Managerial Decision Making Concepts

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Questions and Answers

What characterizes programmed decisions?

  • They require extensive analysis of options.
  • They follow established rules or guidelines. (correct)
  • They are complex and uncertain processes.
  • They are made in response to unpredictable threats.

Which step is NOT included in the six steps for making the best managerial decisions?

  • Identify the decision requirements.
  • Evaluate the outcomes of the decision.
  • Implement the decision rapidly. (correct)
  • Analyze alternatives thoroughly.

What is a major disadvantage of group decision making?

  • It can result in groupthink. (correct)
  • It often leads to faster decisions.
  • It improves the quality of decisions.
  • It encourages participation from all members.

What role does organizational learning play in decision making?

<p>It promotes creativity and innovation. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does cognitive bias affect managerial decision making?

<p>It can result in poor choices due to flawed reasoning. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following differentiates entrepreneurs from intrapreneurs?

<p>Intrapreneurs are typically more risk-averse. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes nonprogrammed decision making?

<p>It involves decisions made in uncertain environments. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one technique to improve group decision making?

<p>Encouraging diverse perspectives. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is bounded rationality primarily concerned with?

<p>Cognitive limitations affecting decision-making (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines 'risk' in decision-making contexts?

<p>The range of possible outcomes with associated probabilities (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What commonly leads to ambiguous information?

<p>Multiple interpretations of the same data (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In decision-making, what does satisficing refer to?

<p>Settling for a solution that meets acceptable criteria (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors can contribute to incomplete information in decision-making?

<p>Limited resources like time or budget for information gathering (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of systematic errors in decision-making?

<p>They are mistakes made consistently by individuals (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a cause of incomplete information?

<p>Comprehensive analysis of all potential options (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the feedback procedure contribute to decision-making?

<p>It helps understand variances between expected and actual outcomes (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the classical model of decision making?

<p>It prescribes a method for evaluating all alternatives rationally. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'bounded rationality' refer to in decision making?

<p>The recognition of the limitations in human decision-making capabilities. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Satisficing is primarily associated with which decision-making model?

<p>Administrative model (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes reasonable judgment from intuition in decision making?

<p>Reasoned judgment involves careful evaluation of alternatives. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

An optimum decision is defined as which of the following?

<p>The decision that aligns with the most desirable outcomes for the organization. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the administrative model highlight about the nature of decision making?

<p>It recognizes the inherent uncertainty and risk in decision making. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When do manufacturing supervisors hire new workers based on overtime increases?

<p>When overtime increases by more than 10 percent. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the most accurate description of confirmation bias?

<p>The tendency to make decisions based on existing beliefs despite conflicting evidence. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary disadvantage of group decision-making?

<p>Consensus might be influenced negatively by bias. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which cognitive bias involves committing additional resources despite failing evidence?

<p>Escalating commitment (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of groupthink?

<p>Agreement among members is pursued at the cost of rational decision-making. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these describes the illusion of control in decision making?

<p>Overestimating one's control over activities and events. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can group decision-making be superior to individual decision-making?

<p>It can draw on the diverse skills of group members. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What leads to the phenomenon of representativeness in decision-making?

<p>Inappropriate generalization from a small sample or vivid event. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the objective of organizational learning?

<p>To enhance understanding of organizational and task environment. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a learning organization primarily focused on?

<p>Maximizing individual and group creativity (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a decision maker's creativity?

<p>The discovery of original and feasible alternatives (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the disadvantages of brainstorming as a creativity-promoting technique?

<p>It can lead to production blocking (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the nominal group technique facilitate decision-making?

<p>By having members individually write and rank their ideas (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which situation is the Delphi technique particularly effective?

<p>When discussing controversial topics remotely (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What defines the role of social entrepreneurs?

<p>Individuals addressing social problems with innovative solutions (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of entrepreneurs in general?

<p>They seek opportunities to create and improve products (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about organizational learning is accurate?

<p>It seeks to enhance the creative capabilities of individuals and groups (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of an intrapreneur within an organization?

<p>To identify and develop new or improved products (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is NOT typically associated with successful entrepreneurs?

