Decision Making and Critical Thinking

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Decision-Making Techniques


There are a myriad of decision-making techniques, models, tools, and methods that companies and individuals utilize to come to a decision about a problem. Whatever decision-making technique is chosen, there are some basic steps and guidelines that should be taken by all, when faced with a problem. These guidelines include


1. Define the problem.


. Look at potential causes for the problem.


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. Identify alternatives for approaches to resolve the problem.


4. Select an approach to solve the problem.


5. Plan the implementation of the best alternative.


6. Monitor implementation of the plan.


7. Verify if the problem has been resolved or not.


The focus of this paper will be to select an approach to solve the problem. One of the problems that a company may face is that of change. Proposed changes are necessary in business to ensure that the company evolves with changes in the business climate and does not become stagnant. There are various forces that act for and against a proposed change, and a method must be used for listing, discussing, and evaluating these forces to come to a decision on the outcome of the proposal. One method used to accomplish this is called Force Field Analysis.


Force Field Analysis


Force Field Analysis, developed by Kurt Lewin, a pioneer in the field of social sciences, is a management technique for diagnosing business situations. It has proven to be a particularly useful method for looking at all the forces for and against a decision. It can also be seen as a focused way to weigh pros and cons of a situation. By using Force Field Analysis, a manager will get a better understanding of the contending forces that increase or decrease the likelihood of successful implementation of a change. These competing can be seen as “Forces for Change” and “Forces Against Change”, or “Driving Forces” and Restraining Forces”.


Driving Forces are those forces affecting a situation that are pushing in a particular direction; they tend to initiate a change and keep it going. In terms of improving productivity in a workgroup, pressure from a supervisor, pay incentives, and competition may be examples of driving forces.


Restraining Forces are forces acting to restrain or decrease the driving forces. Apathy, antagonism, and poor maintenance of equipment may be examples of restraining forces against increased production. Equilibrium is reached when the sum of the driving forces equals the sum of the restraining forces. An example is shown in Fig. 1.





Figure 1


In the above example, equilibrium represents the present level of productivity. The present level of productivity, or equilibrium, can be raised or lowered by changes in the relationship between the driving forces and restraining forces. As an example, we can use the predicament of a new manager taking over a workgroup in a company. The workgroup has a high level of productivity, but the human resources are drained because the outgoing manager pushed the envelope on the driving forces, thus upsetting the equilibrium. The outgoing manager did this by being overly autocratic and keeping continual pressure on his subordinates. The resulting increase in output is only a short-term gain.


By overloading the driving forces, the manager inadvertently developed some new restraining forces to compensate. Because the workers were being overloaded with tasks to keep up the output level, there was hostility amongst the workers. This results in a high turnover rate of workers and increased absenteeism, which ends up lowering the productivity in the long run. The new manager has the challenge of either decreasing the restraining forces or increasing the driving forces to find equilibrium. In this case, however, it would probably be a wiser decision to decrease the restraining forces, since driving forces that were too strong initially caused the problem of overwork. To decrease the restraining forces, the manager could schedule more training time, which would not only decrease the stress of the workers (because they would know their job better), but also increase production in the long run. The production may drop off initially, but because the workers will be more technically proficient and less stressed, the production will increase over time.


How to use Force Field Analysis to make a Decision


There are some basic steps involved with using the Force Field Analysis tool to effectively and intelligently come up with important decisions. These steps are


1. Start with a well-defined goal or change to be implemented.


. Draw a Force Field diagram


At the top of a large sheet of paper write the goal or change to be implemented. Divide the sheet into two columns. Write “Driving Forces” on the top of the first column and “Restraining Forces” on the top of the second column.


Brainstorm and come up with a list of driving forces and restraining forces list them in their respective column. List all driving forces (forces for change) in the first column and all restraining forces (forces against change) in the second column. Draw a line down the middle of the two columns.


. Assign a score to each force, from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong).


When you have placed all the forces in their respective columns and assigned a score to each, you just add the totals from each column. If you come up with a score of 10 for the driving forces, and a score of 11 for the restraining forces, you should initially question whether or not the change should be made. If a decision has already been made to carry out a project, and you have no choice, you can use force field analysis to determine how you can change the status of equilibrium for the better. For example, you can reduce the strength of the restraining forces or increase the forces driving the project.


Types of Forces to Consider


Some of the types of forces to consider include Available resources, traditions, self interests, organizational structures, personal and professional relationships, attitudes of people, regulations, personal or group needs, present or past practices, policies, costs, desires, and values. There are numerous forces that can act as forces in decision-making.


Applying Force Field Analysis


For an example, I will apply Force Field Analysis to a problem at my workplace to try and come up with a decision about solving the problem. The decision I have to make is regarding to whether or not the Electronics Fundamentals Training Section at the Marine Corps Communications Electronics School will make the upgrade to the new LabVolt computer based trainer software and GradePoint 00 Classroom Management System.


Let’s begin


1. Proposed change Upgrade LabVolt course software and classroom management software to newest version.


. Force Field Diagram


Driving Forces Restraining Forces


• Newer course software is written in C++ Programming language, which is more stable than previous software. (4)


• GradePoint 00 Classroom Management System offers many options that the older WinMan software does not. ()


• Must keep the school at the leading edge of technology. ()


• Will be able to run on newer Operating Systems. The present system will not run on Windows 000 or newer Operating Systems running the NTFS 5.0 file system. (4)


• Will be able to establish student-level computer security without rd party software such as Fortress. NTFS 5.0 permissions and policies will take care of this. (4)


• The Marine Corps is already purchasing new hardware in conjunction with the Navy Marine Corps Intranet cutover. (5)


• Present hardware configurations do not meet minimum requirements of new software. ()


• Added cost due to purchase of new hardware. ()


• Staff will require additional training on new software. (4)


• Will take time to implement, because new classes cannot be fielded before old class graduates. ()


• Added maintenance time required maintaining both the old and new equipment during fielding. ()


• Additional costs due new Operating System installation. ()


• It will take time to iron out the glitches of the first release of the new software. (4)


0





By evaluating the totals from each column, I can determine that the project proposal is feasible, and should be implemented.


Possible Limitations


I really do not see any limitations or situations in which Force Field Analysis could not be utilized. It is a rather straightforward method of coming to a conclusion or decision about a problem or proposal. It is a useful technique for looking at all the forces for and against a plan. It is a systematic method to assist the manager in the identification of changes that could help to improve the plan. It helps the manager or decision-maker to weigh the importance of these factors and forces and decide whether a plan is worth implementing.


References


Accel Team.com. (00) Change Management, Force Field Analysis.


Available http//www.accel-team.com/techniques/force_field_analysis.html


(00, February 8).


Iowa State University Extension. (00) Extension to Communities, Force Field


Analysis.


Available http//www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/tools/forcefield.html


(00, February 8).


Mind Tools. (Feb 00). Essential Skills for an Excellent Career, Force Field Analysis


Understanding The Pressures For and Against Change.


Available http//www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_06.htm


(00, February ).


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