Garbage Can Model

Definition

The garbage can model is a theoretical framework that describes organizational decision-making as a chaotic process where problems, solutions, participants, and choices are mixed together in a metaphorical garbage can. This model highlights how decisions can emerge from a confluence of factors rather than a linear or rational sequence, emphasizing the randomness and unpredictability in policy-making processes.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The garbage can model was introduced by Cohen, March, and Olsen in 1972 as an alternative to more traditional models of decision-making.
2. It suggests that decisions often occur when problems and solutions coincide randomly rather than through deliberate planning or structured processes.
3. In this model, organizations may not have clear agendas; instead, decision outcomes depend on timing and the mix of elements in the 'garbage can'.
4. Participants in the decision-making process can vary widely in their involvement and influence, leading to outcomes that may not align with any single individual's intent.
5. The garbage can model is particularly relevant in situations characterized by ambiguity and uncertainty, often seen in complex policy environments.

Review Questions

• How does the garbage can model challenge traditional views of organizational decision-making?
  • The garbage can model challenges traditional views by presenting decision-making as a non-linear and chaotic process instead of a structured and rational one. While traditional models suggest that organizations follow a clear path to solve problems with well-defined goals, the garbage can model illustrates how decisions can emerge from the random intersection of problems, solutions, participants, and choices. This highlights the unpredictable nature of decision outcomes within organizations.
• Discuss how bounded rationality interacts with the garbage can model in the context of policy-making.
  • Bounded rationality interacts with the garbage can model by emphasizing the limitations that decision-makers face when processing information and making choices. In chaotic environments described by the garbage can model, individuals may struggle to fully understand all aspects of a situation due to cognitive constraints. This leads to reliance on available solutions that happen to be present in the garbage can at the time rather than engaging in exhaustive problem-solving efforts. As a result, the interaction between these concepts reveals how policies may be shaped more by chance than by careful deliberation.
• Evaluate the implications of using the garbage can model for understanding policy formation in highly ambiguous situations.
  • Using the garbage can model to understand policy formation in ambiguous situations has significant implications for recognizing the unpredictable nature of decision outcomes. It suggests that policy choices may arise from a mixture of unrelated problems and solutions rather than a coherent strategy. This understanding emphasizes the need for flexibility and adaptability within organizations when addressing complex issues. Moreover, it indicates that effective policymaking may require acknowledging the role of randomness and serendipity, which could lead to innovative solutions but also potentially result in misaligned outcomes if not managed carefully.

Related terms

Organizational Decision-Making: The process by which members of an organization make choices, often involving multiple stakeholders and complex dynamics.

Bounded Rationality: A concept that suggests individuals are limited in their decision-making capabilities due to cognitive constraints and the availability of information.

Political Stream: A part of the Multiple Streams Framework that represents the political context influencing policy decisions, including public opinion and interest group pressure.