Perception and Decision Making Process

By Raul Bernardino

Introduction:
The participatory model is the concept of engaging every member in the group to actively participate in the decision making process. This is because the decision that it will be taking it has an impact to every member in the group.

“Participative management addresses the relationship between the organization and its workers and stakeholders.”(Branch,K.M.,2002:Ch 10)

Most of the development countries today use the participatory model to deal with community development. It is very effective and efficient way to engage and involve all the members of the community in the program.

 I did have experiences in the community development sector in my preview non-government organization which is called Caritas. By leaving with communities, we did have experiences and lessons learn from the communities.

In general, our communities (TL) depend on the nature gift, seasons, and almost all farmers are subsistence agriculture.  Therefore, we have to transform our own people and communities views that lives have to be progressively lifted from one stage to another better stages in the future by using participatory method.

Any programs from any entities that bring cities/urban or new opportunities to the rural or remotes areas have to optimize the participation of the local community in order to engage them in the program and projects including empowering them. Of course all decision has to come from them. Because they are the one owns the programs and projects.  Moreover, that is their future. We (government, non-government, private sector) are as facilitator.

The concrete example in Timor-Leste was government offering tractors and hand tractors to the communities without have good plan and without involved the communities in the process. As a result state has no return of this investment.  

There are four elements that persuade the participation:

• Sharing information: every member is informed about the actual situation (economic, political, nation vision, etc.)
• Training:  training other factor to raise the participants’ skills and knowledge in which to allow them to be actively participating in the decision making processes.
• Group member make a Decision Making process: For instance, decision on work program and projects, program and projects schedules, budget, and processes has maximum participation local communities or groups.
• Rewards: The rewards will give a motivation to the others; for instance, rewarding communities that have an outstanding outcomes and for the better life of the group members. This group can be pioneer and example for others.

“In what situations participatory can be effective?”

The participatory method can apply to any of these groups such as company, institutions, and organization. The advantages of the participatory methods are:

There are lots of benefits to the organization, groups, or company by using the participative management. For example, employee takes the ownership in the group, organization, institutions, and company. Moreover, this can motivate employees or group member to have more productive and have high or outstanding performance.

The employee or group member, who takes part or actively participate in the group, organization or company decision making, will be feeling that they are part of the team. They felt that they are in the same mission and goals and they will much proactive than reactive.

Additionally, participatory methods also help the employee or group member to gain the wider views of the organization or institution. This can be via workshop, job development assignment, seminars, and sharing information. These all can motivate employee’s and group members’ commitment for the group, company or organization.

The creativities and innovation from the employees and group members will be high in the organization or company. This can be allowing company to synergy the several options rather than only from on management and executive opinion. 

Participative method requirement:

The participative management is not just simple like asking a question and asking for suggestion or like suggestion box. It must be comprehensive acts. Managers have to relinquish some control on their employees. Managers have to secure the positions in order the participation to be success. The approaches have to open minded.

What are drawbacks?

The employee or group member will see that their ideas are being accepted and or their ideas are at least seriously consider. Then for next participation of the employees or group member in participative management will be still effective.  

Conclusion: The participative model are good for engaging employees and group members to contribute their ideas and suggestion to the company, organization, etc. the decision making. In other hands, this can open up a corridor for everyone to be more creative and innovative, because their ideas have being considered or accepted in the group. The creativities and innovations are helping the companies, organizations, group to growth faster than ever.

The participative also gain employee and group member confident and commitment towards to the goal of the organization, institutions, and companies.

The manager/team lead or leaders have to synergy all pros and cons to make a right decision. This is because the decision will impact all of them (the employees and employer, team lead and group member, group and sponsors, etc.).

References:

·         Ed. Marilyn M. Helms. Gale Cengage, (2006), Participative Management, [on-line]. Available from:  http://www.enotes.com/management-encyclopedia/participative-management  (accessed date: March 29, 2011)

·         Caritas Dili (1998), Beneficiaries [on-line]. Available from: http://www.cet.tp/beneficiaries.htm (accessed date: March 29, 2011)

·         Participative Management [on-line]. Available from: http://elsmar.com/pdf_files/participative%20management.pdf (accessed date: March 29, 2011)

·         Branch, K.M. (2002), Participative Management and Employee and Stakeholder [on-line]. Available from: http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/doe/benchmark/ch10.pdf (accessed date: March 29, 2011)