good decision making essay

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How to Make Great Decisions, Quickly

• Martin G. Moore

It’s a skill that will set you apart.

As a new leader, learning to make good decisions without hesitation and procrastination is a capability that can set you apart from your peers. While others vacillate on tricky choices, your team could be hitting deadlines and producing the type of results that deliver true value. That’s something that will get you — and them — noticed. Here are a few of a great decision:

• Great decisions are shaped by consideration of many different viewpoints. This doesn’t mean you should seek out everyone’s opinion. The right people with the relevant expertise need to clearly articulate their views to help you broaden your perspective and make the best choice.
• Great decisions are made as close as possible to the action. Remember that the most powerful people at your company are rarely on the ground doing the hands-on work. Seek input and guidance from team members who are closest to the action.
• Great decisions address the root cause, not just the symptoms. Although you may need to urgently address the symptoms, once this is done you should always develop a plan to fix the root cause, or else the problem is likely to repeat itself.
• Great decisions balance short-term and long-term value. Finding the right balance between short-term and long-term risks and considerations is key to unlocking true value.
• Great decisions are timely. If you consider all of the elements listed above, then it’s simply a matter of addressing each one with a heightened sense of urgency.

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Like many young leaders, early in my career, I thought a great decision was one that attracted widespread approval. When my colleagues smiled and nodded their collective heads, it reinforced (in my mind, at least) that I was an excellent decision maker.

• MM Martin G. Moore is the founder of Your CEO Mentor and author of No Bullsh!t Leadership and host of the No Bullsh!t Leadership podcast. His purpose is to improve the quality of leaders globally through practical, real world leadership content. For more information, please visit, www.martingmoore.com.

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Custom essay help for you, advice for a decision making essay.

It is difficult to make decisions sometimes, but it is even more challenging to write a decision making essay. Therefore, to help you with this tough task we offer you a few hints on what to write about in your essay about decision making.

Importance of the Proper Making Decisions Process

The good decision defines your success. Thus, you should better learn more on critical thinking and decision making, as this information and skills will help you a lot in your life. Being well-aware of how to find effective solutions will help you to avoid failures and manage your time without any losses.

Decision Making Essay: Explain the Process

A good decision is not always easy to get. To do everything properly, one needs to follow the next steps:

       1. You Should Identify the Problem You Are Dealing with

It is necessary to find out, what you are actually dealing with. State the case you need to get a decision for.

       2. Search for Information

To make sure what you are fully aware of the issue, gather more information about it. You should benefit from the online and offline sources.

       3. Analyze the Situation

Now you should think of the conditions of the situation that actually takes place. Analyze all the factors, which influence it and put it into logical connections with other situations.

       4. Develop the Possible Solutions

It is high time to think what can be done. Note all the possible solutions that need to be reviewed.

       5. Critically Evaluate the Options

You should think of the pluses and minuses of each possible solution you have found. This will make you close to actual making a final decision. You can draw a simple table for an each option. There should be 4 columns: strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of the option. This is known to be a SWOT analysis, which is widely used in Business Studies, Finance etc.

       6. Select the Best Option

There is the best plan of actions among the suggested ones, so choose the one based on your analysis. Obviously, the best option is the one that has the most pluses and the least minuses if to compare with others. This will be your way to resolve the situation.

       7. Act!

Making a decision without acting is pointless. Thus, proceed to the most important step of the whole process and apply the solution in practice!

Options to Get Helped in Decision Making

Sometimes we need some help in decision making. Indeed, it is a good idea to discuss the issue with a person, who is an expert in the field you need to deal with.

• Act in Groups

Having a group of experts in various fields helps a lot, since you can fully overview the issue and be aware of all the difficulties faced. Every group member is able to express his own opinion on the situation and provide an in-depth analysis from the point of view he is professional in.

• Discuss the Problem with an Expert

There is a point to talk to the expert directly. Our company has a numerous team of experts in different fields, so we will definitely find an appropriate helper for you. Your assistant will not only help you to make the best possible decision, but he is always ready to write a good and qualitative decision making essay.

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Decision-Making

The importance of learning how to make decisions, the basics of mastering an essential life skill..

Posted May 30, 2015 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

Making choices and decisions is a part of life. Simply put, the way life unfolds—with its twists and turns, starts and stops—requires us to make choices and decisions every step of the way. So, I find it fascinating and somewhat baffling that by the time young people have reached adulthood, many have not mastered the art of decision-making . In fact, many people dread change because this means they will have to contemplate something different from what they’re used to and maybe even be required to make change.

Why is this so? Well, there may be many reasons, many factors that determine why some people can just dive into life and do what is required with enthusiasm and excitement while others are paralyzed at the thought of having to step up to anything that might require taking action. A person’s temperament, disposition or nature may contribute to the way they view life. Some people are fearless, enjoying risk and adventure, while others are fearful of making change and making mistakes, preferring to stay close to what is familiar and not wandering too far—and that includes their choices and decisions.

Some people have been burned in the past by poor choices and decisions and are afraid to, once again, risk making a bad choice or decision. So they may do nothing hoping the change will work itself out, or go away, or that somebody else will take care of what needs to be done.

Then there’s the issue of children never learning to make decisions because they’ve never been taught how to do it; many of the important choices have been made for them and they may simply have no say in the matter. That may be the fault of parents who try to control too much of their children’s lives fearing that they will miss out on what they, the parents, deem to be important unless they, the parents, jump in to ensure the “proper” course for their children.

The bottom line is that decision-making is something we all need to learn how to do. This very essential life skill should be taught from very early on since decision-making takes years of practice to master. Learning how to make good choices and wise decisions depends upon several factors: a person’s developmental stage/age, having a general idea of right and wrong (and I mean this in the broadest moral sense since individual’s may acquire their own idea of what is right and wrong for them personally as they mature), understanding what the decision-making process entails, and practice !

You may think starting with infants is just too young but that’s not the case.

It’s good practice to reinforce behavior that is unacceptable or potentially harmful. For example, when a baby begins to crawl, finds small objects or dirt on the floor and mouths it, it’s appropriate not only to remove the object but to say "no” and tell the baby why putting this object in their mouth isn’t OK. Even though a baby may not initially understand what you’re saying, by hearing it over and over again they’ll start to make the connection and understand that all behaviors have consequences—some good, some bad.

Toddlers need to be given controlled options. For example, offer the child a choice between two things only. “Do you want cereal or eggs; milk or juice?” “Do you want to wear the green shirt with these blue pants or this dress with leggings?” This allows the youngster to have a voice in making choices that fit into your choices and routine.

Offer choices/options that are reasonable and readily available to young children.

• Tasks should not be out of their range developmentally. For example, create small jobs that allow your youngster to work beside you, such as dusting the furniture, adding an ingredient or two to a recipe, choosing food at the supermarket, etc.
• When the child moves into the stage of “I can do it myself,” let them try, with your observation and supervision.
• Foster responsibility by allowing the child to do some chores/jobs on their own; for example picking up their toys, feeding the family pet, etc.
• Break down tasks into smaller pieces or steps, showing children that there is an order to how things are accomplished.
• Encourage, especially when a child is frustrated or loses patience.
• Offer praise; get excited for a job well-done, especially when it is the accomplishment of a brand new skill such as dressing themselves, riding a bike, or staying dry through the night.
• For pre-schoolers, expand the number of choices. As a child gets older, their capacity to understand the nuanced difference between right and wrong increases as well as their ability to understand the consequences of their behavior.
• Frame choices using key words that are simple to understand, such as “Do you think this is a good idea/decision/choice, or maybe not the best?’’ Do you have a better idea, or want to make a different decision/choice?’
• Ask questions to help the child understand various possibilities: “What do you think will happen if you decide to do ____?” “How will you feel if you do ____?” If doing something involves someone else, such as a friend or a sib, you can ask the child, “How do you think they will feel as a result of a choice you make?”
• Include your child’s ideas or opinions when it comes to making family decisions. The child will feel heard, their opinion will be appreciated, and their confidence to express themselves will be nurtured. They will also begin to understand that there is a process involved in decision-making.

