The stages of group development are:
1. Forming: This is where the group that has been chosen or formed would come together, get to know each other and initially form their group.
2. Storming: Conflicts begin over the tasks they must perform as well as the others they must work with, in the group, as well as what their standing is within the group.
3. Norming (initial integration stage): The group now comes together and starts a good balance without the turmoil from the previous stage.
4. Performing (total integration stage): Working together well now and will be able to be effective in meeting its objectives.
5. Adjourning: When the task/objective is completed, the group will separate and move on. When looking at the case from our course text "The Forgotten Group Member", at the end of the case study Christine is putting together the different parts of the case analysis. This would put the group in the performing stage as the objective is being worked on, but isn 't just yet completed. As it appears from the text, the group did the initial forming stage and then went into the storming stage, but never really made through the norming stage. Christine needed to understand the storming stage better, and how to help Mike by maybe clarifying his goals and expectations of him. Mike clearly became withdrawn, and even lashed out when he saw the group together and felt he had been left out.
Part II: Problem Identification The primary problem would be Mike and his social loafing, working not as hard because he is in a group than he might have if he had worked individually. The secondary problem is basically the effect from the primary problem, which is that the assignment isn 't done to turn in. Mike hasn 't done his part of the case study and Christine isn 't sure how to deal with that. Both of these problems are issues for Christine and the group. They need to finish the project, but also there is a part where they have to grade