Abstract:
In general, this study sought to determine the relationship between assertiveness and influence of the decision-making group of Junior Marketing Association University of the Philippines Manila (JMAUPM). Specifically, the study intended to: 1) determine the assertiveness profile of JMAUPM decision-making group members; 2) determine the influence profile of JMAUPM decisionmaking group members; and, 3) ascertain the relation that exists between assertiveness and influence levels. The seven (7) members of JMAUPM Executive Board were purposively selected to receive the 30-item Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, which gauged their assertiveness levels. To measure the influence level of each JMAUPM Executive Board member within their decision-making, a pretested 30-item Influence Survey Questionnaire was given to all the group members. To complete the data gathering procedure of this study, all the respondents were interviewed. An interview schedule was used to support the two previous instruments and obtain the respondents' constructs concerning various aspects of assertiveness and patterns of influence in their group decisionmaking. The Rathus Assertiveness Schedule revealed that the respondents were moderately to highly assertive, with scores ranging from 97 to 112 out of 150. As for the Influence Survey Questionnaire, the respondents' scores ranged from 97 to 126.5, with five (5) respondents qualifying as highly influential. The respondents' average scores per influence basis were 73.88% for Effective Communication Media and Skill, 74.48% for Authority, 73.32 for Liking, 73.86% for Positive Influence Attempt Outcome, and 76.20% for Reputation. The Spearman Rho correlation at the 95% confidence level revealed a positive linear relationship between assertiveness and influence levels. The interview schedule yielded results in accord with the respondents' answers in the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule and in the Influence Survey Questionnaires. The respondents' assertions in the interview were analyzed; and, the results proved that most of them were considerably assertive and influential within group decision-making. In addition, the respondents claimed that assertiveness would work well in influencing the group, especially if it would be practiced jointly with reason or the use of facts and logical arguments. The results of the study in response to its objectives suggest that assertiveness predicts a member's influence over group decision-making, particularly if the group utilizes a more democratic interaction than autocratic decision-making. In addition, the findings imply that assertive influence strategy is valid in the Philippine setting. However, this study does not claim a boundless applicability of the use of assertiveness to generate and sustain power of producing an effect or change in all organizational settings, as it is limited to the decision-making group of a student organization. Therefore, future researches and scholars are recommended to conduct a replication or extension of this study in a different nature of organization in order to verify the applicability of this study's results and findings in a variety of situations or circumstances.
