Unit 5:

Group Dynamics
Content
• Group Dynamics
• The nature of groups (types, stages of group development, group
performance factors)
• Group decision making in organizations (Group polarization and
Groupthink)
A typical day in the life of an American Executive
President (Source: Griffin and Moorhead, 2011)
• 7:45–8:15 a.m. Arrive at work; review hard-copy mail sorted by assistant; review and respond to
e-mail; discuss day’s schedule with assistant.
• 8:15–8:30 a.m. Scan The Wall Street Journal and online financial news sources.
• 8:30–9:00 a.m. Meet with labor officials and plant manager to resolve minor labor disputes.
• 9:00–9:30 a.m. Review internal report; read and respond to new e-mail.
• 9:30–10:00 a.m. Meet with two marketing executives to review advertising campaign; instruct
them to fax approvals to advertising agency.
• 10:00–11:30 a.m. Meet with company executive committee to discuss strategy, budgetary issues,
and competition (this committee meets weekly).
• 11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Send several e-mails; read and respond to new e-mail.
• 12:00–1:15 p.m. Lunch with the financial vice president and two executives from another subsidiary
of the parent corporation. Primary topic of discussion is the Houston Rockets basketball team. Place
three business calls en route to lunch, and receive one business call en route back to office. Receive
and read four e-mails on Blackberry during lunch.
• 1:15–1:45 p.m. Meet with human resources director and assistant about a recent
inspection; establish a task force to investigate the problems identified and to
suggest solutions.
• 1:45–2:00 p.m. Read and respond to new e-mail.
• 2:00–2:30 p.m. Video conference call with four other company presidents.
• 2:30–3:00 p.m. Meet with financial vice president about a confidential issue that
came up at lunch (unscheduled).
• 3:00–3:30 p.m. Work alone in office; read and respond to new e-mail; send
several e-mails.
• 3:30–4:15 p.m. Meet with a group of sales representatives and the company
purchasing agent.
• 4:15–5:30 p.m. Make telephone call to company CEO in California to discuss
various organizational issues; work alone in office.
• 5:30–7:00 p.m. Play racquetball at nearby athletic club with marketing
vice-president.
• 9:00–9:30 p.m. Read and respond to e-mail from home; send e-mail to assistant
about an emergency meeting to be scheduled for the next day.
Experiential Exercise:
Form a Group
Group Dynamics
Coming Together
[Formation]

Group Development
& Performance
Group
Maturity
Factors Affecting Group Performance
• Group Composition: homogeneous vs heterogeneous?
• Group Size: Social facilitation vs social loafing?
• Group Cohesiveness
• Group norms
Que: Does group cohesiveness always contribute to productivity?

(Forsyth, 2012)
Comment on
Group Norms Here
Comment on
Group Norms
Here
Predicting Group Outcome

Comment on
- Group Cohesiveness
- Group Norms
- Group Size
- Group Composition
Group Performance
&
Outcome
Groupthink and Group
Polarization
Groupthink
Bright people are like stars. They shine best
when they are alone, but when with others
they loose their radiance.

But to a distant onlooker

stars, either alone or in groups, are always
a matter of interest.

Why a group (of bright people) is more likely

to make disastrous decisions than when they
are allowed to decide alone?

Under what circumstances groups make

poorer decision than individuals?
Are you a good
candidate for
Groupthink?

Kruglanski, Webster & Klem, 1993

Group Polarization

Tendency of groups to witness risky or

cautious shift based on its composition
- Ask members to share their initial position on a 10 point scale where 0 is close to risky decision and 10 is cautious decision
- If group is made of A, B, C & D then mean is (1+3+5+5)/4 = 3.5; if these people come together group will see a risky shift
- If group is made of C,D, E & F then mean is (5+5+7+9)/4 = 6.5; if these people come together group will see a cautious shift
Kennedy’s Advisory Board for Bay Of Pigs
Campaign