...Decision Making and Problem Solving: Benefits and Techniques Defining Problem Solving and Decision Making Definition of a Problem: A problem exists when there is a gap between what you expect to happen and what actually happens. Definition of Decision Making: Decision making is selecting a course of action from among available alternatives. The Difference between Decision Making and Problem Solving While both processes are systematic, problem solving involves defining a problem and creating solutions for it. Decision making is selecting a course of action from among available alternatives. Problem solving always involves decision making. However, not all decision making involves solving a problem. For example, a supervisor may have to make decisions about employees, resources, workload, etc. without having a problem to solve. Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Process Problem solving is a process in which we perceive and resolve a gap between a present situation and a desired goal, with the path to the goal blocked by known or unknown obstacles. In general, the situation is one not previously encountered, or where at least a specific solution from past experiences is not known. In contrast, decision making is a selection process where one of two or more possible solutions is chosen to reach a desired goal. The steps in both problem solving and decision making are quite similar. In fact, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Steps in Decision Making...
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...Three approaches to decision making are avoiding, problem solving and problem seeking. LEARNING OBJECTIVE * Differentiate between the three primary decision-making approaches: avoiding, problem solving, and problem seeking KEY POINTS * One approach to decision making is to not make a choice—that is, to avoid making a decision altogether. * Identifying and selecting a solution to a problem is a frequent type of decision outcome. * Sometimes decision making results in the need to restate the purpose and subject of the choice; this is known as problem seeking. TERMS * problem solving Problem solving involves using generic or ad hoc methods, in an orderly manner, for finding solutions to specific problems. * problem seeking The process of clarifying, understanding, and restating the problem. Give us feedback on this content: FULL TEXT Every decision-making process reaches a conclusion, which can be a choice to act or not to act, a decision on what course of action to take and how, or even an opinion or recommendation. Sometimes decision making leads to redefining the issue or challenge. Accordingly, three decision-making processes are known as avoiding, problem solving, and problem seeking. Avoiding One decision-making option is to make no choice at all. There are several reasons why the decision maker might do this: 1. There is insufficient information to make a reasoned choice between alternatives. 2. The potential negative consequences...
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...Analyzing the Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Processes Suman Shreshta Byanju BSAD 320 Professor: James young Date: 11/16/2013 In my opinion, decision-making is the process of selecting the right course of action from different alternatives. Decision-making is the final choice and output can be action or an opinion of choice. Problem solving is the process of eradicating problems that are a hindrance to the company objective by finding proper solutions. In other word, problem solving is to eliminate the problem space between the current state and desired state of a company. When there is a gap between desired state and current state in companies, problem exists. Problem solving involves defining the problem and creating solutions for it where as decision-making is selecting a course of action from among available alternatives. Problem solving always involves the decision-making. However, there are many situations where we have to take decision even there is no problem, for example, the relocation of employees or the promotion situation. In my finding, below are the most important steps of problem solving skills, which involves decision-making: 1. Identify and define the problems: First of all, it should be analyzed that it is a problem or just an effects of problems. Diagnose a situation so that the focus is on the real problem, not just on its symptoms. Symptoms become evident before the problem does. This process separate fact from opinion and speculation,...
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... 5 INTRODUCTION TO PROBLEM SOLVING Key Points 1 2 3 Army Decision Making The Seven Problem Solving Steps The Leader’s Role e A good leader must sometimes be stubborn. Armed with the courage of his convictions, he must often fight to defend them. When he has come to a decision after thorough analysis—and when he is sure he is right— he must stick to it even to the point of stubbornness. General of the Army Omar Bradley Tactics and Techniques Track Introduction to Problem Solving n 281 Introduction As an Army leader, you will be involved in problem solving daily. Some problems are simple and only require you to use your intuition, experience, and best judgment. At other times, however, you will face problems that are more complex. These require you to follow a systematic approach to define and analyze the problem, develop and analyze possible solutions, choose the best solution, and implement a plan of action. The amount of time and resources you apply to any given problem depends on its complexity, the amount of time available, and your experience as a leader. In this section, you will learn about the Army problem solving process— a systematic, logical approach to problem solving and decision making designed to help leaders make better decisions. As a junior officer, you may not face a decision on the scale of that facing BG John Buford on 30 June 1863. But using this systematic approach to problem solving can help you make decisions as solid as the one...
