The effects of meeting participation and outcome expectations on strength of consensus

I used a multiple-linear-regression model to test the effects of meeting group members’ expectations on strength of consensus in a group decision-making situation. The combination of met expression-of-views expectations and met decision-quality expectations, along with their associated valences, had a significant effect on consensus (p = .01). Expression-of-views expectations are composed of expectations about opportunity to express views and the information sharing. I proposed a new model consisting of two terms. The first term was the sum of the individual products of met expression-of-views expectations times their respective valences. The second term was the sum of the individual products of met decision-quality expectations times their respective valences. This new model was a much better predictor of strength of consensus than the original (p = .001). The two terms used in the new model had an equivalent influence on strength of consensus (p = .05). The results of this research suggest managers should elicit and try to meet group members’ high-valence expectations (i.e., expectations group members feel are important to be met). Managers should also realize expression-of-views and decision-quality expectations are important to meet in a consensus-gaining process.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1991

Author dc:creator

• Keeling, John F.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-02132009-171316

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/41039