Thus, by simply delaying the decision making process, groups who lack power in other ways can still win. Parties whose proposals are blocked by delaying strategies often give up or move the project to a more hospitable or less politically-astute location. This helps explains why chemical plants, oil refineries, and other undesirable facilities are often located in poorer neighborhoods. Delaying strategies can also give the delaying parties time to expand their power base so that they can increase their chances of winning once a final decision is rendered. Military units, for example, will often use delaying tactics to allow their forces to regroup into better offensive or defensive positions.
Delays can also give citizen groups a chance to mobilize additional support.
Tactical delays can also be used by political leaders and other decision makers who are being asked to make difficult decisions which are certain to make enemies and jeopardize their opportunities for future advancement. By instituting a lengthy and seemingly fair decision making or consensus building process, these leaders can avoid making a decision completely, leaving their successors with the unpopular decisions. People get the impression that if they keep studying a problem, they are not making any decisions. That is not true. In the United States, for example, we can not decide where or how to dispose of high-level nuclear waste, so we have undertaken study after study on the issue.