A Taste of Austria: A Recipe for Austrian Sacher Torte

This overview of Austria – its geography, its economy, its culture, and its people, and a recipe, too – was prepared by Miranda Manuel while an accounting student in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Introduction

Austria is located in Central Europe. It is surrounded by countries such as Italy, Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic. These countries, as well as others in Europe, have heavily influenced the cuisine of Austria, making it a very multicultural cuisine. Some of the more famous traditional dishes that come from Austria are desserts. A few of these traditional desserts are apple strudel, linzer eyes, and sacher torte. The recipe that follows is an easy alternative to the somewhat complicated traditional sacher torte recipe.

Country Information

· Geographic Facts

Here are three geographic facts about Austria:

1. Austria is a land-locked country. It’s neighbors are Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland.

2. Austria’s population is concentrated on the eastern lowlands. This is because of steep slopes, poor soils and low temperatures elsewhere.

3. Austria is located in the Alps. Due to this, only 32% of the country is below 1,640 feet.

· 3 “Serious” Facts

Here are three serious facts about Austria:

1. Approximately one-fourth of Austria’s population lives in its capital, Vienna.

2. The official language of Austria is German. Other languages include Slovene, Croatian and Hungarian.

3. A majority of the population are Roman Catholics. A small percentage of Protestants and Muslims make up the rest.


· 3 “Fun” Facts

Here are three fun facts about Austria:

1. About one half of Austrian men are overweight, while about one-fifth of Austrian women are overweight.

2. The official language of Austria is German. Other languages include Slovene, Croatian and Hungarian.

3. A majority of the population are Roman Catholics. A small percentage of Protestants and Muslims make up the rest.


· 3 “Fun” Facts

Here are three fun facts about Austria:

1. About one half of Austrian men are overweight, while about one-fifth of Austrian women are overweight.

2. The largest emerald in the world is displayed in Vienna, Austria. It is displayed in the Imperial Treasury of the Hofburg (Imperial Palace).
3. Among Europeans, Austrian people work the most hours. They have an average of approximately 45 hours per week.

· A “Potpourri” Item
Here is an unusual fact about Austria:
1. Austria was the first country to use postcards. They started using them in approximately 1869.

Food Information

· Recipe

Ingredients

o 1 package of Swiss chocolate cake mix
o 3 large eggs
o ½ cup of vegetable oil
o 1 1/3 cups of water
o 1 jar of apricot jam
o ½ cup whipping cream
o 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels


Directions

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.
Bake at 350 deg for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread jam between layers.
Microwave whipping cream at High1 minute; add chocolate morsels, stirring until melted. Pour mixture over top of cake, using a spatula to spread dripping mixture around sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.
This recipe was obtained at the following website: http://www.grouprecipes.com/101916/easy-sachertorte.html

· My Kitchen Story

As a very untalented baker, I was a bit nervous about attempting to bake something as complicated as the sacher torte. Just a brief glance at the traditional recipes with instructions such as melting using double boilers and folding in ingredients had me tempted to run to a local bakery. Rather than back away from the challenge completely, I decided to use the method that I use on a daily basis to avoid burning down my kitchen, looking for a shortcut recipe. While baking a cake according to the box instructions may seem somewhat elementary to most, it is a daunting task for me. I was rather excited to get to use my big, expensive stand mixer (a wedding gift that has only been used once to make mashed potatoes creamy). I was not excited about the mess that followed. I don’t know if it is normal to end up with cake batter on the ceiling, but somehow I managed to pull it off with ease. Let me just say, whoever came up with the idea that the best way to keep a cake from sticking to the pan was by covering it with flour, should be tied up, dragged to my house, and forced to clean the mess in my kitchen. I can honestly tell you that flour was EVERYWHERE! But I must admit, even with my lack of baking skills, I managed to create a cake that looked somewhat similar to the pictures that I had to compare it to. It looked good enough that I had a hard time keeping my husband’s hands off of it. I may have to stand guard tonight to protect my creation… hopefully the taste is worth it!

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Contact Info: To contact the author of “A Taste of Austria: A Recipe for Sacher Torte,” please email Miranda.Manuel@selu.edu.

