Thus, routine problems should be handled by a repetitive decision. Also, programmed decisions minimize the need for managers to exercise discretion. Discretion costs money, so the more nonprogrammed decisions a manager must make, the higher salary he or she will command because greater judgment is needed. Groupthink represents conformity to outside pressures and the withholding of deviant, minority, or unpopular views, thus causing members to suffer deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgments. Its major implication for decision making is that it can create poorly thought-out decisions.
Creativity obviously plays a part in the development of potential alternatives.
The decision maker wants to be as creative as possible in coming up with possible alternatives. But, creativity could also play a role in identifying problems. Managers might have to use their creativity in recognizing discrepancies. Student responses to this question will vary. The chapter's self-assessment exercise can be used perhaps to help them decide which they are.