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Real World Decision-making and Creativity:

Wayne Smith, Ph.D.Department of

ManagementCSU Northridge

An Experiential, Team-based Exercise

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Your Team’s Task• Form 8 ad-hoc teams (4 or 5 students per team)• Each team will have a question

• Answer the question “Yes” or “No”– This forces each team not to be “wishy-washy”

• Decision-making• What is(are) the decision-making process(es) related to this

question?– What data and criteria are important in addressing this question?– Phrase your team’s thinking in the form of several questions

• Creativity• What is(are) the creativity process(es) related to this question?

– What data and criteria are important in addressing this question?– Phrase your team’s thinking in the form of several questions

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Team #1

• Would your team volunteer to go on a one-way trip to Mars?– Why or why not?

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Team #2

• Is she an learned (educated) individual?– Why or why not?

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Team #3

• Was the financial crisis of 2008/2009 avoidable?– Why or why not?

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Team #4

• If you were going to run for CA Governor and had $160,000,000 to spend, could you win?– Why or why not?

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Team #5

• Is Cupid’s Hot Dogs a successful business?– Why or why not?

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Insert a picture of the class here (grin)

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Team #6

• Should you (your team) be admitted to the Management program at CSU Northridge?– Why or why not?

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Team #7

• What kind of movie would you advise Jennifer Aniston to make next?– Why or why not?

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Team #8

• Would you, as a Wal-mart employee or manager, have sold ammunition to Jared Loughner (the alleged Tucson shooter)?– Why or why not?

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Team (alternate)

• Are you as safe now as you would have been in 1956?– Why or why not?

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Team (alternate)

• Would you consider applying for this position?– Why or why not?

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Team (alternate)

• Would you hire a recent CSUN Management graduate for this position?– Why or why not?

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Your Team’s Task• Answer the question “Yes” or “No”

– This forces each team not to be “wishy-washy”• Decision-making

– What is(are) the decision-making process(es) related to this question?

• What data and criteria are important in addressing this question?• Phrase your team’s thinking in the form of several questions

• Creativity– What is(are) the creativity process(es) related to this question?

• What data and criteria are important in addressing this question?• Phrase your team’s thinking in the form of several questions

• What is Decision-making?– “The process of identifying problems and opportunities for the

Organization”• Requires 1), design a choice, 2), form expectations, and 3),

evaluate the consequences

• What is Creativity?– “The generation of novel ideas that may meet perceived needs

or respond to opportunities for the Organization”• Requires 1), unique techniques, 2), observe needs/opportunities,

and 3), evaluate the desired impact