ESSAY: Problem Solving and Decision Making Submit Assignment

Describe the scientific approach to decision making and problem solving. Also, explain the different types of complexities that can occur when improvements are not based on a scientific approach. Refer to this week’s required reading before crafting your post.

ANSWER

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Assignment

            All decisions are based on the beliefs and values of the decision-maker. In this case, science plays a role in helping build and shape their beliefs. Therefore, the scientific approach to decision-making means making decisions using scientific knowledge to build beliefs and values. According to Hudson (2009), scientists use decision analysis to communicate scientific information. As a result, the scientific approach to decision-making often includes systematic observation, assessment or measurement, experimenting with ideas, formulation, and testing and modification of ideas before arriving at the ultimate decision.

           On the other hand, the scientific method or approach forms a true and tested problem-solving process and is also a logical way of tackling a problem, especially in business. For instance, a scientific method/approach ensures logical steps are followed. These steps to problem-solving include identifying the problem, forming a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis by carrying out an experiment, data analysis, and communicating possible solution(s) (Martin et al., 2016).

           Lastly, failure to facilitate improvements (successful decision-making and problem-solving processes) using a scientific approach means complexities become inevitable. For instance, one of the complexities is the high degree of uncertainty involving the decisions made and the problems solved since the approach used did not factor in the necessary steps used (Camuffo et al., 2020). Other complexities include potential disagreements and reoccurrence of the problems and are attributed to the lack of an analytical approach that reduces the degree of difficulty of making decisions and solving problems (Shahsavarani & Abadi, 2015). Additionally, these complexities have no backing of scientific methods or approaches, thus they cannot be analyzed easily to establish their causative aspects.

References

Camuffo, A., Cordova, A., Gambardella, A., Spina, C., & Gambardella, A. (2020). A scientific approach to entrepreneurial decision making: Evidence from a randomized control trial. Management Science, 66(2), 564-586. https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mnsc.2018.3249

Hudson, C. G. (2009). Decision Making in Evidence‐Based Practice: Science and Art. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 79(2), 155-174. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00377310902832334

Martin, L. C., Donohoe, K. L., & Holdford, D. A. (2016). Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Approaches in Pharmacy Education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 80(3), 52. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4857647/

Shahsavarani, A. M. & Abadi, A. M. (2015). The bases, principles, and methods of decision-making. A review of literature. International Journal of Medical Reviews, 2(1), 214-225. http://www.ijmedrev.com/article_68259_bec2d0c8319895a8119b8c6027fd75ad.pdf