Download or read book Sensible Decisions written by Nicholas Rescher and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2003 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In personal and public affairs alike we constantly confront the need for deciding among available alternatives. Sensible Decisions synthesizes Nicholas Rescher's contribution to this discussion over the years. Rescher's prime aim is to illuminate some of the theoretical complications and perplexities that characterize rational procedure in matters of decision making at the public policy level. Visit our website for sample chapters!

Download or read book The Truth About Making Smart Decisions written by Robert E. Gunther and published by FT Press. This book was released on 2008-04-04 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. We tend to be somewhat risk averse as a species. We are systematic and logical, which sometimes makes us overcautious. Sure, look a decision squarely in the face. Consider it from every angle, but also focus on the intangibles that might be harder to place into a systematic equation of risks and returns. After you've done a careful analysis, step back. Maybe the crazy decision is the right one. Don't underestimate the power of deciding boldly. These essential truths help you to learn the brave way to make complex and critical decisions.

Download or read book Eco pragmatism written by Daniel A. Farber and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2000-05 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Eco-pragmatism takes on the most critical controversies in environmental law today: how to weigh economic costs against environmental quality and human life, how to assess the long time horizons of environmental problems, and how to make appropriate decisions in the face of scientific uncertainty about the scope (or even the existence) of environmental problems. Farber discusses whether (and how) we should "discount" the values of future environmental benefits, how we should use economic measurements of environmental values, and how we can streamline the regulatory process to respond to rapidly changing scientific knowledge. The result is a pragmatic decision-making framework that is flexible enough to accommodate the unique challenges each case presents.

Download or read book The Art of Decision Making written by Joseph Bikart and published by Watkins Media Limited. This book was released on 2019-07-09 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing insights from philosophy, psychology, literature, and theology, a longtime executive business coach explores how and why we make the decisions we do What is it that makes some of us better—or worse—than others at committing to a choice? What are the forces that hold us back, and how can we successfully overcome them? Every facet of our lives depends on the decisions we make. Yet, how often do we pause to reflect on our ability to make the best and smartest choices? The key is how we confront and refine the decision-making process. Here, Joseph Bikart explores the intricacies of decision making, challenging us to understand why we make the choices we do. He explores how the true power of decisions, especially the toughest among them, help us to face our fears and may in turn change how we think about ourselves. Breaking his study into four clear parts and short practical essays, Bikart presents a lively and compelling exploration of the process of decision making. He covers: • Indecision, Indecision: What makes us indecisive? What holds us back and why? • Where Art Thou?: How and where we get stuck and the importance of relaxing one's grip. • The Momentum of Decisiveness: Keeping our focus and proactivity. • The Deciding Mind: Making our smartest choices. Drawing from such different fields as philosophy, psychology, neurology, literature, art history and theology, The Art of Decision Making takes us on a journey from the depths of procrastination to the elation of decision making. Presenting a fresh perspective on what to do at the proverbial fork in the road, Bikart's unique philosophy is insightful, thought provoking, and potentially life-changing.

