Faculty of Business Studies

Tutor Marked Assignment

B300 A: Business Behavior in a Changing World I

Second Semester 2010 – 2011

This tutor-marked assignment consists of one question related to the issues discussed in the first 12 Chapters of the Decision Making textbook. This assignment accounts for 20% of the total grade assigned to the course, and it will be graded out of 100 marks. Of these marks, 84% will be assigned to your answer of the question, and the remaining 16% will be distributed equally among the following criteria: presentation of ideas and organization of the answer, adherence to specified word count, proper referencing and use of the E-library.

In this TMA, you are expected to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of decision making as a function of management and to be familiar with the models and processes of this function. You are expected to demonstrate your critical and analytical skills of the concepts and approaches you discuss in your answer. Your answer should be within the specified range of words, and you must follow the Harvard Style of Referencing. You are expected to present a well structured and organized piece of work that is of your own. Plagiarism will not be tolerated, and plagiarized work will be assigned 0 marks.

QUESTION

Descriptive models of decision-making investigate how individuals actually make decisions. Each decision made by an individual or group is affected by a number of factors, including individual personality and values, group relationships, organizational power relationships and political behaviour.

Using an essay format, critically discuss this statement to show how each of these factors influences the organizational decision making process. (1500 – 2000 words)

Your essay is expected to have an introduction, a body and a conclusion. In your introduction you are expected to present a definition of decision making and to succulently present the rational

model of decision making. Keep in mind that models are only a means that we use in order to understand reality. The body of your essay should focus on explaining how each of the mentioned factors influence the decision making process, that is, how it causes a deviation from the rational model. In your discussion, you need to substantiate your arguments with relevant examples. Though it is important to present examples, you need not to be elaborate in your presentation of the examples. Make your examples brief and direct the point. Your essay should include a conclusion in which you present a summary of the ideas you discussed in the body of your essay.