Decision-Making Styles. When making decisions, individuals often display a personal style that reflects how they perceive what i
s happening around them and how they process information. These decision-making styles are determined by two dimensions: value orientation and tolerance for ambiguity orientation. Value orientation focuses on the individual’s concern for task and technical matters as opposed to people and social concerns. Tolerance for ambiguity orientation measures how much the person needs structure and control (a desire for low ambiguity) as opposed to being able to thrive in uncertain situations (a desire for high ambiguity). These two orientations, with their low and high dimensions, result in four styles of decision making—directive, analytical, conceptual, and behavioral:
1. Directive style Individuals with a directive style have a low tolerance for ambiguity and are oriented toward task and technical concerns in their decision making. These people tend to be efficient, logical, pragmatic, and systematic in their approach to problem solving. They also like to focus on facts and to get things done quickly. In short, they are action oriented. In addition, they tend to have a very short-run focus, like to exer- cise power, want to be in control, and display an autocratic type of leadership style.
2. Analytical style Analytical decision makers have a high tolerance for ambiguity and a strong task and technical orientation. These people like to analyze situations; in fact, they often tend to overanalyze things. They evaluate more information and alternatives than do directive decision makers. They also take a long time to make decisions, but they respond well to new or uncertain situations. They tend to be autocratic.
3. Conceptual style Decision makers with a conceptual style have a high tolerance for ambiguity and for strong people and social concerns. They take a broad perspective in solving problems, and they like to consider many options and future possibilities. These decision makers discuss things with many people in order to gather a great deal of information, and they also rely on intuition. Additionally, they are willing to take risks, and they tend to be good at discovering creative solutions to problems. At the same time, however, they can foster an idealistic and indecisive approach to decision making.
4. Behavioral style The behavioral-style decision maker is characterized by a low toler- ance for ambiguity and for strong people and social concerns. These decision makers tend to work well with others and like situations in which opinions are openly exchanged. They tend to be receptive to suggestions, supportive, and warm and prefer verbal to written information. They also tend to avoid conflict and be overly concerned with keeping everyone happy. As a result, these decision makers often have a difficult time saying no to people, and they do not like making tough decisions, especially when it will result in someone being upset with the outcome.
Style Implications. Research reveals that decision makers typically rely on two or three styles, and these will vary by occupation, job level, and culture. For example, analytical decision makers make decisions rapidly, but they also tend to be autocratic in their approach to doing things. Conceptual decision makers are innovative and willing to take risks, but they often are indecisive. These styles also help to explain why different managers will arrive at different decisions after evaluating the same information. In particular, the decision-making styles model is useful in providing insights regarding how and why people make decisions, as well as offering guidelines regarding how to deal with these decisions.
Identify four decision-making styles.
a. Which style makes decisions quickly, is innovative, takes risks, and tends to be indecisive?
b. Which style uses an open exchange of ideas, works well with others, and is receptive to suggestions?
c. Which style evaluates information, takes a long time to make decisions, and tends to be autocratic?
d. Which style is task-oriented and uses a logical, pragmatic, and systematic approach to decision making?
