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GarbageCanGraphs-Annotated2022.pptxThe Garbage Can Model
Influences on Decision Making
July 2022
From: Cohen, M. D., March, J. G., and Olsen, J. P. (1972). A garbage can model of organizational choice. Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1-25.
There are three sets of graphs on the following pages, drawn from the article by March and colleagues (1974).
The first graph of each set describes how one aspect of decision making is impacted by two different variables.
The decision-making aspects, with their associated variables are:
Access Structure
Organizational Slack Heterogeneity of Technology and Values
Decision Structure
Administrative Power Average Degree of Problem Interrelation
Energy Distribution
Strength of Exit Opportunities for Important People Strength of Exit Opportunities for Unimportant People
The second graph of each set locates types of schools in different regions of the graph, based on how they behave in regard to the respective variables
The school types are defined according to:
Large or Small • Rich or Poor • Good Times or Bad Times
When analyzing these graphs, imagine holding the value of one of the axes constant. As you move away from that axis, the value of the other axis is changing, and you encounter different approaches to decision making.
For example, pick a point in Figure 1 halfway along the X axis (Organizational Slack)
Gradually move perpendicular to the X axis toward the top of the graph. As you do so, the value on the Y axis (Heterogeneity of Technology and Values) will increase
Initially, with low heterogeneity and a medium amount of slack, there will be unsegmented access to decisions, meaning everyone has the opportunity to participate in addressing every problem
Eventually, as heterogeneity increases, you will cross into the specialized access space, where experts will be asked to address problems in their specific areas
Finally, when heterogeneity is really high, you will cross into the hierarchical access space, which is where executive leaders make all the decisions and only the most important problems get addressed at all
These graphs provide insight into way decisions are typically made in certain types of schools or districts
When considering a specific school or district:
Find the number that best represents the school or district and locate it on the graph
Note where it is situated in relation to each of the axes
Note where it falls in relation to other schools or districts
More or less hierarchical, more or less specialized, more or less unsegmented
For example, on the graph regarding access structures (slide 6):
A large, rich school during bad times has high Heterogeneity of Technology and Values and a moderate amount of Organizational Slack
Therefore, most decisions will be made through a hierarchy and some, though not all, problems will be addressed
A small, rich school during good times will be less Heterogeneous and have significantly more Slack than a large, rich school during bad times
Therefore, most decisions will be unsegmented, involving everyone, and most problems will be addressed
Cohen, M. D., March, J. G., and Olsen, J. P. (1972). A garbage can model of organizational choice (p. 12). Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1-25.
Amount of available excess resources, time, and energy
Range of technologies used and degree of diversity of values
Everyone has the opportunity to participate in addressing every problem
Access Structures
indicate which people, problems, and solutions are involved in decisions
Based on the relative advantages of delegation and specialization
Experts in specific areas are involved in the decisions
More diverse values and tech at this end of the scale
More slack at this end of the scale
Only the most important problems get addressed; only leaders are involved in the decisions
Cohen, M. D., March, J. G., and Olsen, J. P. (1972). A garbage can model of organizational choice (p. 15). Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1-25.
Only the most important problems get addressed; only leaders are involved in the decisions
Experts in specific areas are involved in the decisions
Everyone has the opportunity to participate in addressing every problem
Cohen, M. D., March, J. G., and Olsen, J. P. (1972). A garbage can model of organizational choice (p. 13). Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1-25.
The extent to which leaders are given substantial authority
Leaders make the decisions
More power is concentrated in admin. at this end of the scale
Problems are more connected to one another at this end of the scale
The extent to which problems are connected to and dependent on one another
Experts in specific areas make the decisions
Everyone has the opportunity to participate in decision making
Decision Structures
reflect the systems through which decisions are made
Cohen, M. D., March, J. G., and Olsen, J. P. (1972). A garbage can model of organizational choice (p. 15). Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1-25.
Leaders make the decisions
Experts in specific areas make the decisions
Everyone has the opportunity to participate in decision making
Cohen, M. D., March, J. G., and Olsen, J. P. (1972). A garbage can model of organizational choice (p. 13). Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1-25.
External demands on the attention of executive leadership
More external distractions at this end of the scale
Leaders spend less time on decisions; others spend more time
Energy Distribution
reflects the alternative opportunities decision makers have for investing their time
External demands on the attention of the average worker
More external distractions at this end of the scale
Leaders spend more time on decisions; others spend less time
Leaders and others spend equal time on decisions
Cohen, M. D., March, J. G., and Olsen, J. P. (1972). A garbage can model of organizational choice (p. 16). Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1-25.
Leaders spend less time on decisions; others spend more time
Leaders spend more time on decisions; others spend less time
Leaders and others spend equal time on decisions
Bonus
Compare the dimensions on all three of these graphs to determine the typical decision process at your school or district
Note where there are conflicting
For example, the district may have high Heterogeneity of Technology and Values, but low Administrative Power
The first graph indicates that the school would have hierarchical access, but the second graph says that decisions would be made in a specialized decision structure
How to reconcile this?
