This article describes a small group decision-making/problem-solving assignment that is suitable for use in any class in which decision making is a topic of interest. Students are given information on a variety of decision-making techniques and are then assigned to groups of four to six people to choose and demonstrate a technique that is appropriate for an organizational decision-making situation that they develop. Class members observe and evaluate each group's performance on criteria such as choice and explanation of situation, choice and demonstration of technique, and quality of resolution.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Benne, K.
, & Sheats, P. (1948). Functional roles of group members. Journal of Social Issues, 4, 41-49.
2.
Brilhart, J. K.
(1986). Effective group discussion(5th ed.). Dubuque, IA: Brown.
3.
Delbecq, A. L.
, Van De Ven, A. H., & Gustafson, D. H. (1975). Group techniques for program planning: A guide to nominal group and delphi processes. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.
4.
Guzzo, R. A.
, Salas, E., & Associates. (1995). Team effectiveness and decision-making in organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
5.
Hackman, J. R.
(Ed.). (1990). Groups that work (and those that don’t). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
6.
Huber, G. P.
(1975). Managerial decision making. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.
7.
Janis, I. L.
(1989). Crucial decisions: Leadership in policy making and crisis management. New York: Free Press.
8.
Kepner, C. H.
, & Tregoe, B. B. (1981). The new rational manager. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Research.
9.
Larson, C. E.
(1969). Forms of analysis and small group problem-solving. Speech Monographs, 36, 452-455.
10.
Larson, C. E.
, & LaFasto, F. M. (1989). Teamwork: What must go right, what can go wrong. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
11.
Osborn, A. F.
(1957). Applied imagination(rev. ed.). New York: Scribner.
12.
Shockley-Zalabak, P.
(1995). Fundamentals of organizational communication(3rd ed.). New York: Longman.
13.
Tuckman, B. W.
, & Jensen, M.A.C. (1977). Stages of small-group development, revisited. Group and Organization Studies, 2, 419-427.
14.
Wood, J. T.
, Phillips, G. M., & Pedersen, D. J. (1986). Group discussion: A practical guide to participation and leadership(2nd ed.). New York: Harper & Row.
