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Participation is a multi- faceted concept. It has bee n conceptualized as a unitary concept but operational zed in a
variety of ways. That is why people have different perceptions of participation. Those in favor of participation emphasize its


benefits and consider p_1rticipation as a tool for solving many organizational problems.
Those against, concentrate on the dysfuntion of participation and try to neglect its expected results. In spite of such arguments,
There are theoretical reasons to believe that its effectiveness depends on a number of contextual factors. The results of recent meta- analysis of the ambiguous effects of participative
decision-making on productivity and satisfaction have confirmed this claim and led to a possible conclusion:
Participation works only under the same circumstances. As a result, the diversity of findings on the influence of participation
has stimulated researchers to look for contingency-type variables in the relation between participation and expected outcomes. This
article considers the pros and cons of participation and introduces situational participation as a third approach.