[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to identify and implement problem solving strategies and management decision-making. Also included within this document is the answer to the questions, “What impact would decision-making styles have on the design of information systems that support decision making in international businesses?”
[Content]
There are a few different decision making styles that can aid with the decision making process. The democratic decision making style is where a leader relinquishes control of a decision in order to let members of a group vote. The consensus decision-making style is where the leader gives up total control and lets the group, as a whole, deal with the decision. The collective decision making style is where the leader involves the members of an organization in order to gain a different perspective in order to assist the leader with making the decision. The autocratic decision making style is where the leader maintains total control and ownership of the decision. Different types of leaders may use different types of styles in order to assist them with the decision making process (Leadership Management Development Center, Inc., 1997).
International businesses use information systems differently from more local or regional businesses. Local or regionalized businesses may use information systems to manage such things as people, documents, technologies, and procedures in order to assist with the management of operational activities in an organization. Localized information systems also help with management accountants to solve business problems like the costing of a service or product or even a business-wide strategy. International businesses can use information systems to aid with such things as international research or discovery. International businesses will also use information systems to achieve a competitive advantage by utilizing intelligence gained from the international market to make superb business decisions (goliath.ecnext.com, 2002). Local or regional businesses use information systems differently than international businesses.
Many governments play a major role in how businesses run or operate. Governments have a major impact on businesses by how companies are taxed, by which subsidies are allowed, interest rates, exchange rates, and ever by which partnerships are allowed. Governments also play a major role in how business function or operate by the laws or policies that are created or put in place. Governments have their hands in how business are ran everywhere from needing a business license in order to operate as a business all the way down to ensuring companies meet environmental, cultural, health and safety standards. It is always within a government’s best interest to encourage business. By allowing businesses, this is how many governments are able to fund many programs within the government. Governments influence many business in many different ways from ensuring companies are complying with government policies or laws and in return company’s pay many forms of taxes which the government uses to fund many government programs.
Their government of where the business resides influences international businesses, the government influence may affect how the company’s decision-making process by the type of decision making style that is used and therefore can affect how an information system is designed. A business in China may choose to use more of an autocratic approach to how decisions are made, whereas a company in the United States may choose to use more of a democratic decision making approach. When designing an information system when an autocratic decision making style is being used, there may be more controls or restrictions placed upon users of the information system, ensuring they do not have a free reign of access to information. When a democratic decision making style is being used, users such as managers may have a lot more access to information within that information system in order to ensure they are making the proper decisions.
References
1. (1997). Decision Making Style and its Effect On Morale. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from Decision Making Style and its Effect On Morale Web site: http://www.leadershipmanagement.com/html-files/decision.htm
2. International business and global information management research: toward a cumulative tradition.. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from International business and global information management research: toward a cumulative tradition. Web site: http://www.manta.com/