COGNITIVE APPROACH TO STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING PROCESS: A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH ON HIGH LEVEL MANAGERS

Abstract

In this study, strategic decisions that are characterized as unstructured, complex, and open-ended are addressed from the perspective of cognitive elements that limit rationality. The main purpose of the study is to understand how the cognitive heuristics and biases effect strategic decisions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve managers and the data were arranged and interpreted by means of descriptive analysis. Findings suggest that participants use emphasis on the level of uncertainty, intuitive adaptation, self-confidence and experience as a variable when using cognitive heuristics and biases. In addition, the study found that participants were heavily influenced by overconfidence, availability heuristic, confirmation bias and hindsight bias, but attempts were made to avoid anchoring, frame effect, and escalation of commitment. It is believed that the research is aimed at an area that has not been studied extensively in the Turkish language and contributes to the development of an explanatory approach to the strategic decision making process.

Keywords

• Strategic Decision Making,High Level Manager,Cognitive,Heuristic,Bias

STRATEJİK KARAR VERME SÜRECİNE BİLİŞSEL YAKLAŞIM: ÜST KADEME YÖNETİCİLER ÜZERİNE NİTEL BİR ARAŞTIRMA

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, yapılandırılmamış, karmaşık ve açık uçlu olarak karakterize edilen stratejik kararlar rasyonaliteyi sınırlandıran, bilişsel unsurlar perspektifiyle ele alınmaktadır. Çalışmanın temel amacı, bilişsel kestirme yol ve bilişsel yanlıklıkların stratejik kararları nasıl etkilediğini anlamaktır. Buradan hareketle on iki yönetici ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiş ve veriler betimsel analiz yöntemiyle düzenlenmiş ve yorumlanmıştır. Bulgular katılımcıların bilişsel kestirme yol ve yanlılıkları kullanırken belirsizlik derecesi, sezgisel uyum, özgüven ve deneyim faktörlerini bir değişken olarak vurguladığını ortaya koymaktadır. Buna ek olarak çalışmada katılımcıların yoğun olarak hazırda bulma kestirme yolu, aşırı güven, doğrulama yanılgısı ve geri görüş yanılgısından etkilendiğine ancak çıpa atma, çerçeve etkisi ve artan bağlılık etkisinin bertaraf edilmeye çalışıldığına yönelik bulgular elde edilmiştir. Araştırmanın Türkçe yazında yoğun çalışılmamış bir alana yönelik olması ve stratejik karar verme sürecine ilişkin açıklayıcı bir yaklaşım ortaya koyması açısından katkı sağlayıcı olduğu düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

• Stratejik Karar Verme,Üst Kademe Yönetici,Bilişsel,Kestirme Yol

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