OBNotes.htm Organizational Behavior Notes by Wilf Ratzburg: AN INTRODUCTION TO GROUPS

Q:GROUP?

What is a group?

Consider a collection of people waiting at a bus stop for a series of buses. Do these people constitute a group?

No! These people are simply that; a collection of people. As a collection of people waiting for buses, they probably do not interact (except in a perfunctory manner), they lack cohesion (as they may be heading off in different directions), and, unless they are somehow huddled together against the rain, they are unlikely to see any commonality of interest between them.

Groups defined:

two or more people constitute a group if...

they have some common purpose or goal...

there exists a relatively stable structure -- a hierarchy (perhaps a leader), an established set of roles, or a standardized pattern of interaction...

this collection of people see themselves as being part of that group

A team is a unique combination of two or more individuals who interact interdependently and adaptively to achieve specified, shared, and valued objectives

For purposes of this course, the terms team and group will be used interchangeably.

The essence of a team is shared commitment. Without shared commitment, groups perform as individuals.

Good teams invest considerable time shaping a purpose and translating that purpose into specific performance goals. Team members also become accountable to their teammates.

The fundamental distinction between teams and other forms of working groups turns on performance. A team strives for something greater than its members could achieve individually.

GROUPS -- AN INTRODUCTION