Jul 23, 2005 the abilene paradox is a paradox in which the limits of a particular situation force a group of people to act in a way that is directly the opposite of their actual preferences. This differs from groupthink in that the abilene paradox is characterized by an. Comprehensive discriminative empathetic appreciative critical. This is the fourth in a series of articles to be posted on the abilene paradox and how organizations can skip the tr. Jan 14, 2020 in sims view, groupthink is a psychological phenomenon affecting clarity of thought, where in the abilene paradox thought is unaffected. Jul 24, 2017 furthermore, with groupthink even the dissenting and silent member will usually feel good about the final decision, while with the abilene paradox members feel resentment. All of the following are suggestions for resisting groupthink except. Specifically, many of the events that janis describes as examples of conformity pressures that is, group tyranny i would conceptualize as mismanaged.
The abilene paradox was presented to the world by jerry harvey, in his book of management essays of the same name. The role of the abilene paradox in group requirements. In the original paradox, all four people agreed about the problem it was hot and the solution stay home. This story of a family trip to abilene offers a timeless lesson on group decisionmaking that all organizations can benefit from. Abilene paradox share similarity with groupthink, a term coined by irving janis to describe an extreme form of normative influence, where the norm to reach and maintain consensus and harmony within the group completely eliminates any information influence that could show how disastrous the groups intended decision is likely to be. The abilene paradox and groupthink seem very similar and even some researchers confuse the two concepts. Michael harvey and colleagues 2004 clarify distinctions between the abilene paradox and group think. According to harvey, the issue that leads to the abilene paradox is an inability to manage agreement, not conflict. Earlier this week, we looked at the abilene paradox a trap that groups often find themselves in when making decisions. Identify groupthink signals within your organization. The abilene paradox describes how groups reach false agreement that is not caused by groupthink.
It is a phenomenon that occurs when groups continue with misguided activities which no group member desires because no member is willing to raise objections. Abilene paradox and groupthink though it apparently seems similar, this paradox is different from groupthink. The reminder that software testing is also a group activity is paramount. Irving janis in victims of groupthink houghtonmifflin co. Aug 18, 2016 groupthink and abilene paradox are two group conditions, if unmanaged, can have detrimental impact to a teams performance. What youve just seen is a live example of todays paradox in action. Conflict makes effective group communication impossible. The abilene paradox is a decision making mystery, which can be easy to comprehend but difficult to resolve. The abeline paradox lies in the fact that we have problems not with disagreement, but rather with agreement. For example, a member may not want to reveal his true feelings because. Groupthink and abilene paradox are two group conditions, if unmanaged, can have detrimental impact to a teams performance. Groupthink is defined as a mode of thinking of people when they are deeply involved in a cohesive group. This brief video discusses the origins and impact of groupthink on a project.
The group in the abilene paradox is commonly characterized by little energy and the one in groupthink is associated with high energy. The abilene paradox and groupthink appear to be very similar, and many scholars and researchers confuse the two concepts. In sims view, groupthink is a psychological phenomenon affecting clarity of thought, where in the abilene paradox thought is unaffected. How groupthink can cost your business and 3 corporate. Apr 30, 2014 this brief video discusses the origins and impact of groupthink on a project.
Groupthink has been thought responsible for some of the worstever corporate and political decisions such as the bay of pigs fiasco during the kennedy administration of the early 1960s. The abilene paradox communication training for employees. This occurs when members of a group tend to avoid rocking the boat, so to speak, and reach a consensus that may or may not represent the ideals or. The paradox occurs when groups take actions in contradiction to what the individual members really want to do. The abilene paradox describes how groups reach false agreement. Harvey is professor of management science at the george washington university in washington, d. It arises when people believe it would be wrong to challenge what appears to be the team or team leaders will. A common phrase relating to the abilene paradox is a desire not to rock the boat. The abilene paradox is a paradox in which the limits of a particular situation force a group of people to act in a way that is directly the opposite of their actual preferences. The other variant, the abilene paradox, has not been discussed in the ird literature.
The paradox is explained using a parable of a family who ends up making an uncomfortable trip that none of them wanted to. For example, in one study, staff members were asked, what are the unspoken rules around here that everyone knows, but no one really says. Though it apparently seems similar, this paradox is different from groupthink. The problem of illusion of agreement has been addressed in the information requirements determination ird literature only by examining the problem of groupthink. The reasons the paradox occurs revolve around fears of separation and reprimand. The latter suppresses individual opinions and creativity, and the members of the group tend to think as a whole, instead of offering space to individually critically evaluate the situation. It is characterised by groups of people in an organisation privately agreeing that one course of action makes sense but failing to properly communicate those ideas and then collectively stumbling to what they think is the right course of.
The abilene paradox, sometimes called the crisis of agreement, is different than group think as identified by janis. A simple explanation of the abilene paradox with examples. Download scientific diagram 10 groupthink and the abilene paradox compared sources. On a hot afternoon visiting in coleman, texas, the family is comfortably playing dominoes on a porch, until the fatherinlaw suggests that they take a trip to abilene 53 miles north for dinner. The term was first coined by management professor jerry b harvey, professor emeritus at the george washington university in his 1974 article the abilene paradox the management of agreement. The abilene paradox refers to a situation when a group makes a collective decision that is counter to the thoughts and feelings of its individual members. Apr 23, 2018 he elucidated the paradox in a groundbreaking paper called the abilene paradox. Four adults jerry, his wife, and his inlaws are sitting on a porch in 104degree heat in the small town of coleman, texas, some 53 miles from abilene. The workshops exercises focus, first, on the possible consequences of passively accepting a. Harveys family living in west texas in the early 60s. In many cases, independent 3rd parties can confirm that the decision is of poor quality.