For school-age children, expand the choices you give them and the importance of the decisions they choose to make. This includes their activities, their friends, school curriculum and educational obligation, and personal choices such as when to go to sleep, style of clothing to buy, pursuit of personal interests such as music, movies, books, and pursuit of special talents and creative abilities such as sports and art. Of course, you as the adult may still make a lot of the important decisions regarding children, but it’s essential to give them the chance to learn for themselves.

Teach the decision-making process.

• Define the issue. Include the need/reason for the decision.
• Brainstorm for possible options and/or solutions.
• Discuss the options, and their potential consequences, and then narrow down to no more than three choices.
• Pick one of the three choices, formulate an action plan, and follow through.
• Evaluate the solution. If the solution is satisfactory, your child will have a sense of accomplishment. If not satisfactory, or it falls short of expectation, or is just a bad idea, reconsider other choices/possibilities that may bring a better outcome.

Be available to your child to talk about issues or problems arising from a decision, and to encourage and lend support, especially in light of a poor decision. Making some bad decisions is part of the maturation process.

Teens and young adults should be encouraged to expand their choices and decisions. Recognize that adolescents want to have more control over their lives. They want more independence, more time with friends, and more fun. Encourage your young adult to independently practice decision-making skills whenever possible, with you watching on the sideline. When you single-handedly continue to make choices and decisions important to your child, you undermine his/her self-esteem and confidence.

No one is expected to get things right all of the time. We often don’t. But, having some idea of what to do will help to make the big choices and decisions easier. Good decision-making is one of the most important life skills to own.

Abigail Brenner, M.D . , is a psychiatrist in private practice. She is the author of Transitions: How Women Embrace Change and Celebrate Life and other books.

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Essay on Making Decisions

Students are often asked to write an essay on Making Decisions in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Making Decisions

Understanding decision making.

Decision making is choosing between two or more options. It’s like picking between chocolate or vanilla ice cream for dessert. You think about which one you like more, and then you choose.

The Importance of Decision Making

Making decisions is important because it helps us move forward in life. Decisions like what to study, what job to take, or where to live shape our future. Just like choosing the right path in a maze, good decisions help us reach our goals faster.

Steps in Making Decisions

Making decisions involves several steps. First, we identify the options. Second, we evaluate each option. It’s like weighing the pros and cons. Third, we choose the best option. Lastly, we act on our decision.

Challenges in Decision Making

Sometimes, making decisions can be tough. It’s like standing at a crossroads, not sure which way to go. We may fear making the wrong choice or disappointing others. But remember, it’s okay to make mistakes. They help us learn and grow.

Improving Decision Making

To make better decisions, we can gather more information, ask for advice, and think about possible outcomes. It’s like doing homework before a big test. The more prepared we are, the better our decisions will be.

250 Words Essay on Making Decisions

What is decision making.

Decision making is a process where you choose one option from many. It is like picking one ice cream flavor from many choices. It is an important skill in life. We make decisions every day, like what to wear or what to eat.

Types of Decisions

There are two types of decisions: big and small. Small decisions are easy, like choosing a pencil color. Big decisions are harder, like choosing a school subject.

Steps in Decision Making

There are four steps to make a good decision. First, know what you have to decide. Second, think of all the options. Third, think about the good and bad points of each option. Fourth, choose the option that has more good points.

Importance of Decision Making

Making decisions is important because it helps us in life. It helps us choose the right things. It also helps us solve problems.

In conclusion, decision making is a key part of life. It is like a compass that guides us. So, we should learn to make good decisions. Remember, even if you make a wrong decision, it is okay. You can always learn from it and make a better decision next time.

500 Words Essay on Making Decisions

Making decisions is a part of our daily life. It is the act of choosing between two or more possibilities. Simple decisions can be what clothes to wear, what food to eat, or which route to take to school. More complex decisions can be about choosing a career path or making a big purchase like a house or a car.

The Importance of Making Decisions

Decisions are important because they shape our lives. Every choice we make can lead us down a different path. For example, deciding to study hard can lead to good grades, which can open up more opportunities for us in the future. On the other hand, deciding not to study can lead to poor grades, which might limit our options. So, decisions, big or small, can have a big impact on our lives.

Making a decision is not always easy. It can be tough when the decision is important or when there are many choices. Here are some steps that can help:

1. Identify the decision: The first step is to understand what decision needs to be made. What is the problem or challenge that needs to be solved?

2. Gather Information: Once the decision is clear, the next step is to gather information about the different options. This could involve reading, asking others for advice, or doing some research.

3. Consider the options: After gathering information, it’s time to think about the different options. What are the pros and cons of each choice?

4. Make the decision: After considering all the options, it’s time to make the decision. Choose the option that seems best.

5. Take action: Once the decision is made, it’s time to act on it. This means doing whatever is needed to make the decision a reality.

6. Review the decision: After some time, it’s good to look back and think about the decision. Was it a good choice? If not, what can be learned for next time?

In conclusion, making decisions is a crucial skill in life. It involves understanding the problem, gathering information, considering the options, making the choice, taking action, and reviewing the decision. While it can be tough, practicing these steps can make decision making easier and lead to better outcomes in life. So, the next time you’re faced with a decision, remember these steps and make the best choice you can.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Making Bad Decisions
• Essay on Making A Difference In Community
• Essay on Makeup Is Art

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Management — Decision Making

Essays on Decision Making

Decision making is a crucial skill that affects every aspect of our lives, from choosing what to eat for breakfast to making major life-changing choices. That's why writing an essay about decision making is so important - it helps us understand the process and improve our skills in this area.

When it comes to choosing a topic for your decision making essay, the possibilities are endless. You could focus on the psychology behind decision making, the impact of decision making on personal relationships, or the role of decision making in leadership. The key is to choose a topic that interests you and allows for meaningful exploration.

For an argumentative essay on decision making, you could explore the pros and cons of different decision making models, the ethical implications of certain decisions, or the impact of group dynamics on decision making. If you're more interested in cause and effect, you could examine the consequences of specific decisions, the factors that influence decision making, or the relationship between decision making and risk-taking.

If you prefer to share your opinion, you could write an opinion essay on the best decision making strategies, the most difficult decisions you've had to make, or the role of intuition in decision making. And for those who want to inform and educate, an informative essay on decision making could cover decision making biases, decision making in the workplace, or the science of decision making.

For example, if you're writing an argumentative essay on the impact of decision making on personal relationships, you could start by stating your thesis: "Effective decision making is essential for maintaining healthy relationships." Then, you could provide examples of how decision making can either strengthen or weaken relationships, backed up by research and personal experiences.

In the of your decision making essay, you could set the stage by discussing the importance of decision making in everyday life and providing a brief overview of the topics you'll be covering. In the , you could summarize your key points and leave the reader with some food for thought, such as the importance of making conscious, well-informed decisions.

So, whether you're writing an argumentative, cause and effect, opinion, or informative essay on decision making, there are plenty of topics and examples to explore. Good luck with your essay!

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How to Enhance Your Decision-Making Skills as a Leader

• 14 Mar 2024

As a leader, you make countless decisions—from whom to hire and which projects to prioritize to where to make budget cuts.

