University Management: Decision Making Process and Assumptions Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the decision-making process in management, focusing on the criteria for effective decisions, the importance of identifying alternatives, and the role of assumptions. The report, written as a memorandum, explores the factors that influence managerial decisions, such as feasibility, stakeholder consultation, and the systematic approach to decision-making. It emphasizes the critical need for considering multiple alternatives and the pitfalls of relying solely on assumptions. The author presents real-life examples to illustrate the practical application of these concepts, including both personal experiences and scenarios provided by a superior, highlighting the potential consequences of incorrect assumptions. References to academic sources support the analysis, offering a well-rounded perspective on the subject.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Management (Decision Making Process)
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note:

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Memorandum
To: Alexander Menendez
From: Michael Andrews, Operations Manager
Date: 1st January, 2020
Subject: (Decision making process and Assumption making)
The following memo is being written in order to deliver a clear idea on the decision
making process of the managers and assume the perspectives related to the process. The very
first thing that has been presented here in this memo is the different criterions that can be
used by me as a manager to undertake different good decisions. Some of the major criteria
that helps me in the determination of making good decisions are;
a. It is my duty to determine on whether the decision is feasible and effective enough for
the business
b. The identification of the different alternatives to clear understanding of the issue, and
determine the various solutions at the disposal
c. I must consult all the related employees before coming to any conclusion regarding
the decision making process
I believe that following a systematic process involving all the related stakeholders can be
helpful for me to gain business success and make heed to the business process. However
amongst the given criterion I believe that the most important one that must be followed by me
is the determination of the different alternatives of the decisions. The selection of the
different kinds of the alternatives is highly important for the decision making process in case
when the first decision making process totally fails (Bals, Kirchoff & Foerstl, 2016). The

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failure of the first process can be managed by me in the presence of the second or third
alternative decision.
Assumptions form an important part in the decision making process. A number of
different assumptions are made by us during the implementation of the decision making
process. However, it is better for us to not base the decisions on the assumptions (Barabba,
2018). The basis of the decisions must always be on the different facts related to the topic. In
the realm of the decision making assumptions the things to be considered includes the likes of
the previous occurrences, early communications as well as the experiences of the past. A real
life example in this regard can be said to be one of my real life examples that helped me to
gain success. I had the assumption that undertaking a new project as a manager while
handling another project based on the same subject could be tough. However, once I started
doing so, I realised that the project was an extension of the earlier project with the application
of the same theories which made the task much easy.
Two real life examples that could help me to assess the importance of assumption
process were provided to me by my boss. In one case an automobile manufacturer had the
assumption that the demand for SUV’s will rise as the gas prices will be rising. This
assumption is completely wrong as the increase in the gas prices will create a challenging
situation for the economy and the people will find it difficult to afford SUV’s given the rising
cost of the fuel. Secondly, the assumption of an airline company for the need of an airline
with no added amenities is equally wrong as the customers in the globalized era always
searches for added amenities in an airlines to make their journey better. Thus, in both the
cases the management of the companies must ensure to assume in a positive manner to gain
success in the market.

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References and Bibliography
Bals, L., Kirchoff, J. F., & Foerstl, K. (2016). Exploring the reshoring and insourcing
decision making process: toward an agenda for future research. Operations
Management Research, 9(3-4), 102-116.
Barabba, V. (2018). Learning by revisiting assumptions: an adaptive decision
process. Strategy & Leadership, 46(3), 37-44.
de Vente, J., Reed, M., Stringer, L., Valente, S., & Newig, J. (2016). How does the context
and design of participatory decision making processes affect their outcomes?
Evidence from sustainable land management in global drylands. Ecology and
Society, 21(2).
Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2017). Human resource
management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
Education.