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Few topics have resulted in as much theory, empirical study, controversy, and practical application as participative decision-making (PDM). Although most past empirical research has assumed that the decision-making process in PDM was unidimensional, this paper explores a multidimensional view and examines the integration of degree of participation and decision-making processes and their relationship with satisfaction and performance. The results suggest that the degree of involvement in generating alternatives, planning, and evaluating results are related significantly to satisfaction and that degree of involvement in generating alternatives and planning are related significantly to performance.
KEY WORDS: participative decision-making; empowerment; employee involvement.
INTRODUCTION
Scholars have long theorized, studied, debated, and applied conceptualizations of participative decision-making (PDM). At least five major reviews have been devoted to the topic in just the last 15 years (Cotton, Vollrath, Froggatt, Lengnick-Hall, & Jennings, 1988; Dachler & Wilpert, 1978; Miller & Monge, 1986; Locke & Schweiger, 1979; Wagner & Gooding, 1987a,b). These reviews have all rejected earlier views of PDM as a unidimensional construct. While scholars share a rejection of PDM as a unidimensional construct, they differ as to which specific dimensions should be included in a multidimensional view of PDM. Still, the most recent reviews (Cotton et al., 1988; Wagner & Gooding, 1987a,b) have encouraged future studies to treat PDM as a multidimensional phenomenon. Thus, while a unifying conceptualization and theoretical framework of PDM remains to be developed, research indicates clearly that a multidimensional approach to PDM can bring new life to this traditional topic.
As early as 1979, Locke and Schweiger suggested that a key dimension of participation was decision-making. Unfortunately, researchers have measured this dimension of PDM in a unitary fashion. The literature suggests that the decision-making process consists of five separate aspects (i.e., identifying problems or issues, generating alternative solutions to the problem, selecting a specific solution, planning the implementation of the selected solution, and evaluating the results of the implementation; e.g., Locke & Schweiger, 1979; Margulies & Black, 1987). Consequently, it is possible that when controlling for other dimensions of PDM, the degree of involvement varies significantly across these five processes and that these variations have differential effects on important outcomes (such as satisfaction and performance). This study's main contribution is the development and testing of specific...