Open Journal of Applied Sciences, 2020, 10, 287-304
https://www.scirp.org/journal/ojapps
ISSN Online: 2165-3925
ISSN Print: 2165-3917
DOI: 10.4236/ojapps.2020.106022 Jun. 16, 2020 287 Open Journal of Applied Sciences
A Theoretical Approach to the Effective
Decision-Making Process
Federico de Andreis
Università Giustino Fortunato, Benevento, Italy
Abstract
This research develops and elaborates studies done for a contribution to the
2019 PIC International Conference 2019 in Malta, about the decision-making
process. Decision-making is the act of choosing between two or more courses
of action. In the wider process of problem-solving, decision-making involves
choosing between possible solutions to a problem, and these decisions can be
made through either an intuitive or reasoned process, or a combination of the
two. The study of decision-making processes, to be understood as the role of
human factors, becomes particularly interesting in complex organizations.
This research aims to analyze how an effective team, within organizations,
can develop a more correct and effective decision-making, in order to get an
optimal solution, overcoming the typical uncertainty. The paper describes the
point of departure of decision in complex, time-pressured, uncertain, ambi-
guous and changing environments. The use of a leading case (the Tenerife air
accident, 1977), will lead us to the desired results, i.e. to demonstrate how an
effective decisional process, including team dynamics, can be useful to reduce
the risk, present in all decisions, and reduce errors. The case of Tenerife air
disaster, confirm our research. In that case, in fact, the group dynamics prove
not to have worked. Thus, we can state that if a team approach had been fol-
lowed instead of a more individual one, the results would probably have been
different. The central belief of the research, is that classic decision theory
could benefit from a team approach, which reduces the risk that a decision
may lead to undesirable consequences. As demonstrated with the case study,
within organizations, the decision-making is not a solitary action. Decisions,
in fact, are made within a team and in order to be able to function effectively
in a group, and manage group situations, there are essential skills. The team
can then become a resource for the decisional process and problem solving,
but it is necessary to understand the dynamics.
Keywords
Decision-Making, Human Behavior, Problem Solving, Management,
How to cite this paper: de Andreis, F.
(2020) A Theoretical Approach to the Ef-
fective Decision-Making Process. Open Jour-
nal of Applied Sciences, 10, 287-304.
https://doi.org/10.4236/ojapps.2020.106022
Received: May 18, 2020
Accepted: June 13, 2020
Published: June 16, 2020
Copyright © 2020 by author(s) and
Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution International
License (CC BY 4.0).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Open Access