Group decision making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Group decision making - Essay Example For example, at one time or another one might probably exclaim, "One can't accomplish anything in a meeting as everyone has his or her own agenda. The more people are the more impossible it becomes." So, where at one point groups might be consider effective in decision making yet the synergy in the group’s outcome depends on the group’s characteristics. This paper would consider the effectiveness of group decision making considering the several factors that might influence it. Essential Components The Positive Interdependence The first and the important element in the structuring cooperation learning in group is the Positive Interdependence. â€Å"Positive interdependence is one that links students together so they cannot succeed unless all the group members succeed. Group members so therefore have to realize that they sink or swim together.† (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1998, p. 4:7). The group task must have to be designed so that the participation from every member is necessary to complete that task. Every group member must have clearly designated role. Moreover, the tasks of every member must address the differentiation of group so that each member is then utilizing their talents and skills. Resources necessary for completion of the project might be distributed to different members in group. This will ensure that all must work together to accomplish the goal. A group task would usually be setup in which every group member must be able to explain result of the project at the end. Roles or jobs can be assigned to each group member For instance the project roles include, Leader or organizer, recorder, researcher, designer, present. And the discussion roles woul cover Facilitator, Reflector, Summarizer Time Keeper, Summarizer, The effectiveness of the group thereby depends on positive interdependence. Group Processing Group Processing generally examines how groups of students can work together effectively and efficiently, it focuses on pos itive behaviors and actions rather than on negative ones and involves the members thinking about how they learn. An example of such would be when the teacher chooses to spend time specifically focusing on the developing a skill such as listening. The class-teacher can then monitor the different groups during this learning activity and provide positive feedback on how well they are doing. It helps determine how groups are doing. Individual verses Group decision making Potential Group Productivity The group of individual gathered together makes decisions which are better. Members of a group are different in approaching any decision. This would be considered as an advantage that can help the group make well rounded, thoughtful decisions. People have varying skill sets, experiences, and personality strengths, and such can lead to greater number of suggestions or options than that which can be developed by a single person, meaning a group in such case would be likely to come to a better solution. This would help the group make better decision provided a consensus of opinion is reached. Social facilitation It is the tendency for people to do much better on simple tasks when one is in the presence of other several people. This implies that when so ever people are being watched by others, they will naturally do well on things that they had already good at doing. 6. (Strauss, B. (2001). Social facilitat