March, The myth of rationality, 2006

Question 1

What type of rationality does March criticize?

Answer 1

Procedural rationality:
We can develop alternatives.
We can understand the consequences.
We understand our preferences.
Decision rule: We make a decision based on what gives us the highest expected value.

Han er ligeglad med substantive rationality (som har fokus på outcome), men er mere interesseret i processen bag handlinger.

Question 2

Give an example of procedural rationality.

Answer 2

Multi-criteria decision making:
Define preferences
Identify relevant options
Rate options
Pick the one with the highest value

Question 3

What is the myth of rationality?

Answer 3

Myth of rationality: The idea that the rational process is more likely
than alternative processes to yield intelligent behavior.

March says our decision making process is filled with uncertainty.

Question 4

Rationality is free of what, according to March?

Answer 4

Rationality is value-free, it’s amoral. There is more to being a human than rationality: our values.

Amoral: Absence of moral.
Immoral: Bad moral. Similar to unethical.

Question 5

What should we do instead of following procedural rationality?

Answer 5

March presents 4 alternative logics:
Human existence as identities
Human existence as construction of meaning
Human existence as exploration of ambiguity
Human existence as path dependent

Question 6

Human existence as identities.

Answer 6

Thinking of our identities:
March presents 3 questions we should ask ourselves:
Who am I?
What situation am I in?
What would a person like me do in a situation like this?

Question 7

Human existence as construction of meaning.

Answer 7

How we talk together and act together. How are we constructing meaning together? The decision making becomes about constructing ourselves and creating shared meaning.

Question 8

Human existence as exploration of ambiguity.

Answer 8

Creating ourselves. Having ambigiuos goals.
We dont know exactly what our preferences are.
Preferences evolve as time passes. March argues: explore the ambiguity as opposed to clarify it (as rationality would suggest).

Question 9

Human existence as path dependent.

Answer 9

Path dependency: When we are dependent on a specific career path. The more we walk in a certain direction, the harder it is to go another way.
The more often we act a way, the harder it gets to act another way.

Question 10

How could you criticize March?

Answer 10

His alternative logics are a rational way to try to steer away from rationality.

Question 11

Er mennesker drevet af rationalitet ifølge March?

Answer 11

Myten om rationalitet er en upræcis karakteristik af menneskelig opførsel, både på individuelt og organisatorisk niveau. Dvs. at myten om rationalitet er fundamentalt forkert som et grundlag for at guide og forudsige menneskelig opførsel.

(Egen tilføjelse: Mennesker er følelsesdrevet.)