Download or read book Do Emotions Help or Hurt Decisionmaking written by Kathleen D. Vohs and published by Russell Sage Foundation. This book was released on 2007-11-26 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Philosophers have long tussled over whether moral judgments are the products of logical reasoning or simply emotional reactions. From Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility to the debates of modern psychologists, the question of whether feeling or sober rationality is the better guide to decision making has been a source of controversy. In Do Emotions Help or Hurt Decision Making? Kathleen Vohs, Roy Baumeister, and George Loewenstein lead a group of prominent psychologists and economists in exploring the empirical evidence on how emotions shape judgments and choices. Researchers on emotion and cognition have staked out many extreme positions: viewing emotions as either the driving force behind cognition or its side effect, either an impediment to sound judgment or a guide to wise decisions. The contributors to Do Emotions Help or Hurt Decision Making? provide a richer perspective, exploring the circumstances that shape whether emotions play a harmful or helpful role in decisions. Roy Baumeister, C. Nathan DeWall, and Liqing Zhang show that while an individual's current emotional state can lead to hasty decisions and self-destructive behavior, anticipating future emotional outcomes can be a helpful guide to making sensible decisions. Eduardo Andrade and Joel Cohen find that a positive mood can negatively affect people's willingness to act altruistically. Happy people, when made aware of risks associated with altruistic acts, become wary of jeopardizing their own well-being. Benoît Monin, David Pizarro, and Jennifer Beer find that whether emotion or reason matters more in moral evaluation depends on the specific issue in question. Individual characteristics often mediate the effect of emotions on decisions. Catherine Rawn, Nicole Mead, Peter Kerkhof, and Kathleen Vohs find that whether an individual makes a decision based on emotion depends both on the type of decision in question and the individual's level of self-esteem. And Quinn Kennedy and Mara Mather show that the elderly are better able to regulate their emotions, having learned from experience to anticipate the emotional consequences of their behavior. Do Emotions Help or Hurt Decision Making? represents a significant advance toward a comprehensive theory of emotions and cognition that accounts for the nuances of the mental processes involved. This landmark book will be a stimulus to scholarly debates as well as an informative guide to everyday decisions.

Download or read book Smart Decisions written by Thomas N. Martin and published by Palgrave Macmillan. This book was released on 2017-01-19 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today's world is complex and getting more so each day. Huge multinational corporations, international crisis and fast breaking events require most people to make decisions on a daily basis without the tools to understand the long term impact that today's decision might create. Because most people have never really been trained in how to make important complex decisions most people rely on experience, and 'gut reaction' which is okay for many decisions, but not okay for decision that will have meaningful impact on organizations and individual. Decision makers need to develop the art and science of strategic decision making. Here, Professor Thomas Martin explains the need for decision makers to modify their thinking about how they deal with acquiring and analyzing information in each of the decision-making process steps. This approach requiring thinking modification will lengthen the process, make it more complex, and to some more arduous, but the comprehensiveness of the new thinking approach should lead to improved and more effective decision making. In this book, Dr. Martin presents a thinking modification framework that asserts that in the decision-making process, there are three situational states — a current state, future state, and a transitional state that one must deliberate in finding a solution. For each of these situational states, Martin develops an identical five-step process to determine the best decision to make. The steps of this process include: • Change-Needing Situational Analysis • Challenge Framing & Causal Analysis • Generating Solution Ideas • Choosing a Solution Set • Implementation and Aftermath Planning This book will appeal to decision makers, leaders, and students of management who want a specific framework that details the process behind making strategic, well-informed decisions.

Download or read book Smart Choices written by John S. Hammond and published by Harvard Business Review Press. This book was released on 2015-07-21 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Become confident in your choices. Where should I live? Is it time to get a new job? Which job candidate should I hire? What business strategy should I pursue? We spend the majority of our lives making decisions, both big and small. Yet, even though our success is largely determined by the choices that we make, very few of us are equipped with useful decision-making skills. Because of this, we often approach our choices tentatively, or even fearfully, and avoid giving them the time and thought required to put our best foot forward. In Smart Choices, John Hammond, Ralph Keeney, and Howard Raiffa—experts with over 100 years of experience resolving complex decision problems—offer a proven, straightforward, and flexible roadmap for making better and more impactful decisions, and offer the tools to achieve your goals in every aspect of your life. Their step-by-step, divide-and conquer approach will teach you how to: • Evaluate your plans • Break your potential decision into its key elements • Identify the key drivers that are most relevant to your goals • Apply systematic thinking • Use the right information to make the smartest choice Smart Choices doesn’t tell you what to decide; it tells you how. As you routinely use the process, you’ll become more confident in your ability to make decisions at work and at home. And, more importantly, by applying its time-tested methods, you’ll make better decisions going forward. Be proactive. Don’t wait until a decision is forced on you—or made for you. Seek out decisions that advance your long-term goals, values, and beliefs. Take charge of your life by making Smart Choices a lifetime habit.

