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Groups may also suffer from groupthink, the tendency to avoid critical evaluation of
ideas the group favors. Finally, group decision making takes a longer time compared
with individual decision making, given that all members need to discuss their
thoughts regarding different alternatives.

Thus, whether an individual or a group decision is preferable will depend on
the specifics of the situation. For example, if there is an emergency and a decision
needs to be made quickly, individual decision making might be preferred. Individual
decision making may also be appropriate if the individual in question has all the
information needed to make the decision and if implementation problems are not
expected. However, if one person does not have all the information and skills needed
to make the decision, if implementing the decision will be difficult without the
involvement of those who will be affected by the decision, and if time urgency is
more modest, then decision making by a group may be more effective.
Figure 11.13 Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Levels of Decision
Making

Groupthink
Have you ever been in a decision-making group that you felt was heading in
the wrong direction, but you didn’t speak up and say so? If so, you have already been
a victim of groupthink. Groupthink is a group pressure phenomenon that increases the
risk of the group making flawed decisions by leading to reduced mental efficiency,
reality testing, and moral judgment. Groupthink is characterized by eight symptoms
[3]
that include:
1. Illusion of invulnerability shared by most or all of the group members
that creates excessive optimism and encourages them to take extreme risks.
2. Collective rationalizations where members downplay negative
information or warnings that might cause them to reconsider their assumptions.
3. An unquestioned belief in the group’s inherent morality that may incline
members to ignore ethical or moral consequences of their actions.

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