Question Details

MGMT 308 Module 3 End of Module Review

Respond to the following:
1.	Under what kinds of pressures are decision makers forced to operate? What, if anything, can be done to cope with these pressures? Discuss.
2.	Compare and contrast the rational decision-making approach and incrementalism, stressing the advantages and disadvantages of each (in theory and in practice).
3.	Explain what is meant by “mixed scanning” and indicate how it acts to reduce the alleged weaknesses in both rational and incremental decision making.
4.	Discuss the phenomenon of “groupthink,” explaining the factors in the group situation that appear to be associated with it, how it might affect the making of decisions, and what (if anything) might be done to combat it.
5.	What were the principal findings of the “Hawthorne” experiments (in the late 1920s and early 1930s) and how did they subsequently influence organization theory and application in American public administration? What did these findings suggest about practices of leadership, motivation, and supervision of employees that were current at the time?
6.	The human relations school challenged the formal approach in a number of ways, including its enhanced concern with an informal social structure within organizations. What are the criticisms of this school and how have they influenced its acceptance and application in public agencies?
7.	Discuss the values underlying modern organization theory. What are the major elements and implications of a “systems” approach to overcoming complexity, uncertainty, and isolation from the surrounding environment?