1.7 Organisational planning tools

Question 1

Decision trees

Answer 1

quantitative organisational planning tool that calculates the probable values of different options, helping managers to minimise the risks in decision making

Question 2

Force field analysis

Answer 2

forces for and against change
driving forces - benefits
restraining forces - causes of resistance to change

Question 3

Fishbone digram

Answer 3

cause and effect model

based on identifying and dealing with the roots causes of a problem or issue facing a business

Question 4

Gantt charts

Answer 4

visual representation of all the tasks in a particular project plotted against the timescale

Question 5

Organisational planning tools

Answer 5

various methods that businesses use to aid their decision-making

Question 6

Advantage of fishbone diagram

Answer 6

easy to use and understand

Question 7

Disadvantage of fishbone diagram

Answer 7

tends to be rather simplistic for some real-world problems

Question 8

Advantages of decision trees

Answer 8

allow mangers to set out problems in a clear and logical way
all potential options is visual at the same time –> speeding up decision making

Question 9

Disadvantages of decision trees

Answer 9

probabilities given in a decision tree are only estimates and subject to forecasting errors
based on quantitative data only, problems like staff morale is ignored

Question 10

Advantages of force field diagram

Answer 10

useful decision making technique for looking at the forces acting for and against change

Question 11

Disadvantages of force field diagram

Answer 11

weights attached to the driving and restraining forces might be done subjectively
not all relevant forces might be considered