THE USE OF THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM FOR ORGANIZATIONAL DECISION MAKING

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The use of the committee system of reaching decision is not new in the public and private sector organization in Nigeria.  A study of Nigerian establishments shows that 78% of the organizations studies reported the existence of one committee or the other.  We are familiar with such term as executive, advisory, legislative standing and adhoc committee that exist in most public and private sector of organizations as tools for decision making.  Although, most decision in organizations are made after consultation with those member of that organisation who have the special knowledge or experience relating to the problem at hand or after consultation with those whose advice is considered valuable.  But there have been some negative controversies as to the justification of the use of those specialized managerial skills which can only be provided by committees.  Many people see committee especially in government owned establishment.

(a)        Time consuming

(b)        Very expensive

(c)         Usually composed by unqualified personnel.

(d)        A group of people whose decision is most often a compromise.

(e)        A means through which executives hide their inefficiency.

On the other hand, opponents of this view state that the committee system has the advantage of producing excellent judgment through combined ideas that the development of personnel sense of judgment creating the chance of greater acceptance of ideas etc.  Thus there is a need for a balanced to be struck between the demerits and merits of employing the committee system as tool for reaching decisions in order to effectively develop and utilize them in future for optimum results.  Because of the extensive use of committee system by the government parastatals.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The committee has some disadvantages and problems, those include arrive at a generally acceptable decision.  Committee is most often not consumerate to the benefits derivable from their use.  It is a fact that it will cost an organization more to maintain several people working on the same problem than if it were one person.  Another problem is on the educational and technical qualification of the members of the committee especially in public sector enterprises in criticized on grounds of poor qualifications of members.

Moreover, critics that most committees decision are compromise decision.  This is collaborated by a study of the public service which showed that 55% of the respondents were of the view that committees were guarantee doubts for making decisions.  All these generate doubts as to the effectiveness of the committee system of decision making.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This is empirical research work which has the purpose of investigating into the use of committee in decision making.  As a result of the effectiveness and limitations of its use, it can be determined and suggestions made on how best to use the system for making decision.  Specifically the study has the following objectives:

To ascertain policy towards the use of committees, and to identify problems inherent in committee system of the organization.  To examine the method used in appointing members into committees at a company’s committee system could be improved to properly function as an effective tool for achieving better decision.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope covers the use of the committee system for organizational decision making with particular reference to the institute of management and technology (IMT), Enugu.

 RESEARCH QUESTION

1.           What is the role of committee system in an organization?

2.           How authentic is the commission decision in an organization.

3.           What are the problems inherent in committee system?

4.           What are the methods used in appointing members of committee in an organization?

5.           How can committee system be improved to insure property function in an organization?

 DEFINITIONS OF IMPORTANT TERMS

COMMITTEE:     Body appointed to discharge special function by body including representatives of separate appointing bodies, house of parliament sitting to discuss details of committed built or can be defined as also person whom charge of lunatic is committed.

EXECUTIVE:      Concerned with execution especially of laws and sentence and also a branch of government.

DECISION: Act of deciding, settlement of an issue, conclusion come to or resolve made, decisiveness of mind or deciding an issue or contribution to a battle or superiority.

LEGISLATIVE:   Executive specially or describing of about the people that make law.

Organization:       Organised body or system of society

CONSULTATION:       Take counsel or seeking information or advice from person or book.

MANPOWER:  All employees in an organization from the chief executive office down to the cleaner.

JUSTIFICATION: A good reason why exists or is done I can see he possible justification for any further tax increases?

COMPROMISE:  An agreement made between two people groups in which each side gives up some of the thing they want so that both sides are happy at the end.,

CONSUMING:  So strong or important that it takes up all your time and energy.

DUMAMENT; The ability to make sensible decisions after carefully considering the best thing to do accident was caused by an error of judgment on the part of the pilot.

CRITICISED:  The decision was criticized by environment groups the government has been criticized for not lacking the problem seriously.

ESTABLISHED:  They are established company with a good reputation well known and respect in a job etc that they have see doning for a low time an established act made official for the country.   

EMPIRICAL: Based on experiments or experience rather than ideas or theories an empirical study.

SIGNIFICANCE: It importance the especially when the has then effect on what happens into future, a decision or major political significance the treatment of the disease.

RESEARCHERS: A careful study of a subject, especially in order to discover new facts or information about it.

REPRESENTATIVE: A person who has been chosen to speak or vote for else or an behalf of a group or representatives of elected representatives in government a union representative.  The committee representatives from industry.

PARLIAMENT: A particular period during which a parliament is working parliament as it existed between on general election and the next.

LUNATIC: These members of a political or other group whose news, are considered to be very extreme and crazy.

AUTOMATICALLY: The heating switches off automatically turned left automatically without thinking.

EFFECTIVE:  Producing the result long presence sentence can be a very effective deterrent for offenders.

GOVERNMENT: The group of people who are responsible for controlling a country or state.