Group Dynamics, Power and Politics

SEMINAR ON GROUP
DYNAMICS, POWER AND

POLITICS.
PRIYANKA. T
II YEAR M.SC NSG
PSG COLLEGE OF NURSING
INTRODUCTION
• A group is an entry point for the development and the dynamics of

group are extremely important in determining whether the group will
be successful.
• Group dynamics refers to study of human behaviour in a group.

INTODUCTION
PEOPLE SEE
THEMSELVES AS
MEMBERS
INTERACTION
TWO OR MORE
GROUP AMONG
PEOPLE
MEMBERS
SHARED GOALS
DEFINITION OF GROUP
• A group consists of a number of individuals working together foe a

common goal or objective.
• Groups are units composed of two or more persons who come into
contact for a purpose and who consider the contact meaningfu.
- THEODORE AND MILLS (1967)

DEFINITION OF GROUP DYNAMICS
• Group dynamics is the study of groups and group processes; the

personal interrelationship among members of a group.
• Group dynamics is the study of underlying features of a group

behaviour such as group motives and attitudes. It is concerned with the
constantly changing characteristics of a group.
NEED FOR A GROUP
• Group helps in making participative management more effective.
• A group can judge in better way as compared to individual.
• More creative and innovative ideas will emerge than a single

individual.
• Create a sense of safety.
• Shared responsibilities.
CHARACTERISTICS
• VEDIO
PURPOSES OF GROUP
• ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTION.
• INDIVIDUAL FUNCTION.
ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTION:
To assist in accomplish complex tasks.
To help in generating new ideas and solutions.
To socialize and new entrants.
To develop leadership.
PURPOSES OF GROUP
INDIVIDUAL FUNCTION:
• To satisfy individual need for affiliation.
• Enhance self esteem and sense of identity.

REASONS FOR GROUP FORMATION
• Organizational motives
• Personal motives
• Interpersonal attraction
• Similar interest
• Goal achievement
REASON FOR GROUP FORMATION
• Need for affiliation
• Instrumented benefits
• Status
• Security.
• Self esteem.
STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT
• CHART
PRINCIPLES OF GROUP DYNAMICS
• There must be a sense of belongingness among members of the group.
• Changes must be shared by the members of the group.
• The groups arise and function owing to common motives.
• The more attraction between the members would exercise on its members.
• The intergroup relations, group organization, members participation is

essential for effectiveness of a group.
THEORIES AND MODELS OF GROUP
DYNAMICS
• CLASSIC THEORY
• SOCIAL EXCHANGE THEORY
• SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY
• SCHUTZ’S THREE STAGE MODEL
• FISHER’S THEORY OF DECISION EMERGENCE

GROUP STRUCTURE
GROUP SIZE
GROUP NORMS
GROUP ROLES
GROUP COHESIVENESS
GROUP SIZE
• Group size can vary from two people to a very large number of people.
• Group size will not affect participation but satisfaction as well.

GROUP NORMS
• Norms are rules of the group. These are acceptable standards of behaviour
within a group.
TYPES:
Norms may be positive or negative, it can be claasified as,
 Performance norms
 Reward allocation norms.

GROUP NORMS
• Norm of equality
• Equity norms
• Social responsibility norms.
PERFORMANCE NORMS:
These norms determine how quickly members should work and how
much they should produce.
GROUP NORMS
REWARD ALLOCATION NORMS:
These norms determine how rewards are bestowed upon group

members.
NORM OF EQUALITY:
It dictates equal treatment of all members. Every members shares

equally so rewards are distributes equally to everyone.
GROUP NORMS
EQUITY NORMS:
Members may contribute through effort, skill or ability.
SOCIAL-RESPONSIBILITY NORMS:
These norms reward on the basis of need. Members who have

special needs receive largest share of reward.
GROUP ROLES
• TASK FUNCTIONS
• MAINTANENCE FUNCTIONS
• SELF INTEREST FUNCTIONS.

