Foundations of Group Behavior

-Group: two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent who have come together to achieve particular objectives.

-Formal Group: A designated work group defined by the organization's structure. Ex: Airline flight crew.

-Command Group: A group composed of the individuals who report directly to a given manager. Ex: manager of the department; you report to your boss.

-Task Group: A group working together to complete a job task in an organization but not limited by hierarchical boundaries. Ex: People from different departments to achieve a certain objective (define the software). You report to a different person from your boss (probably the task leader).

-Informal Group: A group that is neither formally structured nor organizationally determined; appears in response to the need for social contact. Ex: Employees from different departments who eat together (satisfy a member's social needs).

-Interest Group: A group working together to attain a specific objective with which each is concerned. Ex: You're not happy with the vacation schedule. You join other people who are not happy either. It's a union to make a change.

-Friendship Group: Group brought together because they share one or more common characteristics. Ex: Church, Social clubs, Sport clubs (after work).

*People join groups for the following reasons:

1-Security: They reduce their insecurity of standing alone. They're more resistant when accompanied.

2-Status: The inclusion in a group means recognition, being a member.

3-Self-esteem: Thanks to membership.

4-Affiliation: groups fulfill social needs, like the need for affiliation.

5-Power: Some things are easily achieved if sticking together. The power relies on the number of people.

6-Goal Achievement: need to put hands, knowledge or power to fulfill a task.