tion by organizational subordinates in the process, while, at the same time, preserving the ultimate responsibility and authority of the leader.
Skjei (1983, p. 47) defined the basic decision making model as being of "two parts: a core group at the center, invested by the rules with formal authority to legitimize decisions . . . and a constellation of satellite groups seeking to influence the . . . core group." Group decision making may be applied in either part of the model.
In most organizations, it is a rare event for a single individual to complete an entire decision making process without functioning at least part of the time as a member of a group (Sisk, 1987). Group participation in an organizational decision making process assumes even greater significance, when it is considered that the effective execution of an organizational decision requires a commitment on the part of many people. Commitment will be both stronger and more easily developed, if those individuals of whom it is required are participants in the decision making process (Sisk, 1987).
There are, however, both advantages and disadvantages associated with group decision making. A significant advantage to the process is that the potential range of knowledge among a group of individuals is much greater than that for a single decision maker (McGrath, 1986). Additionally, group participation in the decision making process typically results in a better understanding of the decision reached.
The major disadvantage to group decision making results from the presence in an organization of social pressures (Szilagy and Wallace, 1987). Superior subordinate relationships within an organization, as an example, may result in no meaningful participation on the part of a subordinate. The quality of group decisions has also been questioned, because, often, consensus is viewed as a substitute for a thorough evaluation of the quality of the decision. The group ...