Group Behavior: Analysis of Two Formal Groups in a Professional Set Up

This report analyzes the behavior of two formal groups in a professional set up, namely, the Miracle Workers and the Prosper Gurus, using group communication theories and models. It discusses the theories and models of group formation and communication, analyzes the behavior of the two groups, and identifies similarities and differences between them. The report concludes with recommendations for improving communication for both groups.

Running head: GROUP BEHAVIOR
Group Behavior
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1GROUP BEHAVIOR
Table of Contents
Introduction – Understanding Group Behavior and Dynamics..................................................2
1. Theories and Models of Group Formation and Group Communication.............................3
2. Analyzing the Two Groups in Relation using Group Formation and Group
Communication Theories...........................................................................................................5
3. Analysis of Functional and Dysfunctional Group Behavior as Demonstrated by Miracle
Workers and Prosper Gurus, using Transactional Model of Communication...........................7
4. Similarities and Differences between the two Groups – Prosper Gurus and Miracle
Workers......................................................................................................................................8
5. Recommendations to Improve Communication for Both the Groups................................8
Overall Thoughts......................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................11

2GROUP BEHAVIOR
Introduction – Understanding Group Behavior and Dynamics
As argued by Robbins et al. (2014), “a group is defined as two or more individuals,
interacting and independent, who have come together to achieve certain objectives”
(Robbins et al., 2014). There are many different types of groups such as Dyad groups,
where two individuals are seen to be in a close relationship with one another, such as the
relationship shared between husband and wife, reference groups that is comprised of
individuals who people tend to look up to and identify with, a working group, which is
relatively small, temporary and goal oriented, social groups that are made up of unemployed
or mentally ill people, or which are made up of teenagers and mothers, cultural groups that
are made up of indigenous Australians, Chinese people etc and crowds, the last one being
comprised of beach goers, sports lovers and commuters (Robbins et al., 2014). Group
membership is formed for a number of important reasons such as status, security, self
esteem, affiliation, for power, and finally, for the purpose of achievement. Achievement tends
to be particularly important for group formation in a professional set up, where people come
together to form a unit for the sake of achieving business goals and objectives (Robbins et al.,
2014). In the view of Hogg (2015), “groups are categories of people and just like other
categories, a social category requires acquires its meaning by contrast with other
categories.” Groups can also be classified into two different categories, namely formal
groups and informal groups. Formal groups are structurally defined with group procedures
and goals being relatively direct as well as explicit. Informal groups are groups that get
formed naturally, and which primarily serve as a social response to a need of contact
(Robbins et al., 2014). This report analyzes the behavior of two formal groups in a
professional set up, namely, the Miracle Workers and the Prosper Gurus, using group
communication theories and models. The report articulates concepts and theories regarding

3GROUP BEHAVIOR
group communication, describes the two groups in terms of these concepts and theories,
analyzes the functional and dysfunctional behavior of the two groups in terms of
communication theories, assesses the similarities and differences in terms of communication
between the two groups, and concludes with recommendations for the improving
communication for both the groups.
1. Theories and Models of Group Formation and Group Communication
When it comes to group formation, the most important model that needs to be taken
into consideration is the Tuckman model of 1965. In the view of Tuckman (1965), group
formation comprises of a number of essential stages namely forming, storming, norming,
performing and adjourning (Tuckman, 1965). There is also the six stage cyclic model of
group formation as propounded by Worschel in 1992. The first stage of this model is
discontent, the second is precipitating event, then comes group identification and group
productivity, followed by individuation and finally, decay (Robbins et al., 2014).
The Tuckman model of group formation is one that has been described and analyzed in
great detail by Robbins et at (2014). Forming is the first stage and it is a stage that is
characterized by a great deal of uncertainty regarding the purpose and the structure of the
group as well as the leadership that is offered by the person who is heading the group
(Tuckman, 1965). This is a point of time when group members are attempting to understand
what the group dynamics are all about, especially the types of behaviors that are likely to be
accepted from individual group members. The second important stage of the group formation
process as per the Tuckman model of 1965 is the storming phase, a phase that is
characterized by plenty of intra-group conflict, such as uncertainties with regard to who it is
that is going to control the group over and above the loss of individuality. The norming stage
of the group formation process begins when a direction for leadership has been clearly

