Abilene paradox management expert Jerry B. Harvey in his 1974 article "The Abilene Paradox: The Management of Agreement". The name of the phenomenon comes from an anecdote that Harvey uses in the article to elucidate the paradox: Ronald Sims writes that the Abilene paradox is similar to groupthink, but differs in significant ways, including that in groupthink individuals are not acting contrary to their conscious wishes and generally feel good about the decisions the group has reached. According to Sims, in the Abilene paradox, the individuals acting contrary to their own wishes are more likely to have negative feelings about the outcome.
Brownsville–Harlingen metropolitan area (Cameron and Willacy) and had an estimated population of 416,766 as of July 1, 2009. Brownsville–Harlingen metropolitan area The Brownsville–Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of one county – Cameron – in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas, anchored by the cities of Brownsville and Harlingen.The 2012 U.S. Census Bureau estimate places the Brownsville–Harlingen metropolitan area population at 415,557 allotting it the eighth most populous metropolitan area in the state of Texas, it has recently been named the poorest city in the United States. The typical Brownsville-Harlingen, Texas