If you’re a new leader, acclimating to being a decision-maker can be challenging. Luckily, like other vital business skills, you can learn how to make better decisions through education and practice.

Here’s a primer on why decision-making skills are crucial to leadership and six ways to enhance yours.

Access your free e-book today.

Why Are Decision-Making Skills Important?

While decision-making is built into most leaders’ job descriptions, it’s a common pain point. According to a 2023 Oracle study , 85 percent of business leaders report suffering from “decision distress”—regretting, feeling guilty about, or questioning a decision they made in the past year.

When distressed by difficult decisions, it can be easy to succumb to common pitfalls , such as:

• Defaulting to consensus
• Not offering alternatives to your proposed solution
• Mistaking opinions for facts
• Losing sight of purpose
• Truncating debate

By defaulting to the “easy answer” or avoiding working through a decision, you can end up with outcomes that are stagnant at best and disastrous at worst.

Yet, decision-making is a skill you can sharpen in your leadership toolkit. Here are six ways to do so.

6 Ways to Enhance Your Leadership Decision-Making Skills

1. involve your team.

One common pitfall of leadership is thinking you must make every decision yourself. While you may have the final judgment call, enlisting others to work through challenging decisions can be helpful.

Asking for peers’ input can open your mind to new perspectives. For instance, if you ask your direct reports to brainstorm ways to improve your production process’s efficiency, chances are that they’ll have some ideas you didn’t think of.

If a decision is more private—such as whether to promote one employee over another—consider consulting fellow organizational leaders to approach it from multiple angles.

Another reason to involve your team in the decision-making process is to achieve buy-in. Your decision will likely impact each member, whether it’s about a new or reprioritized strategic initiative. By helping decide how to solve the challenge, your employees are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and empowerment during the execution phase.

Related: How to Get Employee Buy-In to Execute Your Strategic Initiatives

2. Understand Your Responsibilities to Stakeholders

When facing a decision, remember your responsibilities to stakeholders. In the online course Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability —offered as a Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) program elective or individually—Harvard Business School Professor Nien-hê Hsieh outlines your three types of responsibilities as a leader: legal, economic, and ethical .

Hsieh also identifies four stakeholder groups—customers, employees, investors, and society—that you must balance your obligations to when making decisions.

For example, you have the following responsibilities to customers and employees:

• Well-being: What’s ultimately good for the person
• Rights: Entitlement to receive certain treatment
• Duties: A moral obligation to behave in a specific way
• Best practices: Aspirational standards not required by law or cultural norms

“Many of the decisions you face will not have a single right answer,” Hsieh says in the course. “Sometimes, the most viable answer may come with negative effects. In such cases, the decision is not black and white. As a result, many call them ‘gray-area decisions.’”

As a starting point for tackling gray-area decisions, identify your stakeholders and your responsibilities to each.

Related: How to Choose Your CLIMB Electives

3. Consider Value-Based Strategy

If you make decisions that impact your organization’s strategy, consider how to create value. Often, the best decision provides the most value to the most stakeholders.

The online course Business Strategy —one of seven courses comprising CLIMB's New Leaders learning path—presents the value stick as a visual representation of a value-based strategy's components.

By toggling each, you can envision how strategic decisions impact the value you provide to different shareholders.

For instance, if you choose to lower price, customer delight increases. If you lower the cost of goods, you increase value for your firm but decrease it for suppliers.

This kind of framework enables you to consider strategic decisions’ impact and pursue the most favorable outcome.

4. Familiarize Yourself with Financial Statements

Any organizational leadership decision you make is bound to have financial implications. Building your decision-making skills to become familiar and comfortable with your firm’s finances is crucial.

The three financial statements you should know are:

• The balance sheet , which provides a snapshot of your company’s financial health for a given period
• The income statement , which gives an overview of income and expenses during a set period and is useful for comparing metrics over time
• The cash flow statement , which details cash inflows and outflows for a specific period and demonstrates your business’s ability to operate in the short and long term

In addition to gauging your organization’s financial health, learn how to create and adhere to your team or department’s budget to ensure decisions align with resource availability and help your team stay on track toward goals.

By sharpening your finance skills , you can gain confidence and back your decisions with financial information.

5. Leverage Data

Beyond financial information, consider other types of data when making decisions. That data can come in the form of progress toward goals or marketing key performance indicators (KPIs) , such as time spent on your website or number of repeat purchases. Whatever the decision, find metrics that provide insight into it.

For instance, if you need to prioritize your team’s initiatives, you can use existing data about projects’ outcomes and timelines to estimate return on investment .

By leveraging available data, you can support your decisions with facts and forecast their impact.

Related: The Advantages of Data-Driven Decision-Making

6. Learn from Other Leaders

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of learning from other leaders. You can do so by networking within your field or industry and creating a group of peers to bounce ideas off of.

One way to build that group is by taking an online course. Some programs, including CLIMB , have peer learning teams built into them. Each term, you’re sorted into a new team based on your time zone, availability, and gender. Throughout your educational experience, you collaborate with your peers to synthesize learnings and work toward a capstone project—helping you gain new perspectives on how to approach problem-solving and decision-making.

In addition to learning from peers during your program, you can network before and after it. The HBS Online Community is open to all business professionals and a resource where you can give and receive support, connect over topics you care about, and collaborate toward a greater cause.

When searching for courses, prioritize those featuring real-world examples . For instance, HBS Online’s courses feature business leaders explaining situations they’ve encountered in their careers. After learning the details of their dilemmas, you’re prompted to consider how you’d handle them. Afterward, the leaders explain what they did and the insights they gained.

By listening to, connecting with, and learning from other leaders, you can discover new ways to approach your decisions.

Gaining Confidence as a Leader

Taking an online leadership course can help you gain confidence in your decision-making skills. In a 2022 City Square Associates survey , 84 percent of HBS Online learners said they have more confidence making business decisions, and 90 percent report feeling more self-assured at work.

If you want to improve your skills, consider a comprehensive business program like CLIMB .

It features three courses on foundational topics:

• Finance and accounting

And three courses on cutting-edge leadership skills:

• Dynamic Teaming
• Personal Branding
• Leading in the Digital World

Additionally, you select an open elective of your choice from HBS Online’s course catalog .

Through education and practice, you can build your skills and boost your confidence in making winning decisions for your organization.

Are you ready to level up your leadership skills? Explore our yearlong Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) program , which comprises seven courses for leading in the modern business world. Download the CLIMB brochure to learn about its curriculum, admissions requirements, and benefits.

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Making Good Decisions Essay

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Leadership , Decision , Business , Management , Leader , Organization , Airline , Assumption

