Chapter 7.4 Four General Decision-Making Styles

2. The Analytical Style: Careful Decision Makers Who Like Lots of Information and Alternative Choices

Managers with an analytical style have a much higher tolerance for ambiguity and are characterized by the tendency to overanalyze a situation. People with this style like to consider more information and alternatives than those following the directive style. Analytical individuals are careful decision makers who take longer to make decisions but who also respond well to new or uncertain situations

4. The Behavioral Style: The Most People-Oriented Decision Makers

The behavioral style is the most people oriented of the four styles. People with this style work well with others and enjoy social interactions in which opinions are openly exchanged. Behavioral types are supportive, are receptive to suggestions, show warmth, and prefer verbal to written information. Although they like to hold meetings, people with this style have a tendency to avoid conflict and to be concerned about others. This can lead behavioral types to adopt a wishy-washy approach to decision making and to have a hard time saying no.

When the dimensions of value orientation and tolerance for ambiguity are combined, they form

4 styles of decision making: 1) directive 2) analytical 3) conceptual 4) behavioral

3. The Conceptual Style: Decision Makers Who Rely on Intuition and Have a Long-Term Perspective

People with a conceptual style have a high tolerance for ambiguity and tend to focus on the people or social aspects of a work situation. They take a broad perspective to problem solving and like to consider many options and future possibilities. Conceptual types adopt a long-term perspective and rely on intuition and discussions with others to acquire information. They also are willing to take risks and are good at finding creative solutions to problems. However, a conceptual style can foster an indecisive approach to decision making.

1. The Directive Style: Action-Oriented Decision Makers Who Focus on Facts

People with a directive style have a low tolerance for ambiguity and are oriented toward task and technical concerns in making decisions. They are efficient, logical, practical, and systematic in their approach to solving problems. People with this style are action oriented and decisive and like to focus on facts. In their pursuit of speed and results, however, these individuals tend to be autocratic, to exercise power and control, and to focus on the short run.

tolerance for ambiguity

This individual difference indicates the extent to which a person has a high need for structure or control in his or her life. Some people desire a lot of structure in their lives (a low tolerance for ambiguity) and find ambiguous situations stressful and psychologically uncomfortable. In contrast, others do not have a high need for structure and can thrive in uncertain situations (a high tolerance for ambiguity). Ambiguous situations can energize people with a high tolerance for ambiguity.

A decision-making style

reflects the combination of how an individual perceives and responds to information

Value orientation

reflects the extent to which a person focuses on either task and technical concerns or people and social concerns when making decisions. Some people, for instance, are very task focused at work and do not pay much attention to people issues, whereas others are just the opposite.