BIOGRAPHY

David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also maintains compilations of his student’s publications regarding management concepts (http://toptenmanagement.blogspot.com/), book reviews (http://wyld-about-books.blogspot.com/), international foods (http://wyld-about-food.blogspot.com/).


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If you enjoyed this publication, why not make one of your own with us! Are you a college or university student from anywhere in the world who would be interested in publishing your work in an edited online journal appropriate to your topic? Such a move can help put muscle into your resume and make a great impression on potential employers and graduate schools (and needless to say – and perhaps most importantly in the age in which we live – likely be the first thing that companies/universities view about you when “Googling” you)! If so, we can help you get that first publication for free (and more if you desire)! Visit Wyld Publishing Services (http://wyldpublishingservice.yolasite.com/) for details. We can work with you to publish your quality essays, research articles/papers, reviews, etc. – and even audio and visual media and PowerPoint presentations – given our network of edited publications and relationship with publishers around the world who want to work with you and your work. Contact us today to get your work published at dwyld.kwu@gmail.com.


Read more:

A Taste of Austria: A Recipe for Austrian Sacher Torte

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A Taste of Angola: A Recipe for Chicken Angola

Image via Wikipedia

This overview of Angola – its geography, its economy, its culture, and its people, and a recipe, too – was prepared by Corey Vining while an Accounting student in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Introduction


Angola is a country in Africa. It is very rich in minerals such as oil and diamonds. Although Angola remains in a state of recovery from its civil war, tourists still flock to this country to see its beautiful landscape and abundance of wildlife.

Country Information

· Geographic Facts

Here are three geographic facts about Angola:

1. Angola is divided into 18 provinces and 163 municipalities.

2. Angola has zero square kilometers of water, making it a very hot and dry country.

3. Angola consists of 1,246,700 square kilometers of land.

· 3 “Serious” Facts

Here are three serious facts about Angola:
1. The overall security situation in Angola has improved since the end of the civil war; however, Americans should still exercise caution when traveling in Angola. Although the war has ended, ground travel in some parts of Angola can be problematic due to land mines, which were used extensively during the war.

2. Crime is a serious problem throughout Angola. While most violent crime occurs between Angolans, foreigners have occasionally been attacked as well.

3. Angola is generally a cash-only economy; neither traveler’s checks nor credit cards are used outside the capital of Luanda.



· 3 “Fun” Facts
Here are three fun facts about Angola:
1. The Kwanza River is responsible for the names of two of Angola’s provinces. The currency of Angola is also named after this river.

2. Angola celebrates holidays not common to most regions. These holidays include Women’s Day and Children’s Day.

3. Angola a former war-torn nation, has competed in five FIBA World Cups. In addition, the Angolan men’s basketball team will be one of the 24 squads present at the 2010 FIBA World Tournament.


· A “Potpourri” Item
Here is an unusual fact about Angola:
1. Despite the fact that Angola is still recovering from a brutal civil war, many tourists are still lured to this country.

Food Information

· Recipe

Chicken Angola

Ingredients:
· boneless and skinless chicken breasts
· 2 tablespoons minced garlic
· 2 packets Goya Sazon powder
· 3/4 cup butter
· 1 can beer
· salt & white pepper
· olive oil

Directions:
Cook till chicken is white on the inside, either on the grill, on the stove-top, or in the oven.

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Contact Info: To contact the author of “A Taste of Angola: A Recipe for Chicken Angola,” please email Corey.Vining@selu.edu.

BIOGRAPHY

David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also maintains compilations of his student’s publications regarding management concepts (http://toptenmanagement.blogspot.com/), book reviews (http://wyld-about-books.blogspot.com/), international foods (http://wyld-about-food.blogspot.com/).

AN INVITATION TO WORK WITH US, TODAY!

