Rational decision-making model
Decisions are hard to make at times, and they require the full participation of self and mind. The rational model is based on the objectivity of common goals, practical competence, and serial process to achieve the organization’s goals and self-goals. These are actions that provide the best solution and achieve a desirable outcome.
The rational decision-making process involves strict and methodical steps that must be followed to achieve a solution to the problem. It is divided into 6 steps as follows:
Step 1: Identify the problem. The first step to decision-making is to identify and describe the problem after analyzing the situation. What is wrong? Where is improvement needed? Those are just a few questions that can be asked. Step 2: Establish decision criteria– at this, the step the decision-maker should determine to know what is relevant to the decision. This stage will require the decision-maker to bring in his/her preference, interest, and values. Step 3: Weigh decision criteria- weighing those criteria is very important because each criterion has different importance levels, prioritization is key. Step 4: Generate alternatives- generating alternatives as many as possible to have higher chances of achieving an effective solution to the problem. Step 5: Evaluate the alternative– after creating the list of alternatives, it’s time to evaluate each alternative. Which alternative is the most desirable, and why? Identify the merits and challenges of each outcome solution. Step 6: Select the best alternative- after evaluating the alternatives, choose the solution.
Bias and errors in decision-making
In decision-making, bias and errors are common, but they can be reduced with good managerial skills. Recognizing cognitive biases and errors that influence decision making is important. Using a process or a methodology-rational model incorporated with creativity and critical thinking will reduce bias and errors. Searching for more information and seeking multiple perspectives will scrap bias and errors.
Individual differences and organizational constraints
Individual differences are traits, mental ability, intelligence, values, personality, or one’s perception that distinguishes one person from the other while, on the other hand, organizational constraints are an aspect of direct work setting that impacts the performance of the employee.
Each individual within an organization has different physical features, creativity, and perception. These all can be termed as personality, which affects decision making. Affects the way a problem can be viewed and the ability to choose the best alternative. Perception reflects on the behaviors of an individual, which will affect the social relationship in the organization. Mental ability is how one quickly understands a situation, processes information, and find the best solution to the problem. Gender can affect a decision because males make a decision quickly, but females tend to be more rational and analyze the situation and develop the best alternative.
The organization can cause constraints on the decision-makers, making them deviate from the rational model. Performance evaluation is usually carried out for goal-setting; decision making can be influenced by the criteria on which one is evaluated. Formal regulations are policies, rules, and procedures that govern the organization; depending on the organization, there are different regulations, i.e., some impose deadlines on decisions that will create pressure and not enough time to gather data for an informed decision.
Ethical consideration in decision making
Ethics is usually considered the moral principle that governs an individual’s behavior or a group of people. It must be put into thought before making any decision. A business needs to place core values to provide the conditions that generate and constrain individuals’ decisions in an organization. It should promote trust, build the reputation, do good and no harm, respect, preserve the rights, and be within the organization’s core values and code of conduct.
Every working organization requires a standard working background. Changes in the working environment affect the normalcy of working. Work changes in the criminal justice environment affect the whole entity in the following ways.
Labor shortages: Shortage of labor comes along with factors such as reduced motivation, low salary, and lack of promotion. Generally, the labor shortage is among the reasons as to why organizations come to a downfall. Criminal justice administrations are likely to face failure if there is a shortage of labor.
The concept of temporariness: Temporariness is the state of being available only for a short while. When faced with temporariness, criminal justice administrations are likely to undergo a shortage of the required labor. The effect of temporariness is the fact that wages are likely to reduce. No one wants to work in an environment where the assurance of waking up to work the next day is null.
Managing workforce diversity: People are likely to work in an environment where age groups vary. Sometimes we find that those who are at higher ranks are younger than the other employees. It gets hard to manage such a group of workers. Criminal justice administrations being no exceptions when faced with the same challenges, gets hard for them to control each other.
Helping employees balance work or life conflicts: criminal justice administrations face a hard time when it comes to dealing with the challenges of helping their workers balance their work hours and life. One could be facing a hard time in life, which may affect a person’s working space. Coming out of it can get hard at times.