Republic of the Philippines

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Business Administration
Department of Marketing Management

Teams in Organization

Submitted By:

Cadiao, Estelle Joyce

Marciano, Aive

Nazareno Xian Ashely

Pareja, Leonard Paul

Riñon, Martin

Submitted to:

Prof. Marifel I. Javier

July 20,2018
 Student
Name of Presenter Grade Professor 1 2 3
Cadiao, Estelle Joyce

Marciano, Aive

Nazareno, Xian Ashley

Pareja, Leonard Paul
Riñon, Martin
Definition of other Social Sciences

Sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of society. It is the scientific study of society, patterns of social
relationships, social interaction, and culture. The study of the development, structure, and
functioning of human society. Sociology is a study of a group rather than an individual.

Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of humans and human behavior and societies in the past and present.
The study of people throughout the world, their evolutionary history, how they behave, adapt to
different environments, communicate and socialize with one another. The study of anthropology
is concerned both with the biological features that make us human (such as physiology, genetic
makeup, nutritional history and evolution) and with social aspects (such as language, culture,
politics, family and religion).

Industrial Psychology

Industrial-organizational psychology is the branch of psychology that applies psychological

theories and principles to organizations. It is scientific study of human behavior in organizations
and the work place.

Industrial-organizational psychology is the science of human behavior relating to work and

applies psychological theories and principles to organizations and individuals in their places of
work as well as the individual's work-life more generally.

Political Science

Political science is a social science which deals with systems of governance, and the analysis
of political activities, political thoughts, and political behavior. It focuses on the theory and
practice of government and politics at the local, state, national, and international levels.
Teams: Definition, Norms and Roles

A team is a group of people who collaborate on related tasks toward a common goal.

 In a business setting most work is accomplished by teams of individuals. Because

of this, it is important for employees to have the skills necessary to work effectively
with others.
 Organizations use many kinds of teams, some of which are permanent and some
of which are temporary.
 Teams are used to accomplish tasks that are too large or complex to be done by
an individual or that require a diverse set of skills and expertise.

A team is a group of people who work together toward a common goal. Teams have defined
membership (which can be either large or small) and a set of activities to take part in. People on
a team collaborate on sets of related tasks that are required to achieve an objective. Each
member is responsible for contributing to the team, but the group as a whole is responsible for
the team’s success.

Teams in the Workplace

Sports teams are a good example of how teams work. For instance, a basketball team has
individual players who each contribute toward the goal of winning a game. Similarly, in business
settings most work is accomplished by teams of individuals who collaborate on activities with
defined outcomes. Because teams are so prevalent in business organizations, it is important for
employees to have the skills necessary to work effectively with others.

Organizations typically have many teams, and an individual is frequently a member of more
than one team. Some teams are permanent and are responsible for ongoing activities. For
instance, a team of nurses in a maternity ward provides medical services to new mothers. While
patients come and go, the tasks involved in providing care remain stable. In other cases a team
is formed for a temporary purpose: these are called project teams and have a defined beginning
and end point linked to achieving a particular one-time goal.

Norms are the rules that the team agrees to follow as it conducts its work. Norms may be
written or may evolve as unwritten understandings over time. Most newly organizing teams find
it effective to start out with an initial set of norms with the understanding that these will need to
be reviewed and modified frequently. Some teams decide to review norms at the beginning or
end of each meeting. The establishment and adherence to team norms helps build team
discipline, trust between team members, and supports a safe environment.

 Norms may develop through explicit conversation among team members or

emerge implicitly through the way they interact.

 Norms are different from rules in that, while rules are imposed and required,
norms are agreed upon and reinforced through interpersonal relationships.

While team norms may touch on any aspect of team behavior the following are most commonly
included:

 Meetings will start on time. (Some teams include a penalty for being late. This may
involve a small standard contribution to the team recreation fund, the requirement to take
notes at the next meeting, or as one innovative team determined, the requirement to
sing a few lines of the song of the team's choosing.)
 A designated scribe will take minutes and publish them for all.
 An agenda is published in advance and an initial step in team meetings is to agree on
the amount of time allowed for discussion of each topic.
 Decision making is by consensus. Consensus hopes for unanimous support. Individual
team members may not fully agree with a team decision, but will fully support it.
 Silence means consent. Since all team members are expected to contribute their views
on issues and concerns, when the team achieves consensus, those remaining silent are
understood to be supporters of the decision. Absence may also mean consent when the
team agrees that absent members will be given notice of team decisions and the
opportunity to express concerns prior to the decision becoming final.
 Team members agree to hold themselves and each other accountable for commitments
made to one another.

The Role of Teams in Organizations

  Team roles are sets of responsibilities and behaviors that establish
expectations for how each member contributes to the team’s performance.

 Roles may be assigned formally or assumed by individuals voluntarily.

 Three types of roles are action-oriented, people-oriented, and idea-oriented.

The primary role of a team is to combine resources, competencies, skills, and bandwidth to
achieve organizational objectives. The underlying assumption of a well-functioning team is one
of synergy, which is to say that the output of a team will be greater than the sum of each
individual’s contribution without a team architecture in place. As a result, teams are usually
highly focused groups of employees, with the role of achieving specific tasks to support
organizational success.

Types of Teams

Depending on its needs and goals, a company can use a project team, a virtual team, or a
cross-functional team.

 An organization may use different types of teams depending on the work that needs to be
accomplished to meet its goals.

 Common teams include project teams, virtual teams, and cross- functional teams.

 Project teams are created for a defined period of time to achieve a specific goal.

 Virtual teams have members who work in separate locations that are often geographically
dispersed.

 Cross-functional teams bring together people with diverse expertise and knowledge from
different departments or specialties.

Teams may be permanent or temporary, and team members may come from the same
department or different ones. Common types of teams found in organizations include project
teams, virtual teams, and cross-functional teams.

 Project teams are created for a defined period of time to achieve a specific goal. Members
of a project team often belong to different functional groups and are chosen to participate
 in the team based on specific skills they can contribute to the project. Software
development is most commonly done by project teams.

 Virtual teams have members located in different places, often geographically dispersed,
who come together to achieve a specific purpose. Academic researchers often work on
virtual teams with colleagues at other institutions.

