Simulation Project. The Underlying Objectives

¶ … simulation project. The underlying objectives for the report are to list the advantages and limitations identified in the simulation which impacted my decision-making process, to list key points from the class reading emphasized in the simulation and to apply what was learned from the simulation to my workplace. The situation revolves around my having become a manager at an electronics store. The store has a plethora of issues ranging from falling in-store sales to legal action from our local city council regarding violations of local disability access laws.

Some of these issues are legitimate problems and some are not so the decision making process is crucial for me in my role as manager. When used properly, the decisions in identifying the store's real problems as well as evaluating their urgency. First and foremost, this simulation did help me in the sense of the advantages and limitations identified in my personal decision-making process. For example, I identified the identified problem of the continuously falling sales as an urgent & critical problem.

That is because falling sales indicated many underlying problems in a retail setting. For example, sales results show that, as the manager and the store in general, we are not identifying our most important customers or integrating our customer insights into the overall retail decision-making process. At this pace, we would not be able to compete and may eventually go out of business if these trends continue.

As the manager, my decision making process would focus on sales and the inherent problems so that the store will be in business long enough to correct any real or imagined disability violations. The key points from the reading assignment that I believe were emphasized throughout this simulation pertained to the problem solving processes of using tools and other creative approaches such as cost benefit analysis or PMI.

It would be important to follow a process that would aid in the decision-making process because in business, poorly or rushed decisions often turn into financial blunders that may be irreversible. In this scenario, I would apply this approach to isolate or frame the actual problem: Define the problem Analyze the problem to determine its root cause Evaluate potential solutions Prioritize and select the best solutions This systematic approach would create a consistent and measurable result that could be duplicated in future problem cases.

By clearly defining the problem, it is more assured that the root of the problem is identified as opposed to a symptom of another problem. Then, I would most likely institute a brainstorming session with my co-managers or even the entire sales team to evaluate potential solutions. It is far more likely that the combined brain power of the entire team that logical solution are created but it would be my responsibility as the leader to choose which prioritized solution would be the best fit.

I would make this best fit decision by using a Plus-Minus-Implications or PMI decision making tree. The objective would be to weigh the pros and cons of the available solutions. This technique has been used for centuries and I believe is one of the more important Decision Making tools. This is because this process allows one to see if potential changes will in fact improve the situation if.