Most communication scholars believe that discussion among members has a significant effect on the quality of group decisions. Traditional wisdom suggests that talk is the medium, channel, or conduit through which information travels between participants.13 Verbal interaction makes it possible for members to (1) distribute and pool information, (2) catch and remedy errors, and (3) influence each other. But distractions and nonproductive conversation create channel noise, causing a loss of information. Group researcher Ivan Steiner claimed that14 Actual Group Productivity = Potential Productivity − Losses Due to Processes It follows that communication is best when it doesn’t obstruct or distort the free flow of ideas. Page 265 While not rejecting this traditional view, Hirokawa believes that communication plays a more active role in crafting quality decisions. Like social constructionists (see Chapters 5 and 11), he regards group discussion as a tool or instrument that group members use to create the social reality in which decisions are made.15 Discussion exerts its own impact on the end product of the group.
The role of communication in group decision-making is essential, impacting both the quality and process of group decisions.Some key points are that communication is seen as a medium/channel through which information flows.This enables members to identify and correct mistakes, and influence one another’s opinions. While acknowledging traditional ideas, Hirokawa sees communication as more than a conduit; it’s instrumental in shaping reality within a group. His perspective claims that communication does not just transfer information but helps create a social reality where decisions take shape. overall, for group communication to enhance decision quality, members should focus on meaningful discussion, minimize distractions, and engage actively to co-construct ideas, rather than merely exchange information.