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...Presented by INTRODUCTION ¡ ¡ DECISION MAKING "Decision making is the process of identifying and selecting a course of action to solve a specific problem." CONSUMER DECISION MAKING ¡ ¡ Specific situations that trigger consumer to make a decision in between two or more alternatives question ¡ ¡ ¡ Define extensive problem solving, limited problem and rou6nized response behavior. What type of decision process would you expect most consumers to follow in their first purchase of new product or brand in each of the following areas: Ø chewing gum Ø Sugar Ø Men’s aBer shave lo6on Ø Carpe6ng Ø Paper towel Ø Cellular phone and luxury car What are the differences among the three decision-‐making approaches? levels OF CONSUMER DECISION MAKING ¡ There are three levels of consumer decision making ¡ They are : Ø Extensive problem solving Ø Limited problem solving Ø Rou6nized response behaviour Extensive problem solving ¡ ¡ ¡ The process of a customer trying to get all the informa6on they...
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...6/27/2014 Decision Science Assignment – 1 to 3 Kyaw Thike Tun ID No. - 213 Yangon Institute of Economics | Department of Management Studies | Online MBA Programme | 1. Describe the decision-making process and discuss the manager’s role in making decisions. Given example of a decision that can be quantified and one that is primarily a qualitative decision. Decision making process involves five steps: 1. Define the problem. 2. Identify the alternative 3. Determine the criteria 4. Evaluate the alternative 5. Choose an alternative Decision-making is important skill for business and life. Decision-making is especially important for management and leadership. There are processes and techniques to improve decision-making and the quality of decisions. Decision-making is more natural to certain personalities, so the managers should focus more on improving the quality of their decisions. Managers that are less natural decision-makers are often able to make quality assessments, but then need to be more decisive in acting upon the assessments made. Good decision-making requires a mixture of skills: creative development and identification of options, clarity of judgment, firmness of decision, and effective implementation. Here are some useful methods for effective decision-making: First a simple step-by-step process for effective decision-making. Today’s managers confront difficult decisions daily and must consider an increasingly wide range...
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...Problem-Solving Mary Callaway, Bridgett Jones, Diane Redmond, and Sandra Solis PSYCH/560 March 19, 2012 Isabelle Ragsdale Problem-Solving Problem-solving requires many components to achieve the result such as identifying the problem, what the problem represents creativity, approach, and many more. A few of the approaches of problem-solving, which aid in uncovering a solution are a few of the following, such as unidentified assessment, procedure, technique, and the arrangement of the problem. Problem-solving occurs in every area of life because problems occur in daily life. Insight and creativity in problem-solving allow the person to use imagination, critical thinking skills, and creativity to develop a solution to his or her problem. Therefore, insight and creativity are two important factors in problem-solving. The constraints of a problem depend upon problem representation to uncover ways to solve the problem. In addition, problem representation forces a person to empower his or her cognitive skills to investigate problems. Analyzing the abilities and functions of reasoning, judgment, and decision-making in problem-solving process occurs to determine the existence of new measures in the decision and reasoning approaches in the search for ethical solutions. The ethical solutions in problem-solving guarantee the results are trustworthy and accurate. Therefore, the need for accurate problem-solving skills is a necessity to find solutions to problems people experience. Approaches...
