Rohidas Patil Institute Of Management Studies

Presentation On Norms as Group Property

Presented ToProf. A.D. Inamdar

Group Members

Kalpesh Mhatre 94Rupesh Randive 121Jaydeep Dhandhaliya 87Shirish Pantone 108Pawan Lahane 115Ashwajit GadPal 90Atish Waghmare 137Amit Sawant 123

What is a group?Two or more individuals interacting who have

come together to achieve a particular goal.

Two or more interacting individuals with a stable pattern of relationship between them who perceive themselves as a group.

Group PropertiesRoles

Status

Size

Cohesiveness

Norms

Group Properties - Role

A set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit.

Group Properties – Status

A socially defined position or rank given to

groups or group members by others.

Group Properties - Cohesiveness

Degree to which group members are attracted to each other and are motivated to stay in the group.

Group Properties- SIZE

Here size of the group is the point of concern. Factual figures suggest that smaller size of the groups are faster at completing task but for the group engaged in problem solving gets more marks than their smaller counterparts.

NORMSWhat do they mean?

All groups have norms.

These are acceptable standards of behavior that are shared by group members.

These define what is or not to be done by members.

When accepted and agreed upon by members these act as behavior influencing parameters for conduct without outside control.

Norms differ from group to group.

These could be formally or informally laid down.

HOW’S & WHY’S OF NORMSHOW

Norms normally develop in one or more ways:

Explicit statement by manager: no personal calls during working hours.

Critical events in group’s history: monitoring each other, eg: accident.

Primacy: the first behavior pattern that emerges sets the norms. My seat, my friend etc.

Carry over behavior: what one followed.

WHY

It facilitate group survival- as group they don’t want to fail and forbid interference from other groups.

It increases the predictability of group members predictability of behavior.

It reduces embarrassing inter personal problems of group members.

It allows group members to express the central values of the group and clarify.

Development of Group Norms

Behaviors that occur early in the group’s history often establish norms through primacy.

Sometimes norms are established by explicit statements that a leader or another member makes.

Some norms are established through critical events that occur in a group.

Many norms are taken from the general culture in which the group members live.

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KINDS OF NORMSWritten rules – Some norms are codified.

They are printed as policies, laws or rules to be adhered to.

Explicit statements – These are not codified but bear similar weighting.

Non-explicit, implicit norms – Silent norms that influence members’ behaviors – forcing them to conform.

Norms beyond our awareness – Some norms are unconscious to group members.

FORCES THAT INDUCE ACCEPTANCE OF GROUP NORMS

Internal forces – based on intrapersonal conflict

External forces – attempts by others to influence the person directly.

THE PERPETUATION OF NORMS

Conformity, Compliance, Obedience Conformity – adjusting ones behavior to align with the norms of the group in situations where there are no overt pressure to do so. There is an implicit assumption that behavior similar to that of the groups’ will evoke approval and

those opposite will bring censure(disapproval).

THE PERPETUATION OF NORMS

Compliance – the act of adjusting one’s behavior to align with the norms of the group based on overt pressure or a direct request.

Obedience – submission to authority in order to avoid negative sanctions.

THE IMPACT OF NORMS ON INDIVIDUALS WITHIN GROUPSIndividuals seek convergence between norms

and their own values

High convergence of individual and group norms facilitates conformity and reduces anxiety of new members

Low convergence leads to questioning, withdrawal or change.

Why do Accept Group Norms

Continued Membership is Desired

Low status is perceived

The Group is cohesive

Sanctions are expected

Deviance From NormsDeviance – an act that violates a shared idea

about what should or should not be done within a group

Group may have to redefine its’ boundaries when dealing with deviant behaviors

CHANGING GROUP NORMS

Influence on the group from external environment – changes in the environment in which the group operates can affect changes in the group.

Influence from high-status members –Members Can instigate changes in the system with their influence of status

CHANGING GROUP NORMS

The group may diagnose it norms and modify them.

If the group is able to recognize that important changes are necessary for enhanced productivity, or simply to solve problems, then they may work among themselves to identify where and what changes are necessary.

Group Structure - Norms

Classes of Norms:• Performance norms• Appearance norms• Social arrangement norms• Allocation of resources norms

Norms

Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the group’s members.

Common classes of normsPerformance norms: laid down parameters as

to how hard a person is required to work, what production level to achieve and so on.

Appearance norms: dress, seeming to look for a new job etc.

Arrangement norms: basically applicable to informal groups. These laid down degree of social interaction. In essence participative social activities.

Allocation of resources norms: these could include pay, bonus, tools equipment, assignment of difficult jobs etc.

Group Properties - Norms

Deviant Workplace Behavior

Antisocial actions by organizational members that intentionally violate established norms and result in negative consequences for the organization, its members, or both.

Group norms can influence the presence of deviant behavior.

Typology of Deviant Workplace Behavior

Category Examples

Production Leaving earlyIntentionally working slowlyWasting resources

Property Sabotage Lying about hours worked Stealing from the organization

Political Showing favoritismGossiping and spreading rumorsBlaming coworkers

Personal Aggression Sexual harassmentVerbal abuseStealing from coworkers

Relationship Between Group Cohesiveness, Performance Norms, and Productivity

GROUP NORMS HAVE CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS-

• THEY ARE RELATED TO BEHAVIOURS CONSIDERED IMPORTANT BY MOST GROUP MEMBERS

• THEY ARE THE BASIS FOR PREDICTING AND CONTROLLING BEHAVIOUR OF GROUP MEMBERS

• THEY ARE APPLIED TO ALL MEMBERS, THOUGH NOT UNIFORMLY

NORMS ARE STRONGLY ENFORCED

WHEN SURVIVAL IS AT STAKE

WHEN THEY REFLECT PREFERENCE OF SUPERVISOR OR POWERFUL GROUP MEMBER

WHEN THEY HELP THE GROUP AND INTERPERSONAL PROBLEMS

Group Norms & The Hawthorne Studies

A series of studies undertaken by Elton Mayo at Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne Works in Chicago between 1924 and 1932.

Research Conclusions:

Worker behavior and sentiments were closely related.

Group influences (norms) were significant in affecting individual behavior.

Group standards (norms) were highly effective in establishing individual worker output.

Money was less a factor in determining worker output than were group standards, sentiments, and security.