Discusses three studies stemming from an investigation designed to demonstrate that group decision-making performance is contingent on the satisfaction of four functional requirements. Claims the studies provide further support for the functional perspective. (JAD)

Identifies six major factors that exerted influence on the decision-making process that led to the launch of the space shuttle, Challenger, on January 28, 1986. Concludes that decision to launch Challenger resulted from complex interplay among a number of cognitive, psychological, and social forces constituting the decision environment. (Author/NB)

Argues importance of communication for group decision-making performance and its impact on such performance are function of three task characteristics: structure, information requirement, and evaluation demand. Identifies task circumstances in which group communication can be expected to play role in determining decision-making performance, as…

Analyzed group discussions associated with 68 high-quality and 29 low-quality decisions made by comparably informed groups using cross-contact comparison. Found vigilance, second-guessing, and accurate information processing associated with high-quality decisions; faulty information processing and improbable fantasy chains with low-quality…

Developed and tested encompassing and utilitarian measure of small group consensus using 48 small groups involving 234 college students. Pilot study of 14 groups and 61 subjects used instrument to test consensus stability over six-week period. Results showed no significant change in consensus levels over that time. (Author/NB)

Investigates factors that members of organizational work teams (school administrators and personnel who volunteered to work with students with ongoing drug and alcohol problems) believe facilitate and inhibit group performance effectiveness. Finds that compatible work schedules, motivated group members, adequate informational resources, competent…

Presents conceptual model of group decision-making process that identifies essential factors and processes that impact upon group decisions. Integrates concepts from various academic disciplines to provide theoretical framework for research generation and to organize and synthesize past and future research findings in effort to establish…

Found no single sequence of interaction phases that led to successful or unsuccessful group problem solving. Successful groups, however, tended to begin their discussions by attempting to analyze the problem before searching for solutions; unsuccessful groups immediately began searching for solutions. (PD)

Analyzes and compares the communication process within effective and ineffective decision-making groups to identify specific behaviors and patterns of communicative behaviors which consistently discriminate between them. Results suggest that effective decision-making groups spend more time interacting and agreeing upon procedural matters than do…

Found that the discussions of "effective" and "ineffective" groups were distinguished by (1) how the groups examined opinions and assumptions advanced by group members; (2) how the groups evaluated alternative choices; (3) the nature of decisional premises; and (4) the nature of influence exerted by influential members of the group. (PD)

Found that of five "task-achievement functions" examined, two serve as accurate predictors of group problem-solving effectiveness. Specifically, found that (1) a negative relationship exists between group effectiveness and attempts to "establish operating procedures"; and (2) a positive relationship exists between group…

A review of the research literature concerning the effects of cooperation and competition on small-group productivity suggests that results have been conflicting and inconclusive. From a methodological standpoint, the inconsistent finings result from the use of experimental tasks which create systematic bias in favor of either the cooperative or…