 Cross-functional teams combine people from different areas, such as marketing and
engineering, to solve a problem or achieve a goal. Healthcare services are frequently
delivered by interdisciplinary teams of nurses, doctors, and other medical specialists.

It is common for an organization to have many teams, including teams of several types.
Effective teamwork depends on choosing the type of team best suited to the work that needs to
be accomplished.

Differences Between Groups and Teams

All teams are groups of individuals, but not all groups are teams.

 A group is two or more individuals who share common interests or characteristics and
whose members identify with each other due to similar traits.

 Team: Any group of people involved in the same activity, especially referring to sports
and work.

 Group: A number of things or persons that have some relationship to one another. A
subset of a culture or of a society.

While all teams are groups of individuals, not all groups are teams. Team members work
together toward a common goal and share responsibility for the team’s success. A group is
comprised of two or more individuals that share common interests or characteristics, and its
members identify with each other due to similar traits. Groups can range greatly in size and
scope. For example, members of the millennial generation are a group, but so is a small book
club formed by neighbors who enjoy reading.
Groups differ from teams in several ways:

 Task orientation: Teams require coordination of tasks and activities to achieve a shared
aim. Groups do not need to focus on specific outcomes or a common purpose.

 Degree of interdependence: Team members are interdependent since they bring to bear
a set of resources to produce a common outcome. Individuals in a group can be entirely
disconnected from one another and not rely on fellow members at all.

 Purpose: Teams are formed for a particular reason and can be short- or long-lived.
Groups can exist as a matter of fact; for example, a group can be comprised of people of
the same race or ethnic background.

 Degree of formal structure: Team members’ individual roles and duties are specified and
their ways of working together are defined. Groups are generally much more informal;
roles do not need to be assigned and norms of behavior do not need to develop.

 Familiarity among members: Team members are aware of the set of people they
collaborate with, since they interact to complete tasks and activities. Members of a group
may have personal relationships or they may have little knowledge of each other and no
interactions whatsoever.

A group is a team of people, who are motivated to join, perceive each other as
members and interact with each other. A group may also be defined as two or more individuals,
interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve
particular objectives. Groups is a tool to help larger Organizations share Unity projects among
sets of people. An Owner or Manager of an Organization can take members of his/her
Organization, assign them to a Group and add that Group to a Unity project, thereby giving
members in that Group access to work on the Project.Groups can be either formal or informal:

1. FORMAL GROUPS - these groups are consciously created to serve an organizational

objective or task. The crew of an airline flight is an example of a formal group. Formal
groups can be further divided into different types.

 Command group: It is a group determine by the connection between individual

who are a formal part of the organization. For eg, the marketing department
comprising of the general manager and the other marketing staff.
  Task group: A task group is created by the management to accomplish certain
organizational goals. It is specifically created to solve the problem or preform a
defined task.

2. INFORMAL GROUPS - Informal groups are groups that develop naturally among
people, without any direction from the organization within they operate. They are formed
spontaneously and are based on personal relationships or specific interests.

Roles: There is an unwritten assignment within the group as to which task will be done by
whom and under what conditions. Some job roles are assigned by the management by
matching the job description with the person’s qualifications and some other roles develop
within the group. For example, some members may informally be technical advisors to
others as to how to do the job better and others may act as arbitrators in social problems
or other differences that may arise among members.

Stages of Group Development

Every group passes through different stages in its lifecycle. According to a popular model, every
group passes through five distinct stages of group development.

 Forming - In the forming stages the members share personal information and try to
know more about the tasks to be pre-formed.
 Storming - the members compete for positions of status and control. This is a period
of high emotionality and tension among group members. The storming stage is
completed when the intra group conflicts are resolved and the group’s leadership is
accepted.
 Norming - In this stage the group really begins to come together as a co-ordinated
unit. Members start co-operating with each other and place their competing interest
in the background.
 Performing - This stage is sometimes called as total integration. During this stage,
the group members work effectively and efficiently towards achieving the group
objectives.
 Adjourning - In this stage the group prepares for disbandment. The group’s focus is
now on wrapping up activities rather than achieving high task performance.
Purpose of the group

There are a number of reasons for forming a group:

 time efficiency
 effective use of resources
 social opportunities for isolated clients
 better decisions and outcomes
 peer support.

A group may actually change its purpose over time. It may achieve its initial purpose and then
identify another. For example, when a formal purpose is completed, a group may decide they
want to continue associating on a social level. The group may then form its own informal
association. An informal group may decide to formalize their purpose in order to progress their
ideas.

Importance of Groups in an Organization

1. Filling in Gaps in Manager’s Abilities:

Informal organization may act to fill in gaps in a manager’s abilities. For example, if a manager
is weak in planning, one of his subordinates may help him informally in such a situation.

2. Solving work problems:

Informal organization helps in solving the work problems of members. It allows sharing job
knowledge and taking decisions which affect a number of jobs.

3. Better coordination:

Informal groups evolve short-cuts and eliminate red tapism. They facilitate smooth flow of
information and quick decision-making. All these ensure better coordination among various
individuals and departments.

4. Channel of Communication:
Informal groups act to fill up the communication gaps which might arise in the organization.
Informal communication cuts across the hierarchical and departmental boundaries and
transmits information with greater speed.

Management can use informal channels to share information with the workers and get their
reaction to management’s proposals. Informal communication can be of great use to
organization, if it is handled by the management properly.

5. Restraint on Managers:

Informal groups do not allow the managers to cross their limits. They restrict them from getting
unlimited power and from using their power injudiciously.

6. Better relations:

A manager can build better relations with his subordinates through informal contacts. He can
consult the informal leaders and seek their cooperation in getting the things done from the
workers.

7. Norms of Behaviour:

Informal groups develop certain norms of behaviour which differentiate between good and bad
conduct and between legitimate and illegitimate activities. These bring discipline and order
among the employees of the organisation.

8. Developing Future Executives:

Informal groups recognise talented workers as their leaders. Such leaders can be picked by the
management to fill vacancies at the junior executive level in the future.