Download or read book Smart Decisions written by Richard Hodgett and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2024-04-01 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore the fundamentals of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis with help from Excel® and R In Smart Decisions: A Structured Approach to Decision Analysis using MCDA, a distinguished team of decision-making specialists delivers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the fundamentals of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis methods. The book offers guidance on modeling decision problems using some of the most powerful methods in operations research. Each chapter introduces a core MCDA method and guides the reader through a step-by-step approach to the implementation of the method using Microsoft® Excel® and then using R, a popular analytical language. The book also includes: A thorough, step-by-step guide to Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis methods and the application of these methods in Microsoft Excel and R Extensive illustrations, R code, and software screenshots to aid the reader’s understanding of the concepts discussed within A starter’s guide to Excel and R programming Perfect for graduate students in MBA programs and business schools, Smart Decisions: A Structured Approach to Decision Analysis Using MCDA is also an ideal resource for practitioners who apply MCDA in business, finance, applied mathematics, and engineering.

Download or read book Risk Savvy written by Gerd Gigerenzer and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2014-04-17 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fascinating, practical guide to making better decisions with our money, health and personal lives from Gerd Gigerenzer, the author of Reckoning with Risk. Risk-taking is essential for innovation, fun, and the courage to face the uncertainties in life. Yet for many important decisions, we're often presented with statistics and probabilities that we don't really understand and we inevitably rely on experts in the relevant fields - policy makers, financial advisors, doctors - to analyse and choose for us. But what if they don't quite understand the way the information is presented either? How do we make sure we're asking doctors the right questions about proposed treatment? Is there a rule of thumb that could help choose the right partner? This entertaining book shows us how to recognize when we don't have all the information and know what to do about it. Gerd Gigerenzer looks at examples from every aspect of life to identify the reasons for our collective misunderstanding of the risks we face. He shows how we can all use simple rules to avoid being manipulated into unrealistic fears or hopes, to make better-informed decisions, and to learn to understand risk and uncertainty in our own lives. 'Gigerenzer is brilliant and his topic is fabulous' Steven Pinker 'Catchily optimistic and slyly funny' Guardian Gerd Gigerenzer is Director of the Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin and former Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago. He is the author of several books on heuristics and decision making, including Reckoning with Risk.

Download or read book Living in Yes written by Rebecca Merrill and published by Dog Ear Publishing. This book was released on 2010-07 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Life has a way of sneaking up on all of us, at some point making us wonder what we're doing and why. Living in Yes gently guides the reader through a self-examination to determine what really matters: the commitments, relationships, and other elements that allow each of our lives to be truly rewarding." Michael Rosenberg, MD, MPH CEO Health Decisions "When it came to getting clarity on my purpose I found Rebecca's book to be a true compass for setting my path." Bob Johnson Founder Leadersearch Inc. "Rebecca Merrill's book, Living in Yes, provides a usable format to incorporate self awareness into decision-making. Sometimes gently, sometimes forcefully, she took me through the steps to ensure that my choices lead me to a life that matches my value system. Rebecca's inspiring personal stories, intellectual depth, and creativity emboldened me to do the hard work necessary for meaningful growth." Leesa Sluder President Triple Bottom Line Consulting, LLC Did anyone ever teach you how to make good decisions? Not how to ask for advice from an expert but how to make important personal decisions that an expert can't answer for you. If you're like many people, you are still paying the price for at least one bad personal decision you've made, a decision that you may even have felt uneasy about when you made it. In Living in Yes the author candidly blends personal stories from her own life with teaching vignettes about fictionalized characters who have learned to apply the tools that she uses as an executive coach to help her clients improve their decision-making capabilities. Topics such as energy, attraction, and serenity are all touched upon as she argues persuasively that to live in yes, you have to say no...and in a surprise twist, if the answer is maybe, the answer is no. Senior executives from small to mid-size entrepreneurial companies engage Rebecca Merrill to help them enhance their personal and professional lives using an in-depth understanding of personality styles and how they profoundly affect interpersonal relationships and leadership performance. By drawing upon her own experiences and unique personality style she authentically embodies what she teaches and in this way brings theory to life. Rebecca earned a bachelor's degree with a double major in Psychology and Religion and graduated magna cum laude with special honors in Religion from Wellesley College in 1985. She received a master's degree in Education from Harvard in 1989 and a second master's degree in Clinical Social Work from Smith in 1993, followed by clinical training at Duke University. Rebecca lives and works with her husband and two dogs in Durham, North Carolina."

