CHAPTER THREE: FOUNDATION OF GROUP

BEHAVIOR
 Group is a collection of two or more people who have a common
goal or interest and interact with each other to accomplish their
objective.
 Three elements should be observed in the definition of
“group”.
 At least two people must be involved for a group to exist.
 The individuals must interact regularly if they are really a
group.
1
 Group members must have a common goal or purpose.
CONT’D---

In general group is a collection of individuals;

 Who have significantly dependant relations with each other.
 Who perceive themselves as group by reliably distinguishing
members from non-members.
 Whose identity is recognized by non members.
 Who have differentiated roles in the group as a function of
expectations from themselves, other groups members, and non
group members.
2
3.1.CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUP
 Groups, in general have various characteristics. The major and
noted ones are described as follows:
 Autonomy: - independence exercised by the group.
 Cohesiveness: - the extent to which the group functions as a unit.
 Control: - the extent to which the group regulates the behavior of
its members.
 Hedonic tone: - extent to which members enjoy belonging to the
group.
 Homogeneity: - for instance, in age, sex, outlook.
 Intimacy: - the familiarity of members with each other.
 Permeability: - ease of entry of new members.
 Polarization: - the extent to which members agree on common
goals. 3

 Stratification: - the existence of status levels within the group.

3.2.FACTORS INFLUENCING GROUP FORMATION

 One of the major purposes behind the formation of a group is

the fulfillment of the members’ needs.
 Groups provide warmth and support for individuals. Man needs
others to feel fulfilled.
 Groups help employees satisfy their security needs or their
needs for power( labor union).
 The workgroup is a primary source of recognition and esteem
for many individuals. Group membership provides
opportunities for recognition and praise that are not available
outside the group.
 Economic reasons also cause group formation. individuals
believe that they can drive greater economic benefits if they
form in to group. 4

 The proximity of people to each other.

 TYPES OF GROUP
 The major categories of groups in organizations classified as
formal versus informal
1. Formal groups are purposely established under the
organization system and can be further subdivided into
functional and task groups.
 A functional group is a group created by the organization to
accomplish a number of organizational purposes. The
personnel department, the finance department, the marketing
department, standing committees and all other operating units
and sections of an organization are all examples of functional
groups.

5
CONT’D---
 A task group is a group created by the organization to
accomplish a relatively narrow range of purpose with in a stated
or implied time horizon. Ad hoc committees, task forces, teams,
and classes in a college are all task groups.
2. An informal group is created by its members for purposes that
may or may not be relevant to the goals of the organization.
 It also has an unspecified time horizon. Your lunch group in the
workplace, for instance, is an informal group.
 An informal group is spontaneous, with no continued existence.

 Informal groups can be a powerful organizational force that

mangers cannot ignore.

6
 Tuckman's Five-Stage Model of Group Development

Forming
Group members Storming
try to get to know
each other Group is in conflict, Norming
members resist
and establish
being Group members . Performing
a common
controlled by
understanding
the group. and
develop close ties ,
feeling of Group members Adjourning
Disagreement arise membership and work toward
concerning achieving their goal. The group
group members share
leadership in the common purpose Disbands once its
group. goals have
been achieved

7
 Stages of Group Development

 Groups evolve and develop through the discrete stages of

forming ,storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
Stage 1: Forming
 It is a period of testing and orientation in which members
learn about each other and evaluate the benefits and costs of
continued membership. Members experience a form of
socialization as they try to find out what is expected of them
and how they will fit into the team.
Stage 2: Storming
 individual members become more proactive by taking on
specific roles and responsibilities. This stage is marked by
interpersonal conflict as members compete for leadership and
other roles in the team. 8
CONT’D---
Stage 3: Norming

