Answer to Question 1
Answer: Advantages
a. Generate more complete information and knowledge: A group brings a diversity of experience and perspectives to the decision process that an individual cannot.
b. More diverse alternatives: Because groups have a greater amount and diversity of information, they can identify more diverse alternatives than an individual.
c. Increased acceptance of a solution: Group members are reluctant to fight or undermine a decision they have helped develop.
d. Increased legitimacy: Decisions made by groups may be perceived as being more legitimate than decisions made unilaterally by one person.
Disadvantages
a. Time consuming: Groups almost always take more time to reach a solution than it would take an individual.
b. Minority domination: The inequality of group members creates the opportunity for one or more members to dominate others. A dominant and vocal minority frequently can have an excessive influence on the final decision.
c. Pressures to conform: Groupthink undermines critical thinking in the group and eventually harms the quality of the final decision.
d. Ambiguous responsibility: Group members share responsibility, but the responsibility of any single member is diluted.
Answer to Question 2
Answer: Group size affects performance and satisfaction, but the effect depends on what the group is supposed to accomplish. Smaller teams would be effective for regular tasks that require control. Research indicates that small groups are faster at completing tasks than are larger ones. However, for groups engaged in problem solving, large groups consistently get better results than smaller ones. Larger teams are preferred if the team needs diverse output. Smaller teams are preferred otherwise.
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