Organizational Decision Making

Bringing together research on the cognitive aspects of decision-making and on organizational relations, these 16 papers discuss information processing, attention allocation, preference processing, decision processes, and alternative approaches to decision-making. Comparisons between individual and organizational levels of analysis are emphasized. Diagrams and charts offer visual representations of empirical data. The contributors include scholars of industrial administration, management and policy, business, and sociology. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Decision making in organizations is often pictured as a coherent and rational process in which alternative interests and perspectives are considered in an orderly manner until the best choice is selected. Yet, as most experienced members of organizations will attest, real decision processes seldom fit such a description. This book brings together researchers who focus on cognitive aspects of decision processes, along with those who study organizational aspects such as conflict, incentives, power and ambiguity. These multiple perspectives are intended to further our understanding of organizational decision making. Contributors often cite specific cases, and all foundations of organizational decision making are covered in considerable detail.