MGT422 S-4 Social Sciences Essay Research Coursework
Required Reading:
Read in detail on group decision making with the following readings:
Anderson, D. R. (1990). Increased productivity via group decisionmaking. SuperVision, 51(9), 6. [ProQuest]
Braintools (2017). Brainstorming: Generating many radical, creative ideas. Retrieved on 18 March 2017 from www(dot)mindtools(dot)com/brainstm.html
CDC (2017). Gaining consensus among stakeholders through the nominal group technique. Retrieved on 18 March 2018 from www(dot)cdc(dot)gov/healthyyouth/evaluation/pdf/brief7.pdf
Haughey, D. (2017). Delphi technique: A step-by-step guide. Retrieved on 18 March 2017 from www(dot)projectsmart(dot)co(dot)uk/delphi-technique-a-step-by-step-guide.php
Sims, R. R. (2002). Chapter 8: Decision making. Managing Organizational Behavior. Westport, CT, USA: Greenwood Press, pp. 205-210. [eBook Academic Collection. Note – you don’t have to read the whole chapter, just the section on group decision-making]
Assignment:
One of the biggest complaints among managers is the huge amount of time they have to spend in meetings. Ideally the purpose of meetings is to put everyone’s heads together to solve a problem or make a decision. But far too often they can lead to unproductive, time-wasting conversations and even conflict.
For this assignment, think about some recent meetings you’ve attended where a significant decision had to be made. Think carefully about how some of the problems regarding group decision making that were discussed in the background readings apply to what you’ve experienced. Then write a 2- to 3-page paper addressing the following issues:
Are all voices equally heard, or are some people afraid to speak up? Are participants in the meeting afraid to contradict senior management?
Is time spent at the meetings productive, or is a lot of time wasted?
Are the decisions that are made solid ones? Or do they suffer from problems mentioned in the background materials such as groupthink?
Are ideas expressed at meetings creative and original, or are original ideas discouraged?
Based on what you’ve described in Questions 1–4 above, what kind of group decision-making process would you recommend be used in meetings you attend? Base your answer on readings from the background materials such as Sims (2002).
Group Decision Making
Name
Institution
Group Decision Making
A recent meeting that I have attended was when a company was making plans to rebrand, and an important topic that was on the discussion was the packaging and price of the new product. A significant aspect of the meeting during the initial days was that there was a moderator who encouraged group members to brainstorm their ideas on what would be the best way forward. Brainstorming is vital since it allows people to generate creative ideas (Braintools, 2017). The meeting room also had a suggestion box that participants could freely share their views discreetly if they were not willing to do so directly. Some of the personnel were afraid to contradict senior management, particularly those who were in an internship or had worked for the company for less than a few months. Despite this, the meeting ensured that all voices were heard and that the individuals who were not willing to speak up had a chance to share their views. The anonymous suggestions were then shared during the meetings, and they were crucial in revealing some diverse opinions that can be beneficial for the new product.
A lot of time is wasted during the meetings. Before it starts, the senior management spends some time discussing among themselves about the previous meeting and what could be covered in the current meeting. Once the meeting begins, some of the moderators also waste time due to discussions regarding other matters that are not aligned with the purpose of the meeting. Conflict is also common, especially since some of the decisions are not solid. For instance, the senior management agreed to follow a particular decision that a majority of the group members felt that it was not the right choice. The group also suffered from groupthink (Sims, 2002). This is a phenomenon that influences groups to commit errors when making decisions. The group has a high level of interpersonal attraction, and this meant that some of the decisions were distorted. The focus for the group meetings was to attain consensus rather than finding alternative options that can act as a back-up pla...
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