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Importance of Commitment

Definition

The situational factor Decision Significance pertained to the external consequences of the decision. Importance of Commitment refers to the importance of its internal consequences (i.e., its impact on the group in question). It is similar to what Professor Maier has referred to as the acceptance requirement of the decision.

The underlying notion is that having the "right answer" or a technically sound, well-reasoned decision may not be enough to produce a successful or effective decision. Many high-quality decisions have failed because they lack the commitment and support within the organization to be implemented effectively.

If the nature of the decision is such that substantial support and cooperation is required by the group to implement it effectively, select Critical or High Importance. For example, this would be true if the decision involved changes in how the group does their work or how they relate to one another. On the other hand, select No or Low Importance if the decision pertains to an issue or aspect of organizational life that is peripheral to the group and where the effects on them are likely to be nonexistent to minimal.

While the group role in implementing the decision is one indication of importance of commitment, it is not the only one. Sometimes an issue is of such great importance to group members (for symbolic or other reasons) that they might be expected to protest and attempt to block decisions in which they had no voice. A newly appointed master of one of Yale's colleges once recounted an experience which will illustrate this point. In the quadrangle of the college stood a large and beautiful tree from which hung an ugly automobile tire where students would occasionally swing. The tire had been there for decades and was a distinctive characteristic of the college. Believing that the tire constituted an eyesore, the new master took advantage of the vacation period to remove the tire and the rope from which it hung, taking both to a nearby dump. On their return the students' outrage was immediate and vehement. Two days later the master was seen rummaging through the dump to retrieve the tire and restore it to its original place of honor in the quadrangle.

Examples

Critical or High Importance
  1. Your branch of the military service has been widely criticized in the press as a haven of "sexual harassment." What should be done about it?
  2. As medical director, you are concerned that the doctors who practice in your hospital are enjoying too much autonomy and that the hospital is too exposed to malpractice suits.
No or Low Importance
  1. Adoption of a new phone system has made it necessary to assign new phone numbers to everyone in your department.
  2. You have been given the opportunity to attend a four-week executive program at one of several universities. It is time to decide which program to attend.