4GROUP BEHAVIOR
established. Such a stage is characterized b a great deal of cohesiveness, in addition to a
feeling of group identity and an established set of expectations with regard to group behavior.
The fourth stage of the group formation process is the performing stage that is the stage at
which the group has accepted that there are certain tasks which are going to have to be
performed and has started performing those tasks to perfection (Tuckman, 1965).
Robbins et al (2014), also talk about groups can be organized into a number of
different properties such as status, norms, roles, size, diversity and cohesiveness and the
impact that this all is likely to have on the predicting of group performance. The problem of
social loafing can however be seen to exist in group behavior as well, with certain
individuals spending a lot less effort when they work in a group compared to the efforts that
they would spend if they had worked on their own or individually. Specific behaviors for
groups and individuals have been well explored by Robbins et al. (2014), and these have also
been described in the norms, role and status properties. When it comes to understanding
group communication in particular the two important models that are worth discussing are the
transmission model and the transaction model. The transmission model of communication
is characterized by five important parts (Robbins et al., 2014). The first part is the
information source that produces the message to be communicated. The second part is the
transmitter which is responsible for encoding messages into signals. The third part is the
channel, to which the signals are adapted for the purpose of transmission, the fourth part of
this model is the receiver, which is responsible for decoding messages received from signals
and finally, there is the destination, that is the location to which the message arrives. The
transactional model of communication is the most basic form of communication in
everyday life. Interactions and talk on a daily basis constitute an important feature of the
transactional medium of communication. This model of communication is seen to work well

5GROUP BEHAVIOR
for people who hail from a similar background or environment, and who also belong to the
same social system (Barlund, 2017).
2. Analyzing the Two Groups in Relation using Group Formation and Group
Communication Theories
The groups Miracle Workers and Prosper Gurus were set up by the top level management
of an organization with the attainment of specific objectives in mind. The group Prosper
Gurus was to focus on revenue generation activities for the firm while the group, Miracle
Workers was to hit upon the right strategies and solutions for addressing the requirements and
needs of clients on an urgent basis. The four important stages of the group formation process
as stated by Tuckman (1965), and reiterated by Robbins et al. (2014), are stages that both the
groups went through in order to become officially established entities within the organization.
At the forming stage, most of the members who made up the group Prosper Gurus were
unfamiliar with one another, and were not sure how to engage and interact with one another
on a one to one basis. The storming stage was one where plenty of differences were seen to
surface between the members of the group Prosper Gurus, with fights breaking out every now
and then. Then came the norming stage, when it became clear to the group as to who among
them could take on a leadership role and take the role in forward direction, for it to achieve
the goals and objectives of the company in the best possible stage. By the time the
performing stage arrived, the group was able to identify its goals and responsibilities with
clarity, with individual members of the group understanding well enough what is expected
from them by their group leader, and by the organization as a whole. The group Miracle
Workers went through a similar group formation process, with the forming stage being one
where all of the group members were not known to each other at all, and had been brought
together from diverse departments of the same organization to come and work together as a

