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DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
Term Paper ID:26954
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Essay Subject:
Examines steps of decision-making in theory & applied to public administration. Brainstorming, objectives, experts, alternatives, etc.... More...
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5 Pages / 1125 Words
6 sources, 7 Citations,
APA Format
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Paper Abstract:
Examines steps of decision-making in theory & applied to public administration. Brainstorming, objectives, experts, alternatives, etc.
Paper Introduction:
Management
When we define decision making, we refer to it as a process of identifying problems and opportunities, and then resolving them. Assuming that you are a Public Administrator, how would you define and identify the problems and opportunities that exist between the "public's interest" and the "public's best interest"?
Decision Making
The decision making, or problem solving, process can be broken down into six phases, some of which overlap in some situations: recognizing the need for a decision; identifying the objectives; identifying alternatives; evaluating alternatives; selecting the best alternative; and, implementing the decision (Steers, 1991, p. 243).
Recognizing the need f
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Through these methods, individuals involved in theproblem solving process can determine what the underlying cause of theproblem is rather than just approach the problem from the symptomstandpoint. Managing an organization as a system. Conservative communities maybe hard-pressed to implement an extreme solution, while other communitiesmay not have the resources necessary for some alternatives. The implementation plan includes who is responsible forwhat actions, and in what timeframe, in order to implement the selectedalternative. Group composition and decision- making. ReferencesBehn, R. Once alternatives that are clearly unacceptable are dismissed, a waymust be found to effectively evaluate the remaining options. 136). Because of this, objectives should beclear and quantifiable, and understood by all concerned in the decisionmaking process. 214). 136.Gruenfeld, D. Managers must also realize that doing nothing, orchoosing to take no action, is an acceptable course. New York: HarperCollins. (1996, June). Introduction to Organizational Behavior. Public Administration Review, pp. Quality Progress, p. These techniques, particularly brainstorming, can also be usedto generate alternative solutions later on in the decision making process.Unfortunately, these techniques can be difficult to use when working withthe public interest. For example, a manager who needs to oversee acommunity development project is likely to call in experts regarding theconstruction and impact on the community. ManagementWhen we define decision making, we refer to it as a process of identifyingproblems and opportunities, and then resolving them. Use of such experts can shorten the timeassociated with searching for alternatives, and can help the manager findsolutions that would otherwise remain hidden (Gruenfeld, 1996, p. New York: Harper & Row.Steers, R. If there are other viablesolutions, that are available, public administrators may recommend thosealternatives over the best interest in the interest of political expediency(Behn, 1998, p. In still other situations, there may be no alternative that adequatelyaddresses the objective. Recognizing the need for a decision requires that managers recognizethe difference between symptoms and underlying problems. D. If those making decisions have different interpretationsof what the organization is trying to accomplish, it is unlikely that theorganization will be successful. M. (1997, February). P., & and Rummler, G. 243). In other situations, there can be several, oreven many, solutions that accomplish that goal (such as increasingproduction by some percentage). However, there are other considerations that need to be taken intoaccount besides the possible outcomes of particular alternatives.Consideration must be given to the cost of implementation, the amount oftime required to put each alternative into effect, and the likelihood thatthe necessary resources can be obtained to implement a specificalternative. There may be times, for example, that thepublic's best interest is a highly unpopular alternative that will causeproblems for elected officials and their re-election if implemented, butthat will serve the community in the long-term. Clearly, a publicadministrator wants to act in the public's best interest, but it can bedifficult to determine what that best interest is when there areconflicting alternatives. What right do public managers have to lead? Necessary whenever new programs areundertaken, program monitoring is critical when the public interest is atstake. 213). Withoutthis communication, any one individual can inadvertently cause problemswith the implementation (Behn, 1998, p. Recognizing the need for a decision may be the most important step inthe decision making process. (1996, July). Otheralternatives may have certain characteristics that make them untenable,such as being heavily laden with restrictions, or requiring that thecommunity stray from its long-term goals (Behn, 1998, p. 2 9-224.Brache, A. Brainstorming and cause-and-effect diagrams can be used to helpisolate problems. If the problem facing the organization is acute, long-termsolutions may have to be delayed in favor of short-term "fixes". Thus a single situation may have severalalternatives which are in the public interest, but only one which is in thepublic's best interest. Somealternatives can be dismissed because they are not in keeping with thestandards or expectations of the community. Ideally, key public representatives can be included inthe decision making process to help identify and separate the publicinterest from the public's best interest using these techniques(Donndelinger & Van Dine, 1996, p. Use the cause-and-effect diagram to manage conflict. (1998, May-June). O. Staff members can use brainstorming during privatesessions, and then present the ideas generated at those sessions duringpublic hearings. If there is no alternative that is acceptable, it may be thatthe core problem has not yet been uncovered, or that there is not a realproblem to be solved. In the latter situation, the publicadministrator is likely to establish additional criteria by which thealternatives may be judged. Training, pp. Human Relations in Organizations. This canalso be a time-consuming process, but one that is of importance tooperations managers since they may be considering several different piecesof new equipment, each with different costs and returns, for example. 223). In this situation, the manager may choose torestate the problem in the hope of finding alternatives that may be moreappropriate. 68-74.Donndelinger, D., & Van Dine, B. This can beparticularly problematic in the public arena in that various stakeholdersmay perceive the underlying problem differently. A. Once alternatives have been generated, they must be evaluated. 1). The implementation plan should also include a method for monitoringthe success of the program. 69). Organizational Behavior and Human Processes, pp. Assuming that you area Public Administrator, how would you define and identify the problems andopportunities that exist between the "public's interest" and the "public'sbest interest"? (199 ). Decision Making The decision making, or problem solving, process can be broken downinto six phases, some of which overlap in some situations: recognizing theneed for a decision; identifying the objectives; identifying alternatives;evaluating alternatives; selecting the best alternative; and, implementingthe decision (Steers, 1991, p. Some managersassign probabilities to expected outcomes associated with variousalternatives and then select the alternative that yields the highest returnbased on these probabilities. 1-16.Jenks, V. Through such monitoring, the public official can gauge whether thedesired results are being achieved, and whether the public's best interestis truly being served. (1991). During the evaluation phase, managers need to pay attention to theimplementation of the decision and the procedures necessary to bring aboutthe desired goal. This may include a combination of cost,return, initial investment, and other factors that are likely to bringabout the most favorable situation for the community. In the public sector, thereare guidelines in many situations which determine when public input must besought; in other situations, bureaucrats, and public employees will be ableto identify issues which require problem solving techniques (Brache &Rummler, 1997, p. It is at this point that the difference between the public interestand the public's best interest becomes key. Identifying the objectives also helps in later stages of the decisionmaking process, including determining which alternatives might beappropriate, and which are not. If the manager does not recognize that thereis a decision to be made or a problem to be solved, he or she cannot takethe necessary steps to resolve the situation. Operations managers may call in experts in order to expedite theproblem solving process. In many cases, use of experts ismandated by public law. H., et al. In many situations, there is only one alternative that meets theobjectives set out earlier. Managers andorganizations that address only symptoms and not root causes are unlikelyto have long-term success. While this approach provides managers withthe comfort of offering some type of quantitative approach to decisionmaking, it remains subjective in the assignment of probabilities. The many decisions and plans associated with theimplementation must be clearly communicated to all who are involved in theprocess in order to ensure that implementation proceeds smoothly.
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