Question

Jill is a manager at Dow Corning who has lost five of her employees during the last year. Now she has to make a decision about how to retain the employees on her team. Having recently taken a class on decision making, Jill decides to follow the six-step process for deciding what to do.

1. What problem is Jill most likely to face during the development of alternatives step in the decision-making process?
A) Jumping to solutions before understanding the problemB) Neglecting to gather information on whether or not the plan was successfulC) Satisficing, or choosing the first solution that works, not the best solutionD) Not having the time to take all of the steps outlined in her plan

Answer 1

Jill is most likely to face 'satisficing' during the development of alternatives in the decision-making process, which could lead her to choose the first viable solution rather than the best one.

Step-by-step explanation:

Jill might encounter several problems during the development of alternatives in the decision-making process, an essential step wherein she needs to brainstorm various solutions to retain her employees. The problem she is most likely to face is C) Satisficing, which refers to selecting the first workable solution rather than the best possible one. This tendency occurs when a decision-maker wants a quick fix rather than investing time and effort in finding an optimal solution. Such a pattern could arise due to time constraints, cognitive overload, or a lack of resources.

To avoid satisficing, Jill can use a decision-making matrix, like Jane Career's example, to evaluate each alternative based on relevant factors such as cost, effort, time, and potential benefits. It's also essential for Jill to carefully identify knowns and unknowns and assess each alternative's potential to increase employee retention most effectively before making her decision.