What is a Committee System? (Advantages & Disadvantages Explained)
## What Exactly is a Committee?
A committee is a group of two or more people, formally appointed and organized, to whom a specific matter or problem is committed. The group is expected to meet, deliberate, and either make decisions, offer recommendations, or perform a specific function.
Think of it as a formal team designed to bring diverse perspectives and expertise together. According to management experts Koontz and O’Donnell, a committee is a body of persons appointed or elected to meet on an organized basis for the consideration of matters brought before it.
## Types of Committees
For your exam, it’s crucial to know how to classify committees. They can be categorized in a few key ways:
By Structure and Permanence:
Standing Committees (or Permanent Committees): These are a permanent part of the organization’s structure. They deal with recurring issues and have a long-term mandate.
Example: A company’s Finance Committee that meets quarterly to review budgets, or a university’s Admissions Committee.
Ad Hoc Committees (or Temporary Committees): These are created for a specific, one-time purpose and are disbanded once their task is complete.
Example: A committee formed to organize the annual company retreat or a task force assembled to investigate a specific workplace accident.
By Authority and Power:
Executive Committee: This committee has the authority to make binding decisions and order their implementation. It holds executive power within its defined scope.
Example: A company’s Board of Directors, which can make major strategic decisions.
Advisory Committee: This committee’s role is to investigate an issue, deliberate, and provide recommendations to a manager or executive. It does not have the power to implement its own suggestions.
Example: A committee of factory workers asked to recommend new safety procedures to the plant manager.
## The Advantages of a Committee System 💡
Why do organizations rely so heavily on committees? Here are the key benefits you should mention in your exam.
Pooling of Knowledge and Expertise: Committees bring together individuals from different departments and with diverse skills. This synergy often leads to more well-rounded and creative solutions than a single manager could produce.
Improved Coordination: By including members from various functional areas (e.g., marketing, finance, operations), committees help break down organizational silos and ensure that decisions are coordinated across the entire business.
Enhanced Motivation and Buy-in: When employees are involved in the decision-making process, they are more likely to feel valued and motivated. They develop a sense of ownership over the decision and are more committed to its successful implementation.
Better Quality Decisions: The process of group deliberation, debate, and discussion helps to vet ideas thoroughly. Flaws are more likely to be identified, and the final decision is often more balanced and robust.
Excellent Training Ground: Serving on a committee exposes junior managers to different business problems, perspectives, and the complexities of group dynamics. It’s a valuable tool for developing future leaders.
## The Disadvantages and Pitfalls 🐢
No tool is perfect. Committees are infamous for their drawbacks. Be ready to discuss these critical limitations.
Slow Decision-Making (“Analysis Paralysis”): Committees can be notoriously slow. Arranging meetings, allowing everyone to speak, and reaching a consensus takes time, which can be a major liability in a fast-paced environment.
High Cost: Committees are expensive. The cost is not just in direct expenses but in the value of the man-hours spent by (often highly-paid) managers sitting in meetings instead of performing their primary duties.
Compromise over Conviction: To reach a group decision, members often have to compromise. This can water down a strong, innovative idea into a mediocre solution that everyone can agree on but no one is passionate about.
Diffusion of Responsibility: When a decision is made by a group, it’s difficult to hold any single individual accountable if things go wrong. The responsibility is spread so thin that effectively, no one is responsible.
Potential for Groupthink: This is a psychological phenomenon where the desire for harmony or conformity in a group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Members may suppress dissenting opinions to avoid conflict, leading to a poor decision.