can be and is disseminated to all to
whom such information is applicable for nominal group
decision making. Nominal group decision making is a form of
participative management widely employed in TQM and CQI
organizations (Atkinson, 1990, pp. 39 99). In such companies,
participative management means the involvement of all members of
an organization in the decision making process.
Most Japanese companies are TQM or CQI companies, and, in
contrast to their American counterparts, operate without an
organization chart (Ishikawa, 1991, pp. 134 149). This low
structure characteristic makes it easier to use the nominal group
decision making technique. Consensus is sought in Japanese
organizations through application of nominal group decision
In American organizations, nominal group decision making is
often found to be ineffective (Peters and Waterman, 1982, p.
111). Collective decision making, to the Japanese, means
extensive and extended consultations between all of the managers
within an organization whose organizational units will be
...