Thesis--University of Florida. / Description based on print version record. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 118-127).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1989. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-117).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliography.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006. / Title from title screen (site viewed April 26, 2007). PDF text: 142 p. : ill. UMI publication number: AAT 3229556. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Please read the abstract in the section, 00front, of this document / Thesis (PhD (Information Technology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Informatics / PhD / unrestricted

Groupthink is a theory concerning decision making developed by Janis (1972) on a case study basis. He uses the theory to explain several international fiascoes such as the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. Highly cohesive, isolated groups operating in stressful circumstances, under highly assertive leaders may support the leader's position in the attempt to maintain group consensus. Experimental research reviewed by the present author is reinterpreted as not supporting the theory. Criticisms concerning the original development of the theory and the possibility of obtaining disconfirming evidence are outlined. The present experiment obtained for subjects 192 staff members from government and corporate organizations. Leadership style, cohesiveness and stress were manipulated to simulate the groupthink conditions. The four-person groups attempted to develop solutions to two current social problems: (1) Canadian immigration, and (2) capital punishment. The sessions were taperecorded and subjects were given post-experimental questionnaires. The questionnaires provided information for manipulation checks and the attempt to observe specific symptoms of groupthink. The audio-tapes were rated by two independent observers for the quality of the decision making discussions. The proposed solutions (in transcript form) were rated for their quality by experts from Immigration and law. Groupthink theory was not supported by the analyses at the various levels. The independent variable manipulations were moderately successful. The results indicated that leadership style played the dominant role in affecting both the group atmosphere and the quality of the decision making. These findings are interpreted as being consistent with earlier research on groupthink theory. It was also found that the time limitations employed in the study influenced the task oriented dimensions of the group processes It was suggested that the role of leadership may be more crucial to group-think theory than is the role of group cohesiveness. However, before reaching a decision on the validity of the groupthink theory based upon the current laboratory research, it is recommended that groupthink be tested in a fashion more appropriate to the level of analysis of the theory. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

Collectivity, (a non-bureaucratic, non-hierarchical participatory-democratic organizational form) has been developed as an alternative to bureaucracy in some Western industrial societies. Such an organizational form, although existing independently of the feminist movement, is one important tool used by that movement to accomplish its goals. Collectivity has a particularly close relationship with what I have called integrative feminism, which focuses on a synthesis of feminine and masculine polarities both in society and within individuals, on a re-definition and sharing of power, and on an emphasis on the feminine sphere in order to redress the present imbalance between the masculine and the feminine in Western society. Collectivity, with its emphasis on democratization and feminization of the work process, shares many of the goals of integrative feminism. The purpose of the thesis, then, is to demonstrate the masculine nature of traditional bureaucracy and the feminine nature of collectivity, and thus the relationship between integrative feminism and collectivity. The point of view taken in this thesis is that the sexual polarization that exists throughout Western industrial society is not a natural outcome of the biological differences between the sexes, but is socially determined and therefore changeable by social means. The thesis argues that this polarization, manifested in one-sided personality development for both sexes and the division of social life into an over-valued masculine (productive) sphere and an under-valued feminine (maintenance) sphere, which emphasize different functions, characteristics and values, is destructive to human and social growth. It also argues that sexual polarization is a significant factor in the crisis the world is now facing, which involves the domination of the powerless by the powerful, domestic and international conflict, and, in the West, too-rapid growth and over-consumption. While certain limitations restrict the general application of collectivity as a universal organizational form (for example, social demands for productivity and disparity between the ideology of collectivity and the dominant ideology), it may be that elements of collectivity can be effectively combined with elements of bureaucracy in a variety of contexts. The data on which the argument is based includes the literature of feminism, organizations, and social movements; previous research done on the Vancouver Women's Health Collective; and personal experience in social movement activity. / Arts, Faculty of / Sociology, Department of / Graduate