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...T E A M S It’s All About Improving Performance Teams work better with expanded problem solving and decision making skills by Helene F. Uhlfelder E VERYONE KNOWS THAT THE PURPOSE OF teams is high performance. In the past it was enough that teams or quality circles got involved in solving problems and sharing some of the decision-making responsibilities. Now the success of organizations hinges on the ability of teams to make tough decisions and solve complex problems on a daily basis. This article’s aim is to provide a better understanding of the factors that influence problem solving and decision making and to provide a seven-step model and procedures to use to improve team performance. improvement cultures or team systems teach their employees tools to use in reaching decisions and solving problems. Whether these tools have four steps or seven steps, they have four basic components: problem definition, data collection to verify the root cause of the problem, solution generation and action planning, including a mechanism for tracking how well the chosen solution works. These tools are sometimes not used at all and sometimes are used religiously for everything. Yet, it is rare to find teams that understand the nature of problems and know how to choose the right tool or technique to use in a A different mind-set particular situation. Most organizations that implement total quality management, continuous Furthermore, team...
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...Problem Solving Paper Psych. 560 June 24, 2013 Prof. Pitt Problem Solving Paper Problem solving skills are a necessity in order to make effective decisions and manage a team. Without problem solving skills it is impossible for one to be credible and make reliable decisions each and every time. Problem-solving is a mental process that is used to discover, analyze, and solve problems. When problem solving, the ultimate goal is to conquer hurdles and come up with the best solution. Discovering and identifying the Problem can be complicated process. When individuals mistakenly identify the source of a problem incorrectly it will most often lead to inefficient or useless attempts to solve it. The aim of this paper is to identify the approaches to the study of problem-solving and inform the role of insight and creativity in the process of problem solving. The paper also seeks to examine issues with representation and solution. As well as examining the role of reasoning, judgment, and decision making in the process of problem-solving. Approaches to the Study of Problem-Solving The approaches to the study of problem solving include Behaviorism, Gestalt psychology and Cognitive Psychology. Behaviorism concentrates on what goes on in minds and solemnly focuses on general behavior. Discovered in the early twenties by John Watson but made popular by B.F Skinner, behaviorism concentrates on what goes on in minds and solemnly focuses on general behavior. They came up with a principle...
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...Problem Solving Skills Problem solving skills are a necessity in order to make effective decisions and manage a team. Without problem solving skills it is impossible for one to be credible and make reliable decisions each and every time. While some may believe that problem solving skills are a gift, they are actually a set of skills that can be learned and continually enhanced in order to manage in the most effective way possible. In order to be an adept problem solver one must possess the following skills: having the ability to identify a problem, analyze the problem, gather information, generate potential solutions (brainstorm), select and test the solution, and analyze/evaluate the results. Problem-solving is a mental process that is used to discover, analyze, and solve problems. When problem solving, the ultimate goal is to conquer hurdles and come up with the best solution. Discovering and identifying the Problem can be complicated process. People often mistakenly identify the wrong source of a problem, which will make attempts to solve it inefficient or even useless. After the problem has been discovered, it is important to completely define the problem so that a solution can be achieved. Developing a strategy to solve the problem is the next approach. This step varies depending upon the situation and the individual's unique preferences. Before arriving at a solution, it’s important to organize the available information. A problem solver needs to ask questions like: What...
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...The problems managers have to face when managing team and the solutions. Currently, business has changed into a global-competition. The competition between organizations became more competitive because there is no longer competition within a country. It is a duty for the leaders of each organization to survive in this environment. David Maister (1997) mentioned that a great manager is expected to lead the team or a firm through complex situations and must influence the whole organization rather than use power to control members. Moreover, manager supposed to motivate, encourage enthusiasm and create the participation environment for team members. Brian Dive (2008) stated that manager should ensure all members of a team meet all theirs needs, and if not, find the solutions to meet all the requirements. In the same way, manager should secure the relevant commitments toward a goal from team members. More importantly, manager is expected to be able to provide the solutions to difficult and complex circumstances. However, being an effective manager has to handle with a problems during a job such as a relation between manager and subordinate, some manager might fail to do what they are expected to do. Famous business leaders, and academic professor in management science are putting efforts through the experiments and experiences to find out the causes of the management failure and the solution to prevent the problems occur in the future. Although those management theories might be...
