Decision Making Part1 Notes @
Decision Making Part1 Notes @
Identifying decision criteria – Determining what factors are important for making
the decision.
A problem exists when there is a difference between the current situation and the
desired state or outcome. For example, if sales are dropping, a company needs to
identify the reason. A problem only becomes important if the manager notices it,
feels the need to solve it, and has the authority and resources to take action.
Slide 4 Step 2 Identifying Decision Criteria
Decision criteria are the factors that influence the decision. Managers must
decide what matters most in solving the problem. For example, if a company
needs new computers, they must consider factors like cost, battery life, and
storage capacity.
Not all criteria are equally important. Some factors have a bigger impact on the
decision than others. Assigning weights helps in ranking these factors. For
example, if battery life is more important than display quality when buying a
laptop, it should have a higher weight.
At this stage, managers list all possible solutions. The key here is to generate as
many ideas as possible without immediately judging them. For instance, if a
company is looking for ways to increase sales, alternatives could include lowering
prices, increasing advertising, or introducing new products.
The best alternative is chosen based on the highest overall score. This means
selecting the option that best meets the weighted decision criteria. For example,
if a company is choosing between different suppliers, it will pick the one that
offers the best balance of cost, quality, and reliability.
The rational decision-making model assumes that managers make logical choices
to maximize value. It assumes that they have access to all information, define the
problem clearly, and consider all possible alternatives before selecting the best
one. However, in real life, managers may not always have complete information.
Not all decisions are made through careful analysis. Some decisions are based on
intuition, which comes from experience, emotions, and subconscious processing.
Experienced managers often rely on intuition when making quick decisions.
Conclusion
Effective decision-making is crucial for managers. It requires identifying problems,
evaluating alternatives, and making logical choices. While rational decision-
making is ideal, managers often work with limited information and rely on
intuition. Understanding the decision-making process helps managers make
better choices and improve organizational success.
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