If you enjoyed this publication, why not make one of your own with us! Are you a college or university student from anywhere in the world who would be interested in publishing your work in an edited online journal appropriate to your topic? Such a move can help put muscle into your resume and make a great impression on potential employers and graduate schools (and needless to say – and perhaps most importantly in the age in which we live – likely be the first thing that companies/universities view about you when “Googling” you)! If so, we can help you get that first publication for free (and more if you desire)! Visit Wyld Publishing Services (http://wyldpublishingservice.yolasite.com/) for details. We can work with you to publish your quality essays, research articles/papers, reviews, etc. – and even audio and visual media and PowerPoint presentations – given our network of edited publications and relationship with publishers around the world who want to work with you and your work. Contact us today to get your work published at dwyld.kwu@gmail.com.

Read more:

A Taste of Angola: A Recipe for Chicken Angola

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This overview of Organizational Design was prepared by Dustin Lane Dier while an Occupational Safety, Health & Environmental major in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Introduction

Designing an organizational structure is critical to managers and selecting the correct model, which fits your businesses core competencies and assets, can be a challenge. In reality, as any business evolves, chances are the organization will take on several of the below, outlined, organizational design models. Why is organizational design important? It is at the heart of how your business will function, determines how business decisions will be made, how many managers/employees a company will have and how it will conduct business. Without some form of organization design, whether traditional or contemporary, it will be difficult to focus your company and your human assets to maintain a competitive edge over the competition.

The Idea in a Nutshell

The organizational design of a company reflects its efforts to respond to changes, integrate new elements, ensure collaboration and allow for flexibility. Organizational design models have evolved over time due to several factors including technological advances, research of historical data regarding profitability of past companies and market changes. Traditional organizational design models include; simple structure, functional structure and divisional structure. Contemporary design models include; team structures, project structures and boundary less organizations. All have their distinct advantages and disadvantages which we will explore further.

The Top Ten Things You Need to Know About Organizational Design Models

1. Simple structures are typical for businesses in the early stages of development. They usually have one primary decision maker (owner/president) responsible for decisions in all functional areas. Span of control or number of employees overseen by one individual is greater than in other design models and very few rules exist.

2. Functional structures quite simply group occupational classes together. For instance, all HR professionals work together while all accountants have their own department. Operations exist in their own world while payroll acts independently of the other groups. This model encourages technical expertise and reduces duplication of activities.

3. Divisional structure is a design model that group specific business groups together. Perhaps those in the same industry (e.g. oil & gas) form one group while construction makes up another, separate business unit. This is typical in large companies that serve more than one industry and/or that have grown dramatically through merger and acquisitions.

4. Team structures assign specific work “teams” which are comprised of employees for different functional groups, to complete work tasks/projects in the manner they feel is best. Employee empowerment is the key and while freedom exist with little direct oversight, each team is completely responsible for the work of their group is assigned.

5. Project structures assemble teams of employees with specific skill sets and assets to work from project to project. The teams form and disband as work requires and this type of structure usually eliminates the bureaucracies of large organizations, specifically slow decision making processes. When one project is completed, employees move on to the next project, never returning to formal departments.

6. Boundaryless organizations have no limitations from horizontal, vertical or external boundaries. Walls are broken down and little actual structure exists between external customers, internal departments or functional groups and even vertical organizational levels of management. Work specialization is minimized thereby reducing departmentalization allowing creativity and most importantly employee empowerment.

7. Organizational designs today should support employees in doing their work flexibly but also effectively and efficient. Balancing these two items is at the heart of many touch decisions of managers in today’s organizations. The question should be which design model would best compliment your organization and be competitive by efficient work and cost savings while maintaining the best employees and talent possible, which can mean flexible work schedules.

8. Connecting employees in this new age of technology is crucial to maintain qualified resources. Gone are the days of all hours worked must be at the office and under the boss’s nose. Today, thanks to advances in the web and virtual programs, employees can be just as effective from home on the couch or in another state while visiting family.

9. Learning organizations know how to shake and roll. They are jumpers and earth shakers, experts at adapting to changes in the business environment and market fluctuations. Employees continuously evolve with advancements in technology and industry best practices continuously improving their ability to make decisions that keep the companies competitive advantage over the competition.