 The group develops its first real sense of cohesion as roles are
established and a consensus forms around group objectives.
 common expectations and assumptions about how the team’s
goals accomplished
Stage 4: Performing
 The group becomes more task-oriented in the performing
stage because it shifts from establishing and maintaining
relations to accomplishing its objectives.
Stage 5: Adjourning : most work teams and informal groups
eventually end. Task forces disband when their project is 9
completed.
 Obstacles to Group Productivity
 Breakdown in Role development: Breakdown in role
structure(relationship among roles) may result in role conflict,
role ambiguity, or role overload.
 Role ambiguity: it occurs when a set role is unclear or incomplete or
when there is uncertainty about the content of an expected role. To
minimize such breakdown, identifying roles and role expectations and
encouraging group members to seek feedback can be considered as a
means.
 Role overload- a role structure is also weak when expected roles
exceed group members’ abilities, a condition called a role
overload occurred.

10
CONT’D---
 Social Loafing

is doing less than the fair share of the work on the

assumption that group’s results will not indicate the
individual’s failure to contribute.
 Production blocking

It refers to limiting another person’s output by getting in his

or her way.
It occurs when too many workers are trying to work in a
given amount of space, organizations has poorly planned the
use of its facilities, and when the organization assigns more
than the optimal number of employees to carry out a task.
11
INCREASING GROUP PRODUCTIVITY

 Among the factors that can influence group productivity are

the motivation of group members, group cohesiveness, and
the group’s communication structure.
 Members Motivation

Effectively enhancing the motivation of group members can

improve group productivity( cooperative group reward)
 Cohesiveness

 It refers to the commitment of members to a group and

strength of their desire to remain in the group.
 Energetic in group activities.

 Less likely to be absent from group meeting.

 Happy when the group successes and sad when it fails.

12
CONT’D--
 Communication structure
 A group communication structure includes the direction in
which communication flow within the group and the media
used for sending messages.
 Access to communication can enhance productivity and
managers must create an environment that encourages and
recognizes communication from employees regardless of
individual differences.

13
UNIT FOUR: MOTIVATION CONCEPTS AND THEIR
APPLICATIONS

What is Motivation?
 According to George R. Terry, "Motivation is the desire within
an individual that stimulates him or her to action.“
 According to George Robert Dubin, it is "the complex of forces
starting and keeping a person at work in an organization“
 Viteles defines motivation as "an unsatisfied need which
creates a state of tension or disequilibrium, causing the
individual to move in a goal directed pattern towards restoring
a state of equilibrium, by satisfying the need."

14
 FEATURES OF MOTIVATION

The following are the features of motivation:

 It is an internal feeling and forces a person to action.(is an inner
psychological force, which activates and compels the person to
behave in a particular manner).
 It varies from person to person and from time to time.(differ
from individual to individual depending on his personality,
needs, competence and other factors).
 It may be positive or negative(Positive motivation includes
incentives, rewards and other benefits while negative motivation
implies some punishment, fear, use of force etc).
 It is a continuous activity.(need based)

15
 IMPORTANCE OF MOTIVATION

 Motivated employees make optimum use of available resources

for achieving objectives.
 Motivation is directly related to the level of efficiency of
employees.
 Motivated employees make full use of their energy and other
abilities to raise the existing level of efficiency.
 Motivated employees make goal-directed efforts. They are more
committed and cooperative for achieving organizational
objectives.
 Motivated employees are more loyal and sincere to an
organization.
 Motivation is considered as a backbone of good industrial
relations.
16
 Effectively motivated employees get more job satisfaction and
possess high morale.
 EARLY THEORIES OF MOTIVATION

Need-Based Theories to Motivation

 Need-based theories try to answer the question, "what factor(s)
motivate people to choose certain behaviors?" Some of the
widely known need-based theories are as follows:
(a) Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
 Maslow suggested that the five levels of needs are arranged in
accordance with their importance, starting from the bottom of
the hierarchy (physiological, security, belongingness, esteem
and self-actualization needs).