Published: 2020/09/30

In order to determine whether a leader is making good decisions, Vroom and Jago suggests these three criteria: 1) the quality or rationality of the decision; 2) the acceptance or commitment on the part of subordinates to execute the decision effectively; and 3) the amount of time required to make the decision. In order to achieve a quality and rational decision, knowledge and experience is crucial, which suggests that a leader should have adequate knowledge and skills to make sound decisions. But beside the intellectual and skill aspect of leadership, it is also important that leaders should develop a leadership style that would enable him to penetrate the culture of his organization to initiate his decisions. Time is also an important consideration in the effectiveness of a leader’s decision since it determines whether an action plan or strategy is timely and relevant to the current business situation. Today’s business environment is characterized by rapid, dynamic and ever-changing circumstances that may pose challenges to leaders of an organization especially in their decision-making processes. As observed, by Thenmozi, “an organization environment is not some set of fixed, impersonal forces but rather a complex, dynamic, web at people interacting with each other”. For new and aspiring leaders, new ideas and revolutionary thinking is not enough to create good business decisions but rather, decisions should be based on relevant factors that may significantly affect the organization as a whole. To illustrate this point, consider the leadership experience of Ron Johnson, the former retail executive of Apple who was hired as CEO for J.C. Penney, a department store chain in the U.S.. After being hired as CEO, Johnson launched a flurry of relatively new ideas in a department store context that includes changing the store’s image and advertising approach; taking out the store discounts and promotions; and overhauling the company’s organizational structure. Although Johnson made an impressive career with Apple, the effectiveness of his strategies and decision making did not translate on J.C. Penney, which eventually resulted to failure. Johnson’s case is not isolated. In fact, several new executives have attempted to create revolutionary decisions that resulted in failure just like what happened with HP and its former CEO, Carly Fiorina . In Fiorina’s case, most analysts believe that her decisions backfired because she failed to consider the traditions and culture of her organization. Being new to HP, Fiorina is expected to incorporate fresh ideas to the old and bureaucratic organization. Unfortunately, her decision-making and strategies did not work out primarily because she failed to consider HP’s culture. Evidently, it is difficult to determine whether a leader is making a good decision or not. One particular challenge to the realization of a leader’s plans is the inherent tendency of an organization exhibit resistance to changes . And so, the soundness of a leader’s decision could not be fully evaluated because it was not implemented correctly in due to organizational resistance to change. For the same reason, a leader’s decision would still depend on factors such as knowledge, leadership skill and his implementation and ability to overcome resistance.

Assumptions in a Business Context

Assumptions can be considered as projections, forecasting or something that is believed to be true despite lack of concrete evidence. Quite often, individuals and organizations assume something about the future, which influence their decision-making. Among the common assumptions that may apply in a business context are projected demand or sales for the next month, the emergence of a fad or fashion and other guess or hypothesis about something that would come to pass. The importance of assumptions is that most business decisions are strongly influenced by them and so it is crucial that assumptions should reflect a knowledgeable and intelligent guess in order to mitigate risks. It should be noted that knowledgeable assumptions are triggered by predictable events. It is the cause and effect notion that makes assumption more realistic. However, assumptions should not only be based on a particular event. Often times, successful assumptions are a result of analyzing the ripple effects of several factors that may affect the outcome of a particular event or scenario. For example, let examine the statement that the demand for SUVs would continue because gas prices would continue to rise. The first question is what could be the basis for this assumption? Why are SUVs related with gas prices? Is there a relevant and concrete connection between SUVs and gas prices? Evidently, this assumption is based on the fact that SUVs are fuel efficient vehicles and that people would choose it because of its economic benefits. Unfortunately, not all SUVs are fuel efficient. In fact, most SUVs require more fuel and produce greater amounts of pollutants because they are generally larger and heavier than typical automobiles. Therefore, the assumption that SUVs will continue to be in demand based on fuel price is incomplete and quite irrelevant to the nature of SUVs. Another well-known assumption in the airline industry that is quite interesting to evaluate is the notion that there was a need for an airline that provided no added amenities. In the past, air travel is characterized by excessive amenities such as free meals, freebies and other extras, which also increases the airlines’ fare. Currently, the intense competition between airlines and the demand for a cheaper air travel alternative has drastically changed the way airlines provide services to their customers. As observed by Michael O'Leary, Ryanair’s CEO, “Air travel has gone from being a romantic to being functional”, which reflects the shift from the expensive yet pampered air travel into a low cost air travel that only provides basic amenities. The assumption, therefore, that airlines will operate with less or no added amenities is indeed realistic and should be considered.

Davis, S., & Truett, L. (n.d.). An Analysis of the Impact of Sport Utility Vehicles in the United States . Retrieved January 2015, from http://cta.ornl.gov/: http://cta.ornl.gov/cta/Publications/Reports/Analysis_of_Impact_of_SUVs_in_US.pdf Hoopes, C. (2011). The Hewlett-Packard and Compaq Merger: A Case Study in Business Communication . Retrieved August 2014, from http://www.awpagesociety.com/: http://www.awpagesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/HP-Compaq-case.pdf Miller, C. (2013, June). Ryanair and Easyjet: The history of the peanut airlines. Retrieved October 2014, from http://www.bbc.com/: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-22888304 Minato, C. (2012, June 16). THE JC PENNEY DISASTER TIMELINE: How Ex-Apple Guru Ron Johnson Is Destroying The Company. Retrieved November 2013, from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-jcpenney-disaster-timeline-how-ex-apple-guru-ron-johnson-is-destroying-the-company-2012-6# Normandin, B. (2012, August). Three Types of Change Management Models. Retrieved August 2014, from http://quickbase.intuit.com/: http://quickbase.intuit.com/blog/2012/08/28/three-types-of-change-management-models/ Sykes, H., & Dunham, D. (1995). CRITICAL ASSUMPTION PLANNING: A PRACTICAL TOOL FOR MANAGING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT RISK. Retrieved January 2015, from http://homepages.rpi.edu/: http://homepages.rpi.edu/home/81/oconng/yesterday/public_html/CAT/Project%20Mgmt%20Under%20High%20Uncertainty/sykesdunham.pdf Tamkin, P., Hillage, J., Willison, R., . (n.d.). Indicators of Management Capability: Developing a Framework. Retrieved January 2015, from http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/: http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/pdflibrary/1452ceml.pdf Thenmozhi, M. (n.d.). EVOLUTION OF MANAGEMENT THEORY. Retrieved November 2014, from http://nptel.ac.in/: http://nptel.ac.in/courses/122106031/Pdfs/1_2.pdf Vroom, V., Jago, A. (1974). Leadership and Decision Making . Decision Sciences, 743 - 755.

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Decision Making Models Essay

Introduction, application of rational decision making model to advertisement, list of references.

In management, it is very critical to make rational decisions that help to minimize challenges associated with investments. Human judgment is an important aspect in the decision making process because it helps to determine the relevance of the decision made, as well to interpret the findings.

However, human judgment leads to misdirected strategic planning in cases where it is faulty. Therefore, to avoid faulty human judgment in the decision-making process, it is imperative for a firm to reflect on adopting a viable decision making model that would facilitate an increase in their sales volume. This paper will focus on a discussion of rational decision-making model, and then delve into its application in the advertisement area of the hotel industry.

Rational decisional making model takes an approach of highlighting the best decision among a number of alternatives. A case in point for this model is the six-step decision-making process, which involves following six steps before coming up a viable decision. The first step involves defining what the decision maker wants to achieve (Williams 2008: 182).

This necessitates recognising the need for change or decision-making. In this respect, the decision makers should endeavor to answer the following questions: what do we want to accomplish with the decision that we are about to make? Will this decision directly affect the workers or the clients?

How will the workers or clients react to this decision? What will be the pros and cons of making this decision? Will this decision lead us a step higher to achieving our dreams? How will we know that the decision made is successful? After all these questions are addressed, the decision makers can use their personal preferences, values, and interests to determine what is relevant.

A decision criterion that would facilitate achievement of goals should be identified shortly after the decision makers define the problem (Eisenführ et al. 2009: 210). This entails carrying out a research using various alternatives in a bid to analyse how to achieve the proposed decision.

The decision makers have a role of reviewing and weighing the previously identified alternatives in order to award them with the correct priority. This is normally followed by developing a number of viable alternatives for problem solving strategies. However, the alternatives are only listed, but not appraised.

