DECISION-MAKING:

FUNCTION OF
MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
 Managers of all types and kinds, including the engineer manager, are
primarily tasked to provide leadership in the quest for the attainment of the
organizations objectives. If he is to become effective, he must learn the
intricacies of decision-making. Many times, he will be confronted by situations
where he will have to choose from among various options. Whatever his
choice, it will have effects, immediate or otherwise, in the operations of this
organization.
The engineer managers decision making skills will be very crucial to his
success as a professional. A major blunder in decision-making may be
sufficient to cause the destruction of any organization. Good decision, on the
other hand will provide the right environment for continuous growth and
success of any organized effort.
Decisions must be made at various levels in the workplace. They are also
made at various stages in the management process. If certain resources
must be used, someone must make a decision authorizing certain person to
appropriate such resources.
 Decision-making is a responsibility of the engineer manager. It is
understandable for managers to make wrong decisions at times. The wise
manager will correct them as soon as they are identified. The bigger issue is
the manager who cannot or do not want to make decision. These types of
managers are dangerous and should be removed from their position as soon
as possible

Management must strive to choose a decision option as correctly as

possible. Since they have that power, they are responsible for whatever
outcome their decisions bring. The higher the management level is, the
bigger and the more complicated decision-making becomes.
 REPORT/DISCUSSION PROPER

What is decision-making?
 Decision making may be defined as the process of identifying and
choosing alternatives courses of action in a manner appropriate to the
demands of the situation.
The definition indicates that the engineer manager must adapt a
certain procedure designed to determine the best option available to solve
certain problems. Decisions are made at various management levels and at
various management functions which is planning, organizing, directing and
controlling. Decision-making according to Nickels and others is the heart
of all the management functions.

The Decision-making Process

Rational decision-making, according to David H. Holt, is a process involving the
following steps:
1. Diagnose the problem
If a manager wants to make an intelligent decision, his first move must be
to identify the problem. If the manager fails in this aspect, it is almost
impossible to succeed in the subsequent steps. An expert once said
identification of the problem is tantamount to having the problem half-
solved. But what is a problem? A problem exists when there is a difference
between an actual situation and a desired situation.
2. Analyze the Environment
The environment where the organization is situated plays a very
significant role in the success or failure of the organization itself. It
is, therefore, very important that an analysis of the environment be
undertaken.
The objectives of environmental analysis are the identifications of
constraints, which may be spelled out as either internal or external
limitations. Examples of internal limitations are as follows:
Limited funds available for the purchase of equipment
Limited training on the part of employees.
Ill-designed facilities.
Examples of external limitations are as follows:
Patents are controlled by other organizations
A very limited market for the companys products and services
exists.
Strict enforcement of local zoning regulations.
3. Making a Choice
After the alternatives have been evaluated, the decision-maker must
now be ready to make a choice. This is the point where he must be
convinced that all the previous steps were correctly undertaken
Choice-making refers to the process of selecting among alternatives
representing potential solutions to a problem. To make the selection
process easier, the alternatives can be ranked from best tot worst on
the basis of some factors like benefit, cost, or risk.
4. Implement Decision
After a decision has been made, implementation follows. This is
necessary, or decision-making will be an exercise in futility.
Implementation refers to carrying out the decision so that the
objectives sought will be achieved. To make implementations effective,
a plan must be devised.
5. Evaluate and Adapt Decision Results
In implementing the decision, the results expected may or may not
happen. It is, therefore, important for the manager to use control and
feedback mechanisms to ensure results and provide information for the
future decisions.
Feedback refers to the process which requires checking at each stage
of the process to assure the alternatives generated, the criteria used in
evaluation, and the solution selected for implementation are in keeping
with the goals and objectives originally specified.
Forecasting
There are instances when engineer managers make
decisions that will have implications in the future. A
manufacturing firm, for example, must put up a capacity which
is sufficient to produce the demand requirements of
customers within the next 12 months. As such, man power and
facilities must be procured before the start of operations. To
make decisions on capacity more effective, the engineer
manager must be provided with the data on demand
requirements for the next 12 months. This type of information
may be derived through forecasting.
Function of Manager
1. Planning
Manager should have objectives in mind

Planning help managers to do things right

Well-planning needs the following:

a) Defining objectives

b) Deciding what/ when/ how/ who

What is to be done?
When it is to be done?
How it is to be done?
Who is it to do it?
2. Organizing
Gathering and allocating all resources

Coordinating the work of the organization

Deliberate creation, a configurations that defines

the following:
How authority is structured?
How communication flows?
How tasks are accomplished?
3. Directing
Redirecting human behavior to
achieve objectives

Motivating others to produce

Influencing subordinates

4. Controlling
Keeping things on track

Steering performance towards

desired goal

Coordinating monitoring and

adjusting performance
CONCLUSION
 Decision-making is a very important function of the engineer manager.
His organization will rise or fall depending on the outcomes of his
decisions. It is, therefore, necessary for the engineer manager to develop
some skills in decision-making.
The process of identifying and choosing alternative courses of action
in a manager appropriate to the demands of the situation is called decision-
making. It is done at various management levels and functions
To be a good engineer manager, one must have good decision-making
skills especially in complicated situations to ensure the progress of their
organization or company. Having good decision-making skills means that an
engineer manager was able to work and perform well under pressure.