Wharton on Making
Decisions (2001) identifies three sourses of inconsistencies when making decisions;
sequential versus simultaneous, buying versus selling, and pricing versus
rating. For a more detailed description of these, please see below:
·
Sequential versus simultaneous: people have conflicting
desires and values and the way options are presented guides them toward one or the
other choice. It would be best to see all the options simultaneously versus one
at a time so that value trade off is less likely. (Silly example: Should I want
to buy a pair of shoes and I am limited to one pair, I will place all the
options in front of me and decide that way rather than compare them one at a
time. Having a look at something all in one group can be a helpful determining factor
as something may standout in the group as overtly desirable or undesirable.)
·
Buying versus selling: buying is more driven by
concerns with quality or economical soundness and selling is driven more by
emotions such as guilt or responsibility. It was estimated that people tend to
not pay their fair share for certain goods, but demanding their share in
compensation should goods disappear. (Example: Many liberal democrats, I among
them, voted to reelect President Obama for a second term in office. We wanted to
have our liberal wants and needs represented; however the very second our taxes
increased after the election those same individuals were moaning and groaning about
Obamacare. This was directed incorrectly, but it still serves to make my
point.)
·
Pricing versus rating: when values are thought
of in explicitly monetary terms, they are more likely to be sacrificed. They
will rate an item very high, but not necessarily be willing to pay for the
rating and will compromise the values originally placed on said item.
(Hoch, Kunreuther, Gunther, 2011, p. 249-251)
The Decision Book
(2008) gives a plethora of tips and tricks on how to make sounder, more effective
decisions. There are a few that would be applicable to debunking the inconsistencies
found when making decisions. A few I
prefer are: the SWOT analysis model, the BCG Box, and the Feedback model.
·
The SWOT Model analyzes four characteristic of
any decision to be made: strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats. What
are the strengths of this product, and what are the weaknesses? What sort of opportunities
(if applicable) would this provide me with, and are there any threats
associated with it?
·
The BCG Model analyzes the investment made with
a decision. The cash cows are identified which do not cost much, but have high
returns. The stars are more expensive and have a high growth rate and a high hope
of return. The dogs have a low share and have little value. When trying to
determine the most bang for your buck, this method is beneficial
·
The Feedback Model offers four methods of rating
a decision: advice, compliment, criticism, and suggestion which are better than
simply is this good or bad? This model gives more dimension for growth and expansion
of the decision to be rendered.
References:
Hoch,
S. J., Kunreuther, H., & Gunther, R. E. (2001). Wharton on making
decisions. New York: Wiley.
Krogerus,
M., & Tschappeler, R. (2011). The Decision Book. ; 50 Models for
Strategic Thinking.. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Incorporated.
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