10. Most every company in today’s day and age are itching to go global. How does that affect organizational design? Well, greatly. While some models will work anywhere, cultural differences are at the heart of whether the organizational design you choose for your organization’s internationals locations will fail or succeed. Authority is valued differently in different areas of the world and freedom, acceptance, even colors make a difference. Did you know the color pink is unacceptable to men in China and could dramatically affect your marketing campaign? A CEO located in the United States certainly would more than likely be unaware of the offense of that color; however a project structured team, handling the business in China would have made that catch, altered the marketing strategy and perhaps saved the company thousands.

The Video Lounge



The above video clip does a great job in laying out several of the different options for organizational design. Functional, Product, Customer, Geographical and Matrix designs are all discussed in details and the speaker even gives on pro and one con per design choice.

My Take

Organizational design is still a paramount concept in business today. In fact, a company cannot exist except to be organized in one of the above mentioned ways. Selecting the right design model and recognizing when the organization has outgrown the one you choose first are critical to your success as a manager. Study them carefully and research competitors in your industry but do not be afraid to lead the way.


References

CliffsNotes.com. What is organizational design? 20 Jul 2010.

Coulter, Mary and Stephen P. Robbins. Management. 10th. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, 2009.
http://owl.English.Purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

McNamara, Carter MBA, PhD (1995). Guidelines for Organizational Design. Retrieved from http://managementhelp.org/org_thry/design.htm

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Contact Info: To contact the author of “Top Ten Management on Organizational Design,” please email Dustin Lane Dier at Dustin.Dier@selu.edu or Dustin.Dier@yahoo.com.

BIOGRAPHY

David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also serves as the Director of the Reverse Auction Research Center (http://reverseauctionresearch.blogspot.com/), a hub of research and news in the expanding world of competitive bidding. Dr. Wyld also maintains compilations of his student’s publications regarding management concepts (http://toptenmanagement.blogspot.com/), book reviews (http://wyld-about-books.blogspot.com/) and international foods (http://wyld-about-food.blogspot.com/).

Read more in Organizations

« Learning Organization

AN INVITATION TO WORK WITH US, TODAY!

If you enjoyed this publication, why not make one of your own with us! Are you a college or university student from anywhere in the world who would be interested in publishing your work in an edited online journal appropriate to your topic? Such a move can help put muscle into your resume and make a great impression on potential employers and graduate schools (and needless to say – and perhaps most importantly in the age in which we live – likely be the first thing that companies/universities view about you when “Googling” you)! If so, we can help you get that first publication for free (and more if you desire)! Visit Wyld Publishing Services (http://wyldpublishingservice.yolasite.com/) for details. We can work with you to publish your quality essays, research articles/papers, reviews, etc. – and even audio and visual media and PowerPoint presentations – given our network of edited publications and relationship with publishers around the world who want to work with you and your work. Contact us today at dwyld.kwu@gmail.com.

Read more:

Top Ten Management on Organizational Design: An Overview of Traditional and Contemporary Design Models

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Top Ten Management on Labor Unions: An Overview of Their History and Growth

Image via Wikipedia

This overview of the history and growth of labor unions was prepared by Amanda Dickson while a Business Management major in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Introduction

A labor union is “an organization of wage earners formed for the purpose of serving members’ interests with respect to wages and working conditions.” They have come a long way since the 18th and 19th century and continue to evolve through strict policies and new legislation.


The Idea in a Nutshell

The evolution of labor unions in America began as far back as the 1700s attributable to the dangerous and harsh conditions workers were facing. To add insult to injury, they were earning low wages and working long, grueling hours. Workers began to realize if they came together, it was easier for them to persuade their employers to answer their demands.

The Top Ten Things You Need to Know About Labor Unions

1. One of the first types of labor unions were called craft unions. These were skilled workers who specialized in a certain trade. For example, the Philadelphia shoemakers in 1792, the Boston Carpenters in 1793, and New York printers in 1794.

2. In 1827 industrial unions began to form. These were members of the same industry such as the steel industry, regardless of their individual jobs.

3. In 1886 the American Federation of Labor was formed. Samuel Gompers was the first president of the AFL. His objectives were clear and precise. Better wages, hours, and conditions were of top priority.

4. The AFL continued to grow larger in membership until the 1920s when there just were not many skilled workers left to become organized. Over three-fourths of workers in the United States that were organized, we members of the AFL.

