaining Work Group Behavior
• Explain the major components that determine group
performance and satisfaction.
• Discuss how roles, norms, conformity, status systems,
group size, and group cohesiveness influence group
behavior.
• Explain how group norms can both help and hurt an
organization.
• Define groupthink and social loafing.

L E A R N I N G O U T L I N E (cont’d)
Explaining Work Group Behavior (cont’d)
• Describe the relationships between group cohesiveness
and productivity.
• Discuss how conflict management influences group
behavior.
• Tell the advantages and disadvantages of group decision
making.
Creating Effective Teams
• Compare groups and teams.
• Explain why teams have become so popular in
organizations.
• Describe the four most common types of teams.

L E A R N I N G O U T L I N E (cont’d)
Creating Effective Teams (cont’d)
• List the characteristics of effective teams.
Current Challenges in Managing Teams
• Discuss the challenges of managing global teams
• Explain the role of informal (social) networks in managing
teams.

Understanding Groups
• Group
Two or more interacting and interdependent
individuals who come together to achieve specific
goals.
Formal groups
Work groups defined by the organization’s
structure that have designated work assignments
and tasks.
– Appropriate behaviors are defined by and directed toward
organizational goals.
Informal groups
Groups that are independently formed to meet the
social needs of their members.

Exhibit 15–1 Examples of Formal Groups
• Command Groups
Groups that are determined by the organization chart
and composed of individuals who report directly to a
given manager.
• Task Groups
Groups composed of individuals brought together to
complete a specific job task; their existence is often
temporary because once the task is completed, the
group disbands.

Exhibit 15–1 Examples of Formal Groups (cont’d)
• Cross-Functional Teams
Groups that bring together the knowledge and skills of
individuals from various work areas or groups whose
members have been trained to do each others’ jobs.
• Self-Managed Teams
Groups that are essentially independent and in
addition to their own tasks, take on traditional
responsibilities such as hiring, planning and
scheduling, and performance evaluations.

Stages in Group Development
• Forming
 Members join and begin the
process of defining the
group’s purpose, structure,
and leadership.
• Storming
 Intragroup conflict occurs as
individuals resist control by
the group and disagree over
leadership.
• Norming
 Close relationships develop
as the group becomes
cohesive and establishes its
norms for acceptable
behavior.
• Performing
 A fully functional group
structure allows the group to
focus on performing the task
at hand.
• Adjourning
 The group prepares to
disband and is no longer
concerned with high levels
of performance.

Exhibit 15–2 Stages of Group Development

Exhibit 15–3 Group Behavior Model

Work Group Behavior
• Internal Variables Affecting Group Behavior
The individual abilities of the group’s members
The size of the group
The level of conflict
The internal pressures on members to conform to the
group’s norms

Conditions Affecting Group Behavior
• External (Organizational)
Conditions
 Overall strategy
 Authority structures
 Formal regulations
 Available organizational
resources
 Employee selection criteria
 Performance management
(appraisal) system
 Organizational culture
 General physical layout
• Internal Group
Variables
 Individual competencies
and traits of members
 Group structure
 Size of the group
 Cohesiveness and the level
of intragroup conflict
 Internal pressures on
members to conform o the
group’s norms

Group Structure
• Role
The set of expected behavior patterns attributed to
someone who occupies a given position in a social
unit that assist the group in task accomplishment or
maintaining group member satisfaction.
Role conflict: experiencing differing role expectations
Role ambiguity: uncertainty about role expectations

Group Structure (cont’d)
• Norms
Acceptable standards or expectations that are shared
by the group’s members.
• Common types of norms
Effort and performance
Output levels, absenteeism, promptness,
socializing
Dress
Loyalty

• Conformity
Individuals conform in order to be accepted by
groups.
Group pressures can have an effect on an individual
member’s judgment and attitudes.
The effect of conformity is not as strong as it once
was, although still a powerful force.
Groupthink
The extensive pressure of others in a strongly
cohesive or threatened group that causes
individual members to change their opinions to
conform to that of the group.

Exhibit 15–4 Examples of Cards Used in the Asch Study

• Status System
The formal or informal prestige grading, position, or
ranking system for members of a group that serves as
recognition for individual contributions to the group
and as a behavioral motivator.
Formal status systems are effective when the
perceived ranking of an individual and the status
symbols accorded that individual are congruent.

Group Structure: Group Size
• Small groups
 Complete tasks faster
than larger groups.
 Make more effective use
of facts.
• Large groups
 Solve problems better
than small groups.
 Are good for getting
diverse input.
 Are more effective in fact-
finding.
• Social Loafing
 The tendency for
individuals to expend less
effort when working
collectively than when
work individually.

• Group Cohesiveness
The degree to which members are attracted to a
group and share the group’s goals.
Highly cohesive groups are more effective and
productive than less cohesive groups when their
goals aligned with organizational goals.

