Chap 6

FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP BEHAVIOR AND TEAMWORK

Chapter Review

Summary

 Behaviour is constrained by the context in which it occurs. Organizations

form groups that determine how employees behave, which may be very different than
how they would behave individually.
 Command and task groups, both formal, are organizationally determined, whereas
friendship and interest groups, both informal, are loosely banded collections of
individuals sharing commonalities.
 The five-stage group-development model suggests that groups form through the
process of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
 In the forming stage, there is a great deal of uncertainty about the group’s purpose,
structure, and leadership.
 In the storming stage, there is considerable intragroup conflict.
 In the norming stage, close relationships develop and the group demonstrates
cohesiveness.
 The model assumes that groups become more effective as they progress through the
first four stages. Stage four (performing) is the stage where group performance is the
highest. For permanent work groups, performing is the last stage in development.
 However, for temporary committees, teams, and task forces, there is an adjourning
stage.
 Group concepts, such as roles, norms, status, size, and cohesiveness shape the
behaviour of members and explain and predict a large portion of individual behaviour
within the group as well as the performance of the group itself. 
 Role identity, or attitudes and behaviours consistent with one’s group position, are
determined by role expectations (how others believe you should act in a given
situation). Individuals confronted with multiple divergent role expectations
experience role conflict, which is where compliance with one role requirement
makes it difficult to fulfil another.
 Norms are acceptable standards of behaviour that are shared by the group’s
members.
+ The Hawthorne Studies provided valuable insight into the effect of norms on
worker behaviour. Originally initiated by Western Electric officials and later
overseen by Harvard professor Elton Mayo, the Hawthorne studies concluded
that a worker’s behaviour and sentiments were closely related, that group
influences were significant in affecting individual behaviour, that group standards
 were highly effective in establishing individual worker output, and that money
was less factor in determining worker output than were group standards,
sentiments, and security.
+ Most work groups establish a variety of norms: performance (level of output and
acceptably levels of tardiness), appearance (appropriate dress and attitude),
social arrangement (social interactions with group members), and allocation of
resources (pay, assignment of difficult jobs, and allocation of new tools and
equipment). Group members conform when they desire to be one of the group
and avoid being visibly different. Non-conformists are considered “deviant,”
those who exhibit antisocial actions like stealing, loafing, and abuse of other
employees.
 Status is a socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by
others. Higher status individuals are given more latitude in the range of acceptable
behaviours. According to status characteristics theory, status is derived from the
power a person wields (was holding) over others; a person’s ability to contribute to a
group’s goals; and an individual’s personal characteristics. High status individuals are
better able to resist conformity than low status individuals and are more likely to be
assertive in a group setting.
 The size of a group also affects group behaviour. While large groups are more
effective at gaining diverse input, smaller groups tend to be more productive. One of
the reasons for lack of productivity in larger groups is the social loafing. Social
loafing refers to the tendency of individuals to expend less effort when working
collectively than when working individually. For this reason, managers must provide
a mechanism to measure individual effort in group situations. In addition of
overcoming the productivity losses associated with group work, two other
conclusions related to groups are presented: (1) it is desirable to have an odd
number of members in a group and (2) groups of five to seven members tend to be
ideal.
 Finally, groups differ in cohesiveness, the degree to which members are attracted to
each other and are motivated to stay in the group. Cohesiveness is important
because it has been found to be related to the group’s productivity. Studies
consistently show that the relationship of cohesiveness and productivity depends on
the performance-related norms established by the group.
 Group decision making is characterized by both strengths and weaknesses. Groups
generate more complete information and knowledge, offer increased diversity of views,
and increased acceptance of a solution. The down sides include increased time to make
decisions, conformity pressures, domination by one or a few members, and ambiguous
responsibility.
 The effectiveness of groups is based on the criteria used to define effectiveness. In
terms of accuracy, group decisions are generally more accurate than the decisions of the
average individual in a group, but less accurate than the judgments of the most accurate

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 group member. In terms of speed, individual decisions are preferable. If creativity or
acceptance of the decision is important, groups tend to be more effective than
individuals.
 Groupthink occurs when members rationalize any resistance and apply direct pressures
on those who momentarily express doubts. In addition, members who have doubts
suppress their dissent and there is an illusion of unanimity. It is more likely to occur
when there is a clear group identity, when members hold a positive image of their group
they want to protect, and when the group perceives a collective threat to this positive
image.
 Groupshift refers to a group decision making phenomena. Group decisions tend to
exaggerate the initial position of the individual member and that shift is more often
towards greater risk. Whether or not the group will shift toward greater risk tends to be
a function of the members’ pre-discussion inclinations.
 While the most common form of group decision making occurs in interacting groups,
there are a number of other techniques. Group decision making techniques include
brainstorming, nominal groups,… They are an attempt to overcome pressures for
conformity with face-to-face interacting groups. Brainstorming utilizes an idea-
generating process that encourages any and all alternatives, while withholding any
criticism of those alternatives. The nominal group technique restricts discussion or
interpersonal communication until all ideas have been presented. Ideas are silently and
independently ranked. The idea with the highest aggregate ranking determines the final
decision.
 It is important to note that groups and teams are not the same.
 A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share information and to make
decisions to help each member perform within his or her area of responsibility.
 In contrast, a work team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort.
Members’ individual efforts result in a level of performance that is greater than the
sum of those individual inputs.
 Types of teams include 
 problem-solving teams: where members share ideas or offer suggestions on how
work processes and methods can be improved 
 self-managed teams : groups of employees who perform highly related or
interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of their former
supervisors 
 cross-functional teams : teams made up of employees from about the same
hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a
task, and 
 virtual teams : teams that use computer technology to tie together physically
dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal.
 Teams are growing in popularity because

