Exam 3: Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making

Using groups to solve problems and make decisions is appropriate when an organization faces significant nonprogrammed decisions and conditions of risk or uncertainty.

In Vroom's participative decision-making model,you answer a series of diagnostic questions based on seven variables.

The time-driven version of Vroom's participative decision-making model has a long-term time horizon.

Selecting the first alternative that meets the minimal criteria is known as __________.

Give examples of organizational problems for which brainstorming,nominal grouping,or consensus mapping would be appropriate techniques.

Upper-level managers commonly use __________ for a specific decision.

__________ are the standards that an alternative must meet to be selected as the decision that will accomplish the objective.

Nonprogrammed decisions:

Innovation is a way of thinking that generates new ideas.

__________ is the process of taking corrective action to meet objectives.

Product innovations are changes in the transformation of inputs into outputs.

Half the decisions made by managers fail to solve the problems they are aimed at.

Fast-food manager.As a fast-food manager,you have a high turnover rate.You need to hire two new employees soon as you are short-handed now.You have five applicants.Your employees are the typical high school students who work part time and then eventually quit for better jobs,or when they finish school,get full-time jobs or to go on to college. Step 1: Which version of the model should you use? (_____ time-driven _____ development-driven) Step 2: How did you answer the model's questions? Did you skip any questions? (H = high,L = low,NA = not answered/skipped) Step 3: Which leadership style is the most appropriate? ____ Decide ____ Consult individuals ____ Consult group ____ Facilitate ____ Delegate

__________ is the process of selecting a course of action that will solve a problem.

Nonprogrammed decisions are used in conjunction with decision rules or organizational policies and procedures.

Examples of __________ include synectics and consensus mapping.

A problem exists whenever:

Making a Decision Using the Decision-Making Model.Select a problem.(It can be the one you used for Skill Builder 1.) Instructions Write a brief description of the problem situations.Then,write step 1 of the decision-making model,followed by your answer to this step.Do the same for steps 2-5.List step 6 without any answer following the step.

Give an example of a specific decision that you or your boss have had to make.Was the decision time-driven or development-driven? Using Exhibit 3-11,select the appropriate participation style for the situation.Be sure to state the questions you answered and how (H or L)you answered each.

Generating and evaluating alternatives at the same time tend to lead to satisficing and wasting time discussing poor alternatives rather than optimizing.