The theory behind the abilene paradox can best be described by psychologists and social scientists as a form of groupthink. Study 27 terms ethics chapter 8 flashcards quizlet. The abilene paradox and groupthink yoonho kim university of georgia abstract the abilene paradox and groupthink seem very similar and even some researchers confuse the two concepts. The abilene paradox is a quick and entertaining video that clearly demonstrates the paradox of mismanaged agreement and the way it can influence decisionmaking within a work unit or an organization, often to the detriment of the groups goals. Two specific variants of this illusion are groupthink and the abilene paradox. They differ because unlike groupthink, the abilene paradox does not occur because of commitment to the team. He used a simple parable of a family in texas who travel to abilene town for dinner, in.
The abilene paradox is a paradox in which a group of people collectively decide on a course of action that none of them really want to take but say they do because they think its best for the team. In the first essay in the book, harvey describes, in a humorous way that will immediately strike home, a conversation about going to abilene, where. Its called the abilene paradox, named after abilene, texas, when it was first mentioned in a 1974 paper by management expert jerry b. In our first article of this series, we learned how a family trip to abilene on a 104degree texas afternoon led professor jerry harvey to discover what he calls the abilene paradox. Usually, this occurs because individuals feel the need to conform to social and peer pressures. The paradox is similar to groupthink but generally when the abilene paradox occurs, the individual members of the group feel the overall decision is a poor one, but this isnt always the case with groupthink.
Nov 02, 2009 groupthink and the abilene paradox asking for a variety of individual opinions in brainstorming sessions doesnt always work as planned. Both the abilene paradox and group think are relevant considerations for child welfare managers. Groupthink and the abilene paradox asking for a variety of individual opinions in brainstorming sessions doesnt always work as planned. Remember that professor harvey described the abilene paradox as the inability to manage. The answer, harvey says in his 1988 book, the abilene paradox and other meditations on management, is that organizations, and the people who work in them, make false assumptions about consensus. Combat the abilene paradox by identifying groupthink. Group think occurs when a team seeks harmony through agreement without the opposing views needed for effective decision making. The abilene paradox occurs because individuals do not want to rock the boat or be a killjoy, even though their perceptions of the other members feelings are. To explain the paradox, harvey cites three scenarios. In four separate studies of child welfare agency culture, the child welfare institute has found a basis for concern. He is a graduate of the university of texas in austin, where he earned an undergraduate degree in business administration and a ph.
The abilene paradox and groupthink appear to be very. The abilene paradox is a great book which teaches while it entertains, and the other essays in the book, while not all as amusing or instructive, are also worth reading, since they address issues like personal responsibility, leadership and management. This article concludes that, though the two seem similar to many people, they are entirely different. The paradox, a common pitfall of group decisionmaking, can be identified by looking out for the red flags discussed in the post, but how do you guard against it. Ethics and leadership chapter 8 flashcards quizlet. Like groupthink theories, the abilene paradox theory is used to illustrate that groups not only have problems managing disagreements, but that agreements may also be a problem in a poorly functioning group. The name was inspired by the whimsical anecdote i mentioned in the prelude. Abilene paradox and groupthink differences the abilene. The lack of effective decision making whether it is based on the belief that avoiding conflict is best for a cohesive team or if one persons idea is not challenged to avoid rocking the boat. This is the second in a series of articles to be posted on the abilene paradox and how organizations can skip the trip. Abilene paradox definition a situation in which a group of people make a decision thats against the wishes of its constituent members. In groupthink, the defective decisionmaking is a result of the participants not evaluating. The results are group projects that never go anywhere or fail, and separation from the group.
Furthermore, with groupthink even the dissenting and silent member will usually feel good about the final decision, while with the abilene paradox members feel resentment. Harvey, professor emeritus of management at the george washington university and author of the abilene paradox and other meditations on management. According to, team work is defined as the process of working together in a group to attain. The abilene paradox puttin cologne on the rickshaw. Abilene paradox and groupthink differences the abilene paradox and groupthink is similar in lots of ways, some might even get the two concepts confused. The abilene paradox is a scenario in which a group of people collectively decide on a course of action that is counter to the preferences of any of the individuals in the group. The parable of the abilene paradox here is the story of the abilene paradox. The abilene paradox could also be called group tyranny, because the impact of conformity pressures on individual behavior results in the loss of the individuals distinctiveness in the organization, or group. When faced with a difficult task, we often seek the ideas and insights of a number of individuals. The differences between the two involve nine point. The abilene paradox is the observation that groups may make collective decisions that are viewed as suboptimal, wrong or irrational by each individual member of the group. To make this vagueness clear, this article seeks to make distinctions between the two concepts. This practice of refusing to object to an unfavourable idea is commonly referred to as the abilene paradox, or groupthink. Such situations commonly occur in the workplace because of the many consequences that may be associated with breaking ranks possible loss of promotions, embarrassment in front of a superior, or simply earning the reputation of not being a team player.
Scenario 1 abilene paradox your boss recently heard about a great new technology. The abilene paradox, 2nd edition delivers an entertaining parable from management expert dr. The abilene paradox and groupthink are two decision making processes used by the workplace and their effectiveness is dependent on workplace teamwork. The abilene paradox complements the groupthink concept. The abilene paradox and groupthink can occur in any team or group setting. Combat the abilene paradox by identifying groupthink onstrategy. Effective, ethical groups are led by leaders who clearly state their preference for a particular solution.
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