5. The Industrial Workers of the World was formed in 1905. This organization, though its life span was brief, was the first to initiate a sit down strike and mass picketing.

6. In 1936, a group of industries not agreeing with the AFL’s structure decided to split and form the Congress of Industrial Organizations. This centered on complete industries, not individual trades, which was a good way to deal with industries involving mass production. The CIO, in a short amount of time, became as large as the AFL.

7. In the eleven years between 1933 and 1944 the modern labor movement was born. Many factors such as New Deal labor legislation, AFL and CIO competition, and World War II cause union membership to quadruple.

8. The AFL and CIO came to an agreement in 1955 and united to form one massive organization. With the exception of the National Education Association, all the major unions in the United States are affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

9. Since the 1980s labor union membership has fallen. Many factors such as the labor legislation, better employee-management relationships, and the shift from a manufacturing to a service economy.

10. One of the acts passed in the 1980s was the Plant-Closing Notification Act of 1988. This made it mandatory for employers to give employees a warning of plant closings or mass layoffs no less than sixty days in advance.


The Video Lounge

This video discusses the origin of labor unions.

My Take

I believe labor unions have made a huge impact on this country. Without them employers would have continued to determine the wages and conditions of employees, which for most was low wages and poor conditions. In today’s society I do not feel they play such a major role. I feel that they have paved the way for industries and companies to treat their employees better. Also there has legislation that regulates wages and hours so that labor unions are not needed as much. Granted there are labor unions today and they do serve their purpose.


References

Luft, Paula “Business Encyclopedia: Labor Unions” retrieved from www.answers.com/topic/labor-union

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Contact Information

To contact the author of “Top Ten Management on Labor Unions” please email Amanda Dickson and Amanda.Cook-2@selu.edu.


BIOGRAPHY

David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also maintains compilations of his student’s publications regarding management concepts (http://toptenmanagement.blogspot.com/), book reviews (http://wyld-about-books.blogspot.com/), international foods (http://wyld-about-food.blogspot.com/).

AN INVITATION TO WORK WITH US, TODAY!

If you enjoyed this publication, why not make one of your own with us! Are you a college or university student from anywhere in the world who would be interested in publishing your work in an edited online journal appropriate to your topic? Such a move can help put muscle into your resume and make a great impression on potential employers and graduate schools (and needless to say – and perhaps most importantly in the age in which we live – likely be the first thing that companies/universities view about you when “Googling” you)! If so, we can help you get that first publication for free (and more if you desire)! Visit Wyld Publishing Services (http://wyldpublishingservice.yolasite.com/) for details. We can work with you to publish your quality essays, research articles/papers, reviews, etc. – and even audio and visual media and PowerPoint presentations – given our network of edited publications and relationship with publishers around the world who want to work with you and your work. Contact us today to get your work published at dwyld.kwu@gmail.com.


Read more:
Top Ten Management on Labor Unions: an Overview of Their History and Growth

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HMMMMM: What's Bigger, 2% or 20%? Why Procurement Matters Big Time!

So, the person who is in charge of IT in an organization is automatically perceived to be far more important those in charge of procurement and supply chain operations, right? As ESPN's Lee Corso would put it, "not so fast my friend!"

OK, here's a question that even your 5 year-old could answer (well, simplified - maybe using pizza or a package of cookies - as they haven't yet started covering percentages in Kindergarten math, even trying to achieve higher math test scores :-).



Which would you want - 2% of something, or 20% of that same something? As Homer would say:




Recently, my friend Kevin O'Marah, a GVP of Supply Chain Research for Gartner, opined on the overall status of supply chain management in organizations is his article:

Chief Supply Chain Officers are still rising, but what is the job?

O'Marah had a great observation comparing the relative importance of IT and supply chain:

Think about budgets. According to our research, IT budgets typically represent anywhere between 2%-5% of revenue depending on industry. Meanwhile, supply chain management—encompassing direct materials sourcing, manufacturing operations, packaging, handling, and transport—is likely to account for as much as 20% of revenue including not only technology like order management systems or planning algorithms, but machinery, buildings, freight contracts, and more. Big money is spent each year in bets that merge good old fashioned industrial technology like conveyor belts and forklifts with information age technology like sensors, inventory tracking systems, and web order forms.