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 They typically outperform individuals, particularly when the tasks being performed
require multiple skills, judgment, and experience.
 They are more flexible and responsive to changing events, as they have the
capability to quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and disband.
 They are an effective means for management to democratize their organizations and
increase employee motivation.

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Pre Test
Take the pre test to check your knowledge of this chapter.

MULTIPLE CHOICE
This activity contains 17 questions.

1. A _____ is two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come
together to achieve particular objectives.
a. clique
b. task force
c. cohesive unit
d. group
2. A(n) _____ group is determined by the organization chart.
a. interest
b. informal
c. command
d. friendship
3. A _____ group can cross command relationships.
a. command
b. informal
c. task
d. interest
4. Which is the first stage in the five stage group formation model?
a. Norming
b. Storming
c. Forming
d. Performing
5. _____ are acceptable standards of behaviour that are shared by a group's members.
a. Rules
b. Policies
c. Norms
d. Missions
6. _____ norms are associated with explicit clues on how hard to work, how to get the
job done, and the appropriate level of output.
a. Appearance
b. Social arrangement
c. Performance
d. Allocation of resources

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7. Dress codes and unspoken rules about when to look busy would fall under _____
norms.
a. social arrangement
b. resource allocation
c. performance
d. appearance
8. Groups differ in _____, the degree to which members are attracted to each other and
are motivated to stay in the group.
a. status
b. identity
c. cohesiveness
d. perception
9. Which of the following was NOT a conclusion of the Hawthorne studies?
a. Worker's behaviour and sentiments were closely related.
b. Output increases and decreases proportionately to changes in illumination.
c. Money was less a factor in determining worker output than were group standards,
sentiments, and security.
d. Group influences were significant in affecting individual behaviour.
10. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of group decision making?
a. Groups generate more complete information and knowledge.
b. Group decisions save time.
c. Groups lead to increased acceptance of a solution.
d. Groups offer increased diversity of views.
11. Using the criteria of _____ to measure effectiveness, individual decisions more
effective than group decisions.
a. acceptance of the final solution
b. creativity
c. speed
d. accuracy
12. _____ refers to situations in which group pressures for conformity deter the group
from critically appraising unusual, minority, or unpopular views.
a. Groupview
b. Groupshift
c. Group deviance
d. Groupthink
13. When is groupthink LEAST likely to occur?
a. When there is a clear group identity
b. When a group perceives a collective threat to their image
c. When the group is very small
d. When members hold a positive image of the group that they want to protect

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14. In a(n) _____ group, members meet face-to-face and rely on both verbal and
nonverbal interaction to communicate with each other.
a. nominal
b. geographic
c. compressed
d. interacting
15. A _____ interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each
member perform within his or her area of responsibility.
a. quality circle
b. task force
c. work group
d. work team
16. _____ are teams from the same department who meet for a few hours each week to
discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment.
a. Self-managed work teams
b. Cross-functional teams
c. Problem-solving teams
d. None of the above
17. Teams fit well in countries that have ____ cultures.
a. individualistic
b. communist
c. democratic
d. collectivist

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Post Test
Now that you have taken the pre test and studied the review material, try the post test to
assess your understanding.

This activity contains 30 questions.

1. _____ groups are defined by the organization's structure.

a. Formal
b. Informal
c. Cliques
d. Friendship
2. A(n) _____ group is composed of individuals who report directly to a given manager.
a. task
b. informal
c. friendship
d. command
3. A(n) _____ group is composed of people who may or may not be aligned into
command or task groups, but who affiliate to attain a specific objective.
a. task
b. friendship
c. interest
d. command
4. Betty and Fred meet for lunch, after hours, and sometimes on weekends. They enjoy
each others' company. What type of group do Betty and Fred comprise?
a. Task
b. Interest
c. Formal
d. Friendship
5. In the Five-Stage Model, the _____ stage is associated with intergroup conflict.
a. norming
b. performing
c. adjourning
d. storming
6. In the Five-Stage Model, the _____ stage is associated with camaraderie and
development of group friendships.
a. performing
b. forming
c. norming
d. storming
7. In the Five-Stage Model, _____ is the last stage in their development.
a. performing

