Decisões em grupo nas organizações: problemas observados e técnicas utilizadas nas etapas do processo decisório

Artur Barretti Mascarenhas; Abraham Sin Oih Yu

doi:10.5585/2025.28084

Authors

Artur Barretti Mascarenhas Faculdade de Economia, Administração, Contabilidade e Atuária - Universidade de São Paulo - FEA-USP, São Paulo, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6039-5927
Abraham Sin Oih Yu Faculdade de Economia, Administração, Contabilidade e Atuária - Universidade de São Paulo - FEA-USP, São Paulo, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6266-6372

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5585/2025.28084

Keywords:

decision-making process, group problems, group techniques, decision quality

Abstract

Study Objective: This study aims to address a gap in the literature on group decision-making by examining how well-known group problems—such as groupthink, hidden profile, and polarization—impact decision quality. Additionally, it investigates which techniques are most suitable for different stages of the decision-making process.

Methodology/Approach: A review of both descriptive and prescriptive literature on group problems, group techniques, and decision quality was conducted. Complementarily, interviews were carried out with facilitators involved in group decision-making processes within organizations. This dual approach enabled the identification of group problems and the techniques applied at each stage of decision-making, both in theory and practice.

Originality/Relevance: This study integrates theoretical insights with real-world organizational practices, revealing misalignments between prescribed decision-making techniques and those actually used in organizations. It contributes to the understanding of how different group dynamics affect decision quality and offers practical guidance for decision-makers.

Main Results: Findings indicate that specific group problems tend to emerge at different stages of the decision-making process, and certain techniques can effectively mitigate their impact. The study presents a theoretical model to assist decision-makers and facilitators in enhancing decision quality.

Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: By mapping group problems and techniques across decision-making stages, this study bridges theoretical prescriptions and organizational practices, providing a structured framework for improving group decision-making effectiveness.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Artur Barretti Mascarenhas, Faculdade de Economia, Administração, Contabilidade e Atuária - Universidade de São Paulo - FEA-USP, São Paulo, Brasil

PhD Candidate in Business Administration at FEA-USP, conducting research in Marketing and Consumer Psychology. Holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from FEA-USP, with research focused on group decision-making. Graduated in Economics from the School of Economics, Business, and Accounting at USP (2001) and completed a postgraduate degree in Behavioral Economics at ESPM (Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing). Has experience in the field of Economics, with an emphasis on Behavioral Economics, Decision-Making Processes, and Group Decision-Making.

Abraham Sin Oih Yu, Faculdade de Economia, Administração, Contabilidade e Atuária - Universidade de São Paulo - FEA-USP, São Paulo, Brasil

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (1970), a Master of Science and a PhD in Philosophy from Stanford University (1983), and a Livre-Docência (Habilitation) in Business Administration from the University of São Paulo (2004). Former Associate Professor at the University of São Paulo (until 2022), currently a Senior Professor and Researcher at the Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas do Estado de São Paulo (Institute for Technological Research of the State of São Paulo), in the Operations Directorate. Has experience in the field of Business Administration, with an emphasis on Business Management, focusing primarily on the following topics: technological obsolescence, technological innovation, decision analysis, and science and technology.

References

Aldag, R., & Fuller, S. (1993). Beyond fiasco: A reappraisal of the groupthink phenomenon and a new model of group decision processes. Psychological Bulletin, 113(3), 533. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.113.3.533

Bazerman, M. H., & Moore, D. A. (2012). Judgment in managerial decision making. John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdm.3960040311

Berger, J. (2013). Statistical decision theory: Foundations, concepts, and methods. Springer Science & Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1524/strm.1984.2.12.195

Bodily, S. E., & Allen, M. S. (1999). A dialogue process for choosing value-creating strategies. Interfaces, 29(6), 16-28. https://doi.org/10.1287/inte.29.6.16

Brodbeck, F., et al. (2007). Group decision making under conditions of distributed knowledge: The information asymmetries model. Academy of Management Review, 32(2), 459-479. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2007.24351441

Cabantous, L., & Gond, J. P. (2011). Rational decision making as performative praxis: Explaining rationality's éternel retour. Organization Science, 22(3), 573-586. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0534

Cosier, R. (1978). The effects of three potential aids for making strategic decisions on prediction accuracy. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 22(2), 295-306. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(78)90018-1

Creswell, J. (2010). Projeto de pesquisa: Métodos qualitativo, quantitativo e misto. https://doi.org/10.26512/les.v13i1.11610

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Delbecq, A., & Van de Ven, A. (1971). A group process model for problem identification and program planning. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 7(4), 466-492. https://doi.org/10.1177/002188637100700404

Devine, D., et al. (1999). Teams in organizations: Prevalence, characteristics, and effectiveness. Small Group Research, 30(6), 678-711. https://doi.org/10.1177/104649649903000602

Duffy, L. (1993). Team decision-making biases: An information-processing perspective. In G. A. Klein, J. Orasanu, R. Calderwood, & C. E. Zsambok (Eds.), Decision making in action: Models and methods (pp. 346–359). Ablex Publishing.

Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building theories from case study research. Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532-550. https://doi.org/10.2307/258557

Hammond, J., et al. (1995). Smart choices: A practical guide to making better decisions. Harvard Business Review Press. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=14579

Jackson, S. (1992). Consequences of group composition for the interpersonal dynamics of strategic issue processing. Advances in Strategic Management, 8(3), 345-382.

Janis, I. (1972). Victims of groupthink. Houghton-Mifflin.

Janis, I., & Mann, L. (1977). Decision making: A psychological analysis of conflict, choice, and commitment. Free Press.

Jones, P., & Roelofsna, P. (2000). The potential for social contextual and group biases in team decision-making: Biases, conditions, and psychological mechanisms. Ergonomics, 43(8), 1129-1152. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140130050084914

Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1972). Subjective probability: A judgment of representativeness. Cognitive Psychology, 3(3), 430-454. https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0285(72)90016-3

Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica, 47, 263-291. https://doi.org/10.2307/1914185

Kallio, H. et al. (2016). Systematic methodological review: Developing a framework for a qualitative semi‐structured interview guide. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(12), 2954–2965.

Klein, G. (2007). Performing a project premortem. Harvard Business Review, 85(9), 18-19. https://doi.org/10.1109/emr.2008.4534313

Mason, R. (1969). A dialectical approach to strategic planning. Management Science, 15(8), B-403. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.15.8.b403

McNamee, P., & Celona, J. (2007). Decision analysis for the professional. SmartOrg Incorporated. https://smartorg.com/decision-analysis-for-the-professional/

Myers, D. (2010). Social psychology (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Myers, D., & Lamm, H. (1976). The group polarization phenomenon. Psychological Bulletin, 83(4), 602.

Nemeth, et al. (2001). Improving decision making by means of dissent. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 31(1), 48-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02481.x

Orasanu, J., & Salas, E. (1993). Team decision making in complex environments. In G. A. Klein, J. Orasanu, R. Calderwood, & C. E. Zsambok (Eds.), Decision making in action: Models and methods (pp. 327–345). Ablex Publishing.

Osborn, A. F. (1953). Applied imagination.

Qu, S. Q., & Dumay, J. (2011). The qualitative research interview. Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, 8(3), 238–264. https://doi.org/10.1108/11766091111162070

Raiffa, H. (1968). Decision analysis: Introductory lectures on choices under uncertainty.

Russo, J. E., & Schoemaker. (1989). Decision traps: Ten barriers to brilliant decision-making and how to overcome them. Doubleday/Currency.

Sampieri, et al. (2006). Metodologia de pesquisa (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Simon, H. A. (1979). The new science of management decision. Prentice-Hall. https://doi.org/10.1037/13978-000

Sohrab, S., et al. (2015). Exploring the hidden-profile paradigm. Small Group Research, 46(5), 489-535. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046496415599068

Spetzler, et al. (2016). Decision quality: Value creation from better business decisions. John Wiley & Sons.

Stasser, G., et al. (1988). Information sampling in structured and unstructured discussions of three- and six-person groups. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(1), 67. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.57.1.67

Stasser, G., & Titus, W. (1985). Pooling of unshared information in group decision making: Biased information sampling during discussion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48(6), 1467-1478. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.48.6.1467

Stoner, J. (1961). A comparison of individual and group decisions involving risk. (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

Sunstein, C., & Hastie, R. (2015). Wiser: Getting beyond groupthink to make groups smarter. Harvard Business Press.

Tindale, R. S., & Winget, J. R. (2019). Group decision-making. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.262

Van Gundy, A. (1984). Brain writing for new product ideas: An alternative to brainstorming. Journal of Consumer Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb008097

Von Halle, B., & Goldberg, L. (2009). Why the decision model? In The decision model (pp. 35-44). Auerbach Publications. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420082821

Von Neumann, J., & Morgenstern, O. (1944). Theory of games and economic behavior.

Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (Vol. 5). Sage.

Yu, A. S. O. et al. (2011). Tomada de decisão nas organizações. Saraiva. https://repositorio.usp.br/item/002206884