Abstract
Analysis of escalation of commitment is used to highlight the differences between two paradigms in the study of decision making. The rational paradigm proposes that escalation is a dysfunctional response to failure (Staw and Ross 1987). A single-option paradigm, developed in this paper, proposes that it is a necessary response to uncertainty which may, but not necessarily, result in failure. Analysis of the decision-making process of President Bush prior to Operation Desert Storm highlights the differences between the two paradigms and demonstrates how they provide different interpretations and evaluations of a given decision process.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 243-264 |
Number of pages | 22 |
Journal | Organization Studies |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 1995 |
Keywords
- Descriptors: decision-making
- Israel
- escalation of commitment
- implementation
- rational choice
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Strategy and Management
- Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
- Management of Technology and Innovation