Decision Making in Groups

Running Head : GROUPS

Decision Making in Groups

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Introduction

John has gotten some facts right about groups and group dynamics Groups can be very effective tools of achieving organizational goals if they are cohesive . It has been suggested that working with others can enhance individual performance at the workplace (Rothwell , R .D (1979 However , there are several factors that may adversely affect group performance . These factors tend to attack the group 's decision-making system and make it ineffective . They include : -

Social Loafing

. This is a situation where a member of the group hides behind group effort and puts very little effort . It happens because the member knows that evaluation is done for the entire groups and so nobody will hold them accountable (Karau , S . J Williams , K . D . 1993 . A leader can also relax because of the knowledge that they are the one to issue instructions that they themselves may not touch the hard work The solutions to this can be to seek to evaluate individual members of the team

Group Think . This happens when members are afraid of voicing a different opinion form what has been collectively decided (Rothwell R .D (1979 . The effect is that the group may only act on poor decisions because no one wants to offer a contradicting opinion so as not to spoil the good relationship in the group

Free Riding . Free riding refers to the problem where a group member gets more than their fair share of a resource or even when a member in a group does not contribute as much as others and yet gains equally . A free rider usually gains at others ' expense . This situation has to be avoided because it affects group productivity

The Sucker Effect . When a member of a group realizes that another is not putting in as much effort as everybody else , the member may also decide to reduce their own input . This especially happens if the other member is free riding because they seem to be benefiting at the other member 's expense

Process Loss . This occurs when there is a negative difference between the groups productivity compared to the productivity of the same no people at working by themselves . John has to determine whether process loss is happening in his groups and more swiftly to make changes where they need to be made

These factors affect productivity in the following ways : -

Social Loafing . When some group members hide behind group effort it means the group 's productivity is reduced because some members are not producing to full potential . There also may be more than one loafer in the group

Group Think . It paralyzes decision-making leaving the group vulnerable to the adverse effects of poor decisions

Free Riding . This also means that the group productivity is shared equally amongst unequal contributors . It is a major cause of the sucker effect and adversely affects productivity

The sucker effect . According to Karau , S . J Williams , K . D (1993 The sucker effect is...