Discussion 1: Manager's Decision Support Tools

Read the journal article, "Executive Information Systems: Their impact on Executive Decision Making". Based on the information presented in the article, discuss the following:

• The tools executive managers use when making major decisions

• The relationship between the tools the executive managers' use and the managers' tasks

• The reasons for using the support tools

Discussion 2: Managerial Planning

What are the types of plans? How are they distinguished from one another? Do you think plans with incremental objectives are more effective than those that contain stretch goals? Why or why not? What role should ethics play with strategic planning? Support your opinion with outside resources.

Assignment: Strategic Planning Process

In a four- to five-page paper (excluding the title and references pages), discuss the strategic planning process. In your paper:

• Explain the basic steps in the planning process.

• Describe the steps in the decision-making process, and predict how the personal attributes of the manager influence decision making.

• Predict how the steps of the strategic planning process and the environmental factors that influence decision making impact the quality-productivity-profitability link.

Your paper must include in-text citations and references from at least three scholarly sources, in addition to the text, and be formatted according to APA style.