Download or read book The Five Life Decisions written by Robert T. Michael and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2016-08-05 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Choices matter. And in your teens and twenties, some of the biggest life decisions come about when you feel the least prepared to tackle them. Economist Robert T. Michael won’t tell you what to choose. Instead, he’ll show you how to make smarter choices. Michael focuses on five critical decisions we all face about college, career, partners, health, and parenting. He uses these to demonstrate how the science of scarcity and choice—concepts used to guide major business decisions and shape national legislation—can offer a solid foundation for our own lives. Employing comparative advantage can have a big payoff when picking a job. Knowing how to work the marketplace can minimize uncertainty when choosing a partner. And understanding externalities—the ripple of results from our actions—can clarify the if and when of having children. Michael also brings in data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, a scientific sample of 18 million millennials in the United States that tracks more than a decade of young adult choices and consequences. As the survey’s longtime principal investigator and project director, Michael shows that the aggregate decisions can help us understand what might lie ahead along many possible paths—offering readers insights about how their own choices may turn out. There’s no singular formula for always making the right choice. But the adaptable framework and rich data at the heart of The Five Life Decisions will help you feel confident in whatever you decide.

Download or read book Eyes Wide Open written by Noreena Hertz and published by Collins. This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 'Eyes Wide Open' Noreena Hertz does for decision-making what Daniel Kahneman did for thinking. * Why should you be wary of experts?* Are emails destroying your ability to think?* How do you know which sources of information are credible?* Whose advice should you trust? 'Eyes Wide Open' will help you through the data deluge and show you how to make better and smarter decisions. By weaving together cutting-edge research with real-world examples from Hollywood to Harry Potter, NASA to World War II spies, Hertz constructs a path to more astute and empowered decision-making in ten clear steps. With razor-sharp insight and an instinct for thought-provoking storytelling, she offers counterintuitive, effective guidance for making better choices--whether you are a businessperson, a professional, a patient, or a parent. 'Eyes Wide Open' is a game-changing book that empowers readers to become confident and wise decision-makers --savvy to how our emotions and habits can trip us up.

Download or read book The Science of Intelligent Decision Making written by Peter Hollins and published by PKCS Media. This book was released on 2019-08-16 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Overwhelmed and paralyzed by your choices? Learn how to get it right the first time - improve your analysis, judgment, and intuition. Unfortunately, you can’t just rely on your gut instinct or “hunch” when you make decisions. There’s a science to improving your critical thinking, weighing pros and cons, and avoiding the traps that take you down the wrong path. Make smart decisions by catching your brain's built-in flaws. The Science of Intelligent Decision Making will teach you to seize control of your life and make sure your decisions aren’t making you. This book cites years of research and scientific studies about what constitutes a great decision and the factors that will inevitably lead you there. It is an in-depth look at human nature and psychology and why we make decisions in the way we do - for better or for worse. This book is packed with theory, but it is all practical and actionable. Use these mental models and pieces of analysis on your decisions TODAY. Think more quickly and more thoroughly – at the same time. Peter Hollins has studied psychology and the human condition for over a dozen years. This book contains tactics pulled from his personal experience, as well as some of the most famous studies in decision theory and social psychology to help you make snap decisions. Beat analysis paralysis and eliminate indecision. •Learn your subconscious motivations, needs, and desires that hijack your brain. •Discover the surprising causes and cures for decision fatigue. •Over 10 of the most dangerous cognitive biases and decision traps. •How to make your pros and cons lists incredibly useful and illuminating. Make smart choices and never have “buyer’s remorse” regrets again. •The 6 Hats Method of intelligent decisions and how you can inhabit different perspectives. •The WRAP method of planning for failure in decisions. •How to think outside the box and creatively solve problems.

