Organizational Behavior – Peer Discussion Post Response

Write a 2 paragraph response to the following student’s post.

Going beyond creative response/feedback related to the initial post and the course materials. You have responded thoughtfully from your own experience. Also, referring and citing at least ONE external (NOT the course textbook) resources (preferably recently published academic journal article(s)) and/or web pages, and providing example (s) to enrich your response.

Your responses/feedback must be substantive, enriched by citing resources, and providing examples based on your experience or readings. A reply to a peer posting must be substantive, relevant and useful. “One-liners” and “I agree” statements that are not supported with an explanation will not receive any credit. Your reply post may expand upon the topic under discussion, offer additional questions, or provide examples or more information. Full credit implies your feedback shows that you critically thought about and analyzed the student’s responses. Substantive responses show the depth of understanding, demonstrate insight into the material, and are free from spelling and grammar mistakes. Response MUST be original and contain no signs of plagiarism.

Note: Response must follow APA format in all citations used (i.e., in-texts and reference lists).

Requirements:

– Formatting:
– APA style format
– 2 Paragraphs properly formatted WITH the required headings:
(1) Course Topic Integration
– Respond to peers or additional chapter questions
(2) Views and Opinions
– Respond to peers or additional chapter questions

– Language, Spelling, Grammar:
– Language is clear and concise with few, if any, errors

– *****Accurate Application of Course Concepts*****:
– Content reflects full understanding of the course concepts and applies the concepts accurately (These concepts can be found in Chapter 8 of the course textbook attached)

– Reasoned Implications and Conclusions
– Competently substantiates independent points and ideas

– Incorporated External Sources
– Accurately incorporates 1 external resource PLUS course resources with proper in-text citations and references

Question 1: Did Harry make a rational decision?

Student’s Response: ”While Harry certainly did not make the best choice for his firm, it could be argued that he made a rational (though somewhat selfish) decision. Our text explains that the concept of rationality is more complex than one might initially think. While a loose definition for rationality could be “a means to an end,” there are many different types of rationality when applied to decision-making. For example, one could argue that Harry has made what Luthans, Luthans & Luthans call a “personally rational” decision. By deciding to construct the plant in New York, Harry has made a choice that supports his individual goals, thus making it personally rational. Of course, if his peers had this information, they would not be so quick to call his decision “rational.” The objectively rational decision would be to heed the advice of his committee, as it was carefully researched. Luthans et al. explain that “objective rationality” occurs when the choice maximizes “given values in a given situation” (2015, p. 233). The members of Harry’s committee were certainly committed to making the best choice for their firm when considering all the variables. In this context, it was a poor decision for Harry to disregard their recommendation. While the New York location was deemed suitable, it was the committee’s third choice, and Harry only selected New York to ensure a smooth transition for his family.”

Question 2: What model of behavioral decision-making does this case support?

Student’s Response: ”According to our text, there are two basic models of behavioral decision-making: the classical economic rationality model and the social model. The former assumes that the decision-maker (Harry, in this case) is entirely rational, while the latter would suggest that Harry’s choice was motivated by his feelings, emotions, and unconscious desires (Luthans et al., 2015, p. 233). Based on this information, Harry’s case supports the social model of decision-making. The economic rationality model would only apply if Harry had chosen to build the plant in Kansas City. After all, a carefully assembled committee had meticulously scouted plant locations over the course of a month. In the end, they all agreed that Kansas City was the smart choice. However, Harry went against the group’s recommendations and instead selected New York, their third choice. Obviously, this decision was motivated by personal factors, such as his wife’s insistence that she could not (or would not) adjust to life in Kansas City. Because he allowed his emotions to guide this decision, Harry’s case supports the social model of behavioral decision-making.”

Question 3: What decision techniques that were discussed in the chapter could be used by the committee to select the new plant site?

Student’s Response: “In hindsight, the committee may have benefitted from a democratic form of group participation, which demands that the group as a whole – not the leader – comes to a unified decision. This would have prevented Harry’s personal interests from swaying the outcome. Instead, the committee utilized “consultative participation,” allowing Harry to retain the final decision-making rights, even though he ultimately used the group’s feedback to narrow down his choices (Luthans et al., 2015, p. 236). Our text also describes several “social decision schemes” that can describe the ways in which groups make decisions. These include the majority-wins scheme, the truth-wins scheme, the two-thirds majority scheme, and the first-shift rule (Luthans et al., 2015, p. 242). The committee has been tasked with making a major decision that can’t be left to chance. The construction of a new plant is a significant investment that could shape the future of their firm. For this reason, the most appropriate scheme for this case would likely be the truth-wins scheme. By relying on the detailed information that the committee has gathered, they can be confident in their selection of Kansas City.”

Course Textbook:
Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach, Chapters 1-14 Luthans, F., Luthans, K. W., & Luthans, B. C. (2015). Organizational Behavior: An Evidence- based Approach, Charlotte, North Carolina: Information Age Publishing.

Chapter 8 for relevant course material. (Attached)