Past research has demonstrated that individual and group judgments are subject to systematic biases. Although much effort has been devoted to the debiasing of individual judgments, no corresponding work to date has been found on the debiasing of group judgments. Complicating this research gap is the fact that group and team work is gaining increasing importance in organizational settings. The current study examines the usefulness of group support systems (GSS) in addressing two important judgment biases, namely, representativeness bias and availability bias. Representativeness bias refers to the bias incurred in posterior-probability estimation by not properly utilizing information sources such as base rate. Availability bias occurs when events of higher availability to the memory are correspondingly judged as occurring more frequently. The formation of a judgment is seen from the perspective of an information integration process. Two orthogonal dimensions of information integration -- interpersonal and intrapersonal -- are involved in group judgments. Interpersonal information integration concerns the aspect of information sharing among group members, and can be supported with the electronic communication channel of GSS. Intrapersonal information integration deals with the information processing capacities and capabilities of individuals, and is supportable using cognitive-support tools of GSS. A laboratory experiment with a 2x2 factorial design was conducted. One hundred and twenty subjects took part in the experiment. They were randomly allocated to 40 groups. Two experimental tasks, designed to examine the two judgment biases of interest, were solved by each group. Data pertaining to both processes and outcomes were collected and analyzed. Representativeness bias was reduced by the use of cognitive support, in the form of a problem representation tool. Groups with the problem representation tool made fewer references to diagnostic information versus base rate, leading to the use of more correct strategies which combined these two information sources. The use of the problem representation tool was found to be responsible for causing this chain of events. On the other hand, electronic communication did not lead to a similar change in the pattern of group processes, and, correspondingly, did not reduce the representativeness bias. Although electronic communication is capable of improving the interpersonal aspect of information integration, the representativeness bias is primarily a result of cognitive limitations, and benefits little from improved communication among group members. Availability bias was reduced by both cognitive support and communication support. Cognitive support, in the form of electronic brainstorming, increased the information search scope of issues, especially those issues of relatively low availability to the memory. Electronic communication allows parallel input and has a lower social presence than verbal communication. These features helped to reduce the extent of groupthink and widened the range of alternative solutions proposed. Some interaction effects were observed on group members’ perceptions of the group process. For example, communication medium had an effect on group members’ satisfaction in groups without cognitive support, but not those with cognitive support. Correspondingly, cognitive support affected some perceptual variables in verbally-communicating groups, but not electronically-communicating groups. Examples of such effects include an increase in perceived socio-emotional behavior and perceived informal leadership. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

No description available.

One explanation for the increased use of interactive groups in organisations is that benefits are obtained from pooling individuals?? differing knowledge and abilities. However, prior experimental research has established that groups often do not discuss and use information effectively, exhibiting a bias toward information that is commonly known by all group members, rather than information that is unique to individual group members (common information bias). This dissertation investigated whether the provision of quantitative information resulted in improved group performance in two respects. First, it investigated whether quantitative information was discussed and used more than qualitative information. Second, it examined whether the quantification of information reduced the common information bias. This is important because a basic purpose of managerial accounting is to provide information that improves employees?? abilities to make optimal decisions. This dissertation utilised an experimental task known as a ??hidden profile?? to achieve the research objectives. In a hidden profile experiment, each group member receives some information that is common to everyone in the group, and some information that is unique to them. The group must discuss and use members?? unique information in order to uncover the optimal task solution. This dissertation examined the effect of information availability (common or unique) and information type (quantitative or qualitative) on information discussion and use. There were two stages to the experiment. First, individual group members had to make a capital investment decision, and write down their reasons for that decision. Second, groups had to discuss the information, come to a group decision, and write down their reasons for that decision. The results confirmed a common information bias at the group decision level, with groups significantly favouring common information over unique information, for all measures of discussion and information use. In contrast, while a preference for quantitative information was found at the individual decision level, at a group decision level there were no significant differences in the discussion or use of quantitative and qualitative information, with only one exception: significantly more statements were made about quantitative information.