Administration As Decision Making

ADMINISTRATION
AS DECISION MAKING
RYAN L. LABISORES
REPORTER
Decision making is sine qua non
(essential/necessary) to education
administration because a school,
like all formal organizations, is
basically a decision-making
structure (Hoy and Miskel, 2001).
According to Hoy and Miskel 2001,
Decision making is a process that
guides actions. Decisions are based on
the beliefs, values and previous
experiences of individuals.
Leaders must know themselves,
know why they choose particular paths,
know whom to involve, and know which
particular decision-making model to use.
Leaders have at least four options of
involvement in decisions: deciding alone,
seeking participation and input, seeking
collaboration, and letting others decide.
These approaches are termed
autocratic, participative, collaborative,
and laissez fair, respectively. A wise
leader uses participative and
collaborative strategies for all important
decisions.
However, such an approach is not always
possible, nor is it preferable in all situations.
The leader must assess 5 factors to
decide on the level of involvement:
1. TIME
2. STAFF INTEREST IN THE DECISION
3. STAFF EXPERTISE
4. IMPORTANCE OR NEED FOR A HIGH-QUALITY
DECISION
5. DEGREE OF NEED FOR BUY-IN OR SUPPORT
FOR THE DECISION
Education World®
Copyright © 2012, 2017 Education World
1. Time
Urgency may require the leader to

make his or her own decision without
consulting others.
Participative decisions, especially
collaborative decisions, require more
time than a decision made alone. If
important decisions are at stake, the
leader must schedule more time for
involvement.
2. Staff Interest in the Decision
Barnard (1938) found that individuals have

a "zone of indifference" in which they simply
accept the leader's decision and are apathetic
toward the decision. In these cases, the leader
would not benefit from trying to gain
participation or collaboration.
At higher levels of interest, however, more
participation or collaboration is appropriate.
Leaders who desire more collaboration
must generate interest in the decision.
3. Staff Expertise
Followers who have very low levels of

expertise accept the decisions of leaders.
Staff members who have higher levels
of expertise require either participation or
collaboration to arrive at successful
decisions.
The leader who desires collaboration
must raise levels of expertise to
successfully involve subordinates.
4. Importance or Need For a High-Quality
Decision
Some decisions are much more important

and carry significant consequences. This is
usually the case for instruction and learning,
whether directly or indirectly.
For important questions that demand high-
quality decisions, collaboration is the best
model. If the decision is relatively unimportant,
then the leader should simply make the
decision.
5. Degree of Need for Buy-In or Support
for the Decision
Many decisions in schools need staff

support for successful implementation and
results. A collaborative model often
increases buy-in (agreement) and support.
Sixth Edition
EDUCATIONAL
ADMINISTRATION
Theory, Research, and Practice
Wayne K. Hoy
The Ohio State University
Cecil G. Miskel
The University of Michigan
Decision-Making Process: An Action Cycle

Step 1. Recognize and Define the Problem or
Issue
The recognition of a difficulty or
disharmony in the system is the first step in the
decision-making process.
Effective administrators are sensitive to
organizational actions and attitudes that do not
measure up to the prescribed standards.
The common retort, "We don't have
problems; we have answers," is symptomatic
of insensitive administrators who are headed for
trouble.
Step 2. Analyze the Difficulties in the Existing
Situation
This stage of the decision-making process is

directly related to the first stage; in fact, some
writers prefer to combine definition and
analysis.
However, analysis calls for the
classification of the problem. Is the problem
unique? Or is it a new manifestation of a typical
difficulty for which a pattern of action
has already been developed?
Step 3. Establish Criteria for a Satisfactory
Solution
After the problem has been analyzed and
specified, the decision maker must decide what
constitutes an acceptable solution.
What are the minimum objectives that are
to be achieved? What are the musts compared
to the wants?
It is not unusual for the perfect solution in
terms of outcomes to be unfeasible.
What is good enough? Answers to such
questions help the decision maker establish his
or her aspiration level.
Step 4. Develop a Plan or Strategy of Action
This is the central step in the process. After

recognizing the problem, collecting data, and
specifying the problem and its boundary
conditions, decision makers develop a
systematic and reflective plan of action. The
process involves at least the following steps:
• Specify alternatives.
• Predict the consequences of each alternative.
• Deliberate.
Select a plan of action.
“The task of "deciding" pervades the
entire administrative organization. . . . A
general theory of administration must
include principles of organization that will
insure correct decision making, just as it
must include principles that will insure
effective action.”
Herbert A. Simon
Administrative Behavior
REFERENCES:
Education World®
Copyright © 2012, 2017 Education World
https://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/
decision-making-five-tips.shtml
Wayne K. Hoy & Cecil G. Miskel, Sixth

Edition DUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION Theory,
Research, and Practice

Administration As Decision Making

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ADMINISTRATION

Urgency may require the leader to

Barnard (1938) found that individuals have

Followers who have very low levels of

Some decisions are much more important

Many decisions in schools need staff

Decision-Making Process: An Action Cycle

This stage of the decision-making process is

This is the central step in the process. After

Wayne K. Hoy & Cecil G. Miskel, Sixth

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