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Group cohesion- (also called group cohesion and social cohesion) arises when bonds link
members of a social group to one another and to the group as a whole. Although cohesion is a
multi-faceted process, it can be broken down into four main components: social relations, task
relations, perceived unity, and emotions. Members of strongly cohesive groups are more
inclined to participate readily and to stay with the group.

Factors Affecting Cohesiveness

1. Homogeneity of group- Groups whose members have different interests and backgrounds
are often less effective in promoting their interests. Similarly, stable relationships among
members enhance group cohesiveness. This is so because the relationship has to persist over
a period of time to permit people to know one another, to develop common understanding of
shared goals and values.

2. Isolation- The more the group is isolated from other groups, the more likely the members will
share common value and standards of behavior.

3. Outside Pressure- Members of a group tend to go together to face challenges from outside
pressures. When there are pressures from outside, group members tend to minimize their
personal differences in order to fight the common enemy. However, it may also happen that the
group is unable to bear the excessive pressures and group cohesiveness cannot be achieved to
withstand such pressures.

4. Size- Other things being equal, size has an inverse relationship with group cohesiveness.
This is so because group cohesiveness increases through interaction among group members.
Thus, larger a group becomes; the less opportunity exists for interaction among the members.

5. Atmosphere or Climate- variable affecting group cohesion is the atmosphere and climate
both within and outside the group.

Importance of Group Cohesion and Solidarity

The fact that there is cohesiveness means that there exists the possibility that a member may
be able to change the norms to which other members conform.

Approaches To Describe Group Process

1. Group- Task Activity- refer to initiating, clarifying, coordinating or orienting the group to its
goal, giving and seeking information, and establishing contact with the outside community which
all the group attain its primary goal and objectives.

2. Group- Building Activity- allows the group to build and maintain itself by helping to satisfy
members’ need by fostering trust and cooperation among the members.

3. Self- Serving Activity- attention-getting, dominating, aggression and withdrawal – help each
member of the group to his or her own set of unique needs, value and goals.

Observing Group Process

One of the most intriguing and difficult challenges in learning group dynamics is the
phenomenon of learning while doing. When we are engaged in group activities we are usually
fairly absorbed in what is going on (that is, the group's purpose or discussion content).
However, to improve our competencies to work and play more effectively in groups, we also
need to be able to observe the group's processes. It is therefore, important to consider two
basic areas of processes.

1. What to look for in the groups?

2. Criteria for effective feedback to groups about group process.

What to Look For In Groups

1. Participation- questions to ask regarding participation.
a. Who are the high and low participants?
b. Does participation shifts?
c. Do high participators become quiet and vice versa?
d. Why do such shifts occur?
e. How are non-participants treated?
f. How is their silence regarded?
g. Who talks to whom?
h. What may be the reason for the communications pattern?

2. Influence- A difference exists between influence and participation or amount of “air time”.
Questions to ask:
a. Who is influential?
b. Who is not influential?
c. Is there any rivalry in the group?
d. Is there a struggle for leadership?
e. Who is listened to?
f. Who is not listened to?

3. Styles of Influence- There is likewise difference between styles of influence.

a. Is anyone autocratic in attempting to impose his or her ideas or values on others?
b. Is there a peace maker who supports other members’ decision?
c. Does someone consistently try to avoid conflict by “pouring oil on troubled water”?
d. Is a group member indifferent towards others?
e. Is a member getting attention by being laissez faire or by apparently lacking involvement in
the group?
f. Does a member seem to go along with a decision without making a commitment one way or
another?
g. Is someone withdrawn or involved?
h. Does anyone try to be democratic by including everyone in a group discussion and decision?
i. Who expresses opinions/feelings directly and openly without evaluating or judging others?
j. Who appears to be open to feedback from others?
k. Which member attempt to deal with conflict in a problem-solving way?

4. Decision-making Procedures- Frequently a decision is made without the members’

considering its impact to others. Questions to consider:
a. Does someone want to make decision without checking others (self-authorized)?
b. Does the topic of the conversation drifts?
c. Who changes the topic?
d. Who supports the suggestions and decisions of others?
e. Does such support result in two members deciding for the entire group?
f. How does it affect others’ objection?
g. Is there an attempt to get all members to participate in decision (consensus)?
h. Which member/s makes contributions that do not receive a response or recognition?
i. What affect does this have?
5. Task Function- These are behaviors that focus on accomplishing the task or job. Questions
to consider:
a. Does someone ask or suggest the best way to proceed?
b. Does anyone summarize ideas that have been covered?
c. Who gives or asks for facts, ideas, opinions, feelings, and feedback?
d. Who keeps the group from going off tangent?
e. Who keeps the group on target?

6. Maintenance Functions- Maintenance functions ensure smooth and effective team work
within the group by creating a group atmosphere that enables each member to contribute to the
maximum. Questions to consider:
a. Who helps others get into the discussion (gate operators)?
b. Does anyone cut off other members or interrupt them (gate closer)?
c. How are ideas accepted?
d. Rejected?
e. Are there attempts help others clarify their ideas?

7. Membership- This pertains to the degree of a person’s acceptance or inclusion to the group.
Questions to consider:
a. Does any sub-grouping occur?
b. Do some member consistently agree or disagree with one another?
c. Are there “in group”? “Out” group?
d. How are “outsiders” treated?
e. Are some members in or out of the group (e.g. lean backwards or forwards in their chairs or
physically move their chairs)?
f. What are the circumstances which these occur?

8. Feelings- feeling frequently generated by groups discussion are only infrequently talked
about. Rather, they must be inferred from non-verbal cues, such as the tone of voice, facial
expressions and gestures. Questions to consider:
a. Are feelings such as warmth, affection, anger, irritation, frustration, excitement, boredom, or
defensiveness seen?
b. Do group members attempt to block the expression of feelings, particularly the negative
ones?
c. How is it done?
d. Is it done consistently?

