Decision Making Essentials You Always Wanted to Know: A Practical Guide to Heuristics, Probability, Game Theory, Scenario Planning, & Effective Decision Making(Self-Learning Management)

A Practical Guide to Heuristics, Probability, Game Theory, Scenario Planning, & Effective Decision Making. Make tough decisions with this dynamic toolbox of decision analysis techniques to transform the business! Introduction to Decision Making Scenario Planning and Prediction Markets Group Mechanics Heuristics and Programmed Decisions Probability and Base Rate Neglect Decision Making Essentials You Always Wanted to Know prepares new managers and leaders to assess tough decisions they face- and eventually make the right choice- by providing them with a tool box of decision analysis techniques to help them understand and analyze the decisions they make. The chapters describe key techniques of decision analysis, including: Cognitive biases and Prospect Theory Heuristics Probability and Expected Value Bayes Theorem Multi-attribute decision making, including the SMART, Elimination by Aspects, and Even Swaps methods Game Theory Prediction Markets Brainstorming and Groupthink Black Swan Events Each chapter provides clear examples of the decision making tools and includes practice examples to help train the reader in using these critical tools. About the Series The Self-Learning Management series is designed to help students, new managers, career switchers and entrepreneurs learn essential management lessons. This series has management books, finance and accounting books, and strategy and marketing books designed to address every aspect of business from HR to Finance to Marketing to Operations. Each book includes basic fundamentals, important concepts, standard and well-known principles as well as practical ways of application of the subject matter. The distinctiveness of the series lies in that all the relevant information is bundled in a compact form that is very easy to interpret

About the Author :
Mark Koscinski is an assistant professor of accounting practice at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, where he teaches a graduate level Decision Analysis class and several advanced accounting classes. He is a certified public accountant, and holds a BA with high honors and MBA from Rutgers University and a doctorate from Drew University. Prior to joining the faculty at Moravian College, Mark was a chief financial officer of various public and private organizations in the defense contracting, toy, investment banking, and banking industries. He has over forty years of experience in the business world, and has supervised every operation of an organization including sales and marketing. Mark is passionate about sharing his knowledge with his students. His background and experience gives him a unique position to write on management topics that are easy to understand for non-MBA graduates. Vibrant Publishers is focused on presenting the best texts for learning about technology and business as well as books for test preparation. Categories include programming, operating systems and other texts focused on IT. In addition, a series of books helps professionals in their own disciplines learn the business skills needed in their professional growth.

Review :
This is the first book that I've read that details decision-making with such depth. Mark Koscinki is able to take seemingly complicated information and break it down into short, easy-to-understand chapters, summarize the key points, and offer questions to ensure one's understanding of decision-making processes. I recommend it to those in leadership and to those aspiring to leadership roles! --Jacqueline Childress, Austin Community College The greatest threat to my business success and survival in the early years was the quality of my decision making. I did not know what I did not know and that made solid decision making risky. Every poor decision provided a lesson to learn and the motivation not to make the same mistake twice. As the business grew so grew the significance of the decisions. I never tire of learning new decision making models, practicing my decision making and helping others to learn as well. Decision Making Essentials is a great way to refresh my skillfulness and develop those around me. Being a strong process decision maker has contributed to my consulting effectiveness and value-added to my client relationships. --Leslie Yerkes Founder, Catalyst Consulting Group, Inc. An exemplary, masterfully-written, comprehensive guide into the navigation of the management realm. I admire the author's adeptness at framing the content by incorporating topics relating to management, accounting, economics, and statistics-a holistic approach to decision making. --Dr. Dawn A. Humburg CPA PhD, Professor at Iowa Central Community College As a college professor I am constantly looking for ways to incorporate decision making skills into my classes and this is the perfect book. My students are provided with a flexible system that makes sense in today's world. My students will be able to learn how to make decisions based on the theory we are learning! --Heather Nestorick, Luzerne County Community College Useful and applicable to daily interactions and opportunities Koscinski provides a well-organized textbook on decision-making from both scientific and practical standpoints. There are real world examples that go along with the science of decision-making. I aim to make informed decisions on important topics, and I was looking for a way to better understand the science of decisions. After reading this book, I really wish I had learned this science during my MBA studies because decision-making is a leadership process that ties many disciplines together. Koscinski does this seamlessly, and I learned quite a bit. In addition, what I learned is useful and can be applied to my daily interactions and decision-making opportunities. --Henry C. Alphin, Jr. Higher Education Administrator, Researcher, and Economic Development Professional Philadelphia, PA 19104 Library Thing