6. Explain the role that values and ethics play in making decisions. A manager's values define his or h r ethics and affect the selection of performance measures , alternatives, and choice criteria in the decision process .
7. Summarize the positive and negative aspects of group decision making . Positive aspects include the following: (1) The sum total of the group's knowl dge is g 'eater;
(2) the group possesses a much wider range .of alternatives in the decision process;
(3) participation in the decision-making process increases the acceptance of the deci sion by group members; and (4) group members better understand the decision and the alternatives considered. Negative aspects include the following : (1) One individ ual may dominate or control the group; (2) Social pressures to conform can inhibit group members; (3) Competition caiJ develop to such an extent hat winning becomes more important than the issue itself; and (4) Groups have a tendency to accept the first potentially positive solution while giving little attention to other possible solutions.
8. Define creativity and innovation, and outline the basic stages in the creative process .
Creativity is the thinking process involved in producing an idea or a concept that is new, original, useful, or satisfying to its creator or to someone else. Innovation is doing new things. The creative process generally has five stages: (1) preparation, (2) concen tration, (3) incubation, (4) illumination, and (5) verification.
9. Identify several specific tools and techniques that can be used to foster creative deci sions. Tools to foster creative decisions include brainstorming, the Gordon technique, the nominal group technique, brainwriting, and synectics .
10. List the six stages in creative decision making. The model for creative decision making encompasses the following six steps: (1) recognition , (2) fact finding, (3) problem find ing, (4) idea finding, (5) solution finding, and (6) acceptance finding.
11. Explain the role of a management information system (MIS/ A MIS is an information system used by managers to support their day-to-day operational and tactical decision making needs . A MIS provides information that managers have specified in advance as adequately meeting their information needs . Usually the information made available by a MIS is in the form of periodic reports, special reports, and outputs of mathemati cal simulations .