GROUP COHESIVENESS
Cohesiveness is the attractiveness of the members towards the group or

resistance of the members leaving it. It refer to the attachment of
members with the group.
- RENSIS LIKERT
IMPORTANCE OF GROUP
COHESIVENESS
• Ability of a group to retain its members.
• Power of the group to influence its members.
• Degree of participation and loyalty of members.
TYPES OF GROUP INTERACTION:
Unorganized social interaction.
Collaborative group interaction
Legal group interaction.
EFFECT OF GROUP COHESIVENESS
POSITIVE EFFECTS:
 Employees satisfaction
 Low turnover and absenteeism
 High empowerment and productivity
 More participation in problem solving and decision making.

EFFECTS OF GROUP COHESIVENESS
NEGATIVE EFFECTS:
 Poor assessment of problem
 Incomplete information search
 Failure to examine reality.

APPLICATION OF GROUP DYNAMICS
IN NURSING MANAGEMENT
• Because of the work of organization is accomplished by group, teams
or committees, the nurse managers need to be well grounded and
knowledgeable with the group dynamics.
• The nurse manager can promote healthy informal groups to inculcate

more among nurses since the accomplishment of organizational goals
and high productivity is influenced by informal groups.
APPLICATION OF GROUP DYNAMICS
IN NURSING MANAGEMENT
• Nurse manager need to function in group to promote problem solving
and acceptance of responsibility.
• The concepts of group dynamics can be used in continuing education

and Inservice education.
POWER AND POLITICS
INTRODUCTION:
• Power is one of the attributes of a successful organization. Power is

the capacity of a person, team or organization to influence others.
Politics is often regarded as a fact of life in organizations.
DEFINITION OF POWER
Power is the production of intended effects.
- Russell.
Power is the potential for influence.
- Roger.
Power is the probability that one actor with a social relationship will be in
position to carry out hid own will despite resistance .
- Max weber.
DEFINITION OF POLITICS
Politics is defined as an intentional social influence process in which
behaviour is strategically designed to maximize short-term or long-term
self interests.
- Parker, Dipboye and Jackson(1995).

DEFINITION OF POLITICS
• Politics is the structure and process of the use of authority and power
to affect definition of goals directions and other major parameters.
- TUSHMAN
SOURCES OF POWER
• FORMAL SOURCE OF POWER
• INFORMAL SOURCE OF POWER
FORMAL SOURCE OF POWER:
The power has been granted by virtue of position in the hierarchical

structure in the organization. It is legitimate legal type of power.
SOURCES OF POWER
INFORMAL SOURCE OF POWER:
This is the personal power and bestowed upon or created by the

person through social interaction called influence rather than authority.
According to Filley and Gimes, there are various sources of power eg;
responsibility and function, bureaucratic rules, traditional rules,
expertise, friendliness, equity etc.,
Concept and model
• board
TYPES OF POWER
• LEGITIMATE POWER
• REWARD POWER
• COERCIVE POWER
• EXPERT POWER
• REFERENT POWER
• INFORMATION POWER
• CONNECTION POWER
LEGITIMATE POWER
• This is also known as position power. It is legal and formal. The power
is derived from the position of a manager. A persons position within an
organization provides her with legitimate power and was influencing
through formal authority.
REWARD POWER
• This type of power involves positive sanction. Reward power is

directly proportion to rewards that are valued by another. The greater
the perceived values of such rewards.
COERCIVE POWER
• Coercive power involves negative sanction. This power is based upon

fears.
• A subordinate perceives failure to comply with the wishes of her

superior could lead to punishment or come negative outcome.
EXPERT POWER
• Expert power is wielded as a result of ones knowledge, experience and

skill.
• It is more of personal power rather than organizational power as

originated from within the person.
• This power occurs when the expert threatens to withhold her

knowledge or skill.
REFERENT POWER
• Referent power is attributed to a leader by the subordinates due to her

personal traits, personality and based on subordinates identification
with a superior.
CONNECTION POWER AND
INFORMATION POWER
• Connection power id based on leader connection with important
person.
• Information power is based on possession of information that is

perceived by others.
CONTINGENCIES OF POWER
• SUBSTITUTABILITY
• CENTARLITY
• DISCRETION
• VISIBILITY
PERSPECTIVES OF
ORGANIZATIONAL POWER
• HARDY AND CLEGG present two different perspectives of
organizational power,
The functional perspective,
The critical perspective.

