Question based on ICFAI Assignment Solution and other course
Answer:
Defining Groups
A group is defined as two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives. There are two key elements in this definition that are important. First is the interaction amongst group members for example coworkers may work side by side on tasks that are related, but if they are not interacting with each other they are not a group in organizational sense of the word.
Second element of group is interdependence i.e influence of one group member over the other which means group members are mutually dependent with respect to achievement of common goals.
1 Reason for Group Formation
There are many reasons which influence group formation, most important being individual need satisfaction which means members of the group expect affiliation from each other to satisfy social need of theirs.
The most basic theory explaining group affiliation is geographic proximity. For example people working in the same area are more likely to form a group than those who are located at different places.
Although there may be many reasons why people join groups there are some reasons that standout and are as follows:
- Personal Characteristics: Groups are more likely to be formed of people with similar attitudes, values and beliefs. Also people with similar political, religious affiliations and cultural similarities as also of same age, sex, intelligence or same interests are more likely to form themselves into groups.
- Interests and Goals: Interests and goals are common and require cooperation from others for achievement of goals and are a powerful force behind group formation. Individual with common goals tend to work together. For example within an organisation marketing people form a group, production people form another group and so do accounting people. Even though they have their individual goals, their organizational goals remain the same.
Some goals cannot be achieved by individuals and require group activity. For example buildings cannot be built by individuals alone and requires group efforts in all areas of buildings. If these individuals in the group with a common group and organizational goal also have similar personal characteristics than group cohesion can be strengthened and group efforts can be improved. Some groups are formed because of similar intellectual and recreational needs example golf clubs, chess clubs, football clubs etc. Groups are often organized to achieve problem solving and decision making tasks to design political and decision making strategies.
- Opportunity for Interaction: People when provided with opportunity to interact may discover that they have a lot in common thus leading to formation of groups. interaction leads to friendships and group formation for example people living in apartments, people travelling in same compartment of trains, people on a cruise etc have an opportunity to form informal groups.
In an organizational setting, management tries to create physical as wellas psychological environment to increase interaction among individuals. Common cafeterias, coffee breaks given at the same time to induce higher interaction amongst group members.
- Influence and Power: Mostly it is seen that managers listen to complaints of employees when employees approach them together in a group. The same managers may not listen to individual complaints. Groups also provide opportunity for individual members to become leaders of the group and influence other members with their views and reasoning. As a leader of a group he may influence people outside the group also. This gives him an opportunity to express his views and ideologies and this gives them increased public visibility and a chance to enhance their careers.
