Decision Making
...processes (cognitive process) leading to the selection of a course of action among several alternatives. Every decision making process produces a final choice. The output can be an action or an opinion of choice.
This paper seeks to answer the question that ‘not all managers are effective decision makers’ and to do this effectively it explains the decision making process, the scientific approach to decision making in a complex organization, ways to improve decision making as well as the mistakes that are commonly made by managers when making decisions.
INTRODUCTION
Decision making is a core part of a manager’s job, there’s just no getting around it. Yet so many managers, who are thoughtful and analytical, completely miss the boat when it comes to decision making. This is unacceptable behavior from any professional manager, particularly when it comes to the really big decisions. Hiring, large purchases, organizational restructuring, etc, are all places where structured decision making ought to come into play. The big problem is that, although good decision making methods and tools are readily available, these skills generally are not taught.
Many people still remain in the bondage of self-incurred tutelage. Tutelage is a person's inability to make his/her own decisions. Self-incurred is this tutelage when its cause lies not in lack of reason but in lack of resolution and courage to use it without wishing to have been told what to do by something or somebody else.
Good decision-making brings about a better life. It gives you some control over your life. In fact, many frustrations with oneself are caused by not being able to use one's own mind to understand the decision problem, and the courage to act upon it.
A bad decision may force you to make another one, as Harry Truman said, "Whenever I make a bum decision, I go out and make another...
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