Reflective Analytical Report on Decision Making Process

The report contains the intended use of reflective writing on decision making. It focusses on the individual and the processes specified to that individual. This report will reflect those processes in context of my own experience and the wider reading that has been done in the individual report.

Running head: REFLECTIVE ANALYTICAL REPORT
Reflective Analytical Report
Name of student
Name of University
Author’s Note

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Executive Summary
The report contains the intended use of reflective writing on decision making. It focusses on the
individual and the processes specified to that individual. This report will reflect those processes
in context of my own experience and the wider reading that has been done in the individual
report. As a decision-maker, I will be able to identify and critique the frameworks and specific
models.

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Table of Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................5
Some Effective Steps of Decision Making Process.....................................................................................6
Various Models of Decision Making...........................................................................................................7
Rational or Classical Model.....................................................................................................................8
Bounded Rationality or Administrative Model.......................................................................................8
Retrospective Model................................................................................................................................9
Consumer Decision Making Model.......................................................................................................10
Five Stage Model of Consumer Decision Making Model.........................................................................11
Assumption................................................................................................................................................12
Analysis.....................................................................................................................................................12
Strength and Weaknesses of Consumer Decision-Making Process..........................................................13
Weaknesses of Rational or Classical Model..........................................................................................14
Weakness of Bounded rational..............................................................................................................14
Critiques of Consumer Decision Making Model.......................................................................................15
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................16
Bibliography..............................................................................................................................................17

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Introduction
Decision-making process is the logical and difficult task, no matter whether the decision
is big or small. But in our everyday life we usually focus on decisions for self rather that thinking
of what way to make them. In this paper, I started to reflect my own process of making a
decision and talk about my personal decision style and identify the weaknesses in that style.
The purpose of this report is to provide a reflective analytical report that support the
analysis of making a decision through solid research on models, methods, framework and
taxonomy. It will identify the characteristics of decision making process and analyse the
reflection. It will contain some supported resource located in the process of decision making. For
everyone who are involved in the educational background reflect some practice of decision
making. Reflection is best describe in the novel of Harry Potter, ‘The Goblet of Fire’. In the
novel there was paragraph where the chief wizard Dumbledore and the head teacher was talking
about excess thoughts to Harry. The spot patterns and links become easier. This indicates that
experience is not sufficient in order to learn. If there is no reflection in the experience, then it is
quickly forgotten and it may happen that the potential of learning might lost. Through reflection,
thoughts and feelings emerges that generate the concept of decision making. Every new situation
can be effectively tackled through generalizations. Decision making has provide an opportunity
to gain an insight from the work experience. This report will further consider the perspective of
the people and certain model and methods. Finally, it will conclude by making related
recommendation that change the decision-making model.

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Some Effective Steps of Decision Making Process
Step 1: Decision Identification: This step is very important to make a decision. If I have to take a
decision, I need to realize what decision need to make and clearly identify the nature of the
decision that I have made.
Step 2: Relevant information will be gathered: Before I make any decision I need to gather some
pertinent information to take a decision. This can be from the best sources provided, from the
information that is needed and find ways to get it. Some information will be process through
self-assessment which is the internal work. The other work will be find the outline in books,
people and sources that are external.
Step 3: Alternatives are identified: In this step, I will be able to list all the desirable and possible
alternatives to collect information from all possible alternatives and paths of action. For any new
alternatives I can use my imagination and additional information to make a decision.
Step 4: Evidence are Weigh: An imagination has to be drawn on mind related with my own
information and emotions to carry out the alternatives at the end. Step 1 has to be evaluated to
know whether it meet the need that was identified to be resolve through various alternatives.
Finally, all the alternatives are placed based on order priority of my own value of system.
Step 5: Selecting from various Alternatives: The evidence one weighed, I have to decide which
alternative to select that would be best for me. I can also choose the combination of alternatives.
The choice may be likely be similar to the alternative that I have placed in step 4.
Step 6: Take some action: In this step, I will be ready to take positive action by implementing
the alternative that I have chosen in step 5.

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Step 7: Decision Review and their consequences: This is the final step, the decision result will
be considered and evaluated whether the need has been resolved that I have identified in step 1.
If in any case the decision could not met the identified need, then there are certain steps that need
to be repeated in the process and make a new decision.
Various Models of Decision Making
To start with the process of decision making, it is required to follow the steps. In general
case, if I simply take a decision on getting a food when I feel hungry. The signal of the body or
the metabolism is enough to make the decision and it simply can be understood that I wanted to
have some food to fill my stomach. However, there are some complicated decision in life which
are found either through the process of observation or through the process of deduction or can be
also said intuitively. All this depends on the occasion, situation and the decision itself that I
make. Most of the decision that are make among them are the one that I would like to reflect on
this paper.
There are many activities that begins mentally with observation. Even Galileo use to
make observation to find out the problem and could agree to it totally. In this paper, I have
referred to the observation that has widely defined the natural phenomena, the people I observe,
in the society where I live and into some written materials.
The model is beneficial to understand the nature of the process of decision-making. There is
certain assumption made in this model to take a decision. Some of them are discussed in this
section.

