Final answer:
Escalation of commitment occurs when employees increase their support for a decision because most of their colleagues also support that decision.
Step-by-step explanation:
Escalation of commitment occurs when employees increase their support for a decision because most of their colleagues also support that decision. This can happen even when the decision turns out to be ineffective or unsuccessful. It is a cognitive bias where people continue to invest resources into a failing course of action.
For example, if a team at work decides to implement a new software system and initially, there is widespread support for the decision. However, as problems with the system start to arise, some team members may begin to doubt its effectiveness. Despite this, if they notice that most of their colleagues are still supportive of the decision, they might feel compelled to increase their own support as well.