Improving Dynamic Decision Making Through Training and Self-Reflection

Abstract

The modern business environment requires managers to make decisions in a dynamic and uncertain world. In the current study, experimenters investigated the effects of a brief training aimed at improving dynamic decision making (DDM) skills on individual performance in a virtual DDM task. During the training, experimenters explained the DDM process, stressed the importance of self-reflection in DDM, and provided 3 selfreflective questions to guide participants during the task. Additionally, experimenters explored whether participants low or high in self-reflection would perform better in the task and whether participants low or high in self-reflection would benefit more from the training. Participants were 68 graduate business students. They individually managed a computer-simulated chocolate production company called CHOCO FINE and answered surveys to assess self-reflection and demographics. Results showed that students trained in DDM made decisions leading to better management performance in CHOCO FINE compared to untrained students. Self-reflection scores also predicted performance in this virtual business, and participants low in self-reflection benefitted the most from training. Organizations could use DDM training to establish and promote a culture that values selfreflective decision making

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