The next stage involves rating the alternatives against the criterion. The already set criterion facilitates a thorough evaluation of the strengths as well as the weaknesses of every selected alternative. Finally, the decision-makers compute the optimal decision based on its strengths and weaknesses. The strengths of this model stems from the following factors:

• Situations facing a company can only be successfully analysed if the decision makers come up with ways of defining them explicitly;
• Coming up with a number of alternatives facilitates an increase in the level of information, thus creating many options to choose from; and
• Effectiveness in the decision making process is enhanced by combining the managers’ knowledge with the specialist expertise of internal and external consulting teams, thus eliminating emotions in the process (Phillips & Gully 2011: 301).

As such, the model ensures maximum discipline and participation from both the internal and external shareholders. On the other hand, the weaknesses of this model stems from the following factors:

• The presence of too much information necessitates a lot of time for evaluating authenticity;
• There is a waste of business opportunities due to a waste of time while searching for the best decision among the alternatives; and
• Cooperation between different parties exposes an organisation to the problem of cultural barriers (Nelson 2005: 425).

The fact that there are many individuals required to contribute to the proper working of this model makes it vulnerable to any individual biases. The saying, “a chain is as strong as its weakness link” demonstrates that the rational decision making model could be deemed ineffective if there are individuals involved in the decision making process who are not ready to work along with the needs of the already made decisions.

Hotels use advertisements as a marketing tool to draw potential customers to their products and services. Advertisement is enhanced by employing the appropriate decision making model, as this serves the role of taking advantage of the guests’ buying behavior in the hotel setting.

While defining the desired goal of the hotel, decision makers can use the rational decision model to come up with a decision of increasing returns on investment. This involves persuading guests to buy more goods and services. However, one problem comes into play while defining the desired outcome: how can the hotel persuade its guests to buy more goods and services?

Using the rational decision-making, the first strategy entails carrying out a research using various alternatives in a bid to analyse diverse ways of creating attention to potential clients. It is imperative to note that advertisers cannot persuade clients to buy goods and services if they do not understand their selling points.

Therefore, while assessing the effectiveness of the rational decision model, the decision makers should investigate matters that are related to the brand image, guests’ attitude, and guests’ psychology (Kusluvan 2003:644). This is imperative since it helps the decision makers to rely on empirical evidence of environmental factors affecting the buying trend of goods and services in the hospitality industry instead of relying on their emotions (Daft 2001:493).

For this reason, the hotel should note that guests behave in an irrational manner when it comes to buying goods and services in the hotel industry. Hence, several barriers affect their buying process: the process they rehearse before they make a purchase (Shavitt & Wänke 2001).

This process is characterised by barriers, which include the “I do not care,” “I cannot choose,” and “I cannot commit.” In the “I do not care” barrier, the guests believe that they are good at doing the routine activities they do; hence, they do not see a reason for change. The “I cannot choose” barrier revolves around guests’ emotions as they avoid tough choices even when they are straightforward, and they also delay their decisions to see if something better is out there.

The third barrier is the “I cannot commit,” which stems from the fact that guests have many choices to make, and this makes them agitated because choosing from diverse goods is a strenuous task (Shavitt & Wänke 2001).

In the scenario, the decision making process portrays that the decision makers have researched from empirical evidence in a number of research tools in order to supply alternatives on how to market the goods and services in the hotel setting.

These include the local and weekly newspaper, local Sunday magazine and newspaper, the age magazine, trade press, local radio, delicious magazine, SA life magazine, the age magazine, Robb report, Simon Thomson review, local visitors guide, PR agency, billboards, and direct mails, among others.

The advertisement scenario portrays that the decision makers are able to come up with a number of options from which they can use to make a comparison in a bid to identify the most favorable option that would facilitate choosing the most appropriate alternative. Thus, for each product category, the scenario portrays at least two types of products.

This is confirmed by the fact that there are two alcoholic drinks. There are also two types of non-alcoholic drinks, which include coffee and Coca-Cola. There are options for recreation facilities and two types of tobacco: one from America and the other one from United Kingdom.

The best product /service among the alternatives should be based on what is best for the guests: guests’ emotions, and not the emotions of the decision makers. In this regard, the advert with a rabbit has a connotation with guests’ emotions; thus, it is an appropriate advert to eradicate the “I cannot choose” barrier.

Furthermore, using sheep in the advertisement strategy arouses guests’ emotions, which, in turn, facilitate buying or the booking process. This stems from the fact that most clients are more inclined to purchasing emotional products as opposed to the non-emotional products (Falkowski & Grochowska 2009).

The scenario provides us with a decision making process that seeks to inform the clients on the unique products in the hotel. A chair with three stands is a case in point. Advertising using unique products helps the guests to recognise that the hotel provides products with better options. A tablecloth marked with an occasion, such as valentine day, is a rational decision making strategy that helps to create clients’ desire for the restaurant, thus eliminating “I do not care” barrier.

Additionally, this scenario helps us to highlight the pros and cons of rational decision-making model. This is confirmed by the fact that the decision makers have used the mailbox to call the attention of potential clients, and have thus received a number of letters suggesting various action plans.

This portrays that the effectiveness of the decision making process is enhanced by combining the decision makers’ knowledge with the clients’ or stakeholders’ knowledge in a bid to provide them with better goods and services. The disadvantage of this strategy is that there is an information overload emanating from the mail, and this proves to be impractical in the decision making process, as confirmed by the mail latrine.

The evaluation of the decision made is based on the mission and the vision of the hotel. It is evident that the hotel has intensified on a mission of paying close attention to behavior that is most likely to generate increased revenue, and at the same time, making sure that it provides the guests with a tremendous restaurant experience.

The vision, on the other hand, is ascertained by the fact that the firm endeavors to achieve its long-term benefits through a good decision-making process that aims at selling innovative services and products, which enhance brand awareness and loyalty. But all these are based on reflecting on who and what they are, as well as realising the selling points of goods and services offered by the hotel.

From the analysis presented in this paper, it is clear that the rational decision making model enhances selection of the best decision amongst the alternatives. Therefore, proper understanding of this model is essential in ensuring that the decision makers reap benefits from it. This involves understanding how to identify a problem or to establish a need for change, setting the accurate vision, establishing the authenticity of alternatives, selecting the most suitable alternative, and, finally, executing an accomplishment plan.

More so, this paper demonstrates the ability to use the rational decision making model in advertising. And even though the rational decision-making model is faced with a number of challenges such as information overload and time constraints, its implementation can prove to be of paramount importance in a number of companies.

Daft, R. L. 2001. Organization theory and design . Cincinnati, Ohio,South-Western College.

Eisenführ, F., Weber, M., & Langer, T. 2009. Rational decision making . Berlin, Springer.

Falkowski, A., & Grochowska, A. 2009. Emotional network in control of cognitive processes in advertisement. Advances in Consumer Research, 36, 405-412.

Kusluvan, S. 2003. Managing employee attitudes and behaviors in the tourism and hospitality industry . New York, Nova Science Publishers.

Nelson, A. J. 2005. A companion to rationalism . Malden, MA, Blackwell Publishers.

Phillips, J., & Gully, S. M. 2011. Organizational behavior: Tools for success . Mason, Ohio, South-Western Cengage Learning.

Shavitt, S., & Wänke, M. 2001. Consumer Behavior. Blackwell Handbook of Social Psychology , 569-590.

Williams, C. 2008. MGMT . Mason, OH, Thomson South-Western.

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IvyPanda. (2020, January 26). Decision Making Models. https://ivypanda.com/essays/decision-making-models-essay/

"Decision Making Models." IvyPanda , 26 Jan. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/decision-making-models-essay/.

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IvyPanda . "Decision Making Models." January 26, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/decision-making-models-essay/.

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How Good Is Your Decision Making?

Be ready for your next big decision.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Decision-making is a key skill in the workplace, and is particularly important if you want to be an effective leader.