17
CONT’D---

18
CONT’D---
 Physiological needs represent the basic issues of survival such
as food, water and air.
 In organizational settings, most physiological needs are
satisfied by adequate wages and by the work environment
itself, which provides employees with rest rooms, adequate
lighting, comfortable temperatures and ventilation.

19
CONT’D---
 Security or safety needs refer to the requirements for a
secure physical and emotional environment.
 Need to be free from worry about money and job
security and the desire for safe working conditions.
 Security needs are satisfied for people in the work place
by job continuity, a grievance resolving system and an
adequate insurance and retirement benefit package.

20
CONT’D---
 Belonging or social needs are related to the, social aspect
of human life.
 They include the need for love and affection and the
need to be accepted by one's peers.
 For most people these needs are satisfied by a
combination of family and community relationships and
friendships on the job.
 Managers can help ensure the 'satisfaction of these
important needs by allowing social interaction and by
making employees feel like part of a team or work
group.
21
CONT’D---
 Esteem needs actually comprise of two different sets of
needs:
 The need for a positive self-image and self-respect.
 The need for recognition and respect from others.

 Organizations can help address esteem needs by

providing a variety of external symbols of
accomplishment such as job titles and spacious offices.
 At a more fundamental level, organizations can also help
satisfy esteem needs by providing employees with
challenging job assignments that can induce a sense of
accomplishment.
22
CONT’D---
 At the top of the hierarchy are those needs, which
Maslow defines the self-actualization needs.
 These needs involve realizing one's potential for
continued: growth and individual development.
 Since these needs are highly individualized and
personal, self-actualization needs are perhaps the most
difficult for managers to address.
 Therefore, an employee should try to meet these needs
on his own end.
 However, an organization can help his employee by
creating a climate for fulfillment of self-actualization
23
needs.
CONT’D---
b. Carrot and Stick Approach of Motivation(Jeremy
Bentham)
 Is based upon the old belief that the best way to get work a
person is to put a reward (carrot) in front of him or to hold on
the threat of punishment (stick) from behind.
 It came from the old story that to make a donkey move one
must put a carrot in front of him or jab him with a stick from
behind.
 The ‘carrot’ is the reward for working and the ‘stick’ is the
punishment for not working.

24
CONT’D---
 employees who perform the task well are given
rewards in the form of bonus, pay raise, promotion etc.
 while employees who avoid work, are given
punishment like demotion, termination from work,
transfer to an unpleasant job etc.

25
CONT’D---
c. ERG Theory of Motivation
 Clayton Alderfer has proposed an alternative hierarchy of needs
- called the ERG Theory of Motivation. The letters E, R and G
stand for Existence, Relatedness and Growth.
 The existence needs in this theory refers to the physiological
and security needs of Maslow. Relatedness needs refers to
belongingness and esteem needs. Growth needs refers to both
self-esteem and self-actualization needs.
 The ERG theory emphasis on the following key points
regarding needs:
 Some needs may be more important than others.
 People may change their behavior after any particular set of needs
has been satisfied.
26
CONT’D---
d. Hertzberg’s Motivation-Maintenance Theory
 Developed by American psychologist Frederic Hertzberg

 Is also called as the two-factor theory.

 He divided the factors of the work environment in to
two:
1. Motivating or Satisfier Factors: are factors that uplift
the attitudes or performance of workers.
 achievement, recognition, advancement, creative and
challenging work, growth on job etc
27
CONT’D---
2. Hygienic, Maintenance Factors or Dis satisfiers:
factors that can de-motivate if not present,
 company policies, quality of supervision, salary, job
security, working conditions, employee benefits, job
status etc.
 If managers need to motivate their workers through
motivating factors, the hygienic factors must be kept at
appropriate level.

28
CONT’D---
 Based on these findings, Herzberg recommended that
managers seeking to motivate employees should first
make sure that hygiene factors are taken care of and that
employees are not dissatisfied with pay, security and
working conditions.
 Once a manager has eliminated employee dissatisfaction,
Hertzberg recommends focusing on a different set of
factors to increase motivation, by improving
opportunities for advancement, recognition,
advancement and growth.