6GROUP BEHAVIOR
collective entity. The storming stage was a relatively peaceful one for Miracle Workers.
While there were no conflicts that were seen to surface as such among the group members,
elements of discord could be witnessed every once in awhile, with group members forming
their own cliques within the group, in order to be able to work more effectively for the group
in the organization. The norming stage arrived, when all the members of the Miracle Workers
group were able to unanimously elect one person who would be leading the group and its
operations over the long term. Then, came the performing stage when the goals and
objectives of the group were established with clarity and when each of the group members
began to work very consciously towards the attainment of these goals.
When it comes to group communication in particular, it can be seen that the transactional
model of communication is one that applies well to both the groups, that is, the Miracle
Workers and the Prosper Gurus. All those who form a part of the Prosper Gurus are those
who hail from high end economic backgrounds, and who are therefore able to identify and
communicate well with one another, even though conflicts had broken out in the storming
stage of the group formation process, with certain group members not seeing eye to eye with
one another. The fact that all the group members are from the same social setup or
environment and similar individual backgrounds, group communication within the Prosper
Gurus, ever since the performing stage of the group formation process set in, has been
relatively smooth. With regard to Miracle Workers however, it is important to note that the
half of the group members are social elites while the remaining group members are relatively
middle class. Hence all the group members are not able to related well to one another equally,
and there is a lot of discord in the communication between group members, which started at
the storming stage of the group formation process and which continues to exist even now,
largely because of the fact that all the group members are not uniformly from the same social

7GROUP BEHAVIOR
environment or similar individual backgrounds, and cannot therefore relate too well to each
other.
3. Analysis of Functional and Dysfunctional Group Behavior as Demonstrated by
Miracle Workers and Prosper Gurus, using Transactional Model of
Communication
The Prosper Gurus is a group in the organization that is seen to exhibit functional
behavior in the manner in which it approaches revenue generation strategies for the benefit of
the organization. Using the transactional model of communication, it can be seen, that
since the group members all belong to the same social strata, and can relate to each other’s
economic and social backgrounds, it is not difficult for the group members to be in agreement
with each other regarding what it is that needs to be done to achieve the goals and objectives
of the organization with regard to revenue generation. Group members are seen to agree upon
similar modes of marketing and advertising for the purpose of raising funds and increasing
sales for the company. There is very little discord as to the types of techniques and methods
that need to be deployed by group members in order to fulfill the goals and objectives of the
group, and the goals and objectives of the organization through the actions of the group.
Miracle Workers on the other hand is a group where the members are seen to be quite
dysfunctional in their behavior. While some of the group members who belong to the social
elite, have fixated views and notions about the approaches that need to be taken to resolve
client queries and meet urgent client demands in a smooth and efficient manner, other group
members believe in taking on different modes of action or behavior to make sure that the
requirements and needs of the client are addressed urgently and in the desired fashion. There
is a clearly divide within the group, which in turn prevents or keeps the group from working
as effectively as it could in order to meet its goals and objectives. The transactional model

8GROUP BEHAVIOR
of communication in this instance demonstrates that members of the Miracle Workers who
do not identify with other members of the same group who belong to the social elite, are not
able to communicate their thoughts and views on important matters well enough, and this
discord in communication leaders the group as a whole to exhibit dysfunctional behavior and
not operate as effectively as Prosper Gurus.
4. Similarities and Differences between the two Groups – Prosper Gurus and
Miracle Workers
What can be found to be similar between the two groups, Prosper Gurus and Miracle
Workers is the fact that both the groups are committed to achieving the goals and objectives
of the organization and are comprised of talented individuals who are capable of taking the
organization in forward direction under the influence of strong leadership. Both groups are
prepared to work hard to meet the aspirations of the organization and have the manpower that
is needed in order to achieve such an end as quickly and as effectively as possible. The
primary difference between the two groups lies in the area of group communication. By using
the transactional medium of communication, it is easy to see that the reason why the
members of Prosper Gurus communicate so well with one another and are able to exhibit
functional behavior, is the fact that they all hail from the same social strata or social
backgrounds. With regard to Miracle Workers, although the group holds so much promise for
the organization because it is made up of workers who are able to address urgent client needs
in the best and most effective way possible, the fact that there is a divide in the group
between members who belong to the social elite and members who do not, results in
dysfunctional behavior being exhibited by group members, thus indicating a major difference
between both the groups.