Download or read book The Art of Strategic Decision Making written by Peter Hollins and published by PKCS Media. This book was released on 2021-05-25 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Overwhelmed and paralyzed by your choices? Learn how to get it right the first time - improve your analysis, judgment, and intuition. Unfortunately, you can’t just rely on your gut instinct or “hunch” when you make decisions. There’s a science to improving your critical thinking, weighing pros and cons, and avoiding the traps that take you down the wrong path. Make smart decisions by catching your brain's built-in flaws. The Art of Strategic Decision-Making will teach you to seize control of your life and make sure your decisions aren’t making you. This book cites years of research and scientific studies about what constitutes a great decision and the factors that will inevitably lead you there. It is an in-depth look at human nature and psychology and why we make decisions in the way we do - for better or for worse. This book is packed with theory, but it is all practical and actionable. Use these mental models and pieces of analysis on your decisions TODAY. Think more quickly and more thoroughly – at the same time. Peter Hollins has studied psychology and the human condition for over a dozen years. This book contains tactics pulled from his personal experience, as well as some of the most famous studies in decision theory and social psychology to help you make snap decisions. Beat analysis paralysis and eliminate indecision. •Learn your subconscious motivations, needs, and desires that hijack your brain. •Discover the surprising causes and cures for decision fatigue. •Over 10 of the most dangerous cognitive biases and decision traps. •How to make your pros and cons lists incredibly useful and illuminating. •The 6 Hats Method of intelligent decisions and how you can inhabit different perspectives. •The WRAP method of planning for failure in decisions. •How to think outside the box and creatively solve problems.

Download or read book The Truth About Using Facts AND Intuition in Decision Making written by Robert E. Gunther and published by Pearson Education. This book was released on 2010-07-29 with total page 15 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the eBook version of the printed book. This Element is an excerpt from The Truth About Making Smart Decisions (9780132354639) by Robert E. Gunther. Available in print and digital formats. How to combine knowledge and intuition to consistently make better decisions. I recently kayaked down the Grand Canyon. There are scorpions and 14 different kinds of rattlesnakes, cliffs and rocks that can break limbs, and some of the West’s biggest water. That trip offered plenty of ways to be injured or killed. But what actually almost killed me had nothing to do with the risks I’d identified before I left. It was a simple toe infection....

Download or read book Figure It Out written by Robert Wendover and published by . This book was released on 2021-07-15 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How good a decision maker are you? After all, the decisions we make determine our destiny. We make thousands of choices as we navigate through life. A few are big, but most are small. We don't generally think about them until we realize that the decisions we make every day can have tremendous consequences over time. Consider the people around you. What are some so much more successful than others? It comes down to the decisions they make. Those principles are outlined in this short, but practical book. Over the past 30 years, decisions expert Bob Wendover has interviewed and observed more than 3000 successful professionals, business owners and executives in a variety of fields and disciplines. He has studied the habits and practices that have enabled them to solve problems and propel themselves to better outcomes than those around them. He has distilled all these insights into easy-to-apply strategies and practical wisdom for dealing with today's overwhelming world. Discover why understanding the "big picture" enables the best thinkers to anticipate rather than react to daily challenges. Learn how the 5Cs of Problem Solving will help you make the best choices in any situation. Adopt the seven strategies the best decision makers around you are using to leverage their knowledge, skills and connections. Give your life and career an immediate boost by applying the principles in this book beginning today!

Download or read book Optimal Living 360 written by Sanjay Jain and published by Greenleaf Book Group. This book was released on 2014-02-03 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A program for making the most out of the present and future. The biggest challenge is figuring out how to make decisions that improve your overall quality of life. Dr. Sanjay Jain introduces Integrative Decision Making, an approach that focuses on the big picture and teaches you how to make decisions to receive the highest return on investment in life.