Decision-Making Model Analysis

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Decision-Making Model Analysis Jon Prado MGT 350 – Critical Thinking Strategies in Decision Making David Marsh December 02, 2006 Decision-Making Model Analysis There are several different types of decision-making models. The different types of decision-making models include but are not limited to bounded rationality, the incremental model, the coalition model, and the garbage can model. Although the name is not pretty, and the definition is not one to which many would be proud to subscribe, the garbage can model is probably used more often than most people would like to admit. The garbage can model has been defined as the “Model of organizational decision-making depicting a chaotic process and seemingly random decisions” (Thomas & Scott, 2003, 84). The garbage can model of decision making tends to take place when confusion or disagreement arise on what the goals or objectives are or even on the interpretation of what the goals and objectives should be. As another source described the garbage can model, “In this view, the main components of the choice process—problems, solutions, participants, and choice situations—are all mixed up together in the ‘garbage can’ of the organization.” (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2003, 8). The garbage can model seems to be the default approach in many organizations where the setting is fluid and dynamic due to rapidly changing aspects of the work environment, or where the individuals involved may have differing agenda’s. In these situations, solutions tend to emerge more as lessons learned from having walked through the challenges or problems rather than some orderly, pre-planned approach. This approach is not all bad, though. At times, the garbage can model is the only appropriate approach available to a manager. Organizations trying to work in teams often find themselves in these situations. Recently, the

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