Unit 3 Discussion

In 2-3 paragraphs, respond to the following. Your initial post should be substantive and be supported by course concepts


With which motivational theory do you most identify? Explain, giving specific examples.



6.1 Overview of Managerial Decision-Making - Organizational Behavior | OpenStax Skip to Content Organizational Behavior6.1 Overview of Managerial Decision-Making Organizational Behavior6.1 Overview of Managerial Decision-Making Table of contents My highlightsPrint Table of contents Preface 1 Management and Organizational Behavior Introduction 1.1 The Nature of Work 1.2 The Changing Workplace 1.3 The Nature of Management 1.4 A Model of Organizational Behavior and Management Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Critical Thinking Case 2 Individual and Cultural Differences Introduction 2.1 Individual and Cultural Factors in Employee Performance 2.2 Employee Abilities and Skills 2.3 Personality: An Introduction 2.4 Personality and Work Behavior 2.5 Personality and Organization: A Basic Conflict? 2.6 Personal Values and Ethics 2.7 Cultural Differences Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 3 Perception and Job Attitudes Introduction 3.1 The Perceptual Process 3.2 Barriers to Accurate Social Perception 3.3 Attributions: Interpreting the Causes of Behavior 3.4 Attitudes and Behavior 3.5 Work-Related Attitudes Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 4 Learning and Reinforcement Introduction 4.1 Basic Models of Learning 4.2 Reinforcement and Behavioral Change 4.3 Behavior Modification in Organizations 4.4 Behavioral Self-Management Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 5 Diversity in Organizations Introduction 5.1 An Introduction to Workplace Diversity 5.2 Diversity and the Workforce 5.3 Diversity and Its Impact on Companies 5.4 Challenges of Diversity 5.5 Key Diversity Theories 5.6 Benefits and Challenges of Workplace Diversity 5.7 Recommendations for Managing Diversity Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 6 Perception and Managerial Decision Making Introduction 6.1 Overview of Managerial Decision-Making 6.2 How the Brain Processes Information to Make Decisions: Reflective and Reactive Systems 6.3 Programmed and Nonprogrammed Decisions 6.4 Barriers to Effective Decision-Making 6.5 Improving the Quality of Decision-Making 6.6 Group Decision-Making Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 7 Work Motivation for Performance Introduction 7.1 Motivation: Direction and Intensity 7.2 Content Theories of Motivation 7.3 Process Theories of Motivation 7.4 Recent Research on Motivation Theories Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 8 Performance Appraisal and Rewards Introduction 8.1 Performance Appraisal Systems 8.2 Techniques of Performance Appraisal 8.3 Feedback 8.4 Reward Systems in Organizations 8.5 Individual and Group Incentive Plans Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 9 Group and Intergroup Relations Introduction 9.1 Work Groups: Basic Considerations 9.2 Work Group Structure 9.3 Managing Effective Work Groups 9.4 Intergroup Behavior and Performance Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 10 Understanding and Managing Work Teams Introduction 10.1 Teamwork in the Workplace 10.2 Team Development Over Time 10.3 Things to Consider When Managing Teams 10.4 Opportunities and Challenges to Team Building 10.5 Team Diversity 10.6 Multicultural Teams Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 11 Communication Introduction 11.1 The Process of Managerial Communication 11.2 Types of Communications in Organizations 11.3 Factors Affecting Communications and the Roles of Managers 11.4 Managerial Communication and Corporate Reputation 11.5 The Major Channels of Management Communication Are Talking, Listening, Reading, and Writing Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 12 Leadership Introduction 12.1 The Nature of Leadership 12.2 The Leadership Process 12.3 Leader Emergence 12.4 The Trait Approach to Leadership 12.5 Behavioral Approaches to Leadership 12.6 Situational (Contingency) Approaches to Leadership 12.7 Substitutes for and Neutralizers of Leadership 12.8 Transformational, Visionary, and Charismatic Leadership 12.9 Leadership Needs in the 21st Century Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 13 Organizational Power and Politics Introduction 13.1 Power in Interpersonal Relations 13.2 Uses of Power 13.3 Political Behavior in Organizations 13.4 Limiting the Influence of Political Behavior Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 14 Conflict and Negotiations Introduction 14.1 Conflict in Organizations: Basic Considerations 14.2 Causes of Conflict in Organizations 14.3 Resolving Conflict in Organizations 14.4 Negotiation Behavior Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 15 External and Internal Organizational Environments and Corporate Culture Introduction 15.1 The Organization's External Environment 15.2 External Environments and Industries 15.3 Organizational Designs and Structures 15.4 The Internal Organization and External Environments 15.5 Corporate Cultures 15.6 Organizing for Change in the 21st Century Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 16 Organizational Structure and Change Introduction 16.1 Organizational Structures and Design 16.2 Organizational Change 16.3 Managing Change Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 17 Human Resource Management Introduction 17.1 An Introduction to Human Resource Management 17.2 Human Resource Management and Compliance 17.3 Performance Management 17.4 Influencing Employee Performance and Motivation 17.5 Building an Organization for the Future 17.6 Talent Development and Succession Planning Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case 18 Stress and Well Being Introduction 18.1 Problems of Work Adjustment 18.2 Organizational Influences on Stress 18.3 Buffering Effects of Work related Stress 18.4 Coping with Work related Stress Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Critical Thinking Case 19 Entrepreneurship Introduction 19.1 Overview of Entrepreneurship 19.2 Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs 19.3 Business Model Canvas 19.4 New Venture Financing 19.5 Design Thinking 19.6 Optimal Support for Entrepreneurship Key Terms Summary of Learning Outcomes Chapter Review Questions Management Skills Application Exercises Managerial Decision Exercises Critical Thinking Case A | Scientific Method in Organizational Research B | Scoring Keys for Self-Assessment Exercises References Index What are the basic characteristics of managerial decision-making? Decision-making is the action or process of thinking through possible options and selecting one. It is important to recognize that managers are continually making decisions, and that the quality of their decision-making has an impact—sometimes quite significant—on the effectiveness of the organization and its stakeholders. Stakeholders are all the individuals or groups that are affected by an organization (such as customers, employees, shareholders, etc.). Members of the top management team regularly make decisions that affect the future of the organization and all its stakeholders, such as deciding whether to pursue a new technology or product line. A good decision can enable the organization to thrive and survive long-term, while a poor decision can lead a business into bankruptcy. Managers at lower levels of the organization generally have a smaller impact on the organization’s survival, but can still have a tremendous impact on their department and its workers. Consider, for example, a first-line supervisor who is charged with scheduling workers and ordering raw materials for her department. Poor decision-making by lower-level managers is unlikely to drive the entire firm out of existence, but it can lead to many adverse outcomes such as: reduced productivity if there are too few workers or insufficient supplies, increased expenses if there are too many workers or too many supplies, particularly if the supplies have a limited shelf life or are costly to store, and frustration among employees, reduced morale, and increased turnover (which can be costly for the organization) if the decisions involve managing and training workers. Deciding When to Decide While some decisions are simple, a manager’s decisions are often complex ones that involve a range of options and uncertain outcomes. When deciding among various options and uncertain outcomes, managers need to gather information, which leads them to another necessary decision: how much information is needed to make a good decision? Managers frequently make decisions without complete information; indeed, one of the hallmarks of an effective leader is the ability to determine when to hold off on a decision and gather more information, and when to make a decision with the information at hand. Waiting too long to make a decision can be as harmful for the organization as reaching a decision too quickly. Failing to react quickly enough can lead to missed opportunities, yet acting too quickly can lead to organizational resources being poorly allocated to projects with no chance of success. Effective managers must decide when they have gathered enough information and must be prepared to change course if additional information becomes available that makes it clear that the original decision was a poor one. For individuals with fragile egos, changing course can be challenging because admitting to a mistake can be harder than forging ahead with a bad plan. Effective managers recognize that given the complexity of many tasks, some failures are inevitable. They also realize that it’s better to minimize a bad decision’s impact on the organization and its stakeholders by recognizing it quickly and correcting it. What’s the Right (Correct) Answer? It’s also worth noting that making decisions as a manager is not at all like taking a multiple-choice test: with a multiple-choice test there is always one right answer. This is rarely the case with management decisions. Sometimes a manager is choosing between multiple good options, and it’s not clear which will be the best. Other times there are multiple bad options, and the task is to minimize harm. Often there are individuals in the organization with competing interests, and the manager must make decisions knowing that someone will be upset no matter what decision is reached. What’s the Right (Ethical) Answer? Sometimes managers are asked to make decisions that go beyond just upsetting someone—they may be asked to make decisions in which harm could be caused to others. These decisions have ethical or moral implications. Ethics and morals refer to our beliefs about what is right vs. wrong, good vs. evil, virtuous vs. corrupt. Implicitly, ethics and morals relate to our interactions with and impact on others—if we never had to interact with another creature, we would not have to think about how our behaviors affected other individuals or groups. All managers, however, make decisions that impact others. It is therefore important to be mindful about whether our decisions have a positive or a negative impact. “Maximizing shareholder wealth” is often used as a rationalization for placing the importance of short-term profits over the needs of others who will be affected by a decision—such as employees, customers, or local citizens (who might be affected, for example, by environmental decisions). Maximizing shareholder wealth is often a short-sighted decision, however, because it can harm the organization’s financial viability in the future