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Interaction Constraint

Definition

Sometimes a group has relevant knowledge and expertise and relevant team skills but is precluded from being brought together as a group due to the existence of very severe time constraints and/or by the fact that the group is dispersed geographically. Time constraints are ubiquitous in such settings as athletic contests, sailboat races, military engagements, trading in stocks or currencies, or in industries in which there are cycles of activity which must be strictly adhered to, e.g., production of a daily newspaper which is subject to such unforeseeable events as a late-breaking story. In theory it may be desirable to convene a group meeting, but to do so would entail losing the race or missing the deadline. In such instances which we think of as emergencies, time becomes a dominant factor, overriding virtually all others in relevance to the decision-making process used.

A similar situation arises when the group is not physically present. Group members may be scattered around the country or around the world, and the costs of convening them in some interactive fashion to solve the problem would far exceed any potential benefits.

To be sure, recent developments in technology have somewhat ameliorated the effects of geographical dispersion. E-mail, conference calls, even video conferencing represent means of consulting with or involving others in decision making despite geographical hurdles. Leaving aside the question of the extent to which these technological options are substitutes for face-to-face interaction, we must acknowledge that there remain situations in which even these options are unavailable.

Note that unlike the previous situational factors, this one permits only two alternatives — Yes or No. When either or both conditions exist (time constraint and overriding geographical dispersion), it is usually quite obvious. Little uncertainty exists, and therefore, an answer of maybe is highly unlikely. If you cannot decide whether these constraints exist, then in all probability the answer should be No.

Examples

Yes
  1. (Time Constraint) You are CEO of a large insurance company. One morning at 10 AM you receive a phone call saying that a bomb has been placed somewhere in your building and is set to go off in a half hour.
  2. (Geographical Dispersion and Time Constraint) As director of computer operations, it is your responsibility to make sure that all computers work effectively. You have a staff of three professionals, all of whom are absent. One is attending a professional conference on the opposite coast, one is on vacation, and the third is in the hospital delivering her first child. This morning the network server crashed leaving all employees without access to e-mail or to the computer data bases on which they have come to rely.
  3. (Geographical Dispersion) You are vice-president of human resources for the London office of a large multinational oil company. You are responsible for coordinating HR practices and policies in 12 European countries. Your CEO based in New York has asked you for a memorandum on the major changes in HR practices expected in Europe over the next decade. He intends to use this in a speech he has been asked to give in Brussels in a monthís time.