What is a group? A group is two or more interacting individuals united by one or more common objectives or causes that also identify themselves as a group. Whether it is to solve a particular problem within a company or to meet people of similar interest, groups are generally founded on the basis of common objectives or interests. A good example of a group working together can be found at this link.

Types Formal vs. Informal A formal group is one that is set up with specific members and objectives and is officially recognized. By definition, they always have clear goals that need to be met. In an organization, formal groups are a part of the organization's structure, and their purpose is to perform needed organizational functions. Informal groups, however, are not officially recognized. Informal groups can serve a number of personal and/or work related needs, and they are defined in terms of the members' common interests.

Permanent vs. Temporary Permanent groups are continuous and ongoing, while temporary groups are usually created to perform a specific task and are finished when that task is done.

Purposes:

1- Planning:   Groups that have specific functions have to organize themselves to "get stuff done". 2- Experience:   Members of the group take advantage of the social interaction aspect of the group to learn for other members. 3- Communication:   An important aspect of groups is their ability to persuade others into having similar opinions. (Ex. cults) 4- Support:   Members tend to lend emotional support to others.

Group Dynamics An important aspect of groups is their sense of cohesiveness. In most successful groups there is a strong sense of "we". Members relate to the group and are proud to be part of the group. It is also important to note that size matters!!! The ideal group is one that ranges from 5 to 9 members. This range of numbers make the group small enough where it is easily manageable, but large enough where individuals can take on specific roles within the group. A role is a set of behaviors that a person is expected to show in a particular situation. Along with roles, however, come norms. In many cases, members often times have "psychological contracts" with each other. In other words, members of a group often have implied expectations of the group. If these expectations are not met, individual members may often times feel betrayed or cheated.

A negative situation that often occurs with groups is conformity. Conformity can take on several different forms, but among the most common is social loafing. Social loafing is when a member of a group doesn't "pull his weight" within the group. Simply put, some members often do not do the work that is required of them. Another common and dangerous situation is the groupthink. In groupthink, members will make hasty decisions that they would normally not make themselves and often times ignore their better judgement. Cults are an excellent example of this situation. Click on the icon for more information. For more on group dynamics go to the "dynamics" page: Dynamics

Conflict In groups, conflict can usually be handled in one of two ways. In one way, Conflicting sides can manage their conflict be cooperating. Cooperation leads to positive outcomes and at least partial gain for both parties. On the other hand, often times conflicting sides will react to conflict by competing. Competition leads to negative effects and goal loss for at least one of the parties. For more information on conflict management you can access the following site: Conflict Management Analysis/Examples

At the following link you will find an analysis of the A-team within the context of this page. The icon links to an official A-team site. A-Team Find out about the authors of this site.