MGT602: Reflective Analysis of Decision-Making Styles & Tools

This reflective report delves into the process of decision-making, examining the tools and techniques employed to enhance effectiveness in both personal and business contexts. It includes a self-assessment of decision-making styles, contrasting them with other approaches to evaluate the balance between rationality and intuition. The report also critically evaluates the use of various data sources in organizational decision-making, referencing analytical tools like SWOT, PESTLE and ranking techniques. The reflection draws upon experiences and theoretical frameworks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complexities involved in making informed and strategic decisions, both individually and within a business environment. It emphasizes the importance of systematic planning, information gathering, and the consideration of various alternatives to achieve desired outcomes.

REFLECTION

Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................5

Introduction
The reflective essay brings out a discussion on decision-making. This essay carries out
possible tools and techniques, which I can use to improve my decision-making. Most
importantly, decision-making is an art, which is being reflected in our actions. For the first
part, this essay has a critical discussion on how I use the tools and techniques of the decision
making to accomplish the goals whether it is long-tern or short term. For the second part, a
critical discussion on organisations use and evaluate different sources of data that affects the
decision-making in the business context.
Decision-making is a process of making and choosing the most appropriate option amongst
various alternatives available. The process includes identification of decision that has been
evaluated in the light of excessive information and assessment of alternative resolution. Each
person has to make decision regarding to resolve and overcome every consequence. I think
some of our thoughts must be without much effort and thought. Uncertainty, complexity,
risky consequences, and other interpersonal issues affect my daily decision-making. I
undertake my decision making with the help of systematic planning as previous estimation of
future scenarios that are highly uncertain can help me to overcome the effect of uncertainties.
When I take regular decisions, I can take them without thinking so much (National academic
press, 2014). On the other hand, when I take long-term decisions where each small and
regular decision can affect the final goals. While taking the short-term goals for long-term
achievements, this process systematically reduces the risk of likelihood but side by side, I
often avoid some important factors. I follow logical and ordered process that helped me to
address critical elements, which are needed to accomplish the outcome. I try to construct a
viable environment, investigate for the situation in each aspect, try to generate view all the
alternates available and finally adopt the easiest one. Before adopting an easy way, I always
evaluate whether I will be able to learn more if I adopt an easier way to learn the things or

overcome the problem. I use to explore each option, evaluate each plan, and generate other
good alternatives. Moreover, I often communicate and share my decision to take an accurate
decision (Gillingham, Harnett, Healy, Lynch, & Tower, 2017). There are many types of
decision-making as it differs from situation to situation. Different situation demands process
so in order to deal with a problematic situation, I undertake a process and it starts with
identifying the appropriate goals, as it is important to continuously keep an eye on the goals.
Collect and gather information in order to weigh several options, consider each
consequences, choose several alternatives, take several actions, make the decision, review the
decisions, and finally evaluate the decision made. I often apply some theories of decision
making such as “Briggs pattern of collaboration” that signifies the collaboration of fewer
concepts, and clarify less or more mutual understanding of the concept. It includes organising
and moving of many concepts in order to focus few demand to endure attention (The Herald,
2019). Tools and techniques such as decision tress, six thinking hats, matched pairs,
brainstorming, grid analysis, weighted tables, force field analysis, ranking techniques, check
sheet or SWOT analysis. I use SWOT analysis before taking any decision as it depends on
the attributes, which I have in myself and it will assist me to analyse whether my approach is
effective enough to comply with my goals. SWOT helps me to figure out effective strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that provides a detailed analysis on myself (Waldron,
Johnson, Saul, Waldron, Chong, Hill, & Hayes, 2016). Apart from this, I use ranking
technique to analyse to what extent each option and how effective will it be. Brainstorming
helps to evaluate the pros and cons of each alternative available to resolve the problem of
decision making regarding the issue from which I am suffering (Park, Park, Khan, & Chung,
2017).
In relation to business context, companies often uses different styles of decision making in
order to accomplish the business goals. Companies undertake various analytical approaches

and situational analysis such as Pestle, SWOT, VRIO analysis, value chain analysis, and
BCG matrix (Mathisen, & Andersen, 2017). Apart from these analytical approaches, it is
necessary to reflect the capacity and ability of the organisational leaders to analyse the
external threats. PESTLE analysis helps in identifying the external factors such as political,
social, economic, technological, legal, and environmental factors (Mindtools, 2014). An audit
of external influences of organisational factors has a purpose of using the information to take
the strategic decisions. Effective decision-making will help the organisation to take prior
steps to assess the environment and take strategic decisions so that it can be placed to respond
to the competitors in an effective way. SWOT analysis helps to identify the internal
environment so that organisational leaders can comply with the opportunities and strengths
with the threats and the weaknesses. Other tools, which the organisation use to take the
strategic actions covers different departments of the organisation. It is important to analyse
the supply chain whether inbound and outbound logistics (Umass, 2019).
Conclusion
From the above discussion on self-assessment on how I achieve my goals is only because of
tools and techniques used by me for the decision-making. Moreover, from the organisation
point of view, it can be seen that organisation often uses several other tools to take an
effective strategic decision.

References
Gillingham, P., Harnett, P., Healy, K., Lynch, D., & Tower, M. (2017). Decision making in
child and family welfare: The role of tools and practice frameworks. Children
Australia, 42(1), 49-56.
Mathisen, P., & Andersen, M. (2017, March). How Experience Transfer and Learning Can
Lift Knowledge From Individuals to the Organizational Level. In SPE/IADC Drilling
Conference and Exhibition. Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Mindtools, (2014). How to Make Decisions: Making the Best Possible Choices. Retrieved
from: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_00.htm
National academic press, (2014). Tools and Methods to Support Decision-Making. Retrieved
from: https://www.nap.edu/read/18949/chapter/5
Park, G., Park, S., Khan, L., & Chung, L. (2017, February). IRIS: A goal-oriented big data
analytics framework on Spark for better Business decisions. In 2017 IEEE International
Conference on Big Data and Smart Computing (BigComp)(pp. 76-83). IEEE.
The Herald, (2019). Pestle analysis is vital for strategic decision-making. Retrieved from:
https://www.herald.co.zw/pestle-analysis-vital-for-strategic-decision-making/
Umass, (2019). Decision making process. Retrieved from:
https://www.umassd.edu/fycm/decision-making/process/
Waldron, N., Johnson, C. E., Saul, P., Waldron, H., Chong, J. C., Hill, A. M., & Hayes, B.
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