Garbage Can Model

Definition

The garbage can model is a theory of organizational decision-making that views the process as a chaotic and unpredictable event, rather than a rational and linear one. It suggests that problems, solutions, participants, and choice opportunities are independent streams that come together in an organization in a random fashion, leading to decisions that are not always tied to specific problems.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The garbage can model was developed by Michael Cohen, James March, and Johan Olsen in the 1970s to explain decision-making in organizations with unclear goals and fluid participation.
2. The model suggests that problems, solutions, participants, and choice opportunities are independent streams that come together randomly, leading to decisions that may not be directly tied to specific problems.
3. The garbage can model is often used to describe decision-making in organizations that exhibit characteristics of 'organized anarchy,' such as universities, governments, and other complex, loosely coupled systems.
4. The model emphasizes the importance of timing and chance in the decision-making process, as the coupling of problems, solutions, and participants can be highly unpredictable.
5. The garbage can model challenges the traditional rational model of decision-making, which assumes that decisions are the result of a linear, logical process of problem identification, alternative generation, and choice.

Review Questions

• Explain how the garbage can model differs from the traditional rational model of decision-making.
  • The garbage can model differs from the traditional rational model of decision-making in several key ways. While the rational model assumes a linear, logical process of problem identification, alternative generation, and choice, the garbage can model views the decision-making process as much more chaotic and unpredictable. The garbage can model suggests that problems, solutions, participants, and choice opportunities are independent streams that come together randomly, leading to decisions that may not be directly tied to specific problems. This contrasts with the rational model's assumption of a clear, goal-oriented decision-making process.
• Describe the characteristics of organizations that are well-suited to the garbage can model of decision-making.
  • Organizations that exhibit characteristics of 'organized anarchy,' such as unclear goals, ambiguous participation, and fluid participation, are often well-suited to the garbage can model of decision-making. These types of organizations, which can include universities, governments, and other complex, loosely coupled systems, tend to have problematic preferences, where goals are unclear or contradictory. In these settings, the garbage can model's emphasis on the importance of timing and chance in the decision-making process, as well as the random coupling of problems, solutions, and participants, provides a more accurate representation of how decisions are actually made.
• Analyze how the assumptions of the garbage can model challenge the traditional rational approach to decision-making in organizations.
  • The key assumptions of the garbage can model, such as the independence of problems, solutions, participants, and choice opportunities, as well as the unpredictable nature of their coupling, fundamentally challenge the traditional rational model of decision-making. The rational model assumes that decisions are the result of a linear, logical process of problem identification, alternative generation, and choice. In contrast, the garbage can model suggests that decision-making is much more chaotic and unpredictable, with timing and chance playing a crucial role. This perspective challenges the notion of a clear, goal-oriented decision-making process and highlights the importance of understanding the complex, loosely coupled nature of many organizational systems. By recognizing the limitations of the rational model, the garbage can model provides a more nuanced and realistic understanding of how decisions are actually made in certain types of organizations.

Related terms

Organized Anarchy: A type of organizational structure characterized by unclear goals, ambiguous participation, and fluid participation, which aligns with the assumptions of the garbage can model.

Decision Opportunities: The moments in an organization when a decision can be made, which the garbage can model views as independent from the problems and solutions available.

Problematic Preferences: The idea that organizations often have unclear or contradictory goals, which is a key assumption of the garbage can model.