Please respond to at least2 other students. Responses should be a minimum of 100 words and include direct questions.

Student 1

Choose one of these techniques, describe it thoroughly, and then provide an example of when this technique would work effectively.

In my opinion there is a big advantage to the technique of making authoritative decisions. However, it may be best for the decision to be based on the decision making process of a group. Group decision making involves groups of individual brought together as a team to determine a course of action. The use of a group can often lead to various different experiences and also different ways of thinking. It seems that a group would be more likely to come up with a more unique solution for a complex problem. There still remains a risk in this decision making process, and that is the issue of Groupthink. This particular issue is when members of a group become more concerned with avoiding unanimity, go along with the group, and forego offering a different idea (Nahavandi, Denhardt, Denhardt, & Aristigueta, 2015, p.251).

To avoid this type of issue each of the group members must be responsible enough to speak out (Nahavandi, Denhardt, Denhardt, & Aristigueta, 2015, p. 251). Sharing various ideas on how a problem can be solved lends to multiple options in the solution. This would require the group to present the best option for solving a problem, or making the best decision. This is where an authoritative decision would be the most advantageous. With a single individual, or leader making a final decision, the group has presented the options and conflict might be avoided. If a group were responsible for presenting a solution, it could be the result of groupthink or even the by-product of a conflict.

In my profession, we use Integrated Product Teams and Working Integrated Product Teams in the decision making process. In each of these types of groups a leader is designated as a chairperson. This person is responsible for making an authoritative decision based on the outcome of the groups work. In many cases, there is a great deal of varying experience that lends insight to additional potential problems. Groups help to identify areas where additional risk resides. This may be based on levels of education or past working group experience.

In any case, group decision making seems to create better overall decisions. However, it seems like there can be points of contention which are only relieved by appointing authoritative leadership. When a leader has the ability to compile several ideas into one decision it may make for a better final decision. This technique has worked effectively for many decisions that have been made in the area of test equipment. Having a group where there are multiple people can help to spread out some of the work. Each person may be responsible for a portion of the solution. Each person would provide their input to the group. The group would discuss possible options, and present several options to the chairperson. The chairperson either decides on which course of action is best, or even determines that a combination of options is best.

~Steven

Student 2

I think that brainstorming is a great technique that can be used in problem solving. Brainstorming involves a group of people coming up with ideas to solve a problem. Before brainstorming begins, everyone needs to know that there are no bad ideas and no one should be ridiculed for their input. The idea is to get as many ideas on the table as possible, in order to come up with multiple ways to attack a problem. Once this is understood you start with a question and or a problem; how can we fix this, how can we improve, etc. Allow everyone to think of a solution for a couple minutes, then have people submit their ideas to the group. As the discussion moves on people should add onto or re-imagine other peoples ideas to strengthen them. There should be a "group leader" who makes sure that people are not judging other peoples ideas, or putting them down, this could cripple the groups effort if it went unchecked.

I think brainstorming is effective in large groups of people. The more eyes and ears on the problem, the more likely that a solution can be made. For example, the area I work in has about 30 associates and 2 managers, when there is a problem the managers come up with a solution for it. The 2 managers who rarely leave the office are making decisions for what happens on the floor (work area), they don't do the job, they barely watch it get done, so their ideas may look good on paper but in practice they may not. If they took an hour and got us 30 associates together to brainstorm ideas, we could answer the problem while avoiding causing other problems that the managers would overlook.

~Dillion