CHARACTERISTICS OF
ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS
• Vigoda describes organizational politics as the unique domain of interpersonal
relationship relations in the workplace. Its main characteristics are,
- the readiness of people to use power in their efforts to influence others.
- to secure personal and collective interests.
- to avoid negative outcomes within the organization.

TECHNIQUES USED IN
Controlling information
Controlling lines of communication
Controlling the agenda
Attacking and blaming
Using outside experts

TECHNIQUES USED IN
• Image building
• Building coalitions
• Game playing
FACTORS INFLUENCING POLITICAL
BEHAVIOUR
• Ambiguous goals
• Scarce resources
• Technology and environment
• Complex and ambiguous decisions
• Organizational change
• Personnel characteristics.
CONTROLLING ORGANIZATIONAL
POLITICS
• Knowledge and political behaviour
• Eliminate the factors causing organizational politics
• Provision of sufficient resources
• Introduce clear rules
• Free flowing informing

CONTROLLING ORGANIZATIONAL
POLITICS
• Manage change effectively
• Remove political norms
• Hire low political employees
• Peer pressure against politics.

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SEMINAR ON GROUP

DYNAMICS, POWER AND

• A group is an entry point for the development and the dynamics of

• Group dynamics refers to study of human behaviour in a group.

• A group consists of a number of individuals working together foe a

- THEODORE AND MILLS (1967)

• Group dynamics is the study of groups and group processes; the

• Group dynamics is the study of underlying features of a group

• Group helps in making participative management more effective.

• A group can judge in better way as compared to individual.

• More creative and innovative ideas will emerge than a single

• Create a sense of safety.

• To satisfy individual need for affiliation.

• Enhance self esteem and sense of identity.

• Need for affiliation

• There must be a sense of belongingness among members of the group.

• Changes must be shared by the members of the group.

• The groups arise and function owing to common motives.

• The intergroup relations, group organization, members participation is

• SOCIAL EXCHANGE THEORY

• SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY

• SCHUTZ’S THREE STAGE MODEL

• FISHER’S THEORY OF DECISION EMERGENCE

• Group size will not affect participation but satisfaction as well.

Norms may be positive or negative, it can be claasified as,

 Reward allocation norms.

• Social responsibility norms.

REWARD ALLOCATION NORMS:

These norms determine how rewards are bestowed upon group

It dictates equal treatment of all members. Every members shares

Members may contribute through effort, skill or ability.

These norms reward on the basis of need. Members who have

• SELF INTEREST FUNCTIONS.

Cohesiveness is the attractiveness of the members towards the group or

 Low turnover and absenteeism

 High empowerment and productivity

 More participation in problem solving and decision making.

 Poor assessment of problem

 Incomplete information search

 Failure to examine reality.

• The nurse manager can promote healthy informal groups to inculcate

• The concepts of group dynamics can be used in continuing education

• Power is one of the attributes of a successful organization. Power is

- Parker, Dipboye and Jackson(1995).

• FORMAL SOURCE OF POWER

• INFORMAL SOURCE OF POWER

FORMAL SOURCE OF POWER:

The power has been granted by virtue of position in the hierarchical

INFORMAL SOURCE OF POWER:

This is the personal power and bestowed upon or created by the

• This type of power involves positive sanction. Reward power is

• Coercive power involves negative sanction. This power is based upon

• A subordinate perceives failure to comply with the wishes of her

• Expert power is wielded as a result of ones knowledge, experience and

• It is more of personal power rather than organizational power as