<p>Fear of failure (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes intrapreneurs from traditional managers?

<p>Their role in promoting innovation and new ideas (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term is used to describe a group of intrapreneurs separated from normal operations to foster innovation?

<p>Skunkworks (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What challenge do founding entrepreneurs often face when transitioning to management roles?

<p>Difficulty in engaging in management tasks (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a product champion's key responsibility?

<p>To take ownership and lead a project from idea to execution (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which innovation is NOT attributed to the Palo Alto Research Center?

<p>3D printing technology (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which trait best describes the internal locus of control typical of entrepreneurs?

<p>Responsibility for one's actions and decisions (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Decision Making

The process where managers identify opportunities and threats, analyze options, and make decisions about specific organizational goals and actions.

Programmed Decision

A decision made based on established rules or guidelines, leading to routine and automatic actions.

Nonprogrammed Decision

A decision involving unique situations, calling for a careful analysis and consideration of various options.

Administrative Model

A decision-making approach that assumes decision-makers have limited information, rationality, and resources, leading them to choose satisfactory instead of optimal solutions.

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Bounded Rationality

The belief that decision-makers are limited in their ability to process information, leading them to make simplified judgments based on available information.

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Optimum Decision

The act of choosing the most suitable option among all possible alternatives, considering the organization's desired consequences.

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Intuition

A decision-making approach where a manager relies on feelings, beliefs, and intuitive insights, made quickly with little effort and information gathering.

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Reasoned Judgment

A decision that requires careful consideration, time, and effort, involving information gathering, generating alternatives, and evaluating them to reach a conclusion.

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Incomplete Information

When we don't have enough information to make a clear decision, due to uncertainty, risk, or time constraints.

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Risk

The chance that a specific outcome will happen.

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Uncertainty

When we can't estimate the likelihood of different outcomes, making future results unpredictable.

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Ambiguous Information

Information that can be interpreted in multiple ways, leading to conflicting understandings.

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Satisficing

The act of searching for and choosing a satisfactory solution, rather than striving for the best possible outcome.

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Heuristics

Simple rules that help us make decisions quickly, but can lead to systematic errors.

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Systematic Errors

Recurring errors in decision-making, often caused by using heuristics.

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Learning organization

An organization that focuses on continuous learning and improvement, encouraging creativity and innovation among its members.

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Creativity

The ability to generate new and unique ideas that can lead to practical solutions.

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Nominal group technique

A group decision-making technique where participants generate ideas and solutions independently before sharing and ranking them.

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Delphi technique

A decision-making method where group members stay anonymous and respond to questions in writing, allowing for unbiased opinions.

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Entrepreneurs

Individuals who identify opportunities, gather resources, and create new products or services.

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Social entrepreneurs

Individuals committed to using entrepreneurial approaches to address social problems and improve society's wellbeing.

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Brainstorming

A brainstorming technique where participants freely share ideas without criticism.

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Production blocking

A potential drawback in brainstorming where individuals get stuck waiting for their turn to speak, leading to less effective idea generation.

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Illusion of Control

A cognitive bias where individuals tend to overestimate their ability to control events and activities.

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Escalating Commitment

A decision making bias that occurs when individuals or groups continue to invest in a failing project, even when evidence suggests it should be stopped.

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Groupthink

A group decision making process where members prioritize reaching an agreement over having an accurate understanding of the situation. This can lead to poor decision-making.

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Devil's Advocacy

A technique used to challenge groupthink by having a designated person take the opposing side of the proposed solution. This helps ensure the group considers all perspectives and avoids bias.

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Dialectical Inquiry

A method for improving group decision making by generating two opposing viewpoints, then evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each. This helps ensure a more balanced and thorough analysis.

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Confirmation Bias

The tendency to make decisions based on existing beliefs, even when evidence shows these beliefs may be wrong.

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Representativeness

The tendency to generalize from small samples or single vivid events, potentially leading to inaccurate judgments.

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Organizational Learning

A process where organizations learn and improve by identifying and addressing their strengths and weaknesses to enhance their ability to manage the environment surrounding them.

