The effects of authority on group decision-making performance

This research studied the effects on performance of differing types of authority within decision-making groups. Assigned leader groups were representative of authority of position (Barnard, 1968). Emergent leader groups were representative of authority of leadership (Barnard). Authority type was not found to have a significant effect on leadership, group, or organizational performance of decision-making groups. Interrelationships of the multiple dependent performance variables were studied. It was found that Sink and Tuttle's (1989) performance criteria and Campbell's (1990) leadership tasks could be simplified for the short-term, small group decision-making process. Ranking of and rewards for teams were found to affect the way groups evaluated their own performance. This research successfully studied the elusive concepts of authority and leadership in an applied setting, and should generate further research in the area of authority-performance interaction.