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Rational or Classical Model
The first model of decision-making-process is the rational model. It considers the classical
approach to understand the process of decision making. There are various steps involve in the
process of decision-making. The features involve in the Classical Model are as follow:
 Clear the problems that are identified
 Clear the Objectives that are identified
 Based on criteria and weights the people will agree
 Alternatives are all known
 Anticipate all the consequences
 Making a rational Decision
 Unbiased to recognize the problems
 Capability of processing all the information that are relevant
 Anticipate the consequences of the present and future decisions
 The desired results were searched for all the alternatives
Bounded Rationality or Administrative Model
Achieving a goal is involving in decision making. It is the demands of the rationality that
all the alternative courses should be properly understood and as decision-maker I have to achieve
the goals. I should have the complete information and should have the ability to properly analyse
several alternative courses of the goal. I should have a desire to achieve the goal and satisfy
themselves with best solutions. The author has defined rationality as the objective and intelligent
action through behavioral nexus, the model has characterized between ends and means of
behavioral nexus. Any decision to be rational it is appropriate to choose means that can reach the
desired ends. Instead of this, people start to assume and may think to seek only those solutions

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that are best, and normally settle less. This happens because confront decisions typically demand
for larger information, time, and capabilities of processing. There are limited or bounded
rationality that are settle for decision-making. The basic concepts for this model is discussed
below:
From sequential attention to the alternative solution: There is a tendency for normal
people to examine one possible solution at one time instead they can think of identifying all the
possible solutions and then can stop the search once the solution is found that can be accepted.
My personal experience was when it was decided to select a volunteer for the class. Each student
started selecting one individual of their own choice but instead it was supposed to be that all in
one has to select only one individual.
Heuristic: Heuristic are the assumptions to search for some alternative guide to those
that have high probability to yield in the area of success.
Satisficing: The author call “satisficing” as “good enough” or satisfactory course of
action that is to be picked under certain circumstances. There is a tendency that a decision maker
always accepts the first alternative that can meet the minimal requirements once acceptable and
then later push further with alternative to produce a best result. Satisficing is mostly preferred in
small significance decisions. It is the major constraint for similar alternatives. Therefore, as per
the perspective model, classical or rational model indicated the way to make certain decisions,
while as per the descriptive model, decisions are made actually.
Retrospective Model
This model of decision-making is also known as implicit favorite model. It focuses on the
attempts made by the decision-makers through which the choice is rationalize when being made.

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It also focuses on justifying the decisions. Per Soelberg developed this model and made some
observation of the business graduate students regarding the process of choosing a job. In many of
the cases, he noted that all the alternative or implicit favorite have been identified by the students
in the early process of choosing and recruiting. However, there are additional alternatives for
student to search and quickly select the alternative that is best. Justification has been made for
the total process and design to guise the scientific rigor, intuitively made a decision. Through this
method, it becomes easier for an individual to get convince and act rationally. It becomes easier
to take a logical way and take a reasonable decision on topics that are important.
Consumer Decision Making Model
There are lot of choice for a consumer to make a decision. Before making any purchase
from a supermarket or shop the customer has to consider various factors to purchase an item and
make the final decision. However, some product does not need to think much and customer has
already fix the image on their mind of that one product as they usually purchase them on regular
basis. I have read through various sources and literature to analysis this model. I found that this
model could give a competitive edge to the life-cycle of the product and provide a completive
market in the business that operate today.

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Five Stage Model of Consumer Decision Making Model
Figure 1: Consumer Decision-Making Process Stages
Source: Author
This figure describe the five stages of the Consumer Decision-Making Process based on the
cultural, individual, social and Psychological factors that affect all the five stage namely
recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase and behavior of Post
purchase.
In the process of consumer decision making model, I have to select from various products,
choice, brands products or ideas. There are some stages that are necessary and some vary the
level of involvement for the consumer’s and some may all together skip. The researcher in one of
the study even describe that some of the consumer does not necessary require level of

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information search in purchasing a product. Another author describes a simple Consumer
Decision Making Model. In this model, the overlay phase of input, process and output also
including decision making, external influence and behavior of post-decision of the five stages are
similar to the model mention above. The outline of the simple Consumer Decision Making
Model for the five stages need recognition and pre-purchase search. This will be then followed
by some alternative evaluation, purchase and post-purchase evaluation. Such frameworks need to
be seen as a flexible guideline for the Marketers.
Assumption
When observed carefully, rational decisions remove the assumptions, uncertainty and
subjectivity from making a decision. As a decision-maker I had accurate information and
knowledge about the situation, the cause that is underlying and the effect of relationships that
evaluate several situation and provide with necessary tools and competence. This case may not
always remain the same. It may often found wanting the quality, quantity, and accuracy and
information integrity. Human has the ability to gather in a limit, process and understand the
outcome of the decision that can optimize the information. The defect that can be seen in the
information now translate in the defect of the decision. The decision made by the people mostly
depends on the experience, conventions, culture, education and other factors.
Analysis
When making a decision, a deeper reflection of the decision will be considered with
evidence. Depending on the situation judgment has been provided. The author has identified
tools and technique for the development of decision making process. In this section, I would
analyse the strength and weaknesses of Consumer Decision Making Model with a particle
experience with my interviewees.

