4 - Groups and Organization IP Flashcards
Learning Objectives - When you have finished studying this chapter, you should be able to: To describe the major types of social groups and discuss their functions. To describe the social structure of groups. To explain the process involved in group leadership, group decision making, and ensuring group conformity. To compare Weber’s analysis of bureaucracies with the human relations approach. To diagnose organizational culture and offer insights on how organizations can function better.
primary groups
groups that are small in size and characterized by personal, intimate, and nonspecialized relationships between their members, such as a family, friendship group, or athletic team. (90)
aggregate
people who happen to be in the same place at the same time, even though they do not interact with one another, such as people waiting at a bus stop or taking the elevator in a high-rise building. (93)
social group
a collection of people who are aware of their membership, have common goals and interests, share statuses and roles, and interact with one another. (90)
bureaucratic personality
a personality common to members of a bureaucratic organization which emphasizes conformity, rigidity, and timidity. (101)
autocratic leaders
leaders who are thoroughly directive, dictating all actions and techniques in achieving group goals. (95)
groupthink
pressuring group members to make decisions unanimously, sometimes at the expense of critical thinking and the realistic appraisal or alternatives. (98)
task roles
the actions of leaders that move the group toward achieving its goals, also referred to as instrumental roles. (95)
in-group
a group in which one feels positively toward and identifies with, and produces a sense of loyalty or “we” feeling. (92)
ideal type
an abstract description based on many observations of actual bureaucracies. (100)
risky shift
a phenomenon where people in groups tend to make more daring and bold choices than they would if acting individually. (96)
Parkinson’s Law
the tendency of work in a bureaucracy to occupy the number of workers assigned to it and fill the time available for its completion, regardless of the actual amount of work involved. (101)
expressive roles
roles in which leaders work to produce harmony, enjoyment, relaxation, or high morale among group members, also known as socioemotional roles or relationship-oriented roles. (95)
bureaucracies
rationally created formal organizations that are based on hierarchical authority and explicit rules of procedure. (99)
relationship-oriented roles
roles in which leaders work to produce harmony, enjoyment, relaxation, or high morale among group members, also known as expressive roles or socioemotional roles. (95)
reference group
a group that people use as a standard in evaluating or understanding themselves, their attitudes, and their behavior. (93)
organizational diagnoses
using the theories, methods, and research findings from sociology and other social sciences to assess the cultures of particular organizations and how those cultures affect organizational operation. (105)
social category
people who share some characteristic in common, such as Italians, Muslims, rock fans, golfers, or left-handed people. (93)
secondary groups
groups based on task oriented, impersonal, and specialized ties with people that may be small, but are often large. Secondary groups include business organizations, universities, and hospitals. (91)
human relations approach
an organizational model based on the assumption that the social, psychological, and physical needs of people who work in organizations must be considered if the organizations are to be productive and efficient. (102)
out-group
group to which we do not belong and that we may view in a neutral or possibly hostile fashion. (92)
organizational culture
the ideas, knowledge, values, behaviors, and material objects that are shared by members of a particular organization. (105)
socioemotional roles
roles in which leaders work to produce harmony, enjoyment, relaxation, or high morale among group members, also known as expressive roles or relationship-oriented roles. (95)
social loafing
the tendency of people in groups to put out less effort to achieve goals than when working alone. (107)
group cohesion
the degree to which people stick together and members feel committed to one another and attracted to the group. (97)
