i) Definition of the term 'committees'
A committee is an official group mainly formed to deliberate on a specific subject or matter.
Other names include task forces’, commission project teams etc. A lot of managerial work is
usually delegated to committees. Committees usually range in size from two to several people.
They are found at all levels in the enterprise.
Committees are either standing committees i.e. they are permanent, or ad hoc i.e. formed for a
specific purpose and mainly temporary. Whereas management may create certain committees for
purposes of delegation of some matter, some forms of committee are created by law e.g. Board
of Directors, PTA in schools and Board of Governors.
ii) Five advantages and five disadvantages of committees
Advantages of committees
- They facilitate coordination - each committee member may be reporting about or
representing each of the functional areas of the organization.
- They foster support for decision: through the use of committees employees are given the
opportunity to participate in decision making as they are allowed to present their view
points.
- They are used because they produce more information for decision-making. There is a
pooling of special know how and talents possessed by individual members. In the
committee there are experts from different fields.
- Their use ensures that authority is distributed as decisions are made by a group. Proposals
and decisions are based on group assessment of facts and ideas and not just one powerful
individual's preferences.
- They lead to employee development. Because of the extensive contact with people from
different field, committee members get to broaden their knowledge. Young managers can
learn a lot by sitting in committees.
- They are organized groups hence they can undertake a large volume of work than
individuals or small groups working in isolation.
- They are used for group decision making, which gives very high quality decision. These
decisions are more readily accepted than an individual's decision. Committees bring about
democracy.
- They improve communication between members of an organization. information and ideas
can be easily transmitted upwards and downwards.
- Through committees, unwritten policies can be explained creative ideas emerge in these
forum.
- They are used to motivate employees. Employees are given an opportunity to express
themselves and this boosts their morale and evokes a sense of ownership of the decision.
- They are sometimes constituted to postpone or avoid unrest and mass action. Delaying
such action through a committee is a strategy for overcoming resistance, or opposition
from affected people.
Disadvantages of committees
a) They are expensive both in terms of time and resources.
b) Committees often lead to slow decision making especially due to the consultations they
need for consensus.
c) Committees could lead to compromise solutions in a bid to avoid conflicts.
d) Since it is a group decision making with no one person responsible for the results,
members may lack commitment on that account.
Kavungya answered the question on May 17, 2019 at 15:59
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