Social Work: Examining Effectiveness of Group Decision-Making

This essay critically examines the assertion that group decision-making is more effective than individual decision-making, particularly within the context of social work. It explores the advantages of group decision-making, such as drawing from diverse experiences, fostering creativity, and enhancing decision implementation through collective investment. While acknowledging potential drawbacks like coordination challenges and time consumption, the essay also considers the merits of individual decision-making, including promptness and accountability. The analysis concludes that group decision-making is generally more effective due to its capacity to generate innovative ideas and promote employee motivation and learning, ultimately contributing to the achievement of organizational goals and a competitive market position. Desklib provides access to similar essays and resources for students.

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Group decision in social work 1
Group decision-making is more effective than individual decision-
making. Discuss.
In the current era, the competition in every field is increasing due to which it is becoming
essential to make effective decisions at every stage. The process of decision making is complex
at every stage in the real world and this is the reason it was driven by the multiple factors that
include a wide range of stakeholders. The process of decision making can be undertaken in two
ways as it can be group decision making or individual decision making. This paper is formed
with the motive to further discuss that group decision making is more effective than the
individual decision making with the evidence.
In the group decision making there are different models related to the group decision making that
can be put to use. In the group decision-making process there are two major examples which
include consensus and consultation (Morden, 2017). The consensus includes a different option to
the group and further making the use of the most popular decision-making option for their
business. On the other hand, the consultation takes the opinion of the group into the
considerations while making the strong decision. Both the method is used by the group while
participating in the decision-making process for major purposes (Cabrerizo, Moreno, Pérez and
Herrera-Viedma, 2010). On the other hand, individual decision making includes the individual
person who makes the decisions without any involvement of the other opinion. Considering the
fact, I believe that both the methods are used for making effective decisions for social work.
The group decision making has numerous advantages which include drawing of experiences and
perceptions from a large number of individuals. This increase the potential to become more
creative for the decisions that they are willing to take and with this more effective decisions can

Group decision in social work 2
take place. This is the fact that the decision taken by the group is beyond the decision taken by
the individuals (Saaty and Vargas, 2013). One of the major reason behind the same is that group
involve different people with different experience and knowledge which helps in getting
maximum outcomes which leads to the far better decision than the individual decisions. The
decision-making process becomes more enjoyable when it is conducted in the group rather than
the individual which is one of the reasons people take active participation (Robbins and Judge,
2014). This active participation of the members of the group leads to the number of options for
the decision making due to which the decision taken by the group become more effective than
the individual person. The implementation of the decision will get easy because entire will invest
in the decision taken by them rather than the individual decision (Newell, Lagnado and Shanks,
2015).
Group decision involves a diverse range of people due to which the decision taking include
different ideas according to the experiences and background of the people. Moreover, the
decision related to the different operations at different places in the business can become more
effective due to the presence of diverse people. For example; a company like McDonald’s who
provide the employment to the people from different culture and regions gets the benefit of same
because they are having operations across the world. The diverse employees of the company help
while making the decision related to the product and service that they are willing to offer to the
customers in that particular area (Charness and Sutter, 2012). This reflects the role of the diverse
people in the group decision making.
The research reflects that the top management teams, a group that debate over an issue for
making the right decisions for the team actually deals with the problems that are to perform the
betterment in terms of sales and profitability. Though this is the fact that group decisions are

Group decision in social work 3
effective but it also has numerous disadvantages that might affect the decision taken by the
group. Some of them are discussed to analyse the fact related to the best and appropriate way of
decision making that can be either group decision or individual decision. This is the fact that
group decision making includes the problems of coordination among the group members
(Pettigrew, 2014). For example; people who have worked as the individual decision making
participates in the group decision making might find the issue in coordinating with the other
members present in the group. This coordination issue might take place at the time of the
meeting and at social work. In addition to this, some of the group face the use of social loafing
and tendency of people for being effortless in the group. In the group decisions making some
people don't put efforts while making the decision in the group affects the idea generation
advantage of the group (Charness and Sutter, 2012). This makes the group decision less effective
and gives importance to individual decision making.
Another, the disadvantage of the group decision making is time consumption rather than the
individual decision making. The group decision making includes analyses and evaluation of the
decision and after analyzing all the decision the final innovative and effective decision has been
selected (Carpenter, Bauer, Erdogan and Short, 2010). Moreover, the group member needs to
discuss the thoughts deeply out of the different alternatives. The preference of the group decision
making depends on the situation that is taking place. For instance; in case of emergency there is a
need to take the decision quickly which is possible with the individual decision making due to
which this decision making is preferred rather than the group decision making. In this case, the
individual decision making is appropriate hen they have the entire question that is required to
make the basic decisions. Though, if one person doesn't have the skills to make the decisions

