Running head: TYPES OF DECISION MAKING
Review of Various Types of Decision Making
Monica L. Scott-Hawkins
East Texas Baptist University
Author Note
This paper was prepared for Education 5386 taught by Dr. P.J. Winters. This is a professional
article review of various styles of decision making. I will reflect on styles that I feel are most
effective for the practicing principal.
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TYPES OF DECISION MAKING
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Review of Various Types of Decision-Making
Decision making is a facet of life that we all face on a daily basis. From the time we wake
up, each choice that we make will guide our footsteps through a timeline that could possibly
affect someone else. Will our decision making lead to a positive or negative outcome?
Inadvertently, each decision will lead to another decision. What is more important for us to
understand is how we make those decisions is equally important as the decision itself.
A few years ago, I came home and told me husband that I wanted to purchase a new car.
Because there was nothing mechanically wrong with the car that I was driving, I knew
beforehand that I had better come up with a good rebuttal system in order to plead my case. My
“want” had to become a “need”. I would have to present my issue with my current car, explain
how I would handle the down payment and monthly note, and how having this new car could
benefit me…I mean us. My approach had to be tactful. This was not a decision I could make on
my own because I had to consider how it could affect the financial picture of my home. The
decision had to be shared between my husband and I both.
Most often within my home, decision-making would never be that well-constructed. I
decide what I want to wear to work on my own. I know my guidelines for work. If I abide by
those guidelines, that decision doesn’t require much thought at all and doesn’t affect anyone on a
large scale.
Those decision-making processes start all over once I make it to work into my high
school. How I make my decisions could affect my classroom as a whole. I have to be strategic
with a plan in order to get things done throughout the day. My school administration and
coworkers are doing the same thing all day long. I see my principals making decisions, but
depending on the situation they are also using different types of decision-making formats.
TYPES OF DECISION MAKING
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Literature Review
According to Rowe and Mason (1987), decision style is a cognitive process which
represents the way an individual approaches a problem. They developed what is known as the
Cognitive Complexity Model. Their model listed four different ways to approach decisionmaking: directive, analytical, conceptual, and behavioral. It uses knowledge gleaned from
social psychology, cognitive psychology, structural engineering, organization behavior, and
information systems (Al-Omari, 2013).
Abrioux states that directive decision-making is when the manager takes the decision
unilaterally and communicates it to the team. This style gives the full control of the decision to
the manager and usually leaves no space for negotiation (2013). In this decision-making style,
the leader will rely on their own knowledge and expertise about a given situation.
Bakken tells us that analytical decision-making is done in a thorough, systematic manner.
Leaders will spending time reviewing all the details and making sure all decisions comply with
formal guidelines and requirements. For the novice and the inexperienced, analysis is a necessary
tool in decision-making (2014).
Conceptual style is characterized by high tolerance for ambiguity and high cognitive
complexity. This orientation is connected to people and their social concerns. Such
persons are creative and tend to take risks in finding answers. They have the ability to
understand complex relationships. Intuition guides their search for information and
examinations of multiple sources and alternatives. Persons characterized with this style
are people-oriented, open and from truthful relationships with others. Such individuals do
not look for control and power rather they like to share such things with others. They are
very personable, flexible, and tend to be idealistic, having a strong emphasis on values
TYPES OF DECISION MAKING
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and ethics. (Connor & Becker, 2003; Boulgarides & Cohen, 2001; Rowe & Davis, 1996;
Rowe & Mason, 1987).
The behavioral style is characterized by low tolerance for ambiguity and low cognitive
complexity (Rowe & Mason, 1987). In this type of decision-making you will find that the leader
is open to concerns of others. Many are concerned with the achievements of those around them.
This leader will appreciate collaboration and cohesiveness.
Impact on Instructional Leadership
Reflection
TYPES OF DECISION MAKING
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References
Abrioux, B. (2013). [Weblog] Retrieved from:
https://leadersyndrome.wordpress.com/2013/10/13/effective-decision-making-when-toengage-the-team-or-not/
Al-Omari, A. (2013). The relationship between decision making styles and leadership styles
among public schools principals. International education studies. 6(7), 100-110.
Bakken, B. T. (2014). Intuition and analysis in decision making. On the relationships between
cognitive style, cognitive processing, decision behaviour, and task performance in a
simulated crisis management context. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from
http://epapir.info/bi/BI_Advantage_March_2014/pubData/source/BI_Advantage_01_201
4_ePapir.pdf
Boulgarides, D. J., & Cohen. W. A. (2001). Leadership style vs. leadership tactics. Journal of
applied management and entrepreneurship, 6, 59-73.
Connor, P. E., & Becker, R. W. (2003). Personal value system and decision-making styles of
public managers. Public personal management, 32, 155-180.
Rowe, A. J., & Davis, S. A. (1996). Intelligent information systems: Meeting the challenge of the
knowledge era.Westport, CT: Quorum books.
Rowe, A. J., & Mason, R. O. (1987). Managing with style: A guide to understanding, assessing,
and improving decision making. San Francisco, California: Jossey Bass.