PDM: the Octograph

Autocratic. Consultative. Democratic CI: This consultative (collective) leadership style is: The leader shares the problem with the relevant team members individually getting their ideas and suggestions without bringing them together as a group. Then the leader makes the decision that may or may or reflect team member influence. CII: The leader shares the problem with the relevant team members as a group, obtaining their collective ideas and suggestions. Then the leader makes the decision that may or may not reflect team member influence. AI: The first autocratic style is described as follows: The leader solves the problem or makes the decision using information available to the leader at the time. AII: The leader obtains the necessary information from team members, then decides the solution. The team members provide the necessary information to the leader rather than generating or evaluating alternative solutions. GI The democratic (also called group) leadership style is: The leader shares the problem with the relevant team members as a group. Together they generate and evaluate alternatives and attempt to reach agreement (consensus) on a solution. The leader's role is much like that of chairperson. The leader does not try to influence the group to adopt a solution and is willing to accept and implement any solution that has support of the entire group. The designation GII (instead of G1) is for consistency with the literature regarding leadership.

Decision situation: use Vroom & Yetton You are a department head with ten subordinates. The company has authorised you to adopt a flexitime schedule with some employees reporting to work earlier than others and leaving earlier. At present, everyone reports to work at the same time. The different arrangements of work schedules possible for your department would not affect the capacity of your subordinates to get the work done. However, you are aware that your subordinates have strong preferences in this matter, and some competition is likely for the ”best” times. How would you decide what work schedule to assign to each subordinate?

Questions How would you decide what work schedule to assign to each subordinate? Is this an individual problem (IP) or a group problem (GP)? Which policy alternatives would you choose to analyse in your report? Individual: AIAIICIGIDI Group:AIAIICICIIGII

Decision Making Style [AI] Autocratic I: Leader solves the problem alone using information that is readily available to him/her [AII] Autocratic ll: Leader obtains additional information from group members, then makes decision alone. Group members may or may not be informed. [CI] Consultative l: Leader shares problem with group members individually, and asks for information and evaluation. Group members do not meet collectively, and leader makes decision alone. [CII] Consultative ll: Leader shares problem with group members collectively, but makes decision alone [GII] Group ll: Leader meets with group to discuss situation. Leader focuses and directs discussion, but does not impose will. Group makes final decision.

Flow Chart: Red=group 1: [AI, AII, CI, CII, GII] 1 [AI, DI, AII, CI, GI] 2: [GII] 2: [DI, GI] 3: [AI, AII, CI, CII, GII] 3 [AI, DI, AII, CI, GI] 4: [AI, AII, CI, CII, GII] 4 [AI, AII, CI, GI] 5: [AI, AII, CI, CII] 5 [AI, AII, CI] 6: [GII] 6: [DI, GI] 7: [GII] 7: [GI] 8: [CII] 8: [CI] 9: [CI, CIII] 9: [CI] 10: [AII, CI, CII] 10: [AII, CI] 11: [AII, CI, CII, GII] 11: [DI, AII, CI, GI] 12: [AII, CI, CII, GII] 12: [AII, CI, GI] 13: [CII] 13: [CI] 14: [CII, GII] 14: [DI, CI, GI] 15: [CII, GII] 15: [CI, GI] 16: [GII] 16: [DI GI] 17: [GII] 17: [GI] 18: [CII] 18: [CI] A. Is there a quality requirement such that one solution is likely to be more rational than another? B. Do I have sufficient info to make a high quality decision? C. Is the problem structured? D. Is acceptance of decision by subordinates critical to effective implementation? E. If I were to make the decision by myself, is it reasonably certain that it would be accepted by my subordinates? F. Do subordinates share the organizational goals to be attained in solving this problem? G. Is conflict among subordinates likely in preferred solutions? (the question is irrelevant to individual problems) H. Do subordinate have sufficient info to make a high quality decision?

Combinations and Permutations

Requirements: Quality - Time - Accptance A.Quality Requirement (QR): How important is the technical quality of the decision? B.Commitment Requirement (CR): How important is subordinate commitment to the decision? C.Leader's Information (LI): Do you (the leader) have sufficient information to make a high quality decision on your own? D.Problem Structure (ST): Is the problem well structured (e.g., defined, clear, organized, lend itself to solution, time limited, etc.)? E.Commitment Probability (CP): If you were to make the decision by yourself, is it reasonably certain that your subordinates would be committed to the decision? F.Goal Congruence (GC): Do subordinates share the organizational goals to be attained in solving the problem? G.Subordinate conflict (CO): Is conflict among subordinates over preferred solutions likely? H.Subordinate information (SI): Do subordinates have sufficient information to make a high quality decision?

Cases: 1, 2, 3 & 4 Questions: case 1 A (Quality?) = yes B (Leader’s information?) = yes E (Acceptance?) = no –Problem type: 4 –Feasible set: AI, AII, CI, CII, GII –Minimum man-hours solution (from figure 3.2): AI –Rule violation: none Questions: Case 2 A (Quality?) = no E (Acceptance?) = yes F (Prior probability of acceptance?) = no –Problem type: 3 –Feasible set: GII –Minimum man-hours solution (from figure 3.2): GII Rule violation: –AI and AII violate rules 4, 5 & 6. –CI violates rules 5 & 6 –CII violates rule 6. Questions: Case 3 A (Quality?) = yes B (Leaders information?) = no D (Structured?) = no E (Acceptance?) = no –Problem type: 14 –Feasible set: CII, GII –Minimum man-hours solution (from figure 3.2): CII Rule violation: –AI violates rules 1 & 3. –AII violates rule 3. –CI violates rule 3. Questions: Case 4 A (Quality?) = yes B (Leaders information?) = no C (Subordinates’ information?) = yes D (Structured?) = no E (Acceptance?) = yes F (Prior probability of acceptance?) = no G (Trust?) = yes –Problem type: 12 –Feasible set: GII –Minimum man-hours solution (from figure 3.2): GII Rule violation: –AI violates rules 1, 3, 4 & 7. –AII violates rule 3, 4 & 7. –CI violates rule 3 & 7. –CII violates rule 7.

Further developments Check the Internet to find the model of Vroom & Jago. Vroom, V. H., & Jago, A. G. (1988). The new leadership: Managing participation in organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.