Decision-Making Models

Decision-making models can be used for both professional and personal issue. “The path to follow is not so clear for some reason. Maybe because the decisions are more complex, with us having several goals at the same time and not knowing which of them to give up on, since there is no alternative that satisfies them fully. Or maybe the decision is not so complex but we simply lack a gut feeling that enlightens our spirit to go in a certain direction” (Pimentel, 2011). I have used decision-making models in the workplace, when buying a car, and deciding on which college to attend. My solution is based on how each of my choices fit in the criteria by level of importance.
An example of this is when I decided what college I wanted to finish my master’s program. I had 3 schools in mind and I placed a weighted average on each criterion for importance, assigning each category with a number. The six categories by importance were: program of study, working around my work schedule, costs, diversity, and student to professor ratio. After all the weighted averages were calculated UOP was the best choice for me. The offered my program of study and offered an online program for my major. They also serve a wide range of diversified students which in the business management program I thought would be a benefit enabling me to get a different prospective that I could incorporate into my professional life. UOP’s student to profess ration is an absolute plus, I am able to get easy access to my professors and they are very approachable. The downfall to UOP was the cost of attendance, however, that was my least important criteria since I do get some tuition reimbursement from my current employer.
Decision-making models may not always give you the result that you expected but at least patience and consideration of all the options were taken into account before making a rash decision. More times than not making a rash decision will guide you in the wrong direction. Decision-making models are a more effective approach to making a decision than making a decision on the whim. “Models are most often are used as a means of description, explanation, and prediction” (Caruth, Caruth, & Humphreys, 2009). More times than not making a rash decision will guide you in the wrong direction. No outcome is ever guaranteed but researching your options will give you a greater insight to possible outcomes.

Caruth, D. L., Caruth, G. D., & Humphreys, J.H. (2009). Towards an Experiential Model of Problem Initiated Decision Making. Journal of Management Research (09725814), 9(3), 123-132. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Pimentel, F. (2011). Unicriterion Model: A Qualitative Decision Making Method That Promotes Ethics. Management (18544223), 6(2), 127-146. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.