Exhibit 15–5 The Relationship Between Cohesiveness and Productivity

Group Processes: Group Decision Making
• Advantages
 Generates more complete
information and
knowledge.
 Generates more diverse
alternatives.
 Increases acceptance of a
solution.
 Increases legitimacy of
decision.
• Disadvantages
 Time consuming
 Minority domination
 Pressures to conform
 Ambiguous responsibility

Exhibit 15–6 Group versus Individual Decision Making
Criteria of Effectiveness Groups Individuals
Accuracy 
Speed 
Creativity 
Degree of acceptance 
Efficiency 

Exhibit 15–7 Techniques for Making More Creative Group Decisions

Group Processes: Conflict Management
• Conflict
The perceived incompatible differences in a group
resulting in some form of interference with or
opposition to its assigned tasks.
Traditional view: conflict must be avoided.
Human relations view: conflict is a natural and
inevitable outcome in any group.
Interactionist view: conflict can be a positive force
and is absolutely necessary for effective group
performance.

(cont’d)
• Categories of Conflict
Functional conflicts are constructive.
Dysfunctional conflicts are destructive.
• Types of Conflict
Task conflict: content and goals of the work
Relationship conflict: interpersonal relationships
Process conflict: how the work gets done

Exhibit 15–8 Conflict and Group Performance

(cont’d)
• Techniques to Reduce Conflict:
Avoidance
Accommodation
Forcing
Compromise
Collaboration

Exhibit 15–9 Conflict-Management Techniques
Source: Adapted from K.W. Thomas,
“Conflict and Negotiation Processes in
Organizations,” in M.D. Dunnette and L.M.
Hough (eds.) Handbook of Industrial and
Organizational Psychology, vol. 3, 2d ed.
(Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists
Press, 1992), p. 668. With permission

Group Tasks and Group Effectiveness
• Highly complex and interdependent tasks
require:
Effective communications: discussion among group
members.
Controlled conflict: More interaction among group
members.

What Is a Team?
• Work Team
A group whose members work intensely on a specific
common goal using their positive synergy, individual
and mutual accountability, and complementary skills.
• Types of Teams
Problem-solving teams
Self-managed work teams
Cross-functional teams
Virtual teams

Exhibit 15–10 Groups versus Teams

Types of Teams
• Problem-solving Teams
Employees from the same department and functional
area who are involved in efforts to improve work
activities or to solve specific problems.
• Self-managed Work Teams
A formal group of employees who operate without a
manager and responsible for a complete work
process or segment.

Types of Teams (cont’d)
• Cross-functional Teams
A hybrid grouping of individuals who are experts in
various specialties and who work together on various
tasks.
• Virtual Teams
Teams that use computer technology to link physically
dispersed members in order to achieve a common
goal.

Advantages of Using Teams
• Teams outperform individuals.
• Teams provide a way to better use employee
talents.
• Teams are more flexible and responsive.
• Teams can be quickly
assembled, deployed,
refocused, and disbanded.

Exhibit 15–11 Characteristics of Effective Teams

Characteristics of Effective Teams
• Have a clear
understanding of their
goals.
• Have competent
members with relevant
technical and
interpersonal skills.
• Exhibit high mutual trust
in the character and
integrity of their
members.
• Are unified in their
commitment to team goals.
• Have good communication
systems.
• Possess effective
negotiating skills
• Have appropriate
leadership
• Have both internally and
externally supportive
environments

Current Challenges in Managing Teams
• Getting employees to:
Cooperate with others
Share information
Confront differences
Sublimate personal
interest for the greater
good of the team

Managing Global Teams
• Group Member Resources
 Unique cultural characteristics of team members
 Avoiding stereotyping
• Group Structure
 Conformity—less groupthink
 Status—varies in importance among cultures
 Social loafing—predominately a Western bias
 Cohesiveness—more difficult to achieve
• Group processes—capitalize on diverse ideas
• Manager’s role—a communicator sensitive to the type of
globe team to use.

Exhibit 15–12 Drawbacks and Benefits of Global Teams

Understanding Social Networks
• Social Network
The patterns of informal connections among
individuals within groups
• The Importance of Social Networks
Relationships can help or hinder team effectiveness
Relationships improve team goal attainment and
increase member commitment to the team.

Terms to Know
• group
• forming
• storming
• norming
• performing
• adjourning
• role
• norms
• groupthink
• status
• social loafing
• group cohesiveness
• conflict
• traditional view of conflict
• human relations view of
conflict
• interactionist view of
conflict
• functional conflicts
• dysfunctional conflicts
• task conflict
• relationship conflict
• process conflict
• work teams

Terms to Know
• problem-solving team
• self-managed work team
• cross-functional team
• virtual team
• social network structure

Understanding Groups and Teams

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