Punctuated Equilibrium Model

What is the punctuated equilibrium model

Well, this is an approach to group formation. It expands upon the general group development theory that identifies forming, storming, norming, and performing as the primary phases of group development

This theory focuses further on what happens when there are reversions. What happens when there are disruptions in the organization that causes groups to change focus, to break apart

Members leave, new members are added. All of this is disruption to the process, and instead of just simply a linear process

the individuals in the group revert back through different stages of the forming process

One might go from performing back to storming or back to forming or back to norming as part of this disruption process

So this theory identifies and uses existing theory of organizational development that organizations change in spurts

very rapid change in short periods of time that disrupt large portions of the organization

it focuses on how this affects the group formation process by cycling back or making the normal group development model cyclical in nature

So this is what is the punctuated equilibrium model. It simply takes the linear model of group development and makes it cyclical in nature to account for how organizational change disrupts group development