Whether you're deciding which person to hire, which supplier to use, or which strategy to pursue, the ability to make a good decision with available information is vital.

It would be easy if there were one formula you could use in any situation, but there isn't. Each decision presents its own challenges.

So, how do you avoid making bad decisions – or leaving decisions to chance? You need a systematic approach to decision making so that, no matter what type of decision you have to make, you can make it with confidence.

No one can afford to make poor decisions. That's why we've developed this short quiz to help you assess your current decision-making skills. We'll examine how well you structure your decision-making process, and then we'll point you to specific tools and resources you can use to develop and improve this important competency.

How Good Are Your Decision-Making Skills?

Instructions.

For each statement, click the button in the column that best describes you. Please answer questions as you actually are (rather than how you think you should be), and don't worry if some questions seem to score in the "wrong direction." When you are finished, please click the "Calculate My Total" button at the bottom of the test.

As you answered the questions, did you see some common themes? We based our quiz on the essential steps that we highlight in our article, How to Make Decisions . Once you're sure of the root issue that you're deciding on, the strategy to follow is:

• Establish a positive decision-making environment.
• Generate potential solutions.
• Evaluate the solutions
• Check your decision.
• Communicate and implement.

If you're aware of these basic elements and improve the way you structure them, this will help you develop a better overall decision-making system. Let's look at these elements individually.

Establish a positive decision-making environment (Questions 3, 7, 13, 16)

If you've ever been in a meeting where people seem to be discussing different issues, then you've seen what happens when the decision-making environment hasn't been established. It's so important for everyone to understand the issue before preparing to make a decision. This includes agreeing on an objective, making sure the right issue is being discussed, and agreeing on a process to move the decision forward.

You also must address key interpersonal considerations at the very beginning. Have you included all the stakeholders ? And do the people involved in the decision agree to respect one another and engage in an open and honest discussion ? After all, if only the strongest opinions are heard, you risk not considering some of the best solutions available.

Generate potential solutions

(Questions 4, 8, 11)

Another important part of a good decision process is generating as many good alternatives as sensibly possible to consider. If you simply adopt the first solution you encounter, then you're probably missing a great many even better alternatives. Our Creativity Tools page has a comprehensive set of tools and techniques that can help you generate great ideas, including Brainstorming .

Evaluate the solutions (Questions 1, 6, 15)

The stage of exploring alternatives is often the most time-consuming part of the decision-making process. This stage sometimes takes so long that a decision is never made! To make this step efficient, be clear about the factors you want to include in your analysis. There are three key factors to consider:

Risk – Most decisions involve some risk. However, you need to uncover and understand the risks to make the best choice possible.

Consequences – You can't predict the implications of a decision with 100 percent accuracy. But you can conduct an Impact Analysis to identify and evaluate possible consequences.

Feasibility – Is the choice realistic and implementable? This factor is often ignored. You usually have to consider certain constraints when making a decision. As part of this evaluation stage , ensure that the alternative you've selected is significantly better than the status quo.

Decide (Questions 5, 10, 17)

Making the decision itself can be exciting and stressful. To help you deal with these emotions as objectively as possible, use a structured approach to the decision. This means taking a look at what's most important in a good decision. Take the time to think ahead and determine exactly what will make the decision "right." This will significantly improve your decision accuracy. Decision Matrix Analysis and Paired Comparison Analysis are effective tools for doing this.

Check Your Decision (Questions 2, 9)

Remember that some things about a decision are not objective. The decision has to make sense on an intuitive, instinctive level as well. The entire process we have discussed so far has been based on the perspectives and experiences of all the people involved. Now it's time to check the alternative you've chosen for validity and "making sense."

If the decision is a significant one, it's also worth auditing it to make sure that your assumptions are correct, and our article, The Ladder of Inference , can help you to ensure that the logical structure you've used to make the decision is sound.

Communicate and Implement

(Questions 12, 14, 18)

The last stage in the decision-making process involves communicating your choice and preparing to implement it. You can try to force your decision on others by demanding their acceptance. Or you can gain their acceptance by explaining how and why you reached your decision. For most decisions – particularly those that need participant buy-in before implementation – it's more effective to gather support by explaining your decision.

Have a plan for implementing your decision. People usually respond positively to a clear plan – one that tells them what to expect and what they need to do. For more information on developing these types of plans, read our articles about project management and change management .

Decision making is a skill – and skills can usually be improved. As you gain more experience making decisions, and as you become more familiar with the tools and structures needed for effective decision making, you'll improve your confidence.

Use this opportunity to think about how you can improve your decision making and take your skills to the next level. Ultimately, improving your decision-making skills will benefit you and your organization.

Ultimately, improving your decision-making skills will benefit you and your organization.

This assessment has not been validated and is intended for illustrative purposes only. It is just one of many Mind Tool quizzes that can help you to evaluate your abilities in a wide range of important career skills.

If you want to reproduce this quiz, you can purchase downloadable copies in our Store .

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Essay on decision making 11 Models

Last updated Friday , 15-03-2024 on 11:29 am

Essay on decision making , Decision making is one of the most difficult skills that many people lack. We may find an adult but he is not able to make a decision on his own, and he must ask another person what he should do.

It is not wrong to consult someone older than us, or someone with experience, but it is wrong to go beyond just consulting to rely on others to make decisions.

Because of the importance of the essay on decision making in real life and because of its presence in the tests, we will present to you in the following a large number of ready-made models that deal with this topic in detail.

Essay on decision making

When I was a small child, my grandfather told me I had to rely on myself, but I didn’t understand what he meant.

With time, he told me that you must choose your clothes on a daily basis without interference from anyone.

I was choosing clothes that didn’t fit together, but he told me it doesn’t matter, the important thing is that you choose for yourself.

He told me that I would learn to choose with time, and that my choice was better than relying on others. Indeed, with time, I became choosing for myself and did not accept anyone choosing my clothes for me.

As I got older and older I discovered that what my grandfather did was a good and effective way to teach me self-reliance. It was a simple method, but it taught me a beautiful trait.

These days I rely on myself to make the most difficult decisions about choosing clothes. When I find two or several options in front of me, I look for the advantages and disadvantages of each option, and then in the end I choose the decision that offers me the most positives.

Short essay on decision making

Making or making decisions is one of the most important skills that earn a person great success in his life. But why is the decision so important? Because it is the number one insult to success, whether in personal life or at work.

But what is decision making? How do we know we made the right decision?. Decision is the decisive choice a person makes when two or more things are presented to him. An intellectually mature person is the one who makes good choices in all aspects of his life.

A person may learn how to make a decision at an early age, as the mother presents her child with several things in order to decide what suits him, and in this way he learns to rely on himself and choose what suits him without feeling fear and hesitation. And when he grows up, he will increase his self-confidence and be an independent person in his decisions.

Making choices in life essay

In order for a person to make a right decision, he must possess some characteristics in his personality, including self-confidence and many experiences that make him see the inside of things. This person must be based on reason and logic, not just emotion.

Thinking with the mind makes a person see the facts in front of him well. As for thinking with emotion, it makes a person look like a blind person who does not see defects. That is why it is preferable for a person to learn to think and use his mind before making fateful decisions.

The child must be trained from a young age to think with the mind and try to see the result of his decisions. When he decides to buy sweets for the week and eat them in one day, we must show him the result of his decision and that he is deprived for the rest of the week.

We must teach the child how to control his desires and that he is in control of himself. It is not right to follow his desires all the time.

The choice i make essay 300 words

One of the fateful decisions and choices that I made myself was joining the club in order to learn to swim.

I had 3 different sports to choose from.

