Does choosing by advantages promote inclusiveness in group decision-making?

Abstract

In a construction project, decisions should be made by the team member or group which is best prepared to handle the decision. Often this is not the case due to hierarchical structures, time pressure and a lack of trust. Previous work showed that a significant number of female Lean practitioners found their ideas and input were not taken seriously. Empowering people in an organization and in the field means to include them in the decision-making process. Choosing by Advantages (CBA) is a structured multi-criteria decision-making method that bases decisions on the importance of advantages among different alternatives. In CBA advantages are anchored to relevant facts, so decision-makers can make a sound and inclusive decision. In previous work it was reported that CBA is transparent and traceable for people not involved in the decision-making process. In conclusion, the authors found evidence that CBA promotes inclusiveness to overcome groupthink and promotes psychological safety, but no direct evidence was found to overcome gender bias.