After reading this article you will learn about:- 1. Meaning of Committee 2. Feature of Committee 3. Advantages 4. Disadvantages.

Meaning of Committee:

A committee means a group of persons formed for a stated purpose. Terry defined committee as “a body of persons elected or appointed to meet on an organised basis for the discussion of and for dealing with the matter brought before it”.

Feature of Committee:

Based on this definition, the following features can be identified:

1. A committee is a group person:

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It means a group of persons with a minimum of two persons and no limitation for maximum number of persons in a committee. Committee with a large number of persons become difficult, resulting in lack of communication between members and delay in decision-making.

2. A committee can deliberate only on the matters that are brought before it. It cannot go for action in all spheres of activities. When a committee is constituted, there is strictly defined jurisdiction within which it is expected to justify its existence.

3. Authority:

The members of committee have authority to go into the details of the problems signed to the committee. The authority of members is usually expressed in terms of one vote for each member in deciding the matter.

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4. The type of authority delegated to a committee may vary from making final decisions on a matter to mere submission of relevant information on the matter concerned. In the later case the committee may merely deliberate on the matter without any authority for making or recommending decisions.

5. A committee may be constituted at any level of the organisation and its members can be drawn from any level or function. Moreover a person can be member of more than one committee at the same time.

Advantages of Committee:

1. It helps to clarify the thinking of a executive for it considers a new plan or project, express divergent views and points out possible limitations.

2. Good Decisions:

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It takes more time to come to a decision than a single individual. So hasty decisions are avoided.

3. Effective performance of business:

Specialised knowledge can be applied to the business. It helps in a more efficient and effective performance of business functions.

4. Committees provide a platform for exchange of ideas, information, facts etc. They can be used to train young executives to analyse and appraise critical and typical situations.

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5. Improved motivation:

Since the members or people in the committee are participating in the decision-making, they will be enthusiastic in implementing the decision in the making of which they have had active participation. So committee organisation leads to an effective motivating force.

6. Effective Coordination:

In the committee organisation, decisions are made by sharing of information and an expression of diverse viewpoints and sentiments. So it is useful device for coordinating business planning.

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7. Innovation/view ideas:

Group discussions at committee may lead to the emergence of new ideas.

8. Involvement of various interest groups:

Committees provide representations to various interests in the organisations. They generate a climate of involvement among various sections.

Disadvantages of Committees:

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1. Expensive:

Constitution of a committee is a costly in terms of research for material, conveyance, daily allowances, and staff expenses for preparation and typing etc.

2. Wastage of time and effort:

Often time is wasted because its members have not been told precisely what the committee is to do; so their discussion wanders.

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3. Personal Prejudices:

Sometimes winning an argument or getting back at somebody for personal reasons may give the problem a secondary priority, thus diluting the strength of the solution.

4. Its lack of initiative, its inactive decisions, its irresponsible character, its compromising attitude, and waste of time and money are all criticised.

5. A weak and inefficient management often takes shelter being a committee.

6. A committee is often dominated by a few persons, so its decisions or recommendations are mainly by such individuals.

7. Lack of accountability:

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While a committee may make momentous decisions, but when a particular decision misfires or does not deliver the expected results, there may be few persons to accept the balance.

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