Chapter 8

Question 1

Simply stated, planning can be defined as:

Answer 1

A process that attempts to link present actions to future conditions.

Question 2

The dominant tradition in planning is:

Answer 2

Synoptic

Question 3

Your police chief believes in using an objective, problem-oriented approach to planning. This approach to planning is called:

Answer 3

Synoptic

Question 4

In this type of planning, the work plans describe specific actions to be taken by line units.

Answer 4

Operational plans.

Question 5

Your chief has asked you to develop a plan to handle hostage situations. What type of plan is this?

Answer 5

Tactical

Question 6

Who developed the concept of bounded rationality?

Answer 6

Simon

Question 7

The concept of brainstorming as a function of group decision-making was initially developed to:

Answer 7

Help trigger creative ideas in advertising.

Question 8

According to Nigro and Nigro, which of the following are common errors in decision-making?

Answer 8

Cognitive nearsightedness and oversimplification

Question 9

The common error in decision making involves the tendency to make decisions that satisfy immediate needs:

Answer 9

Cognitive nearsightedness

Question 10

Three basic techniques of analysis for selecting a preferred course of action are:

Answer 10

Strategic, cost-effectiveness, and must-wants.

Question 11

Which of the following is a characteristic of an effective plan?

Answer 11

All of the following:

• Plan must be sufficiently specific
• Plan must be coordinated in its development and implementation within the police department
• Plan should contain a degree of flexibility to allow for the unforeseen

Question 12

______ is not a major decision-making model?

Answer 12

Timeliness.

Rational, Incremental, and Heuristic ARE major decision-making models.

Question 13

Which decision-making model is an antithesis to the rational model?

Answer 13

Heuristic

Question 14

Which decision-making model is highly criticized as being too simplistic and nonscientific?

Answer 14

Heuristic

Question 15

Which of the following is not an advantage of group decision making?

Answer 15

Increasing conformity.

Greater total knowledge and information, greater number of approaches to making a decision, and better comprehension of the decision are advantages to group decision making.

Question 16

Standards of behavior that dictate how humans are supposed to act within the roles that they find themselves in are referred to as:

Answer 16

Ethics

Question 17

Which ethical perspective requires that an individual consider which option would help everyone involved participate more fully in society?

Answer 17

The common good approach

Question 18

Which error in decision-making satisfies immediate needs and brushes aside doubts of their long-range wisdom?

Answer 18

Cognitive nearsightedness

Question 19

Name the assumptions of rational behavior

Answer 19

• A person has complete knowledge of all alternatives available to them.
• A person has the ability to order preferences according to their own hierarchy of values.
• A person has the ability to choose the best alternative for themselves

Question 20

A plan essentially is a decision about a future course of action.

Answer 20

TRUE

Question 21

The procedural category of plans are ordinarily included as part of a police department’s written directive system, a copy of which is assigned to every officer and is updated periodically.

Answer 21

TRUE

Question 22

Lindblom’s incremental model asserts that decision making is serial-that it is limited by time and resources as it gripes along successive paths where means and ends are not distinct, where goals and objectives are ambiguous, and where rationality cannot consistently thrive.

Answer 22

TRUE

Question 23

A group of police leaders may also have great “quick fixes” but their “fixes” may all be different. This can lead to more creative solutions.

Answer 23

TRUE

Question 24

Peer pressure, whether it’s articulated or unspoken, is major force for increasing conformity.

Answer 24

TRUE

Question 25

Brainstorming is a type of group decision making developed initially in advertising to help trigger creativity.

Answer 25

TRUE

Question 26

_______ plans cover a variety of topics such as agency goals and allocation of resources.

Answer 26

Administrative

Question 27

The error of _____ involves the decision maker accepting a simple, but less complete solution to a crisis.

Answer 27

Oversimplification

Question 28

Police departments are sometimes said to be practicing “management by crisis”; in fact, it is “crisis by _____.”

Answer 28

Management

Question 29

______ planning is based on “pure” or “objective” rationality and attempts to ensure optimal achievement of desired goals from a given situation.

Answer 29

Synoptic

Question 30

The traditional theory of management assumes that people are motivated predominantly by ________ incentives and will, therefore, work harder given the opportunity to make more money.

Answer 30

Economic

Question 31

Simon stresses that one’s ability to make ______ decisions is bounded by the limitation of one’s knowledge of the total organization

Answer 31

Rational

Question 32

Lindblom stated that the decision-making process is so fragmented and so complex that _____ can have only a marginal effect.

Answer 32

Rationality

Question 33

Gore presented a ______ model appropriately referred to as the “gut-level approach”when considering the police organization.

Answer 33

Heuristic

Question 34

The ______ approach to ethics looks at which action is the one that will produce the greatest balance of benefits over harms.

Answer 34

Utilitarian

Question 35

Although well-operated police agencies invest considerable effort in developing _____ plans that may seldom or never be used, their very existence stimulates confidence among field officers and lessens the likeliness of injury to officers, the public, and violators.

Answer 35

Tactical