Conceptualizing collective decision-making in organizations: A grounded theory approaches

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Collective decision-making can increase the probability of reaching the correct decision. In Collective decision-making, information, experience, and knowledge are shared, and managers can use the wisdom of their employees with this method. In addition, in Collective decision-making, learning and ideation take place, and employees express their opinions freely and reach a common decision with the help of each other. METHODS: In this study, the concepts related to Collective decision-making are explained using the research background. Then, by using the grounded theory method, the most important questions related to why and how Collective decision-making are answered. To get the opinions of organizational and academic experts in this field, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 54 people who were selected by purposeful sampling. After collecting the data through interviews, the components are coded in an open, axial, and selective. FINDINGS: Through coding, 26 concepts were obtained which were later classified into 5 categories: causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, central phenomenon, strategies, and consequences. The findings of this study provide a comprehensive model for the central phenomenon of Collective decision-making.CONCLUSION: The results show that collection alliance, increased awareness and knowledge, growth, and development of members, increased wisdom and collective intelligence, increased members’ commitment, increased quality of decision-making, and increased justice are the most important consequences of Collective decision-making. This study is important because it broadens the perspective of managers, and provides a deeper understanding of the nature of Collective decision-making in the organization.