Decision Making and Problem Solving

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Analyzing the decision-making and problem-solving processes Annette Reynolds Professor Burgess BSAD 320-E2WW(F13) August 24, 2013 Analyzing the decision-making and problem-solving processes Before one can analyze decision-making or problem-solving, one needs to understand what these processes are. My personal definition of decision-making is the thought process that one goes through that results in choosing between several possible actions and deciding which action to choose, or in some cases actually choosing to do nothing. My personal definition of problem-solving is the mental process of learning there is a problem, or a deviation from the expected outcome, and then analyzing the potential options that would solve that particular problem (Jones, 1998). Many would choose to see these processes as the same thing because they are very closely related. However, solving a problem requires that one take some action to correct the problem. Decision-making is not just about solving problems. Decision-making can be applied to many situations, including problems. So differentiating between decision-making and problem-solving means looking at the focus of what is being done. Problem-solving is focusing on finding solutions, while decision-making is focused on determining which solution to choose. Problem-solving should be used when there is a need to discover what is going wrong and analyze the situation to find solutions. Decision-making should be used to determine which course of action should be chosen to pursue (Plunket & Hale, 1982). Making the best decision entails taking the time to apply the steps of decision-making to the issue. One must first establish the objectives and place those objectives in order of importance. Next, one must develop alternative actions and evaluate those alternatives to the objectives. The best decision
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