BUS208: Principles of Management

Read the introduction and section 11.1, which includes a case study featuring the story of Bernard Ebbers. As the CEO and top manager of a Fortune 500 company called WorldCom, Mr. Ebbers was frequently identified as a difficult man to work for, to the extent that managers working for him often avoided telling him vital information that might have shaped how he made executive decisions. Further adding to the severity of this systemic communication breakdown, Mr. Ebbers was extremely resistant to change, which is a quality that produces failures in management. Use this case as a foundational analysis of all the information presented in Unit 8 of this course. You may want to review this case again after you finish this unit to consider how the outcomes at WorldCom might have been prevented.

This section defines decision-making and lists ethical questions to ask yourself when making a critical decision. It also discusses different types of decisions, when to employ various decision-making approaches, and how to determine which decision-making process is the appropriate one for any given situation.

Read this section, which addresses some of the obstacles that you may encounter during the decision-making process. Whenever a manager has to make a decision, he or she will encounter challenges. Such obstacles often arise from the biases of other people and can negatively impact the decision-making process.

Read this section, which explores the effects of groupthink on the decision-making process. This section includes a compare-and-contrast outline for individual decision-making and group decision-making. Pay attention to the pros and cons and the techniques associated with each. Why is groupthink an unhealthy habit for a manager or an organization?

Read this section, which suggests some techniques for customizing and maximizing your own managerial decision-making skills. You will be taught how to preemptively imagine and even avoid a particular issue altogether, which is a technique known as the "premortem process". The goal behind learning such a process is to minimize or even prevent bad decision-making.

Read this article and think about the ways in which you make decisions. Do you frame the decision first? What are the benefits of this framing process? How can you apply some of these ideas to decisions that you may be in the process of making?

Read this article and think about the questions that you typically ask yourself when making decisions. When you decide, do you believe that there is always just one route to your desired outcome? Prepare a productivity table for some of the tasks that are currently on your to-do list. Are the items that come up as priorities the same items that you truly believe to be priorities?

Reflect on the article that you have just read about making decisions.Do you feel confident in your own decision-making skills? Are you able to make a decision and then stay the course and see your actions through to completion?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the course discussion forum. Read the responses that other students have posted and post your own comments. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to connect with your peers and to receive meaningful feedback of your own.

Read this article and consider the types of decisions you have made in the past. Can you determine, in retrospect, which types of decisions they were? Take a decision that you are currently considering and write a plan about how to resolve it. Does your decision-making plan match these steps? If not, how can your plan be adjusted to accommodate the 10 steps so that you can ensure your decision-making process will be effective?

Read this article and consider the areas within your own organization where the majority of decisions are made. Consider the following questions: Are the decision-making topics in your organization (or one you are familiar with) the same as those addressed in the McKinsey survey? Do decisions typically meet expectations within your organization? Do you find that decisions made within your organization are more effective when the process includes employees who are carrying out the implementation of decisions?