Group Decision Making I: Task Content and Processes (Coffee hour today) (Midpoint report due Thursday 11/11)
Group vs. Individual Decision Making 20 questions Some research evidence –Time: 4< 2 < 1 –Person hours: 4 > 2 > 1 Groups: faster, but less efficient
Where did the productivity go?
Ivan Steiner: AP = PP - PL Actual Productivity of the Group Potential Productivity of the Group Process Losses
Sources of PL Coordination, communication, conflict Groupthink Social loafing
AP, PP, PL = Function of…. Task –Clearly individual –Clearly group –In between Group size
Disjunctive tasks Group productivity = best individual member “Eureka” task: 20 questions
# of people 1 n PL # of people 1 n PP # of people 1 n AP _ =
Conjunctive tasks Group productivity = worst individual member Mountain climbing, study group, assembly line
# of people 1 n PL # of people 1 n PP # of people 1 n AP _ =
Task affects productivity, but generally…... PL increases at marginally increasing rate Org size “Management” / / /6 PL AP AP decreases after a certain point
Reducing Process Losses Parliamentary procedures Nominal Group Technique (NGT) Delphi Technique
Process interventions Reducing PL = Reduce process Can process increase productivity? Revision: AP=PP-PL+PG
A present Originally: –Exam 1: 25% –Exam 2: 25% Now: –Exam with higher grade: 35% –Exam with lower grade: 15%