Stages for Group Development and Group Structure

Reasons for Joining Groups

The justifications for joining groups include

• Satisfaction of needs: Groups offer possibilities to satisfy members' needs, particularly the ones listed below.
• Security: Group decreases unease. External threats can be resisted by members. Greater financial advantages may be attained. Safety requirements are met.
• Affiliation: Through engagement, the group satisfies social requirements.
• Esteem: A group that gives its members prominence and distinction. They also provide one a sense of self-worth.
• Power: Members feel empowered by group action. Members experience power.
• Goal accomplishment: The group assists in the accomplishment of members' shared objectives. It combines power, knowledge, and talent to complete tasks.
• Socialization: In the workplace, the group fosters socialization. Along with proximity and engagement, socializing benefits from influence.
• Communication: Communication is facilitated by groups.
• Identify: Groups give a person a name to the individual..

Stages of Group Development

Stages of Group Development

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• Forming Stage
  Uncertainty regarding the group's objectives, organization, and leadership characterizes this phase. Members look to learn what behaviors are appropriate. At this point, there is mutual suspicion. Structure and ground rules are formed. Members believe they are a part of the gang.
• Storming Stage
  Confrontation and intergroup conflict characterize this period. This is animosity and opposition to the group's restrictions. Some group members desire to rule. Others seek uniqueness. Team spirit is only starting to emerge at this point. Members acknowledge the group's existence. There develops a leadership hierarchy. Tasks for groups are specified.
• Norming
  Collaboration and cooperation are hallmarks of this phase. Cohesion and close bonds grow. A strong sense of group identity is present. Each member is accepted. New norms and objectives arise. Disputes are settled. Standards of conduct change. A strong group structure develops. Establishing group identity and cohesion. People accept group norms. Leadership is a topic on which everyone agrees. Tasks for the group are decided upon.
• Performing
  A organization that is operating at full capacity denotes this level. The focus is on working together, solving problems, and accomplishing tasks and objectives as a group. Consensus is the process for making decisions. The group hierarchy is acknowledged. Concerns about job performance are raised by members. Relations develop.
• Adjourning
  The group's dissolution serves as a sign of this stage. It only applies to ad hoc gatherings. It is distinguished by the conclusion of group activities. The project is finished. The team is broken up.

Group Structure

Every group is organized. Members of the group behave differently because of the structure. It influences group dynamics. Variables related to group organization are independent variables.

Roles

Roles concern what people really do. In a social group, a role is a set of position-related anticipated behavior patterns. A group member must take on a variety of roles. His actions change depending on the role. The role may be relationship- or task-oriented.

• Role that is task-oriented: It emphasizes effectiveness through problem formulation, information sharing, activity coordination, and goal attainment through structured conversation.
• Role that prioritizes relationships: It aims to improve relationships by reducing disagreements among group members. It encourages involvement and values other people's contributions. A job with a pattern is called a role. It has characteristics including identity, sense of what is expected, stereotypes, and conflicts that affect behavior.
• Role identity is produced by specific attitudes and actions that are appropriate for a role. Depending on the demands of the circumstance, people can change their positions. Behavior is influenced by role identity.
• Role perception: Role perception is a person's perception of how he should behave in a particular circumstance. Behavior is influenced by role perception.
• Role expectations: Role expectations are people's ideas about how they ought to behave in a particular circumstance. The psychological contract establishes role expectations.
• Psychological agreement: It is an unwritten agreement that outlines what both management and staff are expected to do in terms of behavior. It plays a significant role in determining collective behavior.
• Role statism: It speaks about role expectations that are condensed into broad categories.
• Conflicting roles: An individual is faced with conflicting role expectations in this situation. Compliance with one role makes compliance with another role challenging. Choosing between obligations to one's family and one's work is one example. Role conflicts make people more stressed and irritable.

Norms

Norms are accepted norms of conduct that group members agree upon. They are unwritten norms of conduct that provide group activities some structure. Every group has norms. However, norms vary from one community to another. The behavior of group members is affected by norms. They are the standards of conduct. They are applicable to every group member.

