Biases in Decision Making and Implications for Human Resource Development

The problem and the solution. Effectively solving problems is a common goal for individuals and organizations, and successful problem solving is dependent on the quality of decisions made along the way. Making decisions to diagnose and direct organizational performance improvement efforts is a continual task throughout the human resource development (HRD) process. However, evidence shows that there is a large gap between theory and practice in effective decision making. In practice, the decision-making process is heavily influenced by the assumptions and biases of the decision makers. This article describes decision-making processes and the many sources of bias that confound decision makers in their attempts to solve problems. Furthermore, it describes the implications of these biases for HRD professionals and suggests ways to minimize the influence of biases in the decision-making process. Attending to the pitfalls of decision-making biases is crucial to improving the success of decisions that drive HRD professionals' efforts.

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