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involving a group of people may pose a problem. For example, the group
process can appear fair and democratic but really only be a gesture that
covers up the fact that certain group members or the group leader have
already decided. Group decision-making also takes more time than

individual decisions and can be burdensome if some group members do
not do their assigned work, divert the group with self-centered or
unproductive behaviors, or miss meetings.

Conversely, though, group decisions are often more informed, since all
group members develop a shared understanding of a problem through
discussion and debate. The shared understanding may also be more
complex and deep than what an individual would develop, because the
group members are exposed to a variety of viewpoints that can broaden

their own perspectives.

This situation in which a group finds itself certainly affects decision-
making. One key aspect is the degree of freedom that the group possesses
to make its own decisions, secure its own resources, and initiate its own
actions. Some groups have to go through multiple approval processes
before they can do anything, while others are self-directed, self-governing,

and self-sustaining.

Uncertainty also has a major impact on decision-making. In general,

groups deal with more uncertainty in decision-making than do individuals
because of the increased number of variables that comes with adding more
people to a situation. Individual group members can’t know what other
group members are thinking, whether or not they are doing their work,
and how committed they are to the group. So the size of a group is a
powerful situational influence, as it adds to uncertainty and complicates

communication.

Organizations, which are more formally structured than ad hoc groups,
have routines, practices, processes, missions, and cultures that condition
how problems are defined, information is shared, goals are identified,
options are generated, and, ultimately, how decisions are made. All of this
needs to be taken into consideration in the decision-making process. The
creativity and effectiveness of this process is certainly impacted by the

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