Classification of Norms

• Performance Norms: They control how well each employee performs inside the team. Such standards may apply to:
  • Length of time spent working
  • Level of production How to complete the tasks
  • Degree of tardiness, etc.
• Appearance Norms: They control how each employee in the workplace should look. They can connect with
  • Dress appropriately
  • Commitment to the cause or movement
  • When to act busy, when to act carefree, etc.
• Social Arrangement Norms: They control how resources are distributed. They may have their genesis within the team or the business. They concern:
  • Pay
  • Assignment of challenging tasks
  • Distribution of new equipment, etc.

Development of Norms

Norms emerge gradually and informally in the methods listed below:

• Past events: Norms might be carried over from earlier events. They form a sizable portion of the professional workforce. Norms are also developed in part by members' prior experiences.
• Critical events: Significant critical incidents set precedent and become norms for a group throughout history.
• Primacy: The group's first behavior pattern establishes the standard. Members anticipate the same pattern of behavior in the future.
• Conscious choice: Group leaders' or members' conscious choices are used to establish norms. They might be direct declarations.

Purposes of Norms

Groups often impose the rules that they view as crucial. The goals of norms are as follows.

• Group survival: Norms facilitate the group's ability to survive. Their chances of success rise as a result. For instance, defense against meddling from other persons or groups.
• Predictability of behavior: The norm makes group members' behavior more predictable. Members can thereby anticipate one another's behavior.
• Reduction of issues: The group member's humiliating interpersonal issues are reduced by the norm.
• Group Identity: The norm represents the unique identity of the group. It strengthens a certain member's role.

Conformity to Norms

In groups, conformity to norms has a strong influence. Conformity is changing one's behavior to fit the group's norms. Groups frequently place pressure on its members to fit in. However, not all groups are subject to the same pressures to comply.

• Numerous groups to which people belong. There are norms unique to each tribe. Individual members abide by the rules of the membership groups they are a part of. Additionally, they follow the standards or reference groups to which they aspire. Instead of interacting with the members, they identify with the reference group's ideals and beliefs.
• High-status group members frequently have more latitude to depart from group standards. However, such a departure shouldn't prevent the group from achieving its objectives.

Deviance of Norms

Deviance is a deliberate rejection of societal standards. Such behavior is seen by other group members as intimidating, annoying, or embarrassing. They support the rebel. A rate-busting in the manufacturing group is one illustration.

Deviants frequently face rejection in groups, particularly:

• Over time, the deviant has not been a good member of the community.
• The team is failing to achieve its objectives.
• Attempts to change the deviant seem futile.

Status

A socially determined rank bestowed on individuals or groups by others is known as status. It plays a significant role in comprehending behavior. It captures the important behavioral repercussions of status symbols and status equity.

• Titles, a company car, a personal secretary, a designated parking space, a membership in an exclusive club, etc. are examples of status symbols.
• Equity of status is crucial for group behavior. Members of the group should view the hierarchy of status as fair. Disequilibrium is caused by status inequality.

In general, groups can agree on ranking criteria within the group.

Example statuses include:

• Having the proper education from the appropriate university
• Residing in a desirable neighborhood
• Participation in clubs
• Executives' rights
• Having the ideal vehicle
• Choosing the appropriate company to work with

Group Cohesiveness

The degree of group cohesion varies. The level of attraction and motivation among a group's members to stick together is referred to as cohesion.

Sources of a cohesive group

• Interaction: Group cohesion is fostered by regular interactions between members.
• Threat: External threats unite the group members and promote cohesion.
• Entry: The more difficult it is to join a group, the more cohesive it is.
• Collaboration: A collaborative environment in a group strengthens cohesiveness.
• Shared Goals: Having common objectives strengthens group cohesion.
• Attitudes and values: Shared beliefs and attitudes among group members strengthen group cohesion. They provide beliefs social validation.
• Size: A smaller group fosters cohesion. Large groups limit interaction chances, foster more discord and unhappiness, and obstruct communication.

Reference

AGRAWAL, DR. GOVIND RAM.Organization Relations. Bhotahity, Kathmandu: M.K. Publishers & Distributors , 2013. textbook.