Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using a group to make decisions.

What will be an ideal response?

Things can go wrong when groups make decisions. Most of the potential problems concern the process through which group members interact with one another: 

•Sometimes one group member dominates the discussion. When this occurs-as when a 
strong leader makes his or her preferences clear-the result is the same as it would have been if the dominant individual had made the decision alone. However, the dominant person does not necessarily have the most valid opinions, and even if that person leads the group to a good decision, the process will have wasted everyone else's time. 

•Satisficing is more likely with groups. Most people don't like meetings and will do 
what they can to end them. This may include criticizing members who want to continue exploring new and better alternatives. The result is a satisficing, not an optimizing or maximizing, decision. 

•Pressure to avoid disagreement can lead to a phenomenon called groupthink. 
Groupthink occurs when people choose not to disagree or raise objections because they don't want to break up a positive team spirit. Some groups want to think as one, tolerate no dissension, and strive to remain cordial. Such groups are overconfident, complacent, and perhaps too willing to take risks. Pressure to go along with the group's preferred solution stifles creativity and other behaviors characteristic of vigilant decision making. 

•Goal displacement often occurs in groups. Group members' goal should be to come up 
with the best possible solution. With goal displacement, new goals emerge to replace the original ones. When group members have different opinions, attempts at rational persuasion might become a heated disagreement, and then winning the argument becomes the new goal.

Business

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