9. Norms- Norms or standard are ground rules that control the behavior of group. Questions to
consider:
a. Are certain areas avoided in the group (e.g. discussing behavior, talking about present
feelings, etc)?
b. How is avoidance reinforced?
c. How is it done?
d. Are group members overly polite or nice to one another?
e. Do members agree with one another too readily?
f. Are only positive feelings expressed?
Criteria for Effective Feedback
1. The feedback provider is credible in the eyes of the feedback recipient
2. The feedback provider is trusted by the feedback recipient
3. The feedback is conveyed with good intentions
4. The timing and the circumstances of giving the feedback are appropriate
5. The feedback is given in an interactive manner
6. The feedback message is clear
7. The feedback is helpful to recipient

Temporary Group- formed to solve a particular problem but after it has performed its task, it
will be disbanded.

Group Size- affects the degree of participation, consensus, quality of satisfaction, and the need
for the leader. As the group size increases, the opportunity for participation decreases. Larger
groups show more internal disorder and conflicts and are likely to take more radical positions
than smaller ones.

References:
https://davidcummings.org/2014/12/09/7-criteria-for-effective-feedback/
https://ebrary.net/2821/management/group_cohesiveness_group_development
Essentials of Human Behavior in Organizations (Third Edition)
Group process, improving group performance, advantages and disadvantages of group,
building trust, changing behavior in organization

Group process refers to how members work together to get things done. There are two kinds
of group process technique: nominal and Delphi group.

Nominal group Delphi group

- Members are together
- Members generate ideas individually.
- All individual ideas are presented to the
entire group.
- After thorough presentation, members
will vote or rank the ideas they think
are best to solve a specific problem.
- Group participants are not physically
present.
- Used questionnaire to obtain
information for a certain topic.
- Responses of all group members are
then summarized and put into a
feedback report then sent back to all
group members.
- Individual group members will evaluate
the feedback report, vote on priority
ideas and generate new ideas based
on the feedback and second stage
reports.
- After responses have been mailed to a
central location, a final summary
feedback report is developed and sent
back to the group members.

General Guidelines for Improving Group Performance

Using groups to make decisions is essential because people can create outcomes
working together that any one individual could not hope to accomplish alone. In addition, once a
group makes a decision, the group will normally find it easier to get other people to implement it
because many people feel that decisions made by groups are fairer than those made by
individuals. And yet, as we have also seen, there are also many problems associated with
groups that make it difficult for them to live up to their full potential. The following are some of
the guidelines on how a group can improve their performance:

1. Training: is teaching or developing in oneself or others any skills and knowledge

that relate to specific useful competencies. It is more likely that group performance
will increase if the members fully understand the content and process of the
organization.

2. Avoid conflict: conflict is an active disagreement between people with opposing

opinions or principles. Discord may arise within the group when the beliefs or action
of one or more members of the group are either resisted by or unaccepted by the
other member. Groups should avoid it or let it become dysfunctional. Having a
problem within the group will surely affects the production and performance of each
and every one

3. Break down barriers: As a team, members are expected to move as one.

Using team-building exercises help everyone get to know one another, particularly
when new members join the group. These exercises ease new colleagues into the
group gently, and also help to combat the "black sheep effect," which happens when
group members turn against people they consider different.

4. Leader: A leader is someone who provides guidance, instructions, directions and

leadership to the group. As the human in a social living beings, members living in
groups, are the beings that require the hierarchic attachment to the leader and
administrators. A leader is supposed to be the one to determine the objective of the
groups which he is involved in, and most efficiently directs the group to achieve such
objectives. He/she should possess essential characteristics, skills and knowledge to
carry out well the duties and responsibilities on his shoulder.

“A leader is someone who knows the way, goes the way and show the way”
-John C. Maxwell
 5. Focus on Communication: Open communication is central to good team dynamics,
so make sure that everyone is communicating clearly. Include all of the forms of
communication that your group uses – emails, meetings, and shared documents, for
example – to avoid any ambiguity.

Example: If the status of a project changes, or if you have an announcement to

make, let people know as soon as possible. That way, you can ensure that everyone
has the same information.

6. Group norms: Group norms are unspoken and often unwritten set of informal rules
that govern individual behaviors in a group. Group norms vary based on the group
and issues important to the group. Without group norms, individuals would have no
understanding of how to act in social situations. The norms or standard of behavior
of the group should be examined from time to time to find out if they are clear to the
members of the group or whether it should be changed to further determine if it’s
functional or not.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a group

Advantages Disadvantages
Team commitment There is no individual recognition for expertise.
- Belonging to a group develops loyalty.
Member will support the goals and
objectives of the group.
More Productive It is viewed to be a waste of time because you
- It is been found that one of the main have to listen to all members of the group.
benefits of working in a group is that it
helps to raise the complete output. If
working in a group, everyone works
together making use of the best of their
skills to make sure of quality output.
Support system There is no individual accountability since the
- Members are encouraged to support results are credited to group effort, some
each other, against criticism from members work hard while others not.
various group, and works together to
 find a solution.
Ease on the load of responsibility
- Sharing of problem when encountered is more costly that a few individual rewards,
as a group instead of having a sense of
individual burden of a heavier load of
responsibility.
Opportunity to learn
- It is seen that more often that, people
in a group can go on to learn new
things from the others. They get the
option to learn from each other. All
people while working in groups have
their own ideas, from which another
person can learn so many things.
There are lesser rewards for groups because it
Intrinsic Conflict:
- When a wide variety of people start to
work in a group, disagreement is sure
to arise between all the people in the
group. Each person may have their
own ideas which could conflict with
what the other person has to suggest.
Some people in a group might also find
it difficult to accept suggestions or
ideas from another person. This conflict
could as well put a stop to the flow of
work, until the issue is resolved.

Boost self-esteem.
- There is validation of worthiness and
contribution to a group which enhance
self-confidence.

Building Trust

Trust is contagious. When you trust others and demonstrate that you can be trusted, it
sets into motion an expectation and opportunity for others to trust and be worthy of trust in
return. If you distrust, then others will.

1. Give your time. Be sure to attend meetings or walk around the departments; ask
from time to time how the personnel are doing. If they need and assistance and
leave your door open to encourage them to come in for discussion. Join the staffs at
the lunch room to develop camaraderie and establish approachability.
 2. Reward, celebration and awards. Every time the team reaches a goal, meets
target sales or attain a zero defect, celebrate it with the team. Put up a plaque on the
department wall, etc. This encourages everyone to put their best foot forward all the
time.

