Work is being restructured around groups in thousands of organizations. Managers need an understanding of group behavior and the concept of teams in order to appreciate what groups can and cannot do within organizations. Groups exhibit different behavior, more than just the sum total of each group member's individual behavior. A group is defined as two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve particular objectives. Formal groups are work groups established by the organization and have designated work assignments and established tasks.
Informal groups are natural, social formations that appear in the work environment.
B. Stages of group development. There is strong evidence that groups pass through five stages as they develop. Forming is the first stage in group development, characterized by much uncertainty. Storming is the second stage of group development, characterized by intragroup conflict. Norming is the third stage of group development, characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness.