Motivation - How Should Organizations Make Decisions?

Organizations should make their decisions in a rational manner. As we see business fall daily by the wayside we see that many are failing to act in such a manner. Much of these failures are due to poor decision making processes which can be tied to numerous factors as misplaced loyalties, greed or just plain ignorance. I will try to describe the manner in which a successful business should have its decision making processes.

In any decision that one makes there is a problem at hand. Wither its something that is an actual “problem” or something that needs to be done. The first thing that must be done is to identify the problem. This must be done first. I will use the relationship of a doctor and his patient as an example. When a doctor treats a patient for an aliment, he can not diagnose a course of action for the patient to recover if the aliment is not found or determined.

Now that a problem has been determined all information pertaining to its cause and solution must be gathered. We then determine what is most important for our patient and all relevant criteria. We must understand the consequences that will occur with each alternative. For the wrong medication or treatment may injure or even kill our patient. We know that he must live and we desire him to have physical health. Increased stamina and ability to participate in recreational activities is also important to him.

Now we must weight the criteria and determine what is most important. From our complied list we determine that living is the number one priority. After that the order follows in general physical health, increased stamina and his ability to participate in recreational activities.

How can we treat our patient is to meet our desired order of criteria. The medications and treatments must be weighed against our criteria. It has been determined that with a change of diet, some medication and exercise is the best course of action. Fortunately for him this covers all criteria. But in some cases the required route will not, such as a patient with cancer requiring chemotherapy, which would all him the possibility of