Deciding How to Decide

Abstract

This exercise is designed to help students better understand how the choice of the appropriate decision rule determines the alternative which is selected. There is no “good” or “right” decision until there is agreement on the basis, or rule, for making the decision. The facts or data do not speak for themselves. The decision-makers can take the same input information and arrive at very different choices depending on the decision rule which they are explicitly or implicitly using. Thus, in-group decision-making situations, it is important that the group decide in advance what decision rule they will utilize in reaching their decision. They must decide how they will decide’