Management Week 4

gap between an actual and desired situation

3 problem solving methods

identifying trends that are different from the past can indicate a potential problem

to forecast and anticipate problems, people consider different scenarios and then plan how they would handle those.

customers may complain about certain aspects of a product or service. if nothing is done in response to these complaints a company could miss out on an opportunity to prevent a brewing problem

identifying and choosing solutions that lead to a desired result

rational model: logical 4 step approach to decision making

based on premise that decision making is not rational simons normative model and garbage can model

based on premise that decision making is not rational - decision makers are guided by bounded rationality and is characterized by limited information processing and satisficing

based on prmise that decision making is sloppy and haphazard

use information readily available in memory

using similar situations to predict the occurence of an event

decide before investigating then seek confirming evidence

decisions are influenced by initial information, data, stereotypes

tendency to be overconfident about estimates or forecasts

kowledge of an outcome influences our belief about the probability that we could have predicted the outcome earlier

tendency to consider risks about gains differently than risks about losses

tendency to stick to an ineffective course of action when it is unlikely that the bad situation can be reversed

implementing systems and practices that increase the sharing of knowledge and information throughout an organization

information gained through experience that is difficult to express and formalize

information that can be easily put into words and shared with others

A Decision Making Style: have a low tolerance for ambiguity and are task oriented. They are efficient and action oriented but tend to be autocratic

A Decision Making Style: have a higher tolerance for ambiguity and a tendency to overanalyze a situation. They tend to consider more information and take longer to make decisions but can be autocratic

A Decision Making Style: have a high tolerance for ambiguity and tend to focus on the people or social aspects of work. They take a broad persepctive and like to consider numerous options, but can be indecisive when making decisions

A Decision Making Style: are the most people oriented of the four possibilities. They are supportive and receptive, but have a tendency to avoid conflict and to be too concerned about others

T/F groups are more efficient than individuals

T/F groups are more confident in their choices than individuals

T/F the larger the group the poorer the decision quality

When to use groups for decision making

process to generate a quantity of ideas where quantity is more important than quality, no criticism, build on others ideas, create status free environment

group meets to discuss a problem
individual generate ideas independently
everyone shares an idea from his/her list and they are recorded
group discusses all ideas
group members vote

manager identifies an issue
questionnaire is sent to others and returned to manager
manager summarizes responds and sends feedback to participants
participants send their feedback and comments
cycle repeats until issue is resolved or all relevant info is gathered

thinking up new things
doing new things

creating something entirely new

combining or synthesizing two existing things

improving or changing things

one party perceives its interests are being opposed or set back by another party

serves organization's interest - typicall issue focused and stimulates creativity

threatens organization's interests - typically person focused - breeds hostility - stifles communication

4 causes of conflicts

Desired conflict outcomes

outcome of conflict: desired because unresolved conflicts typically come back as problems in the future.

outcome of conflict: are desired because conflict that is resolved positively is more likely to lead to future interaction and information sharing between parties

outcome of conflict: results from positively resolved conflict that helps shape our behaior and helps us grow as individuals

three types of conflict

someone challenges the group or decision makers on an existing or new proposed course of action

focuses on challenging assumptions and developing complee alternative solutions and debating them based on their merits

Five conflict handling styles

the i win you lose perspective

the I lose you win perspective

I lose and you lose persective

you win I win perspective

Alfonso tends to be an agreeable person with a high need for affiliation.  When he encounters conflict situations at work he is most likely to use which conflict management style:
a.Dominating; Integrating
b.Integrating; Compromising
c.Compromising; Avoiding
d.Obliging; Dominating
e.Avoiding; Obliging

avoiding costly lawsuits by resolving conflicts informally or through medidation or arbitration

neutral third party guides parties to make a mutually acceptable solution

parties agree to accept the decision of the neutral arbitrator

give and take process between conflicting interdependenet parties

when the parties are take a win lose perspective based on the premise that whater you gain i lose and vice versa

people not taking stands or positions but instead focusing on their and the other party's underlying interests

Before entering a negotiation with a client over the price of his company’s service, Ben thinks about the client’s interests and his company’s interests.  He then brainstorms several options that would satisfy both needs.  The approach Ben is taking represents:
a.Integrative negotiation
b.Distributive negotiation
c.“I win, you lose” negotiation
d.Compromise negotiation

reflects the prominence of its brand in the minds of the public and the perceived quality of its goods and services

defined as the willingness to be vulnerable to a trustee based on positive expectations abou tthe authority's actions and intentions

reflects the perceived fairness of an authority's decision making

reflects the degree to which the behaviors of na authority are in accordance with generally accepted moral norms

means your personality traits include a general propensity to trust others

means that trust is rooted in a rational assessment of the authority's trustworthiness

means that it depends on feelings toward the authority that go beyond any rational assessment

a general expectation that the words, promises, and statements of individuals and groups can be relied upon

the characteristics or attributes of a trustee that inspire trust

defined as the skills, competenciess, and areas of experties that enable an authority to be successful in some area

the believe that the authority wants to do good for the trustor apart from any selfish or profit centered motives

the perception that the authority adheres to a set of values and principles that the trustor finds acceptable

the perceived fairness of decision amking outcomes

reflects the perceived fairness of decision making processes

procedural just rule: concerns giving employees a chance to express their opinions and views during the course of decision making

procedural just rule: provides employees with a chance to request an appeal when a procedure seems to have worked ineffectively

procedural just rule: help ensure that procedures are neutral and objective

reflects the perceived fairness of the treatemnt received by employees from authroities

pertains to whether authorities treat employees in a dignified and sincere manner

reflcets whether authorities refrain from making improper or offensive remarks

sustained dislplay of hostile verbal and nonverbal behaviors excluding physical contact

reflects the perceived fairness of the communications provided to employees from authories

mandates that authorities explain decision making procedures and outcomes in a comprehensive and reasonable manner

requires that those communications be honest and candid

occurs when an authority recognizes that a moral issue exists in a situation or that an ethical code or pronciple is relevant to the circumstance

captures the degree to which the moral issue has ethical urgency

captures the degree to which people chronically perceive and consider issues of morality during their experience

reflects the process people use to determine whether a particular course of action is ethical or unethical

argues that as people age and mature they move through several stages of moral development

reflects an authority's degree of commitment to the moral course of action

relationships that are based on narrowly defined, quid pro quo obligations that are specified in advance and have an explicit repayment schedule.

relationships  are based on vaguely defined obligations that are open-ended and long-term in their repayment schedule.