Objective: Analyze groupthink (or groupshift) in a business context.

Have you ever been involved in a group where the decision was less that superb? Did the pressure for consensus override minority opinions? Welcome to groupthink. A similar process is known as groupshift, which results when a group proceeds with a more radical decision than any one person would individually. Many of the most well-known catastrophes over the years are the result of groupthink and/or groupshift. Some of the more notable examples include the Bay of Pigs, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the Challenger shuttle explosion. Can you think of others?

• We had to read the following book chapter: A First Look at Communication Theory (pp. 235-246) here: https://williamwolff.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/griffin-groupthink-challenger.pdf
• We also had to read Irving L. Janis' Victims of Groupthink here: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Irving-L.-Janis%27-victims-of-groupthink-Hart/7dfe15a79c2762975d4f3e260e6d472f724328b8?p2df

1. How and what would you research and discuss an example of groupthink (or groupshift) that has occurred in a business context?
2. Ideally the example will be fairly recent, but classic examples are acceptable as long as they are in a business context.
   • We had to use Figure 18.2 (page 241) in the Janis book chapter attached below as a guide for this assignment.

ANTECEDENT CONDITIONS OBSERVABLE CONSEQUENCES Decisionmakers Constitute a C Cohesive Group Symptoms of Groupthink Type I. Overestimation of the Group + 1. Illusion of Invulnerability B-1 2. Belief in Inherent Morality Structural Faults of the of the Group Organization Type II. Closed-Mindedness Concurrence-Seeking 3. Collective Rationalizations 1. Insulation of the Group (Groupthink) Tendency 2. Lack of Tradition of Impartial 4. Stereotypes of Out-Groups Leadership Type III. Pressures Toward 3. Lack of Norms Requiring Uniformity Methodical Procedures 5. Self-Censorship 4. Homogeneity of Members' 6. Illusion of Unanimity Social Background and Ideology 7. Direct Pressure on Dissenters 8. Self-Appointed Mindguards Etc. + D B-2 Symptoms of Defective Decisionmaking Provocative Situational 1. Gross Omissions in Survey Context of Objectives 1. High Stress from External 2. Gross Omissions in Survey Threats with Low Hope of a of Alternatives Better Solution Than the 3. Poor Information Search Leader's 4. Selective Bias in Processing 2. Low Self-Esteem Temporarily Information at Hand Induced by 5. Failure to Reconsider Originally a. Recent Failures That Make Rejected Alternatives4. Homogeneity of Members Social Background and Ideology 7. Direct Pressure on Dissenters 8. Self-Appointed Mindguards Etc. D Symptoms of Defective B-2 Decisionmaking Provocative Situational 1. Gross Omissions in Survey Context of Objectives 1. High Stress from External 2. Gross Omissions in Survey Threats with Low Hope of a of Alternatives Better Solution Than the 3. Poor Information Search Leader's 4. Selective Bias in Processing 2. Low Self-Esteem Temporarily Information at Hand Induced by 5. Failure to Reconsider Originally a. Recent Failures That Make Rejected Alternatives Members' Inadequacyes 6. Failure to Examine Some Major Salient Costs and Risks of Preferred b. Excessive Difficulties on Choice Current Decisionmaking 7. Failure to Work Out Detailed Tasks That Lower Each Implementation, Monitoring, Member's Sense of Self- and Contingency Plans Efficacy c. Moral Dilemmas: Apparent Lack of Feasible Alternatives Except Ones that Violate E Ethical Standards Low Probability of Etc. Successful Outcome Fig. 1 Groupthink theory: A model. Source: Janis, J. L. (1982). Groupthink: Psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascoes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. A