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Management at Work

You recently became an intern at your school's student advising office. You enjoy helping other students make important decisions,

because you get to consider the different decision$-$making perspectives that you learned about in your management class. Today, you

have an appointment with Eric, a sophomore who is struggling with his decision about a college major. Can you help Eric make the best

decision possible?

First, you explain the rational decision$-$making process to Eric by outlining the steps typically followed by effective decision makers.

In the following table, identify the order in which these steps are usually taken.

After you review the six steps with Eric, he asks for an example of how to define the decision as he decides on a college major. Which of the

following is the correct example to give to Eric?

Eric would articulate the specific issue to be decided: choosing a major so that his course schedule will include the necessary upper$-$

division classes.

Eric would make a list of majors he might want to study.

Eric would assess each option in terms of feasibility, satisfactoriness, and consequences. Eric will want to consider how difficult it will be

for him to pursue each potential major. If some majors have a lot of required classes that are known to be difficult, that major might be

weighed differently than a major with a more general or easier course of study.

Eric would decide to get advice from upper$-$division students about the classes required for certain majors; this includes asking how

difficult the classes are and whether it appears he would likely enjoy the classes.

While Eric likes the structure provided by the rational decision$-$making process, you caution him that it has some shortcomings. Why is the rational

decision$-$making process difficult to apply completely in many situations? Check all that apply.

Managers often make decisions that are not based on facts and logic.

Managers may lack the resources to explore creative solutions.

Managers do not always evaluate situations logically$.$

Managers usually have time to research new and novel alternatives.