Decisions, Decisions: The Art of Effective Decision Making
- Book Review,
by David A. Welch
From Booklist
Welch, an academic, offers a nine-step plan for making effective decisions in everyday life and then demonstrates how to apply these steps to real world situations; these nine steps include identifying your objective, doing a preliminary survey of options, focusing onthe values involved, assessing the importance of the decision, budgeting your time and energy, and making your choice. In developing habits of good decision making, we learn the importance of adroitly handling uncertainty; the author believes that the ability to handle uncertainty is the best predictor of success. Selfreflection is very important in skilled decision making, and we also need to understand principles and strategies, money and probability, and some psychology, philosophy, and sociology, in addition to learning to assess the needs of others and their reaction to our choices. This is a "must read"--a thought-provoking book written for a broad audience in an easy and entertaining manner. Mary Whaley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
You're tempted to accept a promising job offer in another city, but moving would entail considerable sacrifice on the part of your family. What should you do? Your elderly mother can no longer take care of herself but she doesn't get along with your spouse and dreads the prospect of moving into a nursing home. What is the solution? Whether you're faced with decisions momentous or trivial, how you go about resolving everyday dilemmas will definitely affect your degree of satisfaction in life. In this engrossing and entertaining guide, David Welch, who has studied the decision-making process at the highest levels, shows how both the science and the art of decision making are essential to us all. Welch lays out nine steps to effective decision making and then shows us how to apply these steps to real-world situations. You'll learn how to assess your own strengths and weaknesses because self-knowledge is critical for making the right decisions. This enjoyable, clearly written guide will enable decision makers to find the most practical solution for dilemmas both big and small.
Book Info
David Welch, who has studied the decision-making process at the highest levels, shows how both the science and the art of decision making are essential to us all. Welch lays out nine steps to effective decision making and then shows us how to apply these steps to real-world situations. Softcover.
From the Publisher
"Professor Welch has done a marvelous job of translating the complex language of decision theory into a witty and compelling read." -- Debora L. Spar, Professor and Unit Head, Harvard Business School "David Welch offers a clear and important window on the art of decision making. A delight to read, DECISIONS, DECISIONS is sure to enlighten and delight, as well as provoke the professional and amateur alike." -- Marc L. Busch, Associate Professor, Queen's School of Business, Kingston, Ontario "Drawing on history, philosophy, and psychology, Welch's ground-breaking writing provides advice of practical value to every kind of decision maker. Home purchasers, gamblers, risk analysts, and international negotiators among others will all benefit from this entertaining and erudite guide to the high art of decision making. An enjoyable and highly instructive read for business people, students, and diplomats alike." -- Anthony Campbell, Former Director of the Privy Council Office Intelligence Secretariat, Canada "Using engaging examples and a lively style, Professor David Welch adroitly translates the lessons of political decision analysis into a guide for decision making in everyday life." -- Sherry Glied, Associate Professor and Head, Division of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University "DECISIONS, DECISIONS should be required reading for anyone working in financial markets. Professor Welch provides a link between how financial analysts expect people to make decisions and how those decisions are actually made." -- Arthur M. Heinmaa, Managing Partner, Toron Capital Markets, Inc. "Professor Welch has provided a compelling book that experts will credit as reliable and everyone will credit as helpful. More than a few of us will see our foibles played out in the engaging anecdotes Welch uses to illustrate his points." -- Peter D. Feaver, Associate Professor, Political Science, Duke University "A readable, thought-provoking book that helps us reexamine our own decision-making processes. Welch describes basic principles in a variety of disciplines, from philosophy to economics to probability, and entertainingly shows how they can offer concrete advice for personal decision making in everyday situations." -- Neal Madras, Professor, Mathematics and Statistics, York University
About the Author
David A. Welch is associate professor of political science at the University of Toronto and is the author of the award-winning JUSTICE AND THE GENESIS OF WAR, and coauthor of the critically acclaimed ON THE BRINK: AMERICANS AND SOVIETS REEXAMINE THE CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS and CUBA ON THE BRINK: CASTRO, THE MISSILE CRISIS, AND THE SOVIET COLLAPSE.
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