3. Access to new technology and equipment. Provide a budget for new technology
so that the personnel have the urge to be on top of the change. If the members are
exposed to better ways that can improve efficiently, they can practice new skills.

4. Always provide information. Share the firm’s progress as well as the current and
future plans. Incorporate t=a culture of excellence so that the personnel feels part of
the success of the firm.

5. Respond in a timely manner. Find answers to learn questions as soon as you can.
Even when you don’t have the answers, acknowledge this to the team. Be honest
and transparent at all times.

6. Compensate for extra effort. When the members of the team works for long hours
or report on weekends, seek compensation for their time away from their family.

Changing Behavior in Organization

If the management can come to respect the dignity of subordinates in a genuine, open
and in trusting manner and if managers work in a system where they are given the same dignity
by their superiors, management and employees will get along harmoniously. Assistance should
be sought from competent staff members to assist in dealing with the ever increasing tensions
of emotionally disturbed individuals and to integrate and translate the more complex aspect to
organizational behavior.

An important aspect of an organization’s environment is that changes occur in many

areas in life. Some of the environmentally-induced areas of change are:

 Knowledge explosion
 Technological development
 Status of labor
  Environmental and social issue

Knowledge explosion- the fast development attained in science and technology resulted in
tremendous acceleration in the development of knowledge or “knowledge explosion”. It has
resulted to people’s awareness of their human rights as well as the elements of the environment
within which they operate. The demands made by labor unions and by government upon
management have resulted t changes in behavior in organizations.

Technological development- As technology increases, specialization tends to develop. Two

other features of technological development are integration and change. Specialization breaks
work into smaller parts. As a consequence, integration is required to put them back together
again, and which results in making a whole product, a whole organization and a whole society.
With regard to change, the price that technology requires for a progress It brings is that people
must change. Nowadays, since most of the industries uses new technology which requires a
more professional, scientific and other white-collar workers to keep system in operation. And it
brings change or decrease on the blue collar workers.

Status of Labor- Unions have been exerting influence upon human relations at work and are
expected to continue notwithstanding the technical and social changes that takes place or may
be brought about by the union’s rule.

Environmental and social issues- Changes in the internal and external environment as well
as changes in social issues and relationships have likewise induced corresponding changes in
behavior in organization.

Changes in behavior in organization are similarly influenced by changing relationships

with customers, shareowners, suppliers, the general public and the government, and other
parties.

Customer relationship- Customers are those that consume the product for further process or
use. They are more affluent, more mobile, more educated and more likely to have new wants
than before. Multiplicity of choices, variables customer decision and competitive thinking acts
new norms. Organizational principles, practices, and behavior, for the reasons, requires
changes and updating.

Shareowner relationships- A striking characteristics of modern society is that the proprietors

or owners of the large enterprises and its managers or entrepreneurial decision-makers are
increasingly different individuals. With people clamoring for improved living standards, the
human environment as well as corresponding organizational behaviors change.

Suppliers relationship- Suppliers of both materials and services also change in availability,
scope, and interests. Customers will degenerate unless organizational principles and behaviors
are reappraised, reformulated, or altered. More research for continuous modification and
enhancement of principles and practices of organizations is required

Public Government relations- Public or government relations embrace the people in all other
sectors and have in a sense, multiple impacts in organizations. Rules, regulations and laws
implemented surely affects organizations operations and performance. Recently, TRAIN Law
(Tax Reformation on Acceleration and Inclusion) have been approved and really leave an
impact on all industries and organizations.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/group-norms.html

https://content.wisestep.com/top-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-working-in-a-group/

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/improving-group-dynamics.htm

Essentials of Human Behavior in Organizations (Third Edition)

Decision-making: consensus, cooperation, constructive conflict, groupthink

Consensus Decision Making

Consensus decision making is a creative and dynamic way of reaching agreement

between all members of a group. Instead of simply voting for an item and having the majority of
the group getting their way, a group using consensus is committed to finding solutions that
everyone actively supports, or at least can live with. This ensures that all opinions, ideas and
concerns are taken into account. Through listening closely to each other, the group aims to
come up with proposals that work for everyone.

By definition, in consensus no decision is made against the will of an individual or a

minority. If significant concerns remain unresolved, a proposal can be blocked and prevented
from going ahead. This means that the whole group has to work hard at finding solutions that
address everyone's concerns rather than ignoring or overruling minority opinions.

Consensus is used widely by people around the world working towards a more just and
equitable society: from small voluntary groups, co-operatives and campaign networks to
businesses, local communities and, in some cultures, across much wider regions. The exact
process may differ depending on the size of the group and other factors, but the basic principle
of co-operation between equals remains the same.
Consensus means making decisions by the united consent of all. It is noncoercive, as it
avoids imposing anyone’s will on others.

Consensus is really more natural than majority vote, and small groups often use it
without naming it. But in large, diverse groups, consensus may need special attention to work
smoothly.

In consensus, the group encourages the sharing of all viewpoints held by those with
interest in a topic. These viewpoints are then discussed in a spirit of respect and mutual
accommodation. New ideas arise and viewpoints are synthesized, until a formula emerges that
wins general approval.
 Consensus is “organic”—unlike mechanical voting. Often, the final decision is different
from anyone’s original idea.

Consensus has advantages. Consideration of all viewpoints provides a more rounded

view of the issue, leading to a better decision. And a decision supported by everyone will avoid
resentment, division, and efforts to undermine it.

Consensus does not require that everyone be in complete agreement, but only that all
be willing to accept—consent to—a decision. If the group fails to accommodate your viewpoint
after fair effort, ask yourself if you feel strongly enough to uphold your position. If not, it may be
best to “stand aside.” Refusing to do so might paralyze the group.

Also, consensus does not give everyone an equal voice. Some people know more and
care more about an issue. Naturally, their views should carry greater weight.

Better decisions often take longer—in the short run. Try not to make it worse. Before you
speak, ask yourself whether your statement is worth the group’s time. (To get an idea of this,
you could multiply your speaking time by the number of listeners.) If someone else has said it,
you may not need to. When you speak, be brief and to the point—and say it only once.

