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Problem Solving and Decision Making in Groups 285

TABLE 10.15
Advantages Disadvantages
Advantages
and disadvantages
Provides anonymous reflection and GSS use is, overall, time consuming
evaluation of ideas diminishing of GSS
status and dominance differences
Produces more ideas and alternative Group members may not be comfortable
than face to face nor trained in this type of computer
use and may be resistant
Focuses members on problem-solving GSS structure can be experienced as
steps too rigid
Organizes decision-making Adaption to complex, cognitive tasks
discussions may not be suitable for GSS
Teaches members problem-solving
logistics in the doing of the GSS
Focuses larger groups and shortens
their meeting time

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decision making. However, given their advantages and disadvantages (see
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Table 10.15), their effective use must take into consideration a variety of factors.
The first is the level of GSS support, which refers to how sophisticated a system
is and how much intervention it provides into the group’s natural problem-solving
process. Simpler is not always better; sometimes systems with more sophisticated sup-
port produces better decisions and higher satisfaction. The particular system used
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must be well matched to the task. For example, some complex tasks require that
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information to be processed via many channels, including audio, video, and screen
sharing. However, for other tasks, having an audio channel alone might be sufficient,
as is the case with our audioconferences with our editors for this text.
Familiarity with the system is the second factor influencing GSS effectiveness.
Hollingshead et al. observed that computer group members’ poor initial performance
seemed to be related to their unfamiliarity with using computer support, but those
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differences disappear over time. They also noted that face-to-face groups are likely to
outperform computer-mediated groups on tasks, in which there is a correct answer,
and negotiation tasks, in which members must reconcile their competing interests.
These researchers warn managers planning to institute computer-mediated work
groups that there may be initial declines in performance and dissatisfaction until
members become comfortable with the technology.
The presence of a facilitator is the third factor affecting GSS performance. Poole
et al. were surprised by their findings that, although groups using GSS exhibited more
organized decision processes, they did not demonstrate improved critical thinking or
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more thorough evaluation of options. However, the groups they studied had no facilita-
tor support; these authors postulate that this, along with the level of GSS support as
discussed earlier, were key factors hampering GSS effectiveness. Ideally, a facilitator
should have a strong conceptual understanding of the technology and its capabilities, be
able to make members comfortable with the technology and help them understand it,

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