9GROUP BEHAVIOR
5. Recommendations to Improve Communication for Both the Groups
Recommendations for Prosper Gurus
1. Group Member Selection
Efforts must be made to include members in the group Prosper Gurus, who are not
from identical backgrounds. This needs to be done to make sure of the fact that Prosper
Gurus does not turn into an exclusive elitist group within the organization, aloof from the
rest of the people working at the organization (McCubbins & Weller, 2019). The group
members need to mingle and communicate with people from other backgrounds in order
to adopt a more inclusive and grounded approach to doing the work that they do for the
organization (Van Wormer & Besthorn, 2017).
2. Training for Improvement in Performance
Since the members of the group Prosper Gurus are entirely in sync with one another and
are able to communicate with each other fluently without disruptions, the group members can
be provided with additional training to enhance their performance further, making it even
better than what it is. The group members can take the training together and implement
whatever they have learnt when performing their various roles and duties, ensuring that the
communication between them is always smooth and efficient, and which assists in the easy
attainment of the company’s goals and objectives (Ruesch et al., 2017).
Recommendations for Miracle Workers
1. Conflict Management
Members of the group, Miracle Workers, should be made to sit down and have face to
face discussions with each other on a regular basis, in order to help conflicts to get resolved
in an amicable manner and in order to facilitate better communication among the group

10GROUP BEHAVIOR
members (Dowell et al., 2018). The group members should avoid working in cliques within
the group setup and must instead learn to accept each others merits, de-merits and differences
in a mature and responsible way so that communication does not suffer and they are able to
come together to work well for the organization (Abu Bakar and McCann, 2016).
2. Efficient Staff Meetings
Staff meetings should be conducted by members of the group, Miracle Workers, on a
frequent basis as well as such meetings will give group members the opportunity to engage
with one another quite regularly. This in turn can improve communication among them in a
slow and steady fashion (Burgoon et al., 2016).
Overall Thoughts
Thus, group communication in a professional organization needs to be harmonious if
the goals and objectives of an organization are to be successfully achieved and if
dysfunctional behavior is to be avoided among employees in an organization. Proper and
effective communication can go a long way in helping an organization to accomplish its
business aspirations in a timely manner, incurring few or no liabilities in the process.

11GROUP BEHAVIOR
References
Abu Bakar, H., & McCann, R. M. (2016). The mediating effect of leader–member dyadic
communication style agreement on the relationship between servant leadership and
group-level organizational citizenship behavior. Management Communication
Quarterly, 30(1), 32-58.
Barnlund, D. C. (2017). A transactional model of communication. In Communication
theory (pp. 47-57). Routledge.
Burgoon, J. K., Wilson, D., Hass, M., & Schuetzler, R. (2016). Interactive deception in group
decision-making: new insights from communication pattern analysis. In Discovering
Hidden Temporal Patterns in Behavior and Interaction (pp. 37-62). Springer, New
York, NY.
Dowell, N. M., Nixon, T. M., & Graesser, A. C. (2018). Group communication analysis: A
computational linguistics approach for detecting sociocognitive roles in multiparty
interactions. Behavior research methods, 1-35.
Harris, T. E., & Sherblom, J. C. (2018). Small group and team communication. Waveland
Press.
Hogg, M. A. (2015). Constructive leadership across groups: How leaders can combat
prejudice and conflict between subgroups. In Advances in Group Processes (pp. 177-
207). Emerald Group Publishing Limited
McCubbins, M. D., & Weller, N. (2019). Coordination, Communication, and Information:
How Network Structure and Knowledge Affect Group Behavior. Journal of
Experimental Political Science, 1-12.

12GROUP BEHAVIOR
Robbins, S. P., Judge, T. A., & Vohra, N. (2014). Organizational Behavior, Sixteen Edition
Ruesch, J., Bateson, G., Pinsker, E. C., & Combs, G. (2017). Communication: The social
matrix of psychiatry. Routledge.
Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological
bulletin, 63(6), 384.
Van Wormer, K., & Besthorn, F. (2017). Human behavior and the social environment, macro
level: Groups, communities, and organizations. Oxford University Press.