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Strength and Weaknesses of Consumer Decision-Making Process
My interviewees have skipped the ‘alternatives evaluation’ stage all together. The stage
was more of like Apparel Purchase Process Model which include three phases namely interest,
trail or to buy or reject. Unknowingly, my interviewee amplified about the discussion that the
author had suggested, stating that apparel was evaluated by women to shorten their process of
purchasing. This was done because on ascetics the assessment is heavily based. In my case, my
interviewee described the length, color and fabric weight that was sufficient for trial product that
has to be undertaken and follow the purchase. In the environment of women’s retail fashion, the
quality and aesthetic level has been communicated to have a promoting effect from the behavior
of the customer positively towards the purchasing.
It was found that the response of the respondents was different. The first respondent
looked the organization marketing efforts and to the socio-cultural environment of the pre-
purchase search. The respondent was initially motivated by forces within his psychological field.
The external influences came at the time when the decision process has started. However, second
respondent was initially responsive to the social0culture environment. She was then checking the
product that suited her. Both the interview respondents were chosen form different categories of
the product. According to the research, different characteristics of the consumer within the
product category results in segmentation related to the behavior of consumer purchase.
When I notice both the respondent, the tension level was very different in the behavior of
purchasing at the time when they are able to recognize their need. It was noticed that the first
respondent has become frustrated at the potential benefits that was offered, the amount of
information that was considered and a strong desire that he wanted to get the product for a cheap
price. Thus, at the end of the final purchase only the basic need was satisfied. However, the

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tension was not reducing because the long time that he spends for information search did not
warrant the cost that he invests on his cheap product.
There are variety of reason for the delay of the purchase including the attitude of others
and unanticipated situational factors and the risks that has perceived. The author believe that the
marketers has to understand the factors and provoke the future.
Weaknesses of Rational or Classical Model
As per my experience rational decision making process needs deliberation of data and
some careful consideration. I felt that it takes time and is not much suitable in making quick-
decisions. In this age of fast-pace change, rational model could not reach to that stage. Moreover,
delay in implementation and decision making results in dilution of perceiving such alternative.
The benefit of this model can be taken only when done on time. With the implementation of this
model I would mostly use it in making long-term decisions rather than operational or short-term
decisions. Rational decisions are more informed and structured.
Weakness of Bounded rational
The resources consist of time, money, workforce and equipment are limited. This can
influence the decision making. Previously it was assuming that organization plan to fix several
branches that are instantly new. However, the income of the organization had diminished with
the economic downturn. Therefore, a solution being provided to this plan and new branches were
held over it. The cause to the limited fiscal resources is not the same that was originally planned.
Information usually get dump with the technology progress. Data can be more or less receive
with troubles from the director. The reason behind such trouble is that the information was

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difficult to cover. This result in the consequence of making inappropriate decisions and view
only certain information.
Critiques of Consumer Decision Making Model
Among all the model one of the model where I found some critiques that has been
discussed in this section. The main advantage of this model is that marketers find it easy to
decide and satisfy the customer expectations. As a decision maker, I would be able to behave
well with the customer when they come for some purchase. This model gives a detailed picture
of customer consumption level towards a product.
The first critique of Consumer Decision Making Model consider customer will be same
and search information and spend lot of time in searching the particular item of their choice,
compare it with different alternative and then finally decide to choose one particular product that
has satisfy their need. In various literature and Google scholar, it was found that some customer
when decided to buy a product do not require much to think about it or choose from numerous
alternatives. As a decision maker at every stage it is not necessary to engage with the consumer
decision making process.
The second critique of Consumer Decision Making Model assumes that in this model
customer has to go through all the stages and there is some stage that has made it difficult for the
customer to purchase any product. However, in some situation I would just skip some stages and
then decide whether to purchase the product or not and also be sure about the need of the product
is as per my expectation.

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Conclusion
In my opinion I would conclude that the right decision was never overestimated as it is
the quality decision that differentiate between the success and the failure. Thus, all the factors
have to be imperative to make proper decision and those that are fully investigated and properly
looked into. Thus the Consumer Decision Making model relies on the cognitive ability of the
consumer. The decision making of the consumer sees the Cognitive Model were attempted to
make the best decision with available information. Through this model, it can be acknowledging
that consumers when make reasonable decision can then proceed to make a purchase.

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