Decision downloading refers to communicating a decision to those who have not been involved in the decision-making process.
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Types of "downloaders"
Decision downloaders can be classified into three groups: remedial, restricted, and robust. Robust downloaders discuss a) how the decision was made, b) why it was made, c) what alternatives were considered, d) how it fits in with the organizational mission, e) how it impacts the organization and f) how it impacts employees.
Restricted downloaders discuss some of the above issues, while remedial downloaders discuss few of them.
Typical Decision Downloading Situations
- An executive team has been engaged in merger talks with another company. By mutual agreement, they cannot talk about the possible merger, even to employees. Presenting the offer to shareholders and other interested parties becomes a decision downloading situation.
- Union and management are locked into contentious negotiations that involve changes in compensation, work rules, and benefits packages. By agreed-upon rules, the offers and counteroffers are not openly discussed with union employees. After months of give-and-take, they agree on contract language and want to put it to a vote. Announcing the agreement becomes a decision downloading situation.
- An executive-level task force has been established with the principle objective of “finding a creative way to reduce health care costs”. After months of discussions with various vendors, they decide on an approach that minimizes the company health care expenses, preserves quality levels but involves modest increases in employee contribution levels. Announcing the plan becomes a decision downloading situation.
Origin
The term was coined by Phillip G. Clampitt and M. Lee Williams in an article published in the MIT Sloan Management Review, Winter 2007. MIT Sloan Management Review (SMR is a peer-reviewed Academic journal covering all management disciplines with emphasis is on corporate strategy
Causes of Poor Decision Downloading
The causes of poor decision downloading include:
- Failure to Clarify Responsibilities. Decision-makers sometimes fail to clarify who has responsibility for communicating the decision.
- Desire to Quickly Inform. Decision-makers may restrict communication to the informational highlights because they are motivated by a desire to promptly inform everyone. They tend to focus on the results of the decision-making process, not on the relevant facts, the options weighed, the manner by which decisions were made, and the uncertainties surrounding conclusions.
- Interest in Protecting Employees. Decision-makers may want to protect employees from all the nitty-gritty details of the decision-making process.
Consequences of Decision Downloading Styles
Researchers have reported that:
- Employees who experience robustly downloaded decisions are more than twice as likely to be supportive of the decision compared to those who are forced to cope with a remedially downloaded one.
- Robustly downloaded decisions engender greater employee job satisfaction, commitment to the organization, and identity with the organization than either of the other modes.
- Robustly downloaded decisions cultivate employee perceptions that the organization is well managed and headed in the right direction (Clampitt & Williams, 2007).
Criticism
Since this is a relatively new concept there have not been replications of the original research.
References
- Clampitt, P. G. & Williams M. L. ; (Winter 2007). “Decision Downloading. ” MIT Sloan Management Review, 48(2), 77 – 82.
- Dvorak, P. (March 19, 2007). Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. “How understanding the ‘why’ of decisions matters. ” Wall Street Journal, B3.
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