Solving Complex Decision Problems

This book offers a decision making procedure to help managers in companies, non-profit organisations and public administration solve problems. It focuses on problem analysis, on developing solution options and on establishing the decision making matrix.

Making decisions is certainly the most important task managers are faced with, and it is often a very difficult one. This book offers a procedure for solving complex decision problems step by step. Unlike other texts, the book focuses on problem analysis, on developing potential solutions, and on establishing a decision-making matrix.

In this fourth edition of the book, published under a new title, the authors present simplified, actionable guidelines that can be easily applied to the individual steps in the heuristic process.

The book is intended for decision-makers at companies, non-profit organizations and in public administration whose work involves complex problems. It will also benefit students and participants in executive courses.

Presents a general heuristic decision-making procedure for complex problems

Focuses on analyzing the problem and on developing and assessing potential solution

Includes a case study which illustrates how the proposed decision-making procedure is applied in practice

Offers executives an approach to solving complex problems systematically and successfully

Autorentext

Prof. Dr. Rudolf Grünig is Professor of Business Administration at the University of Fribourg and Lecturer in Strategic Management in various postgraduate programs in Switzerland and abroad. He is also member of the Board or strategy consultant for different Swiss companies.

Prof. Dr. Richard Kühn is the founder and former director of the Institute for Marketing and Strategic Management at the University of Bern. He works as member of the Board and business consultant for important Swiss companies. He is the author of numerous publications in marketing and strategic management.

Inhalt
Introduction.- Decision Problems and Decision-Making Procedures: Decision Problems.- Goal and Problem-Finding Systems as Requirements for the Discovery of Decision Problems.- Rational Decision-Making.- Decision-Making Procedures.- A General Heuristic Decision-Making Procedure: Overview of the Decision-Making Procedure.- Problem Verification and Analysis.- Developing and Evaluating the Solution Options.- Decision Maxims for Establishing the Overall.- Overall Evaluation on the Options and Decision.- A Case Study Illustrating the Application of the Procedure.- Special Problems and Approaches to Solve Them: Decision Sequences.- Information Procurement Decisions.- Collective Decisions.- Final Remarks.