Text 8 Group Norms

Group norms are important because they prescribe appropriate behaviour for group members and help reduce the disruption and chaos that would ensue if group members did not know how to act. Groups enforce norms to facilitate group survival, establish what behaviour is expected of group members, help the group avoid embarrassing interpersonal problems, express the central values of the group, and clarify what is distinctive about the group. Norms can influence nearly all aspects of group functioning, from how members carry out a task to how they dress, eat, and talk to the boss.

Norms can be very positive in that they can support the goals, mission, and success of the organization. At EDS, for example, completing all projects on time is a widely accepted norm that helps keep the organization successful. At most Ritz Carlton hotels, a widely held norm is that a customer's problem or request is "owned" by the person who receives it regardless of whose job it might involve. The employee will strive to resolve the problem within ten minutes of receiving it. This norm of customer service makes the Ritz Carlton distinctive among major hotel chains and helps ensure its success.

However, norms can also be negative by encouraging dysfunctional behaviour Occasionally some group members may form a subgroup, called a shadow organization, that has norms contrary to those of the greater group or organization. For example, workers may establish standards of production far below what is possible or desired by management.

Levels of Norms

Norms tend to be of three levels: pivotal, relevant, and peripheral. Pivotal norms are critical for success within a group. If a group member rejects a pivotal norm, then his or her stay in the organization is likely to be very limited. When Microsoft founder Bill Gates meets with a product-development team, he asks some very pointed questions about both the technical and financial aspects of the project. Team leaders and members must be prepared to answer these questions or they may not last long at Microsoft. Thus, being prepared is a pivotal norm at Microsoft.

Relevant norms are fairly important, but not as critical as the pivotal norms. It is generally important for a salesperson to be on time for work (relevant norm) but with productivity (pivotal norm) tops in the department, he or she might be able to come in late more often with minimal repercussions.

A peripheral norm is one that some people accept, but which is not important for success in an organization. Managers in one engineering company meet every Friday after work for a beer at a nearby pub. Although most show up all the time, some seldom show up and a few never go at all. Status at work is not affected by this peripheral norm.

Of course, what is peripheral in one group may be relevant or pivotal in another. For managerial success in most Japanese organizations, the kind of after-work contacts the engineers were having is absolutely essential. At some companies, such as Levi-Strauss & Company, mode of dress is peripheral because the norm for even the top executive team is - you guessed it - Levis jeans. At other firms such as IBM or Procter & Gamble, dress code is more likely to be a relevant norm.

1. Which of these statements expresses the main idea of the text?

1. Group norms are important because they prescribe appropriate behaviour for group members.

2. Group norms affect almost all aspects of group functioning.

3. Group norms may be positive and negative.

4. Group norms tend to be of three levels.

2. Find in the text English equivalents of these words and phrases.

прописувати	з'ясовувати	21. тіньова організація
поведінка	відмітний, особливий	22. протилежний
руйнування	підтримувати; сприяти	23. набагато нижче
випливати	призначення	24. основна норма
провадити у життя	своєчасно	25. доречна норма
сприяти	загальноприйнята норма (2)	26. найвища продуктивність
виживання групи	привласнюватися	27. наслідки
уникати	незважаючи на	28. другорядна норма
скрутна проблема	намагатися	29. з’являтися, приходити
цінності	неправильна поведінка	30. вгадати

2. Are these statements true or false? Correct the false ones.

1. Norms help group members to prevent possible problems in their relationships.

2. Positive norms disagree with the goals, mission, and success of the organization.

3. EDS is successful because it accepted all norms at the right time.

4. At most Ritz Carlton hotels, it takes an employee not more than ten minutes to resolve a customer's problem.

5. Sometimes norms can provoke abnormal actions of group members.

6. To stay in the organization, a group member must refuse to accept its pivotal norms.

7. A pivotal norm at Microsoft is meeting regularly with Bill Gates.

8. Relevant norms are less important than pivotal norms.

9. An employee who shows the best productivity in the department may be praised for occasional breaking of relevant norms.

10. Peripheral norms may be neglected by some members of the group without any harm to its success.

11. Levels of norms are the same in all groups and organizations.

4. Answer the questions.

1. What could happen in the group if its members did not know how to act?

2. What aims can the introduction of group norms help to achieve?

3. What aspects of group functioning can norms affect?

4. What kind of norms may a shadow organization have?

5. What kind of questions can Microsoft founder ask when he meets with a product-development team?

6. What is a pivotal norm for a salesperson?

7. Why do some managers from one engineering company never come to a nearby pub on Friday?

8. What kind of behaviour is important for managerial success in many Japanese companies?

9. Why is mode of dress a peripheral norm at Levi-Strauss & Company?

5. Write a summary of the text.

TEXT 9