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Chapter 11: Group Decision Making and Problem SolvingThis multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:*any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;*preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;*any rental, lease, or lending of the program
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Decision Making and Problem Solving
Decision Making • Passing judgment
on an issue under consideration
• The act of reaching a conclusion
Problem Solving• A process in which
groups analyze a problem and develop a plan of action for solving the problem or reducing its harmful effects
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Prerequisites
Prerequisites for Effective Decision Making and Problem Solving
Clear Purpose Quality Content Structured Procedures
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Decision-Making & Problem- Solving Prerequisites
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Clarify Your Purpose
A. Question of Fact
B. Question of Value
C. Question of
Conjecture
D. Question of Policy
__ Should the U.S. provide health care for all citizens?
__ How many Americans lack health insurance?
__ Will stem cell research help cure diseases?
__ Is the Canadian health care system better than the U.S. system?
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Quality Content
“The ability of a group to gather and retain a wide range of information is the single most important determinant of high-quality decision making.”
Randy Hirokawa, Group Communication Scholar
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Structured ProceduresBenefits of Structured Procedures
• Balanced Participation • Effective Conflict Resolution• Clear Organization• Group Empowerment
Structured procedures are “the heart of group work and the most powerful tools we have
to improve the conduct of meetings.” Scott Poole, Group Communication Scholar
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Groupthink
The deterioration of group effectiveness that results from
in-group pressure
• Highly cohesive groups are at greater risk of succumbing to groupthink.
• Irving Janis identifies eight symptoms and expressions of groupthink.
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Examples of Groupthink?Which, if any, of the following events
resulted from Groupthink?
• The U.S. Bay of Pigs (Cuba) invasion.• The Challenger Space Shuttle disaster.• The failure to heed intelligence about an
imminent attack on the U.S. in 2001.• The U.S. decision to invade Iraq in search
of weapons of mass destruction.
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Avoiding Groupthink
• Assign several members to work on the same problem independently.
• Invite an expert to join the group periodically to provide constructive criticism.
• Periodically invite an expert to the meeting and encourage constructive criticism.
• _________________________________• _________________________________
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PowerPoint QuizWhich symptom of groupthink is expressed
when a member confronts another by saying “What does she know? She’s new to the group.”
A. RationalizationB. Self-censorshipC. MindguardingD. Pressure on dissentE. Illusion of Invulnerability
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Decision-Making Methods
• Voting. Majority or two-thirds vote. Some members win, but others lose.
• Consensus. When all group members agree to support a group decision
• Authority Rule. When a single person or group of people outside the group makes a final decision, with or without recommendations from the group
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Consensus Guidelines
• Listen carefully to others.• Don’t change your mind to avoid
conflict or to reach a quick decision.• Welcome differences of opinion.• Avoid agreeing to a false consensus.• _____________________________.• _____________________________.• _____________________________.
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Ethical Group Decision Making
• The Research Responsibility. Be well-informed and prepared with good information.
• The Common Good Responsibility. Look beyond your needs and consider others.
• The Reasoning Responsibility. Avoid presenting faulty arguments. Build valid arguments. Recognize fallacies.
• The Social Code Responsibility. Promote an open and supportive climate.
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Decision-Making Styles
A. Rational
B. Intuitive
C. Dependent
D. Avoidant
E. Spontaneous
__I often make impulsive decisions. __When a decision is important, I
often seek the opinions of others. __I make logical decisions in a
systematic way. __When making a decision, I
usually trust my feelings or gut instincts.
__I tend to put off decisions that make me uncomfortable or that are unpleasant.
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Match Technology and Purpose
Types of Technology
A. E-mail
B. Audio Conference
C. Bulletin Board
D. Video Conference
E. Electronic Meeting System
Purposes of Meeting
___ Information Sharing
___ Discussion and Brainstorming
___ Decision Making and Problem Solving
___ Collaborative Project (analyze data, develop a design, etc.)
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Problem Solving Methods
• Brainstorming
• Decreasing Options Technique
• The Standard Agenda
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Brainstorming
Brainstorming . . .• can generate many ideas in a short period
of time.• works best when members are
comfortable with a freewheeling process.• can fail if members are self-conscious and
sensitive to implied criticism.
• can enhance creativity and produce numerous worthwhile ideas.
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Brainstorming Guidelines• Sharpen the Focus with Clear
Questions of Problem Statements
• Display Ideas for All to See
• Number the Ideas
• Encourage Creativity
• Emphasize Input, Prohibit Put Down
• Build and Jump to New Ideas
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Decreasing Options Technique (DOT)
DOT helps groups reduce and refine a large number of ideas into a
manageable set of options.
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Fact Finding and Analysis
Standard Agenda: Step 3 Questions
• What are the facts of the situation?• What additional information or expert
opinion do we need?• How serious and/or widespread is the
problem?• _________________________________• _________________________________
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Motivating Multicultural Members
What strategies may help motivate members from the following
cultures?Individualistic or Collectivist cultures
High- or Low-Power cultures
Masculine or Feminine cultures
High- or Low-Context cultures
Monochronic or Polychronic cultures
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Why Do So Many People Dread Meetings?
• The meeting was unnecessary.• The meeting wasted a lot of time.• The meeting didn’t use or follow an
agenda.• _____________________________.• _____________________________.• _____________________________.
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5 Ws of Meeting Planning
• Why Are We Meeting?
• Who Should Attend?
• When Should We Meet?
• ___________________________?
• ___________________________?
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Quotable Quote
Careful planning can prevent at least 20 minutes of wasted
time for each hour of a group’s meeting.
Karen Anderson, Making Meetings Work
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The Need for Agendas
Agenda. The outline of items to be discussed and tasks to be accomplished during a meeting
An agenda . . .• is an organizational tool.• helps members prepare for a meeting. • is a time management tool.• provides a measure of success.
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Sample Business AgendaI. Purpose of Meeting/Names of AttendeesII. Date, Time, and Place of MeetingIII. Call to OrderIV. Approval of the Agenda and MinutesV. Individual and Committee ReportsVI. Unfinished BusinessVII. New BusinessVIII. AnnouncementsIX. Adjournment
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“Taking” the Minutes The minutes of a meeting are . . .• the written record of a group’s discussion
and activities.• legal documents as well as historical
records of an organization’s business.• a way to share proceedings with members
who don’t attend.• a way to prevent disagreement over
member assignments & group decisions.
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Communication Assessment
Group Problem-Solving CompetenciesEvaluate the quantity and quality of member participation in a problem-solving discussion using the following rating: E=Excellent; S=Satisfactory; U=Unsatisfactory
____ Clarifies the Task: Helps the group clarify the overall goal as well as member roles and responsibilities.
____ Maintains Supportive Climate: Collaborates with and appropriate supports other group members.