Chapter 11 Decision Making and Creativity

Brainstorming

A method used to help groups generate multiple ideas and alternatives for solving problems. (392)

Groupthink

A mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when members; strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.

Evidence-based decision making (EBDM)

A process of conscientiously using the best available data and evidence when making managerial decisions. (380)

Cohesiveness

A sense of "we-ness" that overrides individual differences and motives. (390)

Decision-making style

How an individual perceives and comprehends stimuli and the general manner in which he or she chooses to respond to such information. (384)

Tacit knowledge

Information gained through experience that is difficult to express and formalize. (374)

Explicit knowledge

Information that can easily be put into words. (374)

Electronic brainstorming

(also called brainwriting) allows participants to submit their ideas and alternatives over a computer network

Decision tree

A graphical representation of the process underlying decisions.

Delphi technique

A group process that anonymously generates ideas or judgements from physically dispersed experts. (392)

Consensus

Compares an individual's behavior with that of his or her peers. Reached when all members agree to support the outcome. (392)

Decision support systems (DSS)

Computer-based interactive systems that help decision makers to use data and models to solve unstructured problems. (392)

Satisficing

Consists of choosing a solution that meets some minimum qualifications, one that is "good enough" (372)

Decision making

Entails identifying and choosing alternative solutions that lead to a desired state of affairs. (368)

Rational model of decision making

Explains how managers SHOULD make decisions. (368)

Nonrational models of decision making

Models typically built on assumptions that decision making is uncertain, that decision makers do not possess complete information, and that managers struggle to make optimal decisions. (371)

Goal displacement

Occurs when the primary goal is overridden by a secondary goal. (390)

Minority dissent

Reflects the extent to which group members feel comfortable disagreeing with other group members. (391)

Big data

Reflects the vast quantity of data available for decision making. (382)

Judgmental heuristics

Represent cognitive shortcuts or biases that are used to simplify the process of making decisions. (376)

Creative performance behaviors

Represent four key behaviors that drive the production of creative outcomes. (394)

Opportunity

Represents a situation in which there are possibilities to do things that lead to results that exceed goals and expectations. (396)

Intuition

Represents judgments, insights, or decisions that come to mind on their own, without explicit awareness cues and without explicit evaluation of the validity of these cues. (373)

Bounded rationality

Represents the notion that decision makers are "bounded"or restricted by a variety of constraints when making decisions. (371)

Creative outcome effectiveness

The joint novelty and usefulness (quality) of a product or service as judged by others. (394)

Creativity

The process of producing new and useful ideas concerning products, services , processes, and procedures. (394)

Escalation of commitment bias

refers to the tendency to stick to an ineffective course of action when it is unlikely that the bad situation can be reversed. (397)

Holistic hunch

represents a judgement that is based on a subconscious integration of information stored in memory. (373)