29
CONT’D---
e. Theory X and Theory Y
 There are two basic classes of people:
 those who want to lead and take responsibility, i.e., the leaders and
managers; and
 those who want to be directed and do not want to take responsibilities.

 On this basis, McGregor (1960) proposed two distinct views of

human beings:
 Basically negative labeled Theory X and the other positive and
labeled as Theory Y.

30
CONT’D---
Theory X assumes that:
Man is inherently lazy, dislikes work and avoids it whenever
possible;
 As a result, leaders must use strong measures to control the
behaviour of subordinates and properly control them so that
they work towards organizational goals; and
 Most human beings are incapable of self-direction and control,
preferring to respond to direct orders rather than assume
responsibility for their own actions.

31
CONT’D---
According to Theory X,
 Management does not trust employees with important
decisions. Hence,
 Employees are excluded from the decision making process.
 Management assumes complete responsibility for all mgt functions.
 If management does not act, employees will do little or nothing.

32
CONT’D---
Theory Y considers that:
 Work can be enjoyable,

 People will work hard and assume responsibility if they have

the opportunity to satisfy their personal needs and achieve
organizational goals,
 People have a great deal, more capability and potential for
imagination and creativity
 Given proper conditions, individuals will work hard to do a
good job, and
 An individual's performance is actually based on innate
rather than external controls.
33
Managerial Approaches for Improving Motivation

 A number of approaches can help managers motivate

workers, to perform more effectively.
o The following steps promote intrinsic motivation:
 Workers Participation in Management (WPM)
 Management by Objectives (MBO)
 Organization Behavior Modification
 Job-Redesign
 Alternative Work Schedules.

34
CONT’D---
 Two approaches, however, have been especially effective:
linking pay to job performance and quality of work-life
programs.
1. Pay and Job Performance
 Pay often can be used to motivate employee performance.

 But a pay plan also must be able to do the following tasks:

 Create the belief that good performance leads to high levels of
pay;
 Minimize the negative consequences of good performance; and
 Create conditions in which rewards other than pay are evaluated
as related to good performance.
35
CONT’D---
2. Quality of Work-Life Programs
 Quality of Work Life (QWL) is defined as an attempt through
a formal program to integrate employee needs and well-being
with the intention of improved productivity, greater worker
involvement, and higher levels of job satisfaction.
 There are three types of QWL programs, which are as
follows:
a. Quality Circles
 Quality Circles (QC) are small groups of workers who meet
regularly with their supervisor as their 'circle leader' to solve
work-related problems.
 QCs give an employee an opportunity for involvement,
social-need satisfaction, participation in work improvement
36
and challenge and opportunity for growth.
CONT’D---
b. Alternative Work Schedule
 Organizations also frequently use the modified 'work-
week' as a way to increase employee motivation.
 A modified 'work-week' can be any work schedule that
does not conform to a traditional 8 hours a day or 5 days
a week format.
 The modified 'work-week' helps individual satisfy
higher-level needs by providing more personal control
over one's work schedule.

37
CONT’D---
c. Job-Redesign
 Job-Redesign or changing the nature of people's job is
also being used more as a motivational technique.
 The idea pursued here is that mangers can use any of the
alternatives job rotation, job enlargement, job
enrichment as part of motivational program.

38
Implication of motivation for performance and
satisfaction

 Several factors appear to account for the prominence of

this topic as a focal point of interest.
 Every organization needs people in addition to other
operating resources in order to function/ operate.
 Motivation as a concept is pervasive and a highly complex
activity that affect and is affected by a host of factors in the
organizational setting.
 Organizational effectiveness becomes to some degree a
question of management’s ability to motivate its employees,
to direct at least a reasonable effort toward the goals of the
organization.

39
END 40