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...Problem Solving and Decision Making: Consideration of Individual Differences Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator William G. Huitt Citation: Huitt, W. (1992). Problem solving and decision making: Consideration of individual differences using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Journal of Psychological Type, 24, 33-44. Retrieved from [date] http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/prbsmbti.html Return to: | Readings in Educational Psychology | Educational Psychology Interactive | Abstract Improving individuals' and groups' abilities to solve problems and make decisions is recognized as an important issue in education, industry, and government. Recent research has identified a prescriptive model of problem solving, although there is less agreement as to appropriate techniques. Separate research on personality and cognitive styles has identified important individual differences in how people approach and solve problems and make decisions. This paper relates a model of the problem-solving process to Jung's theory of personality types (as measured by the MBTI) and identifies specific techniques to support individual differences. The recent transition to the information age has focused attention on the processes of problem solving and decision making and their improvement (e.g., Nickerson, Perkins, & Smith, 1985; Stice, 1987; Whimbey & Lochhead, 1982). In fact, Gagne (1974, 1984) considers the strategies used in these processes to be a primary outcome of modern education...
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...of quantitative techniques in business decision-making. The course covers linear programming models and its special algorithms; network (PERT/CPM) models; decision-making theories and processes; and decision tree construction and analysis. LEARNING OUTCOMES (LO): On completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to do the following: |ELGA |LEARNING OUTCOME | |Effective communicators |To present in class the application of quantitative techniques to management decision | | |models through case analysis | |Critical and creative thinkers |To develop analytical thinking and proper reasoning in the application of quantitative | | |techniques to management decision models | | |To acquire the essential skills for the proper use of quantitative techniques in | | |business decision-making | |Technically proficient and competent |To identify the various mathematical tools used in business decision-making | |professionals and leaders...
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...Decision Making: It’s Not What You Think Decision Making: It’s Not What You Think Henry Mintzberg, MIT Sloan Management Review (2001) This essay’s purpose is to summarize Henry Mintzberg’s and Frances Westley’s article about decision making and possible approach methods that individuals and organization can choose to be used in problem solving depending on the nature of the issue. The first part will sum up the main ideas of the article, including main theories and practical advises that the authors are recommending. The second part of the essay will present some criticism towards the article and its theoretical framework and arguments. Main ideas and a summary of the theory Decision Making is a traditional area of interest in every business school and company. How are decisions actually made? Are they rational or just products of individuals’ personal opinions? Should they even be based on what is called as rational thinking? Henry Mintzberg and Frances Westley tried to tackle this problem of how decisions should be made in their essay Decision Making: It’s Not What You Think, published in MIT Sloan Management Review (2001). They challenge the traditional approach of logical problems followed by step-by-step solutions. The researchers argue that there are a whole bunch of different types of problems in need of different approaches. The common type of decision making follows a clear pattern. First step would be defining the problem. Secondly, one needs to diagnose the...
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...for Decision Making Quantitative Analysis for Decision Making An Immersive Virtual Reality Learning Experience 2011-2012 Course Description This course provides the student with the concepts, methods and tools for the application of logical and quantitative analysis to business decision making and problem solving. It familiarizes the student with a wide range of software and other classical and contemporary resources related to decision and problem analysis, including basics of logic and decision making, principles of optimization, probabilistic distributions, linear programming, simplex, queuing and transportation problems, break even analysis, inventory management, forecasting and simulation. The course highlights the benefits as well as the limits of quantitative analysis in a real-world context. This course may be adapted for the graduate and undergraduate levels. Materials Readings, assignments, problems and assessments are integrated into the courseware. Any additional materials will be assigned by the instructor at the start or during the course. Course Outline & Assignments Assignments will change from time to time as new resources become available, contemporary events have bearing on the topics, or the social, legal, or economic environments change. FUNDAMENTALS OF DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING (Module One, 4-6 hours) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Words of the Wise What is a Decision? What does it mean to solve a problem? Understanding...
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