Lesson 11. Orientation in the texts in a foreign language with management

THE READING MODULE

Read the text: Group dynamics

Managers need a working understanding of group dynamics because groups are the basic social building blocks of organizations. Both informal (friendship) and formal (work) groups are made up of two or more freely interacting individuals who have a common identity and purpose. After someone has been attracted to a group, cohesiveness—a "we" feelings encourages continued membership. Roles are social expectations for behavior in a specific position, whereas norms are more general standards for conduct in a given social setting. Norms are enforced because they help the group survive, clarify role expectations, protect self-images, and enhance the group's identity by emphasizing key values. Compliance with role expectations and norms is rewarded with social reinforcement; non-compliance is punished by criticism, ridicule, and ostracism. Ostracism, or rejection from the group, is figuratively the capital punishment of group dynamics. Informal groups derive much of their power over individual through the ever present threat of ostracism.

Mature groups that are characterized by mutual acceptance, encourage ment of minority opinion, and minimal emotional conflict are the product of a developmental process with identifiable stages. During the first three stages – orientation, conflict and challenge, and cohesion – power and authority problems are resolved. Groups are faced with the obstacle of uncertainty over interpersonal relations during the last three stages – delusion (members believe that all the difficult emotional problems have been solved), disillusion (the delusion of unlimited goodwill wears off, and there is a growing disenchantment with how things are turning out), and acceptance (greater personal and mutual understanding helps members adapt to situations without causing problems). Committees have a widespread reputation for inefficiency and ineffectiveness because they tend to get stalled in an early stage of group development.

Trust is a key ingredient of effective group action that is clearly evident in Japanese management but often underutilized by American managers. When work group members trust one another, there will be a more active exchange of information, more interpersonal influence, and hence greater self-control. Managers who prefer either/or thinking, rely solely on hard data, and envision the world as basically an unsafe place foster a climate of mistrust. Political tactics such as posturing, empire building, making the boss look good, creating power and loyalty cliques, and destructive competition need to be kept in check if a healthy degree of trust is to be achieved.

Although a fairly high degree of conformity is necessary if organizations andsociety in general are to function properly, blind conformity is ultimately dehumanizing and destructive. Research shows that individuals have a strong tendency to bend to the will of the majority, even if the majority is clearly wrong. Cohesive decision-making groups can be victimized by groupthink when unanimity becomes more important than critically evaluating alternative courses of action.

I. Reading Exercises:

Exercise 1. Read and memorize using a dictionary:

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1) What obstacles are groups faced with?

2) What is compliance with role expectations and norms rewarded with?

3) Why is trust a key ingredient of effective group action?

4) Why are norms enforced?

Exercise 3. Match the left part with the right:

Exercise 4. Open brackets choosing the right words:

Compliance with role expectations and norms is (stalled/rewarded) with social reinforcement; non-compliance is (punished/accepted) by criticism, ridicule, and ostracism.

Before reading the article below think of the following questions

1. What problems can a big growing company face after some years of its successful development?

2. How can these problems be solved?

3. If the company’s sales force is organized on a geographic basis, what is it like?

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