Group decision in social work 4
then it will affect the decision in the urgency mode also. In this case, it is found that the group
decision making remains more effective than the individual decision making.
Individual decision making includes the tendency of the people in which they think and the
question before they perform. The individual person who is taking the decision contains
knowledge and skills which make them capable enough to take the tough decisions further in
life. For example; leaders within the organisation have knowledge and skills with the help of
which they can easily manage the team effectively which is must for the success of the business
(Marshall, Brown and Radford, 2017). These leaders are able to manage the team which is
possible with their practice and situations both in the professional and personal life. This is found
that an individual can take the suggestion from the friends and relatives who help them and guide
them in making their own decisions. The individual decision making is preferred due to its
advantages which are discussed.
Prompt decision making of individuals is one of the reason due to which the method has opted.
Unlike, group decision making there are numerous people who are dominated and it consume the
time. In addition to this, the individual decision-making process doesn't require any assembling
of people which save their time (Exforsys, 2011). This time is utilized by the individual for
evaluating the decision formed by them which leads to the effectiveness of decision. Further, the
individuals who are forming the decisions don’t get escape from their responsibilities. This
simply means that the individual people get accountable for all their acts and performance related
to the decision which is formed by them. Though, in the group decision making if anything went
wrong it will be hard to hold one person who remains accountable for the wrong decision that is
taken by them (Lunenburg, 2011). Though, this case of wrong decision takes place rarely which
makes the people select this method of making the decisions.

Group decision in social work 5
Furthermore, the decision taken by the individual not only saves the time but it also saves money
and energy with the resources. There is no need of conducting the meetings for making the
decision that generally takes place in the process of the group decision making. The individuals
who make the decision are more focused than the group but this is the fact that they have lack of
the options, ideas and innovation that is possible when the decisions are formed in the group.
This shows occurring disadvantage of individual decision making which states that group has the
potential of collecting enough information in the single go unlike like the individual who spent
the time on collecting the information which is must for making the effective decisions (Francis,
2018). Moreover, the individual people who make the decision make use of own intuition and
views due to which the availability of the alternatives or option reduces. Along with this, their
intuition and views can be misunderstood or include lack of understanding due to which they
take the wrong decisions. In the group decision making, the members of the group share their
diverse views due to which the decision-making approach gets improved and remain effective
for the organisation.
The major drawback of the individual decision making is that there is no involvement of any
other member due to which they face lack of personal development. Though, on the other hand,
the group decision making cover this by discovering the hidden talent and core competency of
the employees within an organisation. This will enhance the skills and leads to the personal
development of the employees within the organisation (Mukherjee et al 2016). An individual
member who makes the decision in the social worker will not be able to consider the interest of
every member which is not possible in group decision because they take the opinions of every
member that is present and accordingly they make the decision within the organisation

Group decision in social work 6
The analysis that has been conducted in the paper reflects that group decision making is more
effective than the individual decision making because groups members can take the participation
while making the decision related to the organisation which helps in making the effective
decisions. The group decision generally gets successful in the organisation due to which most of
the top management ask their lower manager to discuss the decision which they are taking
(Kugler, Kausel and Kocher, 2012). Though the top management can individually make the
decision but they have to think and evaluate the exact situation and accordingly to that only they
will take the decisions.
In the group decision making, the views and opinions of different people help in getting the
innovative idea which not only help in achieving the mission and vision of company but it will
also help in dealing with the competitors of the company which helps them in maintaining a
good position in the market. This reflects that decision making through the group is effective as
there are certain disadvantages but this will become advantages for companies. For example;
group decision takes time but at the same time decisions include numerous opinions and
innovation that can fulfil the time that is consumed by them in making the decisions for their
organisation. Further, the group can evaluate the decisions in the given time frame which helps
them in making effective decisions.
In addition, this has been found that group decision helps the employees in learning the new
things and the way decision can be taken by the management. Moreover, they understand their
value in the organisation which helps them to remain to motivate and to perform social work
within the organisation. This is not possible with the help of the individual decision making due
to which this can be stated that group decision making either in life or business is effective rather
than the individual decision making.

Group decision in social work 7
References
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Group decision in social work 8
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