8.1: A Framework for Decision-Making
8.1.1: Case Study: B. Ebbers Creates Biased Decision-Making at WorldCom
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.
8.1.2: The Foundation of Management Decision-Making
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.
8.1.3: Decision-Making and Management Challenges
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.
8.1.4: Groupthink in 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?
8.1.5: Developing Your Own Management Decision-Making Skills
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.
8.1.6: Framing a Decision
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?