At first the choice was difficult, but with time I decided to try all types for a month, and then choose the most enjoyable sport for me. In the end, I chose to swim because of my love for it and my superiority in training than the rest of my colleagues.

My mother told me that the decision had consequences, so I should think carefully before making my decision.

This is what happened to me when I decided to practice swimming as a consequence of my decision to go to training regularly and without delay. The consequence was that I went to training in the summer and winter, despite the cold weather.

She also told me that decision-making should be rational, not emotional. As for swimming, it is a sport that suits the nature of my body and I will excel in it and reach the world championships.

But the sport of football is dear to my heart, but I am not good at playing it professionally, so it was right to choose what suits me with my mind and not what I like and is not suitable for me.

Making decisions in life essay

Making a decision in your life may cost you the rest of your life, meaning that if you make a mistake in choosing, you will suffer for the rest of your life. And if you make no mistake, you will live in peace and happiness forever.

Therefore, do not make any decision unless you have sufficient experience and information necessary for you to make a better choice.

You must have a rational way of thinking that enables you to see the future in an approximate way to show you the results of your decision. A person who is hasty and unaware of the consequences of his decision ruins his future forever.

There are important decisions in a person’s life such as what kind of education he wants to attend or what kind of school he should go to.

There are other important decisions, such as the type of sport that he must practice in order to suit him and be able to professionalize it and reach local and international championships.

A difficult decision that you had to make narrative essay

One of the most difficult situations I faced in my life was deciding to travel abroad with my father. When my mother divorced my father, I had to decide with whom I would go to live.

The decision was very difficult because living with my father is better, because of his financial means that will provide me with a good living.

As for living with my mother, it will be more difficult because she is married to someone I do not like. So in the end, I decided to travel to live with my father, and at the same time call my mother on a daily basis. And when the holiday comes, I ask my father’s permission and travel to visit my mother and spend time with her.

When I go to my mom she feels happy and we begin to plan carefully all the places we are going to visit together. I discovered that I had made the right decision to live with my father so that I could attend a good school. When I go to my mother’s, I spend a short vacation with her and do not suffer from the harassment of her husband.

Important decisions in life essay

In the life of each of us there are several important decisions that have a significant impact on our lives after they are made. But what are the steps to make the right decision?

You must identify the options available to you and write them on a piece of paper so that you can look at them clearly. The pros and cons of each of the available options must be written. You should also write down the flaws.

Try to visualize yourself experiencing the flaws and decide whether you will be able to face them or whether they will be painful for you. In the end, try to imagine the consequences that will come to you after you choose your favorite thing.

And when you present this paper to your mind, it will show you the most suitable path for you, which will make you choose in a way that is more powerful and self-confident.

This is what wise people do when they make their decision. As for the ignorant, they are the ones who make decisions in a random manner and without any study or experience of the consequences of this decision.

The most difficult decision i had to make essay

If you are faced with a difficult choice in your life, it is not wise to make the decision in a moment of haste or without considering the consequences. Each of our choices has a number of consequences, which can be good or bad.

And you should turn to someone older than you and has a lot of experience in life to help you clarify vague matters, and in the end you must take your time to think until you choose the right one for you without any error rate.

In the event that you do not have enough experience or do not have someone to help you in making your decision, it is possible to list the pros and cons and look at each point of them and imagine yourself facing this point, and see if you will accept it or it will be impossible for you.

Essay on choices and consequences

It is well known that every decision has consequences, so you must know the consequences before you make a decision.

In order to reduce the negative consequences, you must research and ask several people about the matter, then collect their opinions and make a final decision.

Try to gather your courage and do not make any decision in the time of your anger or in times of weakness and defeat, because it is one of the worst decisions that will destroy your life later. Do not rush to make a decision, but wait until you have a complete picture in your head.

You must know that every decision has its positives and negatives, and therefore you must study the negatives and see if you will bear them or not.

The negatives are many and varied, including what may be fatal for some people. Therefore, you must determine for yourself the extent to which you can tolerate these negatives or not.

Essay about decisions in life

There are several tips you can learn before you make an important decision in your life. Including identifying your priorities that you can not do without them. Each of us has priorities that are different from other people.

If the most important thing for you is the financials, then you must look for opportunities that provide you with the means.

If traveling is your ambition, you should choose to travel abroad and make it a priority.But if seeking knowledge is your highest ambition, you will choose a decision that provides you with learning.

In this way, the path will be clear to you and you will be able to make decisions that you will not regret later. In order to determine your priorities, you must get to know yourself in the first place.

There are some people who do not know themselves and do not know what their priorities are, which causes them to make wrong decisions that may destroy their lives for the rest of their lives.

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Competence or Experience The Missing Voice in Pediatric Decision-Making

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INTRODUCTION

One night in 2016, I fell sound asleep, then awoke to painkiller-induced, nightmarish hallucinations in the ICU. Despite being unable to identify myself or surroundings, I can clearly remember the discordant beeping of hospital monitors, acrid smell of saline wash, and taste of sickly sweet orange amoxicillin syrup. I was unaware that, the morning after I’d fallen asleep, I’d skied off an unmarked 30-foot cliff, breaking my legs, jaw, eye socket and nose, rupturing my right ear canal, and shattering nearly all of my teeth. Over the years that followed, I was fortunate enough to receive care from skilled, compassionate physicians. This not only allowed me to return to ski racing, but to dream of becoming a surgeon. Having grown older and thus more aware throughout my years as a pediatric patient, I’ve developed a nuanced understanding of what treatment made me feel heard.

In fact, I found the most radically varying aspect of my care to be the degree to which I was addressed as a conscious, capable individual versus an extension of my parents. This is unsurprising as the proper amount of authority lended to pediatric patients persists as highly disputed in bioethics. Over the course of this paper, several perspectives will be considered in order to evaluate the current position of the pediatric patient in medical decision-making. First, the ambiguity of maturity and reactions to pediatric autonomy will be considered through the Mature Minor Doctrine, especially important in the refusal of life-saving therapies. Next, the need for improved pain management, rooted in the misalignment of experienced and perceived pain in pediatric patients. Finally, this paper will prove, through the lenses of communitarianism and mosaic decision-making, the need for a more nuanced approach to pediatric care that structurally accounts for the patient’s voice without neglecting their place within a greater network. Therefore, there exists a great need for a more direct, balanced integration of pediatric patients’ as well as revisiting prevailing notions of where pediatric patients stand in relation to reason and experience.

To begin, Fleischman’s Pediatric Ethics opens with an exploration of what makes pediatric bioethics distinct. [1] Fleischman quickly runs into the most problematic of principles in the treatment of pediatric patients– autonomy. The ethical ambiguity of the degree of autonomy to offer pediatric patients and at what point in their lives is a central point of conflict. Many in favor of expanded authority point to the neurobiological similarity between young adults and late teenagers. [2] Furthermore, while parents are treated as natural decision-makers for their children, there are several cases of minors facing pressure to undergo medical treatment against their wishes. [3] , [4]  In response to these concerns, the Mature Minor Doctrine was created, a common law exception to the parental consent requirement. The doctrine allows a minor “to refuse or consent to medical treatment if [they possess] sufficient maturity to understand and appreciate the benefits and risks of the proposed medical treatment.” [5] The doctrine has spurred extensive and impassioned bioethical discourse, especially in relation to the refusal of life-saving therapies.