If time is short and the group is large, a matter may need to be turned over to a smaller
group. Try to cultivate the mutual trust that allows this.

Be aware of how often you speak. Of course, some people will at times have more to
offer. Still, you may have to stop yourself from speaking too often, to avoid dominating. Or if
you’re shy, you may need to push yourself to speak. Consensus can fail if some group
members dominate others.

A chosen facilitator can help consensus by keeping the discussion on track, encouraging
good process, and posing alternatives that may resolve differences. But a facilitator is a servant,
not a director, and assumes a neutral role. If a facilitator wishes to take a stand on an issue, the
task of facilitating is handed to someone else.
 Consensus makes special demands on all. You must respect and consider each other.
You must have a sense of common searching, instead of wanting to “win.” You must be
sensitive and open to each others’ ideas and feelings, and honestly try to accommodate them.
Finally, you must be dedicated to uncovering and pursuing truth—even if it leads where you
never expected.

Why use consensus?

Many of us experience very little control over our lives in the wider world, with decisions
being made for us by managers, benefits agencies, the police, politicians. The rewards this
system promises are mostly about mobility within the hierarchy: getting a promotion, buying
status by owning different stuff. And we're encouraged to compete with each other and
scapegoat whoever is beneath us in the pile, instead of questioning why there isn't enough to go
round in the first place.

Using consensus gives us a taste of how things could be done differently. It aims to
dismantle all kind of hierarchy, and replace it with shared power. It is based on the values of
equality, freedom, co-operation and respect for everyone's needs.
Benefits of using consensus

The benefits outlined below don't come automatically when a group switches to
consensus! We usually have to work hard at making them a reality. But if these things are what
you're aiming for, learning to use consensus is a great place to start.
Sharing power

Consensus enables us to take collective control over the decisions that affect us. At its
heart is a respectful dialogue between equals, with people working together to meet everyone's
needs. From the individual's perspective this means having as much control as possible over
decisions that affect you, without having undue control over everyone else. Consensus means
working with each other rather than for or against each other.
Building communities

Consensus decisions aim to meet everyone's most important needs and find a balance
between what different people want. In an effective consensus group, everyone knows they can
be honest about what they want, and trust they will be taken seriously. This in turn means
getting to know each other as people, and building open and respectful relationships that are
the building blocks of genuine community.

Making better decisions

Consensus involves looking for ‘win-win' solutions that are acceptable to all. It is neither
compromise nor unanimity – it aims to go further by weaving together everyone's best ideas and
key concerns – a process that often results in surprising and creative solutions, inspiring both
the individual and the group as whole.

Getting things done

When everyone agrees with a decision they are much more likely to implement it. In the
long run, people are also more likely to stay involved in a group that is committed to hearing
their views and meeting their needs. This is particularly important in voluntary groups, where
most people vote with their feet and leave if they don't feel valued and respected.

Protecting minority needs and opinions

In consensus, anyone can 'block' a proposal - and prevent it from going ahead - by not
giving their consent. This option should never be used lightly, because it takes away the
freedom of others to do what they want. However it provides a safety net for situations where a
proposal would seriously hurt the group or people in it. Many groups very rarely use the block,
but the fact that it is there means everyone knows from the outset that minority opinions cannot
just be ignored, but solutions will have to be found to deal with all significant concerns.
Consensus justice and social

Consensus is about more than the relationships you build, and the decisions you make
within your own group. It also offers a part of the tool kit for a radically different way of
organising society.
What's wrong with the 'democracy' we've got?

Compare the values above to the ones that rule the world we live in. The western-style
system of voting for representatives presents itself as the highest form of democracy. Yet in the
very nations which shout loudest about the virtues of democracy, many people don't even
bother to vote any more; whoever they vote for, decisions are made by an elite of powerful
politicians and business people whose interests are completely different from the people they
are supposed to represent. And not only do those politicians make laws for us without
consulting us - they have the backing of the police, the prison system and the military to make
sure we abide by their laws. Being allowed to vote 20 times in a lifetime for an MP or other
political representatives is a poor substitute for having the power ourselves to make the
decisions that affect every aspect of our lives.

In addition, most institutions and work places are entirely hierarchical – students and
employees don't usually get a chance to vote their superiors into office or have any decision-
making power in the places where they spend the greatest part of their lives. Or consider the
supermarket chain muscling its way into a town against the will of local people.

The people in power would have us believe that this system is natural and inevitable.
However, humanity is capable of organising itself in many different ways. Better alternatives to
the current system are already here, growing in the gaps between the paving stones of state
authority and corporate control. These seedlings of a fairer society give us a taste of just how
different things could be. Homeless people occupying empty houses and turning them into
collective homes, workers buying out the businesses they work for and running them on
equitable terms, gardening groups growing vegetables collectively - once we start looking there
are hundreds of examples of co-operative organising that we encounter in our daily lives.

Many of the people struggling for social justice have recognised that changing the way
we make decisions is key to achieving equality and freedom. A just society is one that manages
to balance the needs and desires of every individual with those of the closer community and the
wider world. These are precisely the aims of consensus. When we use consensus in our groups
we are practising the skills and attitudes we need to organise society in more equal ways. And
more than that! Those groups could be the building blocks of something much bigger.
Consensus has the potential to be used by much larger communities that want to organise co-
operatively. (See the section on Consensus in large groups for the methods that make this kind
of large scale organising possible).
Challenges of doing consensus in an unjust world

Most of us live in societies that are profoundly unequal, and these inequalities are often
reflected inside our groups too - making it much harder to genuinely live by values of respect,
equality, freedom and co-operation. We often bring the attitudes of wider society into the room
with us and this can really limit the equality and freedom of individuals within our consensus
groups. Making decisions that are truly consensual requires us to unlearn the beliefs we were
taught by an exploitative society, and instead learn more respectful and co-operative
behaviours.

