A Single Garbage Can Model and the Degree of Anarchy in Japanese Firms

Abstract

This paper refreshes an empirical examination of the garbage can model, particularly in a sample drawn from Japanese firms. The garbage can model of organizational decision making was originally developed by Cohen, March, and Olsen (1972) to describe organized anarchy. This paper incorporates two methodologies in an attempt to both validate and extend the garbage can model: Simulation is first used to generate a research hypothesis, then several surveys are conducted to test that hypothesis and to empirically develop an ex-post model of decision ambiguity, flight, and anarchy. The data support our hypothesis and we find out new conditions of ambiguity: (i) fluid participation, (ii) divorce of solution from discussion, and (iii) job performance rather than subjective assessments, which are clearly related to the simulation assumption of our single garbage can model. By using our new conditions of ambiguity, we develop a measure of degree of anarchy, and the regression analysis indicates a linear relationship between the flight ratio and the degree of anarchy. © 1997, Tavistock Publications Ltd. All rights reserved.