So, in your own organization or agency, think about the potential cost savings that could be achieved through focusing on savings across all spend areas - 20% of your entire budget, and not just counting on the "price deterioration" in information technology to achieve incremental savings.



As you know, we here at the Reverse Auction Research Center: (http://reverseauctionresearch.blogspot.com/) believe that competitive bidding can bring not just cost savings, but improved efficiency and heightened transparency to procurement in most areas of corporate and governmental buying - including yes, especially in buying information technology wares (see You Can't Fight Moore's Law: Why Price Deterioration Means That Reverse Auctions Make Sense and Produce Savings in The Acquisition of Information Technology Resources).



So, if you would like to learn more about how to focus on achieving substantial savings across 20% - or more - of your budget, contact us today on how to develop a strategy to take a big bite out of your procurement - and your IT - budgets through strategic use of reverse auctions as part of your overall purchasing and acquisition strategy.

David Wyld,
Professor of Management
Southeastern Louisiana University


From the Reverse Auction Research Center: http://reverseauctionresearch.blogspot.com/

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16 Most Outrageously Misleading Hotel Ads (PHOTOS, POLL)

Wow! Want to see the magic of marketing - and the creative geniuses (mad men) - behind advertising. Click on the link below:

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Ethical? Unethical? Fair or foul? Post your comments here on the blog site.

Regardless, this is Exhibit A as to what the magic of staging, angles, timing, decorating, and - when necessary - photoshopping - can do for advertisers. Consumers beware - this is exactly why the review sites with REAL PEOPLE reviews - and picture - of hotels and resorts are so vital to check!

David http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/

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Top Ten Management on The Decision Making Process: An Overview of One of the Most Important and Necessary Things That All Managers Must Do

Image via Wikipedia

This overview of the decision making process was prepared by Grace Nabasabala while a major of Health Education and Promotion in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Southeastern Louisiana University.




Introduction

This article talks about decisions and the process involved while making these decisions. There are eight steps in the decision making process that help managers in making a decision about a problem. These include: identifying a problem, identifying the decision criteria, allocating of weights to criteria, developing alternatives, analyzing alternatives, selecting an alternative, implementing an alternative and follow up to ensure effectiveness of the decision. Understanding these steps helps us deal with everyday problems. In order to become better decision makers, we need to learn from our mistakes, restructure thoughts and be rational when faced with difficult decisions.

The Idea in a Nutshell

Decision making is the ability of a person to mentally make decisions between several alternatives. People make decisions in every step of life, either consciously or unconsciously. Decisions have long existed as life itself. In the early century, people relied on dreams, poetic wisdom and instruction from leaders or prophets. However, technology today has made it easy for people to research information.
Every decision has a consequence. There are two types of decisions, simple and complex decisions. Simple decisions require routine procedures and less effort while complex decisions are uncertain and complex in nature and may require a lot of risk. Decision-making is important for management and leadership. That is why managers need to understand the decision-making process especially while dealing with complex situations.