In addition, our ability to come up with creative, win-win solutions is often severely
limited by the options available. Adopting consensus doesn't remove constraints like unjust
economics and laws. For example, a group of people could try to take more control over their
lives by deciding to get a house together, and make decisions about how they live by
consensus. Even if they managed to make their internal decisions as equals, an unjust society
still limits what decisions they are able to make. For example, in many parts of the world, a lack
of social housing, profits made by landlords and banks, and crackdowns on squatting can make
it very hard to find anywhere to live at all.

Consensus is not a magic wand - it is one tool among many in the fight for a fairer world.
And it takes a lot of practise. It is also about a lot more than just having better meetings - it is
about building a culture that really puts principles like equality into practice. And the better we
are able to work together, the better place we are in to challenge the structures that make it so
hard in the first place.
Why use consensus rather than committees or voting?
 Other common options for decision making in voluntary groups and co-operatives are
having an elected committee or holding a direct vote on each decision. These methods have
their benefits, and each group needs to decide what is best for them. Here we explain what we
see as the advantages of consensus over these options. We've also included 'informal
hierarchy' – which describes a situation where groups are trying to use consensus, but some
people have a lot more control than others.
Elected committees

Voluntary groups and co-operatives often elect a steering committee who make all the
major decisions, to be carried out by a much bigger pool of people. For example, the committee
might decide on a campaign and design materials, and then rely on other group members to put
the word out through street stalls and door-knocking.

Some people argue it is necessary to pass power to a committee in order to make long
term strategic decisions and ensure things get done effectively. Collective decision making in
contrast can feel unwieldy and slow.

However, handing power to a small group of people, however well intentioned they may
be, is no guarantee that they will act in our best interests or make the best choices. We all have
different kinds of intelligence, capability and morality, and it is usually better to pool our
strengths than rely on what one person can offer.

Effective group decision making is a skill that can be learnt. For example, many large co-
ops successfully use consensus to manage their businesses and have developed innovative
techniques to aid and speed up decision-making.
Direct voting

Here the members of a group do away with management committees and decide
together on each issue by casting a direct vote. Each member has one vote, and can either say
yes, no or abstain from a decision. Most groups will have some discussion and amend the
proposal before voting to make it work better for more people. Those ideas that get a backing
from a majority can go ahead, regardless of how strongly the minority feels.
 A belief used to justify voting is that if a majority of people think something, they must be
right. This is not always the case! People go along with a proposal for all kinds of reasons –
personal interests, lack of confidence to go against the flow, lack of information or simply not
having thought about an issue much. It may sometimes feel frustrating that in consensus just
one or two people can bring up a concern and expect everyone else to deal with it. However,
remember that at one time, only a small minority of people thought that climate change was
something to worry about!

An argument for voting is that it is quick - because it takes less time to find a solution
that only half the people in the room agree with. This can make sense when the decision isn't
very important, or the situation is urgent and any decision is better than none. In consensus
people might choose to go along with the majority view for these reasons. However, voting
creates winners and losers, which can foster competition and distrust. In decisions with real
impacts on the people involved it is usually worth looking for full support.

Often people argue that consensus works well in small groups but as groups get bigger
and more diverse, it is simply impossible to find solutions that work for everybody. It is true that
reaching consensus becomes a lot more difficult when there are more people and more
perspectives. However, consensus can be used successfully by larger groups - see who uses
consensus and consensus in large groups for case studies and suggestions on making it work.

Informal hierarchy

By definition this is not a system a group chooses! This is a situation where some people
end up with a lot more control over what happens than others, even though the group hasn't
agreed to give it to them. This can happen even if people don't intend it - perhaps they are more
confident to voice their views, or the group as a whole is more likely to act on their suggestions.

How Consensus Works

Stage 1: What's the issue?

This first stage is crucial to get you off to a good start. Taking time to explain the issue
and sharing all relevant background information lays the foundation for a focussed discussion
and helps people to actively participate rather than leaving it to the ‘experts'.
 You might also want to explicitly agree the remit of the discussion – which particular
questions are you trying to answer? What do you need to achieve by the end of this meeting?
Which bits will be discussed another time?

Consensus will be easier to reach if you frame the questions in a way that allows for a
range of answers. For example, asking 'Shall we let the police onto the protest camp?' leads
people to answer simply 'yes' or 'no'. In contrast, asking 'The police want to come in, what shall
we do?' leaves open a wide range of possible courses of action. The more options you are
ready to consider, the more likely you will find one which addresses all the key concerns.

Sometimes a topic brings up such strong reactions that people need to air them before
they can focus on discussing what to do. In this case, it is usually best to create space for
expressing feelings here, at the very beginning of the decision-making process.

Stage 2: Open up the discussion

Good consensus decisions take into account the feelings, needs, concerns of everyone
in the group. This stage is about making time to hear and share these and to get out people's
different perspectives and ideas.

It might be tempting to jump straight into making proposals for solving the issue and it
can be helpful to hear people's ideas straight away. However, it's also important to make space
for everyone to share their feelings and opinions before launching into problem-solving. Getting
a good understanding of where everyone is coming from and what is important to them will help
you later on with finding solutions that everyone can agree to.

Stage 3: Explore ideas in a broad discussion

Once you've got a good understanding of what is important to people, you can move on
to collecting all the ideas for moving forward. It helps to then engage everyone in a broad
ranging discussion where you can explore the pros and cons of different suggestions and how
they might fit together. Think about how you can address different people's hopes and
concerns. When bringing up ideas take into account the views you've heard, and any objectives
you've already agreed.

If you are to come to a solution that works for everyone you'll really need to get your
head around different needs and ideas. Be creative in your thinking, consensus thrives on
mixing up lots of different ideas.

Stage 4: Form a proposal

After discussing the issue freely move on to finding agreement on what needs to be
done.

This stage is also called synthesis, which means coming up with a proposal by
combining elements from several different ideas or perspectives.

A good proposal will take into account and address the different hopes, concerns and
needs that have been raised. In developing your proposal it might help to remind yourselves of
the important issues that people have raised and the range of options that you have explored.
Which options or combinations of options might best address the issues raised?

Stage 5: Amend the proposal

Ensure that everyone understands the proposal and check whether people have any
concerns. Look for amendments that address these concerns. If it becomes obvious at this
stage that some people have strong reservations, see whether you can come up with a
different, better option.

