Page 135 - Fundamentals of Management Myths Debunked (2017)_Flat

134 Part 2 • Planning
DisCussion Questions
4-1 Why is decision making often described as the essence present and anticipate the future. Discuss the problems
of a manager’s job? associated with making decisions using the rational
4-2 Provide an eight-step illustration of any decision- model.
making process undertaken by you. 4-7 Explain how a manager might deal with making
4-3 Since decision making is personalized, do you think decisions under conditions of uncertainty.
bias plays an important role for a CEO or a first-line 4-8 Why do companies invest in nurturing group deci-
manager in a developing country? Explain the poten- sion making rather than individual decision making?
tial daily bias that managers may encounter. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of both
4-4 Managers make decisions by planning, organizing, techniques.
leading, and controlling. Which of these skills is more 4-9 Find two examples each of procedures, rules, and
important for a manager to master in order to be a com- policies. Bring your examples to class and be prepared
petent manager? to share them.
4-5 What is intuitive decision making? In your opinion, 4-10 Do a Web search on the phrase “dumbest moments
when is this method best used? What are the major in business” and get the most current version of this
drawbacks of this managerial decision-making style? list. Choose three of the examples and describe what
4-6 Herbert A. Simon started work on bounded rational- happened. What’s your reaction to each example?
ity and satisficing because of his hypothesis, which How could the managers in each have made better
indicated that people had limited ability to grasp the decisions?

MyManagementLab

Go to mymanagementlab.com for the following Assisted-graded writing questions:

4-11 Today’s world is chaotic and fast-paced. How does 4-12 Discuss the pros and cons of managers using technology
time pressure affect managerial decision making? to help make decisions.
What can managers do to still be good decision mak- 4-13 MyManagementLab Only – comprehensive writing
ers under such conditions?
assignment for this chapter.

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Management Skill Builder being a Creative

DeCision Maker

Many decisions that managers make are routine, so they can fall back on experience and “what’s worked
in the past.” But other decisions—especially those made by upper-level managers—are unique and haven’t
been confronted before. The uniqueness and variety of problems that managers face demand creativity—the
ability to produce novel and useful ideas. If managers are to successfully progress upward in an organization,
they’ll find an increasing need to develop creative decisions. Creativity is partly a frame of mind. You need
to expand your mind’s capabilities—that is, open yourself up to new ideas. Every individual has the ability to
improve his or her creativity, but many people simply don’t try to develop that ability.