DISADVANTAGES OF GROUP

DECISION MAKING
ORGANIZATION SYSTEMS

MUHAMMAD FAIZAN YOUSUF

CE-082/14-15

faizan yousuf
 DISADVANTAGES OF GROUP DECISION MAKING

1. Lower Efficiency
Group decisions can also be less efficient than those made by an individual. Group decisions can
take additional time because there is the requirement of participation, discussion, and
coordination among group members. Without good facilitation and structure, meetings can get
bogged down in trivial details that may matter a lot to one person but not to the others.

2. Slow at Making Decisions

Due to the number of people involved in making decisions, it can consume more time than
allowing an individual to make it his own.

3. Potential for Group Polarization

Another disadvantage when relying on group decision making is group polarization. This can
happen when the group will converge to a more extreme solution for a particular problem.
Thus, it can result to a risky shift when majority of the group decide an extreme decision. This is
because they will feel lesser responsibility or accountability for their actions compared to only
one person making the decision.

4. Being Silent in Disagreement

At times when the decision process in groups is being carried out some members agree in favor
of certain decision just for agreeing or following the norms agreement. An individual may agree
to the point by not standing up firm of his opinion which may contradict to the opposite
persons opinion. This discourages the person to make quality ideas and opinion and standing
up firm to his decision.

5. Social Pressure
When an individual of the group remains silent at the time of decision making process, one of
the reason may be the social pressures in that particular environment. Thus this leads to the
failure in being a good member. The social pressure of the group can affect the individuals
mindset as they may be very strong which can affect and change certain traits and qualities of
the individual in turn changing his behavior entirely which affect the decision.

6. Priorities in Certain Ideas

A number of ideas are presented within the group. At times the members of the group may
only focus on a certain number of ideas, at times one or two alternatives only and they may not
focus or come up with other ideas which may benefit their group and the individuals that it
represents. Thus it causes all the members of the group to limit their choices and being stuck to
only few ideas.
 7. Rushing into Decision Making:
At certain times, there might be rush that a decision needs to be carried out by the group at
that instant as it is a hurry. So at times when the group comes to announcing a decision at this
moment the decision is rushed into making not thinking about the future consequences that
may arise for the members of the group and the firm. The consequences which may be
unfavorable in nature are not given enough importance by the members of the group while the
decision making process is being carried out.

8. Uncertainty in the Risk Bearing Factor:

When the decisions are made by the group, the factor of risk bearing will always arise. So at
times the group may opt for proceeding towards taking less risk or towards taking more risk for
the group as a whole. When a firm opts for taking a greater risk it may yield in getting a higher
and greater reward after the objective has been met. But in order to achieve success in the
firm, some kind of risk needs to be undertaken by the group.

9. Overuse of Authority
The group discussion concept is considered as working of a number of individuals as a whole in
harmony and unity so as to reaching the goals and objectives of the Organization. But at times
to get their opinion influenced by others, certain Members of the group overuse their authority
and dominate the group and their Individuals. In doing so some of the members start
maintaining a distance from the group which leads to being less involved in the group activities
and decision Making process thus leading to losing the concept of a group.

10. Highly Expensive

The concept of group discussion is two or more people carry out and formulate decisions in
favor of the firm. So this concept can be expensive in nature with respect to money, time, man
hours and energy. With respect to this it is also considered that if the group as a whole gets a
large contribution then it is known that the individual contribution of each member is less.

11. Forming of Groups

In a large group as a whole, at times certain smaller number of groups are also formed with a
few members as they think they are better and different from others. This concept is known as
groupism which itself is a very negative comment. So with this a large number of informal or
smaller groups are formed not considering the one large group as a whole which leads to
negative comments and resentment towards other people inside as well as outside the group
having a negative impact on the firm.