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Characteristics of Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are open to new experiences and willing to take risks. They believe they are in control of their success and have high self-esteem, pushing themselves to achieve their goals.

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Entrepreneurship vs. Management

The ability to start and grow a business is not the same as running and managing a company. Often, entrepreneurs may need other skills or experiences for successful management.

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Product Champion

A manager who is highly involved in a project, acting as a leader and champion to see it through from start to finish, driving it towards success.

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Skunkworks

A group of intrapreneurs who operate separately from the main company structure, focusing solely on developing new products.

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Xerox PARC

A research and development division of Xerox, known for pioneering innovations like laser printing, personal computers, and graphical interfaces.

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WYSIWYG

A style of interaction where users can see and manipulate text and images directly on a computer screen, leading to easier editing and design.

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Study Notes

Chapter 7: Decision Making, Learning, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship

  • Learning changes everything.
  • Decision making is the process where managers respond to opportunities and threats by analyzing options and making determinations about organizational goals and courses of action.
  • Decisions are made in response to opportunities (improve performance) and threats (adversely affect performance).
  • Programmed decisions are routine, following established rules or guidelines.
  • Examples of programmed decisions include hiring new workers when overtime increases by a certain percentage.
  • Nonprogrammed decisions are nonroutine and unusual, unpredictable and lack established rules or guidelines.
  • Managers respond to these types of decisions based on incomplete information.
  • Intuition involves feelings and hunches, requiring minimal effort and information gathering, resulting in immediate decisions.
  • Reasoned judgments are more considered and require time and effort to gather information, generate alternatives and evaluate those alternatives.
  • The Classical model prescriptively assumes decision-makers can evaluate all possible alternatives and their consequences, ultimately choosing the best course of action.
  • Optimal decisions are in the best interest of the organization.
  • This model assumes the availability of all information and the decision-maker's ability to process it.
  • Bounded rationality describes cognitive limitations that impact interpreting, processing and acting on information.
  • Incomplete information results from risk and uncertainty, ambiguity, and time constraints.
  • Risk refers to the probability of certain outcomes.
  • Uncertainty relates to unknown future outcomes.
  • Ambiguous information can be interpreted in multiple ways.
  • Time constraints and information costs limit the amount of information evaluated.
  • Satisficing is searching for a satisfactory solution rather than the optimal solution to problems or opportunities.
  • Decision making involves the following six steps: recognize the need for a decision, generating alternatives, assess alternatives, choose among alternatives, implement the chosen alternative, and learn from feedback.
  • Evaluating possible courses of action includes checking legal, ethical, economic, and practical considerations.
  • Feedback procedures involve comparing actual results with projected results, determining reasons for deviation, and developing guidelines for future decisions.
  • Cognitive biases such as confirmation bias and representativeness bias lead to systematic errors in decision-making.
  • Heuristics are quick mental shortcuts that simplify decision-making.
  • Individual and group biases affect decision-making outcomes. Groupthink and group decision making, brainstorming, nominal group technique, and Delphi techniques may result in both benefits and drawbacks, especially with different interest groups.
  • Organizational learning improves employee understanding and management of the organization and its environment.
  • Learning organizations maximize individuals' ability to think creatively, maximize organizational learning, encourage systems thinking, and develop shared vision.
  • Creativity refers to a decision-maker's ability to come up with original, novel ideas for courses of action. Key steps include getting off-email and out of the ordinary thinking.
  • Senge's principles outline building complex models to promote complex ideas like team learning.
  • Brainstorming and techniques such as these Nominal Group Technique and Delphi Technique assist group decision-making.
  • Entrepreneurs are individuals who have opportunities and mobilize resources to develop new goods and services.
  • Social entrepreneurs address social needs and problems, improving well-being.
  • Intrapreneurs work within an organization to develop new or improved products or processes.
  • Characteristics of entrepreneurs include being open to experience, internally focused, a high level of self-esteem, and a drive for achievement.
  • Founding entrepreneurs often lack the skills for effective management, distinguishing entrepreneurship from effective management practices.
  • Product champions take ownership and show leadership to move the project forward.
  • Skunkworks are isolation units to promote new product development..
  • Examples include Xerox PARC.

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