Decision-Making

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 – a quality that produces failures in management. Use this case as a foundational analysis of all the information presented in this course. In addition, you may want to review this case again after completing this unit's readings in order to consider how the outcomes at WorldCom might have been prevented.