Social business entrepreneurs' intuition in decision making: a proposal for the integration of the Garbage Can Model and the Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory
Authors:   , Dias Suzi Elen Ferreira 
Published: February 2024

Most organizational studies and practices have focused on rationality in decision making. Studies indicate that the use of intuition is essential for greater intelligence and optimization of business performance. In times of crisis, such as those currently experienced in the world (COVID-19), the use of intuition and analysis in a complementary way becomes even more relevant. Social businesses have a unique characteristic of hybridity and similarities that can enhance the use of intuition. Due to the lack of studies with this empirical object, it was decided to centralize data collection in this audience. Purpose: The general objective is to understand how social business entrepreneurs make decisions by examining the use of intuition and analysis. Additionally, the specific objective is to present a framework that explains the use of intuition and analysis in decision making, integrating two theoretical lenses: Garbage Can Model (GCM), which explains non-linear decision making, and the Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory (CEST), which explains intuition and analysis as part of the individual’s dual-processing of information. Method: A qualitative and descriptive study was carried out using the Critical Incident Technique, using the inductive method through in- depth interviews. Previous studies were also carried out to assist in the development of the theoretical gap and a systematic review of the literature. Findings: Our results indicate that the opposite cognitive profiles of social business entrepreneurs complement each other in the decision making process when there is a precise alignment between them about the social purpose of the business. This result advances knowledge in recent literature that indicates a paradoxical tension between intuition and analysis in business decision making. Additionally, our findings suggest a multidisciplinary integration between theoretical approaches that explain intuition (CEST) and non-linear decision making (GCM). Theoretical Contributions: This study advances knowledge in a multidisciplinary way by introducing GCM as a new theoretical lens for the study of intuition. Furthermore, contrary to what was expected from the review of recent literature on intuition, paradoxical tensions did not prove to be relevant in the social business entrepreneurs’ decision making, as long as some indicated factors are joint. From this, it proposes a conceptual framework integrating GCM and CEST. Practical Contributions: Social business entrepreneurs can benefit from becoming aware of how certain factors can affect their choice in the decision making process, which can help them better understand their relationship to their intuition. In addition, the results can contribute to the development of teaching and training tools to optimize decision making. Originality: The multidisciplinary vision integrates two theoretical approaches to advance and clarify knowledge about the use of intuition in decision making, responding to a gap in the subject about the understanding of concepts applied to an unprecedented empirical object, the social business