Decision Issues with Examples
The focus here is on decisions within medium-sized and large conventional organizations. This page is provided just to be sure that everybody is on the same wavelength in regards to the sorts of decisions that this framework addresses.
Source of this List
Participants in workshops on decision-making conducted by J. Algie and W. Kinston were routinely asked at the beginning of the event to identify actual decisions that they would like to be able to handle better, or learn more about.
This list was abstracted from several hundred or more suggestions. It reflects the phrasing and the expressions of participants, and is meant to be illustrative, rather than comprehensive.
Issues (hence decisions) may of course be further analysed by organization, domain or function
e.g. Professional Services, Purchasing, Marketing, Finance, Facilities, Personnel, Administration, Research, Management Services, Corporate Management &c.
Timing Issues
What notice must be given? When must it be ready? What turn around time do we select? What sequence is required to minimize wastage of time? How do we handle the queues that are building up?
Sequencing or staging issues are decisions to do everything and exclude nothing.
Detail Issues
What features are best liked? What numbers of staff do we need to handle customer returns? What is the cost of outsourcing? What are the specifications of that machine? What amounts of materials are needed?
Such issues are assumed to be resolvable by obtaining the facts or by collecting and collating relevant data internally.
Directional Issues
Do we continue as we are? Do we do more or do less? Do we become different? Do we make or buy? Do we outsource?
Such questions prompt decision-makers to score the alternatives or options against various criteria—implicitly or explicitly, sooner or later.
Allocation Issues
How much or how many of something for whom? How will we supply all customers given shortages? What budgets shall we assign? How do we use space in our buildings? Do we enable a surplus, or choose a deficit or ration resources?
Allocation issues are usually analysed as involving •resource distribution •resource mobilization •inventory •queuing & •replacement.
Evaluative Issues
Why have complaints increased? How do we monitor quality? What do we do about likely consequences or possible side-effects? What will HQ think of what we plan?
Such questions prompt an exploration of causes leading to diagnosis of what is probable; prognosis of what is likely; and how to monitor effects.
Design and Structuring Issues
What form should the new organizational structure take? What features do we build in? What do we call the new product? Where should this Division be five years from now? What authority should we assign? Who will act as the coordinator?
Such questions require decision-makers to construct and shape or model from what is available.
Search Issues
Where can we find staff to provide this service? Where can we best locate the new service centre? How do we get a more reliable outsourced service?
These questions require decision-makers to scan, search and locate in a relatively undefined environment so as to meet various general criteria within certain constraints.
Conflict Issues
How can we resolve this inter-departmental conflict? How can we win this bid without cheating? How can we maximize our pay-offs vis-à-vis others? Which offers or bids would give what pay-offs? How should we deal with this industrial dispute?
Such questions require decision-makers to evolve procedures for bidding &/or conflict resolution between competing disputants.
Articulation Issues
Who should interact with whom, about what, when and how? Whom should we tell? Who should tell us?
Such decisions require decision-makers to find ways of giving and receiving relevant information more quickly and clearly.
Development Issues
How should we develop this service? How should we increase our marketing capabilities? How do we develop talent and set up succession plans.
These questions require decision-makers to engage with the future and consider learning/training required to support a new future state.
Technical Issues
How should we alter the computing infrastructure to assist managers more? How do we reduce the complexity of our website for customers? Which software developer-supplier can we trust to build our system?
These questions require sufficient technology expertise in-house to enable management of external technology suppliers.
Integration Issues
What should our efforts be achieving? How can different parts of the organization interlink more effectively? How can we combine and integrate our resources so as to use them more efficiently?
Such questions require decision-makers to evolve organizational and technological coherence in regard to relevant needs, communities and environments.
- Start now with a summary of the approaches.
Originally posted: 23-Mar-2011