PREVENTING GROUPTHINK REVISITED - EVALUATING AND REFORMING GROUPS IN GOVERNMENT

This article critically examines Janis's recommendations for preventin g groupthink in high-level policymaking, It puts forward three models of small group functioning in government, each of which highlights dif ferent dimensions of collegial policymaking and distinct criteria for evaluating group performance. Each model also inspires different propo sals for groupthink prevention and improvement of group performance in general, Proposals for designing and managing high-level groups in go vernment need to take into account these multiple perspectives. Furthe rmore, their proponents should be aware of the institutionalized and c ompetitive context in which political decision groups operate. Evaluat ions of their performance and proposals for reforming them are inevita bly tied up in this process. This has important implications for the f easibility of recommendations set forth by small group analysts. The a rticle concludes with an agenda for increasing the policy relevance an d practical feasibility of research on political decision groups. (C) 1998 Academic Press.