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CONTENTS OF 48-PAGE BOOKLET:
  •  The Big Picture
  •  Problem Solving and Decision Making
  •  The Decision Making Process
  •  System of Decision Making and Problem Solving
  •  Intuitive Decision Making
  •  Short Formula for Decision Making
  •  Full Model and Formula
  •  Specific Individual “Sciences”


    • STAGES AS APPLIED TO DECISION MAKING:
    1. Curious Observation
    2. Is There a Problem?
    3. Goals and Planning
    4. Search, Explore and Gather the Evidence
    5. Generate Creative & Logical Alternative Solutions
    6. Evaluate the Evidence
    7. Make the Educated Guess (Hypothesis)
    8. Challenge the Hypothesis
    9. Reach a Conclusion
    10. Suspend Judgment
    11. Take Action

    SUPPORTING INGREDIENTS:
    12. Creative, Non-Logical, Logical & Technical Methods
    13. Procedural Principles & Theories
    14. Attributes & Thinking Skills

  •  Group or Team Decision Making
  •  Management Decision Making Technique
  •  Managerial Decision Making
  •  Behavior Decision Making Theory
  •  Accounting for Risks Involved
  •  Decision Making under Uncertainty, Forecasting and Predicting
  •  Miscellaneous Strategies
  •  Opportunities to Use My Non-copyrighted Material
  •  Bibliography
  •  Your Guide and Worksheet
    		•

    Managerial Decision Making

    The Most Powerful Decision Making Technique - Use the Scientific Method

    In Technology, Management & Society (1970), the great management guru Peter F. Drucker said:

    "This job of defining the universe of a science and of setting its basic postulates has to be done, however crudely, before the scientific method can be applied. If it is not done, or done wrongly, the scientific method cannot be applied. If it is done, and done right, the scientific method becomes applicable and, indeed, powerful."

    When he first wrote this in 1969, Drucker thought management science "still has to do this job of defining its universe." Today we know enough about the science of managerial decision making, especially now that we have the SM-14 model formula, that the scientific method of decision making can be applied and is indeed a powerful managerial decision making technique or method.

    Management Decision Making

    It is self-evident that better management decision making and problem solving can greatly improve an organization's profits and goals. My research has shown that the SM-14 model is by far the best management decision making tool. A number of studies have shown that managers do not achieve much over 50% correct results in their decision making and problem solving. Why is this? Decision making technique has only been taught to a small extent in our colleges and universities. Many now offer a decision sciences course. But what has been lacking is widespread teaching of a good introductory course to decision making and a decision making model formula suitable as a standard, such as SM-14. Teaching decision making using a universal complete model such as SM-14 and a standard short model would be a tremendous advance in management decision making.

    Decision Making Lesson Plans

    In general, there has been a lack of understanding of the importance of studying decision making technique as a separate subject by all students, although some have been stressing teaching decision making. This site offers the material and guidance for our academic community to develop better introductory courses and lesson plans for all managerial students and others, especially since no copyright is claimed on the material on this site, which is excellent for the study of managerial decision making.

    Why the System Concept Is Important for Managerial Decision Making

    The whole theory of decision making must be taught for effective decision making in organizations. The SM-14 model includes not only the 11 steps or stages of mental activity but also includes 3 supporting ingredients that cover the system concept of problem solving and decision making. Nothing is left to chance. The supporting ingredients explicitly cover decision making techniques and methods.

    Scientific Management as Applied to Managerial Decision Making

    The management science that Peter Drucker was concerned about is not just time and motion studies and efficiency of production workers, as Taylor made famous. It is really the application of a model formula for the scientific method system such as SM-14 to all phases of an organization. SM-14 should be included in all books on management, as it is ideal for management decision making. Since a good decision making technique or system has not been adequately taught in the past, many managers and employees should consider learning different decision making techniques. Larger organizations should organize training courses based on the material presented here for an effective decision making technique or method.

    A review of my Research Report #4, Models, Systems, Guides for Decision Making in the Literature, shows many authors offering slightly different decision making model formulas. This should not be the situation to have a correct management science that properly covers managerial decision making.