Decision Making and Problem Solving for Business Development at SEU

This assignment analyzes a case study of Talal, a bodybuilder and recent business graduate, facing career decisions. It explores his dilemma of choosing between establishing a business related to his interest in bodybuilding, joining his family's existing businesses, or seeking employment. The assignment uses a structured decision-making process, including defining the problem, generating alternatives (traditional vs. e-commerce business, financial sources, and partnerships), identifying variables (market, finance, suppliers, technology), and weighing considerations (customers, competition, service). The solution evaluates different options and their potential impact on Talal's business, concluding with a recommendation based on the weighted analysis. The assignment also includes references and a bibliography related to decision-making and problem-solving.

Running head: DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
Decision Making and Problem Solving
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
Step 1: Defining and Clarifying the Question.
Talal is a person who is very interested in bodybuilding. He had a very happy and prosperous
family that has been running its successful business in the past few years. However, he too
had a clear vision that establishing a business or getting a job is necessary, as bodybuilding
will not be helpful for a long race. His father is running a small business of jewellery, mother
is running a beauty salon and brother had a rental service. However, he wanted to establish a
business of his own rather having a job. He is quite confused what business must be taken up
by him in order to develop his career. He is also confused about the finance that he wanted.
He is confused from whom to ask for a loan; from his father or mother. He is also confused
about which business to start a traditional or an e-commerce business.
Step 2: Develop mind mapping for the alternative.
Fig 1: Mind mapping
(Source: Created by the researcher)
Join whose business
Decision making for Talal’s
business
Financial help
What business?Kind of business
Father Bank Father Brother
E-commerce Traditional
business
Accessories or
products related to
bodybuilding

2DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
Step 3: Generating Alternatives.
Talal’s decision making for his career is a difficult aspect however, he must also analyse and
take initiatives that will help in the development of the career which he wants to establish. As
he has decided to establish a business rather than taking up job, he must also find alternatives
while establishing his business as it will be a risk management plan (Martin, Donohoe &
Holdford, 2016). He has decided to establish a business based on instruments that are related
to bodybuilding as he has efficient knowledge as well as network that will help in developing
the business within a very limited time. The mind map will not only help him to make a
decision but also provides him with alternatives. He can take loan from bank instead of his
father as in case of any financial issues that are being faced by him during the period he has
the alternative to take help from his father. Establishing a traditional business will help in
attracting a large number of local customers as well as with the alternative business of e-
commerce he can reach out for many other people (Woods & Osborne, 2016). Hence, this
will act as alternatives for him to establish a successful business. He can also ask his brother
or father to be a partner in his business that will reduce the number of risks in the business.
Step 4: Variables to consider.
The variables are the factors that will have an impact in the business that will be established
by him. He has decided to establish a business rather that working with his father or brother
and in spite of taking financial help from his father he wants to take loan from bank. The
market in which he will be establishing the business is a great factor (Saitis & Saiti, 2018).
For instance, with a large number of customer there will be great sales in his product whereas
with high competition in the market and less number of customers will also have an impact in
the business. Finance is an important variable that will help in rising the business. Suppliers

3DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
play a major role in the development of the business. Technology is another important factor.
Service that is being provided by the business will also help in developing the business.
Step 5: Weighing the considerations.
This section of the paper will help in rating the variable that will provide Talal with efficient
knowledge about the variables and the variables he must consider taking seriously (Adair,
2019). The following are the variables and its rating based on importance:
Customers: 5
Competition: 4
Suppliers: 5
Technology: 3
Service: 3
Step 6: Weighing the alternatives.
Bank: 0
Traditional business: +1
Partnership: +2
Step 7: Calculating a decision and Overall assessment.
Hence, from the weightage it is evident that the decision that is being taken by Talal is
effective. It will help him in development of the business and brining in changes in the
business. Developing traditional business will help him understand the market as well as
promote e-business (Proctor, 2018). Partnership with his father or brother will also help in
being a risk measurement that will help him in times of failure as well as will help him to
understand the type of business.

4DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
Reference list
Adair, J. (2019). Decision Making and Problem Solving: Break Through Barriers and Banish
Uncertainty at Work. Kogan Page Publishers.
Martin, L. C., Donohoe, K. L., & Holdford, D. A. (2016). Decision-making and problem-
solving approaches in pharmacy education. American journal of pharmaceutical
education, 80(3).
Proctor, T. (2018). Creative problem solving for managers: developing skills for decision
making and innovation. Routledge.
Saitis, C., & Saiti, A. (2018). Decision-Making and Problem Solving. In Initiation of
Educators into Educational Management Secrets (pp. 61-80). Springer, Cham.

5DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
Bibliography
Ng, E. C. (2020). The Four Noble Truths: A Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
Framework. In Introduction to Buddhist Economics (pp. 29-39). Palgrave Macmillan,
Cham.
Woods, W. A., & Osborne, D. A. (2016). Routine And Persistent Problems In Decision
Making: A Problem Solving Approach to Product and Brand Choice. In Proceedings
of the 1979 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 312-317).
Springer, Cham.