Chapter 5: Groups and
Organizations
Objectives (slide 1 of 2)
5.1 Types of Social Groups
• Define what a social group is and describe types of
groups.
5.2 Group Interaction and Leadership
• Describe the ways in which individuals interact
within a group.
• Illustrate leadership styles in relation to the group
structure.
5.3 Group Dynamics: Size, Diversity, and Conformity
• Explain how group dynamics influence social
interaction.
• Discuss concepts of group dynamics.
Objectives (slide 2 of 2)
5.4 Formal Organizations
• Describe the role and function of a
formal organization.
• Illustrate types of formal organizations.
5.5 Future Opportunities for Organizations
• Describe two important ways that
organizations are adapting to
contemporary environments.
Social Groups
• Social group: Two or more people who
have something in common
• Emergent properties: Properties of a
group that emerge through the process
of interaction
Aggregates
An aggregate is defined as people who occupy
the same physical space, but who have nothing
in common.
Primary and Secondary Groups
• Primary group:
Cooley’s term for a
group with which we
feel a deep sense of
belonging or
intimacy
• Secondary group:
Cooley’s term for
formal, impersonal
groups that impact
socialization
In-Groups, Out-Groups, and
Reference Groups
• In-groups: Groups to which we belong or
identify with
• Out-groups: Groups toward which we
feel a sense of competition or
antagonism
• Reference groups: Groups by which we
gauge ourselves and that act as reference
points for future behavior
Social Networks
• Social networks: Links that connect people
to one another in a web of connections
• Strong ties: Ties that link people in a close
fashion
• Clique: A small group of people who are
part of a larger group and who interact with
one another as a group in and of
themselves
• Weak ties: Links to people with whom we
do not interact often or with whom we have
weak social relationships
Fiske and the Four Elementary
Forms of Social Action
•Communal Sharing
•Authority Ranking
•Equality Matching
•Market Pricing
Leadership Styles: Democratic,
Authoritarian, and Laissez-Faire
• Leader: A person who influences the
beliefs, values, and behaviors of others
Leadership Functions: Instrumental
versus Expressive Leadership
• Instrumental leader: Also known as a
task leader, a person who is responsible
for leading a group toward the
completion of a task
• Expressive leader: Also called a
socioemotional leader; a person who is
responsible for maintaining group morale
and smoothing tensions in a group
Group Dynamics
• Group dynamics: How the individual
influences the group and how the group
influences the individual
Group Size
The Dyad
• Dyad: A group
consisting of two people
• Because there is only
one possible interaction,
a dyad remains a highly
unstable social group.
The Triad
• Triad: A group consisting
of three people
• Because there are three
possible interactions in a
triad, it forms the basis
for group stability.
Larger Groups
As group size increases:
• Group stability increases
• Intimacy of interaction declines.
• The group tends to become more
formalized/ hierarchical.
• The group has less of an influence over the
individual.
• It is easier to remain anonymous and
therefore easier to dissent from consensus
without rebuke.
Group Diversity
• Heterogeneity: Diversity in groups
• Homogeneous group: A group in which
all people are similar
Group Conformity: The Asch
Experiment
• The Asch experiment tested whether a test
subject would answer a question incorrectly
based on the influence of other group
members.
– 33% of the people tested gave answers they
knew to be incorrect in at least half of the trials.
– 40% gave wrong answers, though less
frequently.
– Only about 25% of the subjects tested always
gave the correct answer.
Groupthink
• Groupthink: The tendency for groups to
develop a rigid way of thinking
• Characteristics of groupthink:
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Illusion of invulnerability
Collective rationalization
Inherent morality of the group’s position
Stereotyped view of out-groups
Direct pressure to conform
Self-censorship
Illusion of unanimity
Self-appointed mind guards
Formal Organizations
• Organization: A group that is deliberately
constructed to achieve a purpose
common to its members
• Formal organization: An organization
that is rationally structured to efficiently
achieve specific goals using rules and
regulations
Types of Formal Organizations
• Not all formal organizations are the
same. For instance, they may be
classified according to the reasons that
people choose to participate in them.
Three general classifications of formal
organizations have been identified:
utilitarian, normative, and coercive.
Bureaucracies
• Bureaucracy: An organizational model
designed to achieve specific tasks in a very
efficient way
• Max Weber identified six traits that describe
an ideal bureaucracy:
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Specialization
Hierarchy of positions
Rules and regulations
Technical competence
Impersonality
Formal written communication
Organizational Environment
• Organizational environment: Outside
forces that influence the structure and
performance of an organization,
including:
– Rules and regulations
– Economic conditions
– Competition
– Technology
– Availability of workers
Bureaucracies
• Informal Aspects of Bureaucracy
• Dysfunctions of Bureaucracy
• Bureaucratic Ritualism and Rigidity
– Bureaucratic ritualism: A focus on rules and
regulations to the point of undermining the
goals of the organization.
• Bureaucratic Inertia
– Bureaucratic inertia: The tendency of
bureaucracies to perpetuate themselves over
time.
• Alienation
Future Opportunities for
Organizations
Globalism
• Dividing tasks among
different countries to
capitalize on opportunities
• Outsourcing non-skilled
jobs to countries to
increase profit
• Opening new potential
markets
• Creating opportunities in
developing countries
through technology, ideas,
and jobs
Flexible Workplace
• Examples:
– Flexible work hours
– Encouraging team
problem-solving
– Communication
technology connecting
people in different
geographies
– New forms of
remuneration and
benefits