The Effects of Participation in Decision‐Making on Worker Satisfaction and Productivity: An Organizational Simulation¹

Abstract

Although correlational evidence of a positive relationship between participation in decision‐making and satisfaction is relatively consistent, whether participation in decision‐making has a causal effect on satisfaction remains unclear. The present research examined, through an organizational simulation in which high and low levels of participation in decision‐making were manipulated, the causal effect of participation on satisfaction and productivity. The subjects were 128 male undergraduates randomly assigned to 32 four‐person groups. Results of the experiment showed that participation in decision‐making had a significant positive effect on satisfaction. In addition, the correlation between perceived influence and satisfaction was positive ( r = .31). Contrary to theoretically derived predictions, participation had no impact on productivity.