<p> This study investigated the role of pre-deliberation leading to a group consensus-based decision in government planning. Six people from local municipalities in Skagit County participated in a 5-question in-person interview study process with qualitative measures. Existing literature on consensus decision making and informal pre-meeting discussions, identified in the study as pre-deliberation, is limited. The researcher was concerned with understanding elements from communication theory that support a communication process leading to group decisions in a recent government planning project. Therefore, five variables were measured in this study: needs and concerns, understanding the positions of others, facilitating group decisions, accountability, and successful partnerships. In analyzing the empirical data, the researcher found evidence to support the notion that pre-meeting discussions improve decision making. Future research may further address gender and age implications, and the role or impact of open meeting laws in government planning.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10162503 |
| Date | 20 October 2016 |
| Creators | Entrikin, Andrew S. |
| Publisher | Gonzaga University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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