Knowledge Management: Brainstorming, Nominal Group Techniques and Consensus

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Knowledge Management
Name
Institution

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TASK 1
4.1: Brainstorming, nominal group techniques and consensus
Question A
Most companies use the reward system as a method of rewarding efforts and increasing
the employees’ worth. However, this may not be the case for all employees. Some employees
view monetary rewards as a hindrance to personal growth. Therefore, developing employees’
recognition program may act as one of the best ways to employee personal growth perception
problems. The company may introduce structure programs which constitute frequent recognition
events such as breakfast with the boss or banquets. Another recognition is award presentation in
front of peers.1 This makes employees feel appreciated among a group of people. This builds
their morale and may lead to the high achievement of the organization’s goals. A new office or
upgraded workspace is another way that may improve employees’ personal growth and
perception problems. An upgrade office space will create a more conducive environment for
employees or an employee to execute organizational tasks. For example, if employees used to
work in an open office layout, the management may decide to make it a landscape office layout
or reward an employee by allocating them to an enclosed office layout.
Additionally, involving employees’ in decisions making improves the employee’ growth
problem. Some organization neglect employees in the decision-making process. This makes
employees feel sidelined. Some decisions made by the top management where the employees
were not considered in the process may affect employees and demotivate them. Contrary,
involving employees’ in decision making allows employees to air their opinions. Besides, a job
1 Hosam Al-Samarraie and Shuhaila Hurmuzan, "A Review Of Brainstorming Techniques In
Higher Education" (2018) 27 Thinking Skills and Creativity.

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well by an employee can be recognized by empowering the employee as an internal consultant to
other staff. This may make the employee feel appreciated for the job done hence motivating the
employee to continue delivering their best for the success of an organization.
Question B
The group consisted of five members. The group aimed to find a solution to the personal
worth perception problem faced by employees in large companies. The group applied the
nominal group technique to come up with a solution that will best resolve the employee personal
worth perception challenge. The first stage was the key presentation of questions which were
read loudly to all the group members.2 The questions included the rewards that have reduced the
perception of personal worth and the ways which can be used to raise the perception of personal
growth. The second stage is the silent phase. During this stage, the group members generated
ideas silently on how to solve the problem of employee personal worth perception. The silent
generation of ideas gave members adequate personal time to think and created a problem-
centered environment without interruption.
The third stage that the group applied according to NGT was the round-robin recording of
ideas. During this stage, the leader that the group had elected went around the table recording the
ideas from each group member. The leader asked for clarification if the idea was not well
presented. This assisted each member to participate freely. The fourth phase was the
clarification. The participants discussed and clarified unclear factors until every member was
comfortable enough. The group went through the last and interesting phase which was voting.
The participants had selected a few resolutions for employee self-worth perception. They
2 David Dryden Henningsen and Mary Lynn Miller Henningsen, "Generating Ideas About The
Uses Of Brainstorming: Reconsidering The Losses And Gains Of Brainstorming Groups
Relative To Nominal Groups" (2013) 78(1) Southern Communication Journal.

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included tea with the boss, being involved in decisions making, new office, and taking the
position of an internal consultant.
ideas
Participant
1
Participant
2
Participant
3
Participant
4
Participant
5
Total ranking
Office
space 20 40 15 35 110 2
Involvemen
t in decision
making
10 32 152 194 1
Internal
consultant 30 30 30 90 3
Therefore, according to the voting results, the best solution to employee self-worth
problem was involving the employees’ in the organization’s decision making.
Question C
The group applied the consensus decision-making approach with the aim of choosing a
resolution to the issue of employee personal worth perception to which all the group participants
can commit. To arrive at the solution, the members started with the first step which was
introducing and clarifying the problem by sharing important information.3 The second step was
exploring the problem by gathering thoughts and reaction. At this stage, the group also collecting
ideas that will assist them for solving the issue such as offering training, paid parking fees,
3 Ivan Palomares, Luis Martinez and Francisco Herrera, "A Consensus Model To Detect And
Manage Noncooperative Behaviors In Large-Scale Group Decision Making" (2014) 22(3) IEEE
Transactions on Fuzzy Systems.