List of top Decision Making Questions on Analytical Decision Making

Arya, a graduate from a reputable institute, got a job in an IT company but became bored after a year. Her best friend S, who worked at the same company, joined a top-tier B-school for an MBA, which tempted Arya to pursue the same path. Her friend assured her that an MBA would boost her career prospects and salary. Arya started preparing for an MBA while continuing her job, but the challenge of balancing preparation with work made her consider leaving the job.

There’s a community 30 km outside of the main city. Mr. S started a grocery business in the community after winning the bid by offering way above the rent initially drafted by the community council. The community council, led by Mr. D, agreed to the offer with a performance review every three years. Mr. S also agreed to provide an additional 15% of his grocery sales to the council, banking on the prospect of selling in higher volumes. After setting up his business, Mr. S noticed that SUV owners in the community usually bought goods in bulk from the city once a week and used his store primarily for daily necessities and occasional big purchases like mixer grinders.

Tech predictions often fail not because of wrong models or a lack of imagination, but due to lack of humility in admitting our uncertainty about the future.( Maximum 250 words )

Prof. Vijya, the chairperson of the FAC, is tasked with determining the appropriate course of action.

The incident began with an allegation that Biswajit, a final year student, had inflated his grades on the bio-data submitted to potential employers. In response, the President of the SPC requested that the FAC bar Biswajit from the campus recruitment process.

During the FAC meeting to discuss the matter, a professor asserted that Biswajit should have the opportunity to defend himself. However, when Biswajit was brought into the meeting, the situation escalated. He alleged that other students, who he claimed were close to the President of the SPC, had also misrepresented their grades to secure jobs and had faced no consequences. Furthermore, Biswajit contended that his own grades had been deliberately manipulated by someone else in his bio-data.

These counter-allegations created confusion among the FAC members, leading to the decision to adjourn the meeting. Prof. Vijya is now left to decide the next steps in this multifaceted issue. The core of the problem involves not only the initial accusation against Biswajit but also his serious claims of favoritism and data tampering within the student placement process.

Read the following caselet and choose the best alternative:

It was the end of performance review cycle for the year 2012 when you asked your subordinates about any problems they were facing. Natrajan told you that an important member of his team, Vardarajan, who had also won the best performance award for the year 2011, was not taking interest in work. Despite Natrajan's counseling, no change was noticed in Vardarajan; rather his attitude deteriorated. You had also received such information from other employees. You had not interfered, hoping that Natrajan, an experienced hand, would be able to solve the problem. But now that Natrajan himself brought this to your notice, you decided to call Vardarajan and counsel him.

Marathe is a Vice President in a construction equipment company in the city of Mumbai. One day, his subordinate Bhonsle requested that Kale, a project manager, be transferred to the Chennai office from the Mumbai office. In Chennai, Kale would work alone as a researcher. Bhonsle gave the following reasons for his request: "Kale is known to frequently fight with his colleagues. Kale is conscientious and dedicated only when working alone. He is friendly with seniors, but refuses to work with colleagues in a team. He cannot accept criticism and feels hostile and rejected. He is over-bearing and is generally a bad influence on the team."

Marathe called upon Gore, another project manager, and sought further information on Kale. Gore recalled that a former colleague, Lakhote (who was also Kale's former boss) had made a few remarks on his appraisal report about Kale. In his opinion, Kale was not fit for further promotion as he was emotionally unstable to work in groups though he had seven years of work experience. Lakhote had described Kale as too authoritative to work under anyone. Lakhote had further told Gore that Kale had an ailing wife, and an old mother, who does not want to stay with his wife.

Read the following case and choose the best alternative.

Ranjan Tuglák, the youngest cabinet minister of the newly elected coalition, glanced through the notes prepared by his secretary regarding the recent controversies on racket, the most popular game of the country. While International Racket Association (IRC) has agreed to implement Drug Testing Code (DTC) promoted by World Athletic and Gamer Federation, Racket Club which controls the entire racket related activities (unlike any other sports and games of the country) had some reservations regarding the initiative. Majority of the citizens waited for the international competitions eagerly and were fanatical about their country’s participation in them. As a result of the popularity of the game, 70% of the total revenue associated with the game originates from the country. Hence Racket Club has high bargaining power with IRC and can change any decision that is not aligned with its interests. Three most popular and senior players, including the captain, are against the application of DTC citing security reasons. A decision against the interests of these players may result in law and order problems throughout the country. Other players support the decision of their senior colleagues and if Racket Club refuses to agree, players may support Counter Racket Club, a new national level initiative. Counter Racket Club may threaten the monopoly of Racket Club, if it succeeds to attract some popular racket players.