Stage 6: Test for agreement

Often groups get to a point in the discussion when it's easy to assume that agreement
has been reached. The facilitator might say something like "OK, looks like we all agree, let's
move on to the next agenda point." In this example it is very easy for a confident minority to
assume that silence implies consent, and end up pushing their ideas over everyone else.
 A clear stage of testing for agreement helps to avoid that. By clearly stating the proposal
and asking people to signal whether they agree or disagree, we get a much more accurate
picture of whether consensus has been reached.

Proposals rarely get wholehearted support from everyone, there is usually a spectrum
from agreeing to disagreeing. Consensus groups provide different options to show levels of
agreement/disagreement.

Stage 7: Work out how to implement the decision

A group quickly loses energy for decision-making if things are decided and not
implemented. Taking some time to work out the practical details and action points makes it
much more likely that the decision will actually become reality.

Cooperation

`Cooperation is the process of groups of organisms working or acting together for common,
mutual, or some underlying benefit, as opposed to working in competition for selfish benefit.
Cooperation is not always an easy thing to achieve in the workplace, but the effort is
worth it because it leads to a harmonious and productive space. Cooperation can make the
difference between success and failure for many businesses. When employees dedicate more
time to their duties in a cooperative workplace, they are more productive and things get done
more quickly and efficiently. Valuable time is not lost resolving bickering and conflict between
employees and management when there is cooperation at the workplace.
Teamwork is a mark of cooperation at the workplace. ‘Teamwork makes the dream
work” says author John C. Maxwell. In a cooperation-rich workplace, individuals will voluntarily
engage in open discussion. Management and employees work together and try to keep
arguments to a minimum.
It takes empathy and skill, to bring a group of employees to cooperate and come together as a
team. The basic role of a leader is to inspire. If you are a leader, in any sense, never forget the
influence you have on others. As a boss, supervisor or leader, your attitude affects your
employees and co-workers. Remember, that as your attitude affects your employees, in turn
their attitudes affect your customers. And, as we all know, your customers are the lifeblood of
your business.
 Cooperation also means taking turns and helping each other out. The two most
important ingredients to get along in this world are sharing and taking turns. Effective teams
take time to take turns, to learn from each other. Ineffective teams are too busy for they have
their work to do and can’t waste their time on connecting with other team members.

Constructive Conflict

Behaviors that are adaptive to the situation, person and issues of the moment are
functional and constructive. Many conflicts are a mixture of competitive and cooperative
impulses. Constructive conflicts appropriately balance the interests of both parties to maximize
the opportunities for mutual gains. Constructive conflicts contain an element of creative
adaptation born from a realization that one must know both one's own and the other's interests
and goals to be able to find a road both parties are willing to walk to discover a mutually
acceptable outcome. Focusing on the process, not just the outcome one person desires, is key
to productive conflict management.

There are four constructive approaches to conflict, and they all work.

Pragmatic: Let's look at the facts and figure this thing out.
Whatever the situation, pragmatists will ask, "What can be done?" They leave out the
emotions and don't dwell on the past, saying things like, "Why did you mess this up?" They
want the facts and are willing to let the facts lead where they lead, and they will accept any idea
that works, whether it is theirs or their opponent's.

Self-Empowered: Here is what I am doing about it.

Self-empowered people take ownership and responsibility. They don't cast blame on
others; they start by working on things they control. These people do not see themselves as
powerless victims. Rather, they see a crisis as a challenge and an opportunity, and typically,
they find solutions that no one thought were even possible.

Relationship Builder: First, let's get to know each other.

Before dealing with the issues leading to conflict, these people want to deal with the
person; they want to make a human connection. On Monday morning when they get to work,
they are likely to ask, "How was your weekend?" For them, this is a genuine question; they
really want to know. They know from past experience that a human connection can get them
through the tough times.

Conciliator: I know we can work this out.

The conciliator's number one belief is the old expression "win/win." Their first move is to
figure out how the other person can win: if I can help you get what you want, you will help me
with what I want. This is not to be confused with lose/win, where I give in to you to make you
happy at my expense. It is critical to the conciliator that both parties walk away from the conflict
feeling that their needs were met.

Groupthink

Groupthink is a term first used in 1972 by social psychologist Irving L. Janis that refers to
a psychological phenomenon in which people strive for consensus within a group. In many
cases, people will set aside their own personal beliefs or adopt the opinion of the rest of the
group.

People who are opposed to the decisions or overriding opinion of the group as a whole
frequently remain quiet, preferring to keep the peace rather than disrupt the uniformity of the
crowd.
Understanding It

Why does groupthink occur?

Think about the last time you were part of a group, perhaps during a school project.
Imagine that someone proposes an idea that you think is quite poor. However, everyone else in
the group agrees with the person who suggested the idea and the group seem set on pursuing
that course of action. Do you voice your dissent or do you just go along with the majority
opinion?

In many cases, people end up engaging in groupthink when they fear that their
objections might disrupt the harmony of the group or suspect that their ideas might cause other
members to reject them.
 Janis suggested that groupthink tends to be the most prevalent in conditions where there
is a high degree of cohesiveness, situational factors that contribute to deferring to the group
(such as external threats, moral problems, difficult decisions), and structural issues (such as
impartial leadership and group isolation).

Benefits and Dangers

Groupthink can have some benefits. When working with a large number of people, it
often allows the group to make decisions, complete tasks, and finish projects quickly and
efficiently.

However, this phenomenon also has costs as well. The suppression of individual
opinions and creative thought can lead to poor decision-making and inefficient problem-solving.
Causes

A number of factors can influence this psychological phenomenon. It tends to occur

more in situations where group members are very similar to one another and it is more likely to
take place when a powerful and charismatic leader commands the group. Situations where the
group is placed under extreme stress or where moral dilemmas exist also increase the
occurrence of groupthink.

Prevention

There are steps that groups can take to minimize this problem. First, leaders can give
group members the opportunity to express their own ideas or argue against ideas that have
already been proposed. Breaking up members into smaller independent teams can also be
helpful. More ideas that might help:

Initially, the leader of the group should avoid stating their opinions or preferences when
assigning tasks.
References

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