Question & Answer

1.              : Let Owens know that you care about what he’s going through, but insist that he take a short paid leave and get counseling to deal with his emotional difficulties and evaluate the seriousness of his problems with alcohol. If the alcohol abuse continues, require him to attend a treatment program or find another job.

1.              Let it slide. Missing the New York appointment is Owen’s first big mistake. He says he is getting things under control, and you believe that he should be given a chance to get himself back on track.

1.              Give Owens a month’s notice and terminate him. He’s known as a good consultant, so he probably won’t have any trouble finding a new job, and you’ll avoid any further problems associated with his emotional difficulties and his possible alcohol problem.

1.       : What do you think is your dominant decision style? Is your style compatible with group techniques such as brainstorming and engaging in rigorous debate? Discuss.

1.       : Can intuition and evidence-based decision making coexist as valid approaches within an organization? How might managers combine their intuition with a rational, data-driven, evidence-based approach?

1.       : List some possible advantages and disadvantages of using artificial intelligence for managerial decision making.

1.       : Experts advise that most catastrophes in organizations result from a series of small problems or mistakes. As a new, entry-level manager, how might you apply this understanding to help your organization avoid making major mistakes?

1.       : Can you think of a bad decision from your own school or work experience, or from recent business or political news stories, that was made in an effort to correct or justify a past decision? As a new manager, how might you resist the urge to choose a decision alternative based on the idea that it might correct or validate a previous decision?

1.       : What opportunities and potential problems are posed by the formation of more than one coalition within an organization, each one advocating a different direction or alternative? What steps can you take as a manager to make sure that dueling coalitions result in constructive discussion rather than dissension?

1.       : Analyze three decisions you made over the past six months. Which of these were programmed and which were nonprogrammed? Which model—the classical, administrative, or political—best describes the approach you took to making each decision?

1.       : Explain the difference between risk and ambiguity. How might decision making differ for a risky situation versus an ambiguous situation?

1.       : Aaron Alexis, the former Navy reservist who went on a shooting rampage and killed 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington D.C., had a history of mental instability, but he was carrying a valid security clearance. How would you suggest managers make decisions for issuing or revoking security clearances to prevent this kind of catastrophe?

: Explain innovative techniques for decision making, including brainstorming, evidence-based management, and after-action reviews.

: Identify the biases that frequently cause managers to make bad decisions.

Describe four personal decision styles used by managers.

Summarize the six steps used in managerial decision making.

: Compare the ideal, rational model of decision making to the political model of decision making.

: Compare and contrast programmed and nonprogrammed decisions, including how they relate to the presence of certainty, uncertainty, and ambiguity.

1.      : Would you rate Casper’s competitive strategy as pursuing differentiation, cost leadership, focus, or a combination of these? Explain. Do you think Casper will grow successfully and turn a profit? Why?

1.      : With respect to competitive strategy, identify and evaluate Casper’s target customers, its core competence, and how it builds synergy and delivers value.

1.      Have you heard of Casper, purchased a Casper mattress, or visited a Casper store? What is your impression? What do you value most and what do you want to avoid when buying a mattress?

1.      : Instruct Rukman participants to reveal their participation in the corporate marketing program only if directly asked by the person they are talking to about the client’s products.

1.      Require that Rukman participants reveal their ties to the corporate marketing program right up front before they make a recommendation.

1.      : Don’t require Rukman “connectors” to reveal their affiliation with the corporate word-of-mouth marketing campaign. They don’t have to recommend a product they don’t believe in.