CASE STUDY SOLVED FROM JANUARY 2011 PAPER ON

GROUP BEHAVIOUR

Preamble to the case

Facts of the case is as follows :
It is a case pertaining to the communication process leading to group
behavior in a large organization.
Downward communication was missing at the operative level, though it was
communicated by the top management.
So, the Management wanted to set this right and took action by deploying
experienced people to take up the task, however, at a later point of time,
they had to induct youngsters into the organization, since the experienced
group did not produce the required results.
By modification in the process, they could see a lot of changes viz., doubling
of productivity, easy flow of communication, improved group behavior.

1. Analyse each groups behavior.

A group is defined as two or more individuals interacting and
interdependent, who come together to achieve particular objectives.
The objective was to ensure that the communication and guidelines of
the management was to reach all levels of employees especially to the
implementation level ie the operative levels of employees Junior
Management, Supervisory staff, Shop-floor employees (Blue collared)
and down below .
A Command Group was created as per the organization chart, wherein
experienced personnel were commissioned to build up a force to help
the organization.
It was construed that the experienced would deliver the task.
However, after four months,
no progress was seen.
All these
seasoned employees were shifted and new set of employees
youngsters were inducted to carry out this task.
A Task Group was organizationally determined, to complete the task of
communication.

This task group operated from boundarylessness and their interactions

were not limited to its immediate hierarchical superiors. It crossed
command relationships. A lot of communication and coordination
among different hierarchies will take place. Such a formation would
constitute a task group. It should be noted that all command groups
are also task groups, but because task groups can cut across the
organization, the reverse need not be true.
People who may or may not be aligned into common command or task
groups may affiliate to attain a specific objective with which each is
concerned. This is an interest group.
2. Why and how was the last group able to produce result ?
Employees who bond together to have their vacation schedules
altered, to support a peer, or to seek improved working
conditions represent the formation of a united body to further
their common interest.
All groups have established norms that is,
acceptable
standards of behavior that are shared by group members.
Norms can cover virtually any aspect of group behavior. And,
the most common group norm is performance norm.
One of the main reason why this group could produce results
could be because of the group members being provided with
explicit cues to how hard they should work, how to get the job
done, what their level of output should be, what level of
tardiness is appropriate, and the like. These norms are
extremely powerful in affecting an individual employees
performance they are capable of significantly modifying a
performance that is solely based on an employees ability and
motivation.
It has been proved by the Behavioural scientists that a full
scale appreciation of the importance norms play in influencing
worker behavior. This has been proved by a series of studies
undertaken in as early as in 1930s by Elton Mayo and his
associates in Western Electric Company, Chicago in their
Hawthrone Studies.
A Workers behavior and sentiments are closely related, that
group influences were significant in affecting an individuals
behavior.
Few examples from this specific case study given to us such as

Constant guidance, coaching and monitoring

Concern and care shown to group members
Welfare benefits for work life balance such as leave facilities
for a woman employee (newly married woman)
To conclude, all the above indicates that group conformity to
its norms, group interaction, oral communication in offices, in
everyday activities and day to day work. Another aspect is,
emotional bonding, thro shared lunch at the office, for
example is very popular among Asians. Sharing of socioemotional activities is more important than task oriented
activities. All the above contributes to groups success.