2 page essay

Group Decision Making Project

Lost on the Moon

Step Three

 

According to NASA the correct order or rank of the individual items, and the rationale, is:

 

1.  oxygen                                     primary necessity for survival

2.  5 gallons of water                   necessity for replacement of water loss

3.  stellar map                               primary means of navigation

4.  food concentrate                       efficient energy requirements

5.  FM receiver-transmitter            for communication with base camp, needs line of

                                                         sight and works at short range

6.  50 feet of rope                         to scale cliffs, tie injured together

7.  first-aid kit                             needed for medical emergencies

8.  parachute silk                             protection from the sun

9.  life raft                                        carbon dioxide in raft may be used for self-                                                                  propulsion

10.  signal flares                               distress signal when base camp is near

11.  pistols                                     means of self-propulsion

12.  dehydrated milk                     duplication of food concentrate

13.  heating unit                                unnecessary, unless on dark side of moon

14.  compass                                      magnetic field on moon not polarized, compass worthless

15. box of matches                           no oxygen on the moon

 

 

Using the following instructions, compute the error scores for both your own rank and that of the group.

 

First compare the rank of each item recorded individually to the rank given by NASA. Subtract the lower number from the higher number; for example, if your recorded a 1 for the box of matches, you would receive an error score of 14 for that item; similarly if you recorded a 15 for the oxygen tanks you would receive an error score of 14 for that item also. After computing error scores for each item, add item error scores together for a total error score. Total error scores can range from 0 (all correct) to 210 (none correct and order completely reversed).  A low error score (between 0 and 45) indicates more effective, efficient decisions.

 

 

Write a 1½ to 2 page, double spaced essay discussing the following areas:

Group vs. Individual Decision Making: Decisions in groups are made by a leader, by voting or by consensus. How did the group initially agree to make decisions? Were all the decisions made in this way? If not, what method was used ultimately? Why did this occur?

Which decision-making process seemed to be most efficient according to the time necessary to rank all the items.

According to the error scores, which decision making process was most effective? Be sure to compare the rationale as well as the rankings. (A separate page showing individual and group rankings and rationale, and error score computations should be included.) Based on efficiency and effectiveness of the individual decision-making process and the group-decision making process, which seems to be the best way to make decisions.

Leadership: Leadership can occur in a group though appointment, voting or emergence. Did leadership occur in the group? If so, what type. If not, did leadership seem to be lacking or did the group function well without a group.

Submit the individual and group rankings with rationale and error scores and essay in the corresponding drop box in Assignments.