Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • LO 10 Decision Making 2011

    Uploaded by

    Nana Ofori-Tawia Adu-Krow
    24 views14 pages
    Groups often make riskier decisions than individuals due to factors like social comparison, persuasive arguments, and diffusion of responsibility. However, groups can also be ineffective decision makers due to issues like information processing limitations, poor communication, and decisional avoidance. Shared information bias can also negatively impact group decisions by oversampling shared views over unshared information. Groups are also prone to polarization, judgment errors, and phenomena like groupthink, where pressures toward uniformity and self-censorship undermine effective decision making. Techniques like open leadership, devil's advocacy, outside experts, and formal decision rules can help prevent groupthink and promote better group decisions.

    Original Description:

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    Groups often make riskier decisions than individuals due to factors like social comparison, persuasive arguments, and diffusion of responsibility. However, groups can also be ineffective decision makers due to issues like information processing limitations, poor communication, and decisional avoidance. Shared information bias can also negatively impact group decisions by oversampling shared views over unshared information. Groups are also prone to polarization, judgment errors, and phenomena like groupthink, where pressures toward uniformity and self-censorship undermine effective decision making. Techniques like open leadership, devil's advocacy, outside experts, and formal decision rules can help prevent groupthink and promote better group decisions.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    24 views14 pages

    LO 10 Decision Making 2011

    Uploaded by

    Nana Ofori-Tawia Adu-Krow
    Groups often make riskier decisions than individuals due to factors like social comparison, persuasive arguments, and diffusion of responsibility. However, groups can also be ineffective decision makers due to issues like information processing limitations, poor communication, and decisional avoidance. Shared information bias can also negatively impact group decisions by oversampling shared views over unshared information. Groups are also prone to polarization, judgment errors, and phenomena like groupthink, where pressures toward uniformity and self-censorship undermine effective decision making. Techniques like open leadership, devil's advocacy, outside experts, and formal decision rules can help prevent groupthink and promote better group decisions.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 14

    The mob has no judgment, no discretion, no direction, no discrimination, no consistency.

    Cicero Madness is the exception in individuals but the rule in groups. Nietzsche When 100 clever heads join a group, one big nincompoop is the result. Carl Jung

    Decision Making in Groups

    Defining the Problem

    Orientation Orientation

    Planning the Process

    Discussion

    Functional Model of Decision Making


    Orientation
    Development of shared mental model Tendency to skip this step

    No Decision Reached

    Decision
    Decision Reached

    Implementation

    Remembering Information Exchanging Information Processing Information

    Discussion

    Remembering information
    collective memory: Cross-cueing and transactive memory weakness in group memory: Importance of keeping records

    Exchanging information: Acquiring and sharing data Processing information: Collective review of information

    Decision

    Decision: Social decision schemes


    Delegation Statistical aggregation Voting Consensus (discussion to unanimity/collective commitment)

    Random choice

    Decision Reached

    Implementation
    Evaluating the Decision Adhering to the Decision

    Implementation Evaluating the decision Adhering to the decision: Coch and French (1948) Vrooms normative model of decision making Types of procedures: Autocratic, consultative, group Procedure must fit the problem to be solved and the decision to be made

    Enron

    Denver Airport

    Abilene paradox

    1.7 billion 300 million

    Which is not to say that groups always make good decisions

    What Problems Undermine the Effectiveness of Decision-Making Groups?

    Group discussion pitfalls


    Information processing limitations Poor communication skills Decisional avoidance (procrastination, bolstering, satisficing)

    What Problems Undermine the Effectiveness of Decision-Making Groups?


    Shared information bias Oversampling shared information leads to poorer decisions when a hidden profile would be revealed by considering the unshared information more closely. Factors that increase (leadership style) and decrease (using a GDSS) the bias Judgment errors and heuristic biases Sins of omission and commission Sins of imprecision: Heuristics

    Polarization and Risk Group polarization: A shift in the direction of greater extremity in individuals' responses

    Why Do Groups Often Make Riskier Decisions than Individuals?

    Social comparison theory Persuasive-arguments theory Risk-supported wins social decision scheme Diffusion of responsibility

    Groupthink
    Janiss theory of groupthink
    Example: Kennedys advisory group planning the Bay of Pigs covert op

    Symptoms of Groupthink
    Overestimation of the group 1. illusion of invulnerability 2. illusion of morality II. Close-mindedness 3. rationalizations 4. stereotypes about the outgroup III. Pressures toward uniformity 5. self-censorship 6. the illusion of unanimity 7. direct pressure on dissenters 8. self-appointed mindguards I.

    GROUPTHINK RESULTS/OUTCOMES

    . . CAUSES .

    How Can Groupthink Be Prevented?


    Limiting premature seeking of concurrence:
    Open style of leadership (not directive) Devils advocate Subgroup discussions

    Correcting misperceptions and biases:


    Bring in outside experts

    Using effective decision-making techniques:


    Roberts Rules

    You might also like