In “Health Care Decisionmaking by Children'', Ross draws a clear distinction between the notion of competence, often cited in psychological justifications of the Mature Minor Doctrine, and sound judgment. [6]  Her points against child liberationists can be simplified as follows: (a) children need time to develop virtues that preserve their life-time autonomy versus their present-day autonomy, (b) pediatric patients possess “limited world experience and so [their] decisions are not part of a well-conceived life plan,” [7] and (c) it serves parents and children alike for parents to make decisions in line with their view of a good life. I find all three points convincing, but each of them to be uniquely rooted in this same, critical lack of experience possessed by pediatric patients. I can attest to this. There were times where I suffered so desperately that I longed for relief by any means. I even told my mother that I was content only hearing out of one ear, willing to do anything to prevent another surgery. Now, I am fearful to imagine a world where, at my lowest, I had full autonomy.

Hence, the broad aversion to expanded pediatric autonomy is largely rooted in potential misuse, especially in the possibility of a unilateral, misinformed decision in favor of death via refusal of life-sustaining therapy. [8] , [9] Yet, one might argue, the desire for death has concrete rationale beyond lack of life experience— pain and suffering. As Foley describes, “The public's fear of pain and the media's portrayal that physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia are the only reliable options for pain relief… demand that health care delivery systems commit their efforts to improve pain relief at an institutional level.” [10]  Indeed, the issue of insufficient pain management is all too common in pediatrics. One study comparing postoperative pain assessments surveyed 307 patients, 207 of whom were verbal. Across the board, nurses’ pain estimations produced significantly lower pain scores than parents and children, and were consistently closer to estimated pain scores of independent observers. [11] In another study, a total of 356 nurses across 22 Japanese PICUs were surveyed, and despite possessing a median of 4 years of experience, a mere 32.6% expressed confidence in their ability to accurately assess pain. [12]   It is alarming and telling that even in verbal pediatric patients, pain is significantly underestimated by medical personnel, reflecting a real gap in pediatric patient-professional communication. I can, again, personally attest to this. In the children’s ward, I was offered only Tylenol for severe nerve pain in my legs that kept me awake most nights.

Relatedly, the spirited debate in response to the Mature Minor Doctrine is somewhat disproportionate. Despite the suggestion of various commentators that the law broadly recognizes the doctrine or that states are trending in its direction, only eight states have adopted a mature minor exception, and even these states condition this authority greatly. [13] With this in mind, a crucial issue is illuminated– an aversion to the pediatric patient voice altogether. As Flesichman writes, “Children should be informed about the nature of their condition, the proposed treatment plan, and the expected outcome… appropriate to their developmental levels.” [14] Hence, it is vital to curtail pediatric autonomy in complex and life-threatening choices, but it is worth seriously considering that the current landscape might excessively minimize or avoid pediatric patients’ expression, merely serving to inform them rather than account for their voice.

The experience that pediatric patients do possess, in the form of knowing their body, past medical experiences, and thus present pain-related needs, is systemically underrepresented. This is a pressing issue. Before considering expansion of the pediatric voice, though, it is first important to consider the manner in which the patient’s capacity is further complicated by their role within a larger community. It is worthwhile explicitly mentioning communitarianism, a prevailing school of thought in modern bioethics, defined by Callahan as “a way of… assum[ing] that human beings are social animals… and whose lives are lived out within deeply penetrating social, political, and cultural institutions and practices.” [15] Pediatric patients present a uniquely communitarian case as the perspectives of parents and the needs of patients’ families are vital considerations in offering care. The pediatric patient’s role in a larger family unit and community should be kept in focus so long as the well-being of the patient isn’t compromised, such as in potentially life-threatening religious preferences, as the obligation of the physician is, first and foremost, to the patient.

Nonetheless, the status quo demands a more thoughtful and structural accounting of the pediatric voice to ensure that they feel heard and empowered in complex decision-making and regular care alike. Hence, it is necessary to develop and evaluate clinical models and frameworks that directly account for the pediatric voice, that integrate pediatric patients’ input as continuous, regular, and required elements of treatment. For instance, there may be promise in a model similar to that of mosaic decision-making, a means of restoring the capacity of reemergent patients following brain injury. Rather than enabling complete surrogate authority, the model would enable a pediatric patient’s emergent voice to be accommodated but to not “speak beyond its range and capabilities” via group deliberation between surrogate and patient, a medical professional, and a patient advocate. [16] Opting for such a model would enable the active involvement of pediatric input without excessively empowering the patient in a manner that neglects their communitarian role and lack of experience.

In the heated response to the largely unenforced mature minor doctrine, one finds the invaluable and lacking factor of experience in pediatric patients, especially in decisions to withdraw or refuse life-sustaining medical treatments. In this same response, however, one finds a sharp aversion to the pediatric voice, reflected in pervasive under-medication. Deficits in pain management must be addressed to more effectively treat discomfort, an effort bolstered by a more structural accounting of the pediatric voice and thus pain-related needs. Finally, frameworks that regularly involve the pediatric patient perspective while valuing their communitarian importance and lacking experience, such as the mosaic model, hold real promise moving forward.

[1] Fleischman, Alan. Pediatric Ethics: Protecting the Interests of Children. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, September, 2016), p. 1-16.

[2] Coleman, Doriane & Rosoff, Philip. “The Legal Authority of Mature Minors to Consent to General Medical Treatment.” (Itasca: American Journal of Pediatrics, March  2013), p. 1.

[3] Hawkins, Susan. “Protecting the Rights and Interests of Competent Minors in Litigated Medical Treatment Disputes.” (New York: Fordham Law Review, March 1996), p. 1.

[4] Derish, Melinda & Heuvel, Kathleen. “Mature Minors Should Have the Right to Refuse Life-Sustaining Medical Treatment.” (Boston: The

Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, January 2021), p. 1-14.

[5] Derish, Melinda & Heuvel, Kathleen. “Mature Minors Should Have the Right to Refuse Life-Sustaining Medical Treatment.” p. 7.

[6] Ross, Lainie. “Health Care Decisionmaking by Children. Is It in Their Best Interest?” (Garrison: The Hastings Center Report, November-December 1997), p. 1-5.

[7] Ross. “Health Care Decisionmaking by Children''. p. 5.

[8] Penkower, Jessica. “The Potential Right of Chronically Ill Adolescents to Refuse Life-Saving Medical Treatment - Fatal Misuse of the Mature Minor Doctrine.” (Chicago: DePaul Law Review, 1996), p. 1-8.

[9] Burk, Josh. “Mature Minors, Medical Choice, and the Constitutional Right to Martyrdom.” (Charlottesville: Virginia Law Review, September 2016), p. 1-15.

[10] Foley, Kathleen. “Pain Relief Into Practice: Rhetoric Without Reform.” (Alexandria: Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1995), p. 1-3

[11] Hla et. al. “Perception of Pediatric Pain: A Comparison of Postoperative Pain Assessments Between Child, Parent, Nurse, and Independent Observer.” (Melbourne: Pediatric Anesthesia. 2014) p. 1-5.

[12] Tsuboi et. al. “Nurses' perception of pediatric pain and pain assessment in the Japanese PICU.” (Tokyo: Pediatrics International, February 2023), p. 1-3, 10-12.

[13] Coleman, Doriane & Rosoff, Philip. “The Legal Authority of Mature Minors”. p. 1-3.

[14] Fleischman, Alan. Pediatric Ethics . p. 115.

[15] Callahan, Daniel. “Principlism and communitarianism.” (Garrison: The Hastings Center  Report, October 2003), p. 2.

[16] Fins, Joseph. “Mosaic Decisionmaking and Reemergent Agency after Severe Brain  Injury”. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, September 2017), p. 6.

Jonathan Tenenbaum

Third place winner of Voices in Bioethics' 2023 persuasive essay contest. 

Disclaimer: These essays are submissions for the 2023 essay contest and have not undergone peer review or editing.

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