Decision Making

Does your culture see individual decisions within their broader context, in other words linked with other decisions (systematic) or does it see them as discreet, well-defined, in the sense of complexity broken down (particularistic)?

When making decisions some business cultures stick to their internal decision making process and do not allow themselves to be influenced by outside factors. They want to make the optimal decision. Whereas other business cultures do take into consideration outsides factors and will make the best decision within the given parameters. Which is your culture?

When it comes to making decisions does your business culture aim to preserve resources or does it aim to deploy resources? In other words, are you conservative (to conserve) or opportunistic (to take advantage of an opportunity)?

When it comes to doing the analysis before making a decision, does your culture more likely to do deep-dive analysis or only enough in order to make a good decision?

A scale. 1 to 5. With 1 being: “We’re not a risk-averse business culture.” And with 5 being “We are very risk-averse culture.” Where is your culture?

In your business culture, what is one key characteristic of how decisions are made?

The summer is just around the corner. You and your spouse don’t want to continue driving your son, Tommy (age 18), and his two younger sisters around town to their various activities. Since Tommy has a driver’s license and drives responsibly, the two of you will sit down together on Sunday evening and plan your search for a reliable, safe and economical used car.

If you are an American, please map out your decision making process: key factors, information gathering, information analysis, steps and their sequence, schedule, budget, possible involvement of Tommy.

If you are a German, and your daughter, Angela, has her driver‘s license already, please map out your decision making process.

If you are neither American nor German, please map out your decision making process.