You will consider one of the more important components of effective communication: determining your target audience. It does not take much for a good decision to be torpedoed by a group or an individual who does not feel that they were consulted or appropriately informed about the need or rationale for the decision.

Formulating and solving problems requires an understanding of the people who will be impacted, either negatively or positively, by decisions that must be made. However, even after a problem is identified, possible outcomes are analyzed, and a final decision is formulated, the decision maker must continue to think critically about the situation, specifically in reference to stakeholders in the decision. The process of identifying, strategizing, and communicating a decision requires higher-order thinking.

For this Discussion, locate a current event or article related to a contemporary decision made in a company, an industry, an organization, or a similar area. You may search in the Walden Library or on the Internet.

Determine which entities in the case are the primary and secondary stakeholders, and explain why. Evaluate whether formal or informal communication is more appropriate for each kind of stakeholder in the decision-making process throughout all stages, from issue identification through announcing the decision. Justify your reasoning.