 
The Top Ten Things You Need to Know About the Decision Making Process

1. The decision making process is a reflective thinking approach that was developed by the philosopher John Dewey in the 1900’s. The first step is identifying the problem. Since every decision starts with a problem, we need to understand its nature or complexity. We can also consider what needs to be addressed and the importance of reaching a desired outcome.
2. Gather information to help in solving the problem. Understanding the cost, risks and outcomes may influence people to make rational decisions when faced with relevant information. Managers must select appropriate criteria which may include the use of technology like the Decision Support System to help compile useful information to solve the problem.
3. Assess the situation. Develop a ranking system that possesses a valued weight to identify each criterion by importance. The higher the ranking means the more importance the criteria and vice versa.
4. Develop alternatives to come up with a possible option or solution. Brainstorm or write down all the possible alternatives and choices. These alternatives are only ideas and not tested.
5. Analyze alternatives to select the best option. Consider, compare the pros and cons, and test the alternatives. Evaluate the value of each alternative using a decision matrix. Each alternative must be ranked in order of value.
6. Select the best alternative. Choose the highest ranked alternative and follow up to ensure proper and effective implementation.
7. Implement the solution. Decision making is a nonlinear, recursive process. That is, most decisions are made by moving back and forth between the choices of criteria. It’s important to include people affected by the alternatives in the implementation process in order to rally support for the change.
8. Follow up to ensure the effectiveness of the decision. Evaluating the chosen alternative helps managers see if the decision achieves the desired result. If the decision doesn’t meet the desired outcome, managers should reassess the problem and find another possible solution. Bear in mind that not all desired outcome contribute to successful decisions. Many factors affect our decisions and a negative outcome may not necessarily be due to the final decision.
9. Our personal instincts play a big role in decision making. Some studies show that the use of intuition leads to 80% of successful decisions. Many decisions must ultimately rely on or be influenced by intuition because of the remaining degree of uncertainty involved in the situation.
10. Decisions can be based on our personal values. Values shape our behaviors as well as our choices. We learn our values as children and it’s very difficult to change later in life. This is why some people believe that our beliefs guide our behaviors.

The Video Lounge

This video talks about the importance of group decision making. Groups are more effective in making decisions. Factors that influence group decision making include a supportive group environment, members putting group needs ahead of personal needs, group members encouraging differences and collaborating with one another. The six step decision making process is essential in solving problems. These steps are discussed in details and the author explains how we can use them as we solve problems that occur in our daily lives.

Click on the link below to view:

http://www.5min.com/Video/The-Decision-Making-Process-169082939

My Take

The decision making process is still relevant today because of our changing environment. Decision making is an important part of management because making the right decisions differentiates one manager from another. Great decisions lead to positive outcomes and this may not only secure a manager’s job but also establishes confidence and self-respect. In decentralized organizations, managers play a big role in making decisions. On the other hand, employees may not be required to make the final decision at the work place but are also faced with decision making in their daily lives. It’s important that when faced with problems, they analyze the current situation and have the courage to make the final decision. Today companies empower employees to make decisions. This is referred to as employee empowerment. Employees are more responsible for their work performance. Those who continue making the right decisions are more likely to be given a pay raise or promoted to a better position.


References

Decision making. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/decision-making
Lopper, J. (2007, October 23). Development of personal values. Retrieved from http://personaldevelopment.suite101.com/article.cfm/development_of_personal_values#ixzz0t8rpBtO2
Introduction to decision making techniques. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_00.htm
Williams, R.B. (2010, February 11). What Managers need to know about decision-making . Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201002/what-managers-need-know-about-decision-making.

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Contact Info

To contact the author of “Top Ten Management on the Decision Making Process,” please email Grace Nabasabala at Grace.nabasabala@selu.edu.


BIOGRAPHY

David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also maintains compilations of his student’s publications regarding management concepts (http://toptenmanagement.blogspot.com/), book reviews (http://wyld-about-books.blogspot.com/), international foods (http://wyld-about-food.blogspot.com/).


AN INVITATION TO WORK WITH US, TODAY!

If you enjoyed this publication, why not make one of your own with us! Are you a college or university student from anywhere in the world who would be interested in publishing your work in an edited online journal appropriate to your topic? Such a move can help put muscle into your resume and make a great impression on potential employers and graduate schools (and needless to say – and perhaps most importantly in the age in which we live – likely be the first thing that companies/universities view about you when “Googling” you)! If so, we can help you get that first publication for free (and more if you desire)! Visit Wyld Publishing Services (http://wyldpublishingservice.yolasite.com/) for details. We can work with you to publish your quality essays, research articles/papers, reviews, etc. – and even audio and visual media and PowerPoint presentations – given our network of edited publications and relationship with publishers around the world who want to work with you and your work. Contact us today to get your work published at dwyld.kwu@gmail.com.


Read More:
http://bizcovering.com/business/top-ten-management-on-the-decision-making-process-an-overview-of-one-of-the-most-important-and-necessary-things-that-all-managers-must-do/#ixzz0ubGWgZuG

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