Effects of Cognitive Ability, Task Knowledge, Information Sharing, and Conflict on Group Decision-Making Effectiveness

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Abstract
This article examines the effects of group composition (i.e., member task-related knowledge and cognitive ability) on information sharing, conflict, and group decision effectiveness in a complex low-fidelity management simulation. Controversy within the group over the strategy to employ was strongly related to interpersonal conflict between members, whereas group-level indices of cognitive ability and task knowledge were the best predictors of decision-making effectiveness. As in past studies using relatively simple choice tasks, groups exhibited biased information sampling and generally failed to identify the best course of action suggested by their collective information. The discussion highlights the need for further research using theoretical models that incorporate both composition and process factors.