Decision-Making Models for Technology Adoption at El Encanto

Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

Leverage organizational information and data to inform decision making

Scenario

After you’ve worked for years as a manager at one branch of El Encanto, a state-wide chain of

Mexican restaurants in Maine, the business has been sold. The new owner has a lot of energy

and ideas! They have gone over financials and decided that, because your restaurant is doing

the best, you get to lead the group of managers in an exploration of adding a table ordering

system to the chain’s restaurants. The new owner has discussed with managers the value in

using nonrational aspects of decision making, but understands that the group is used to more

rational models. The owner requests that you use clear decision-making models of your choice

to propose a decision about the addition of table ordering technology for El Encanto as a

whole. The owner wants you to send an email to the group that includes showing your process

of using two different rational decision-making models; additionally, they want you to explain

how using a nonrational approach enhances the initial decision.

The managers know the new owner is considering adopting different technology options

chain-wide, and though they are excited, they are also apprehensive. Not just one decision-

Listen

making model is perfect for all circumstances, and your email gets to show that flexibility and

wisdom. The rational models would have been used under the previous owner and are

relatable to the current managers, but the non-rational concepts include aspects that pure

data can’t account for. You will follow the same process for both rational models.

Directions

First, choose at least two rational decision-making models appropriate to the scenario. Then,

make the decision of which models best apply to the decision-making details in the supporting

document. Using the tools or framework provided by the decision-making models, make an

initial decision. Use a format that makes the most sense for this; different formats (e.g.,

flowchart, bullets) work better for different models. You will need to explain your decision-

making rationale (process). Finally, you will need to include how irrationality, people, and other

considerations change the output of one of the rational decision-making models.

The managers are keenly interested in what information was included in the decision-

making process and what you deemed extraneous. Make sure to include how you parsed

the information into “important” and “not important” categories for both rational

decision-making models.

Label each step of both rational decision-making models as you apply them to the

scenario. Additionally, clarify what information you are using, or what smaller decision is

made in each step.

Of particular interest to the managers will be your rationale for decision making and the

process you used. To ensure the managers fully understand your process and decision,

include the following:

Describe places of convergence and divergence in the processes as well as, perhaps,

the final decisions of each rational decision-making model.

As needed for clarification, elaborate on the importance of the divergences and

which model produced the best choice in your opinion, adopting one or more

technologies—or not.

Because your new owner believes in taking as many variables into account as possible,

amend the initial “rational” decision in some way that shows nonrational decision-making

factors were taken into consideration. Some possible enhancements may relate to time,

scope, or cost. While working, closely consider the following:

Include whether there is information needed that is not provided, and how that may

influence the decision.

Include any discrepancies between one or both rational decision-making models and

the more flexible nonrational models.

Include what aspects you considered that weren’t included in the rational models.

What to Submit

Every project has a deliverable or deliverables, which are the files that must be submitted

before your project can be assessed. For this project, you must submit the following:

Email to Managers

In attachments, show two rational decision-making models with the specific steps labeled, as

well as an elaboration of your thought process with each step and the inclusion of nonrational

decision-making factors. This should be a professional email giving a broad overview of your

process as well as the final proposed decision.

Supporting Materials

The following resource may help support your work on the project:

Citation Help

Need help citing your sources? Use the CfA Citation Guide and Citation Maker.

Document: Decision-Making Details

This resource provides explanation of the exact decision to be made, the culture of the

organization, and important details about El Encanto’s business.