Another way to analyze process at work within a group is to look at the relationships between people in the group situation. Three examples of relationships are status relationships, friendships, and vested alliances. Status Relationships . Some people in a group may have a higher status than others. In a business situation, for example, a group may be composed of bosses and subordinates.
Friendships also affect group relationships.
If two members are particularly friendly, they may tend to support each other in conflict situations. If they dislike someone, they may be unsupportive. Vested Alliances . Another relationship that occurs in a group is that of the vested alliance. This is a situation in which people stick together whether they like each other or not, because they have the same over-riding interests.