Ranjan’s father had been forced to resign from politics due to alleged corruption charges. Ranjan had completed his entire education from abroad before returning to join politics. He is a great soccer player and has major reservations against racket. According to him, racket has negative influence on the country’s youth and diverts their attention from productive work. He also considers drug testing as an essential feature for any sports and games across the world. As the new cabinet minister for Youth and Sports he needs to take some important decisions on this controversial issue.

Read the following case and choose the best alternative – Guruji's guidance

Bhola, an avid nature lover, wanted to be an entrepreneur. He dreamt of establishing a chain of huts in Chaptur region to cater to tourists, who came attracted by the beauty and splendour of the Himalayas.

However, he was appalled by current degradation of the Himalayan environment. He remembered the early times when everything was so green, clean and peaceful. Now, greenery was replaced by buildings, peace was shattered by honking of vehicles and flocking of tourists, and cleanliness was replaced by heaps of plastics.

Bhola had a strong sense of right and wrong. On speaking to few locals about the issue, he realized that the locals were aware of these issues. However, they pointed out the benefits of development: pucca houses for locals; higher disposable income and with that, ability to send their children to better schools and colleges, better road connectivity, and access to latest technology in agriculture. Most locals wanted the development to continue.

Saddened by the lack of support from the locals, Bhola took up the issue with the government. He met the chief minister of the state to find out if government could regulate the developmental activities to prevent environmental degradation. However, the chief minister told Bhola that such an action would slow down the economic progress. That also meant loss of substantial tax revenues for the government.

Bhola needed to resolve the dilemma. Bhola always wanted to be an entrepreneur, who could contribute to the society and earn money as well. However, his business would also be responsible for destroying environment. If he did not set up his business, he would not be able to earn money and contribute to the society.

After mulling over the issues, he went to his mentor “Guruji”. Guruji realized that it was really a difficult puzzle: if one saves the environment, there seems to be no development and if the people and the government sought development, the environment and hence future of this planet and human beings was at stake. After careful thought, he felt that the dilemma could be resolved. He fixed up a meeting with Bhola to answer Bhola's queries.

Some environmentalists, tired of waiting for ‘green economics’ to catch up with society at large, have adopted their own strategies for tipping the financial calculation in favour of the land. In the forest surrounding Vancouver, where trees are being felled for paper to print philosophy books, groups have used metal spikes hidden in trees to prevent chainsaws from operating safely, pushing up the cost of harvesting trees. In Phoenix, Arizona, where mountain nature reserves have been encroached on by new houses, hooded vigilantes have burnt down the new residences. The arsonists, according to the local paper, pray before they burn down a house that no one will get hurt, thinking primarily of the firefighters; the new houses are burned while still empty. “We don’t pray for ourselves not to get caught – that’s God’s will,” one is quoted as saying.
As per the activists, all aforementioned activities seem clearly very principled. But is it ethical?

Dr. Puneet worried about the test results of his patient, Ms. Benita. Ms. Benita was an old rich widow with no dependents. The results indicate that Ms. Benita has the potentially fatal Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) disease. LAM is rare and difficult to diagnose. People with LAM often need oxygen and lung transplants as the disease continues its course. According to the test results, Ms. Benita might have got it.
Dr. Puneet explained the situation to Ms. Benita carefully. Without naming the disease, he explained that the disease was progressive and would need treatment using drugs which were still at the experimental stage. Even then, the chance of success was not too bright. If the treatment was unsuccessful, then they would have to get ready for a lung transplant. The lung transplant itself was a risky course of treatment. Even if successful, she would require constant medical support and treatment.
Ms. Benita looked blank. She asks Dr. Puneet for his advice about the course of action. He nods gravely, “I’m afraid, Ms. Benita, I think there is only one course we can take.”
What should be Dr. Puneet’s advice?