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 b. adjourning
c. norming
d. storming
8. In the Five-Stage Model, the _____ stage is associated with a great deal of uncertainty
about the group's purpose, structure, and leadership.
a. forming
b. norming
c. adjourning
d. storming
9. There are certain attitudes and behaviours consistent with a role and they create the
_____.
a. role status
b. role overload
c. role perception
d. role identity
10. A _____ is an individual's view of how he is supposed to act in a given situation.
a. role congruence
b. role expectations
c. role perception
d. role status
11. The Hawthorne experiments are associated with management scholar _____.
a. Elton Mayo
b. Douglas MacGregor
c. Fred Herzberg
d. Abraham Maslow
12. _____ norms come from informal work groups and primarily regulate social
interactions within the group.
a. Appearance
b. Allocation of resource
c. Friendship
d. Social arrangement
13. Conformity is highest in _____ cultures.
a. individualistic
b. masculine
c. collectivist
d. feminine
14. According to status characteristics theory, which does NOT contribute to a person's
status?
a. The power a person wields
b. A person's ability to contribute to a group's goals
c. An individual's personal characteristics

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 d. A person's social position
15. Approximately, _____ members is considered the optimal group size.
a. 3
b. 7
c. 9
d. 12
16. What of the following is NOT an advantage of group decision making?
a. More complete information
b. Increased diversity of views
c. Increased acceptance of a solution
d. Quicker decisions
17. Which is NOT true of group decisions?
a. Group decisions are fast.
b. Group decisions are more accurate than the average individual in a group.
c. Group decisions are more creative.
d. There is greater acceptance of group decisions.
18. _____ is a deterioration in an individual's mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral
judgment as a result of group pressures.
a. Grouptest
b. Groupshift
c. Groupthink
d. Groupview
19. Which of the following is NOT a symptom of groupthink?
a. Members apply direct pressures on those who momentarily express doubts about
any of the group's shared views.
b. Group members rationalize any resistance to the assumptions that they have made.
c. Members who have doubts or hold differing points of view are encouraged to voice
their concerns.
d. There appears to be an illusion of unanimity.
20. _____ is a change in decision risk between the group's decision and the individual
decision that members within the group would make.
a. Grouptest
b. Groupshift
c. Groupthink
d. Groupview
21. In a groupshift situation, the shift in the group's decision depends primarily upon
_____.
a. the risk aversion of the members
b. the attitudes of the leader
c. the dominant prediscussion norm
d. the timing of the decision

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22. _____ is an idea-generation process that encourages non-critical discussion of all
alternatives.
a. The nominal group technique
b. Electronic meeting
c. Brainstorming
d. Delphi technique
23. ____ have the capability to quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and disband.
a. Informal groups
b. Departments
c. Teams
d. Profit centres
24. A _____ generates positive synergy through coordinated effort.
a. work team
b. norm
c. group
d. cohort
25. On a _____, members share ideas or offer suggestions on how work processes or
methods can be improved, although they rarely have the authority to unilaterally
implement any of their suggestions.
a. task force
b. problem-solving team
c. cross-functional team
d. self-managed work team
26. On a _____, employees perform highly related jobs and take on many of the
responsibilities of their former supervisors.
a. task force
b. problem-solving team
c. cross-functional team
d. self-managed work team
27. A team made of members from production, planning, quality, and engineering would
most likely be a _____.
a. task force
b. problem-solving team
c. cross-functional team
d. self-managed work team
28. Which type of team is an effective means for allowing people from diverse areas
within an organization to exchange information, develop new ideas, and solve
problems, and coordinate complex projects?
a. Self-managed work team
b. Task force
c. Virtual team

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 d. Cross-functional team
29. Companies tend to favour _____ because of their ability to overcome time and space
constraints.
a. virtual teams
b. problem-solving teams
c. cross-functional teams
d. task forces
30. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
a. More conflicts exist in teamwork.
b. Teamwork requires more meetings.
c. Teamwork takes less time than individual work.
d. The costs of using teams may exceed the benefits.

True or false
This activity contains 10 questions.

1. An interest group is made up of people who join together because they share one or
more common characteristics.
2. The stages of group development must occur sequentially and will never occur
simultaneously.
3. Norms tell members what they ought and ought not to do under certain circumstances.
4. High status members of groups are given less freedom to deviate from norms than other
group members.
5. Physically isolating a group will make it more cohesive.
6. The chief advantage of the nominal group technique is that it permits the group to meet
formally but does not restrict independent thinking, as does the interacting group.
7. Teams are an effective means for management to democratize their organizations.
8. A work group generates positive synergy while a work team does not.
9. Problem-solving teams often meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of
improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment.
10. As a result of self-managed teams, supervisory positions may be eliminated.

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