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College of Business

Decision-making Guide

  • 1

    Determine the facts and state the problem.

  • 2

    Identify the stakeholders.

  • 3

    Identify relevant factors.

  • 4

    List 3-5 options.

  • 5

    Assess options using various tests:

    • Harm test
    • Legality test
    • Precedence test
    • Publicity test
    • Defensibility test
    • Mom test
    • Reversibility or "golden rule" test
    • Virtues test
    • Professional test
    • Peer or colleague test
    • "How does it make me feel?" test
    • Organization test
  • 6

    Make a tentative choice.

  • 7

    Review steps 1-6.

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NIU College of Business
Barsema Hall
740 Garden Road
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-5764
abuhrow@niu.edu

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