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Decision Making - Expert Level: priority decisions EXPERT

Intensive progress check 🎯 drill: 20 expert-level decision making questions. Worksheet 30 of 30 hones your priority decisions abilities. Practice choice selection, optimal decisions, critical choices under timed conditions. Best for expert-level students seeking challenging problems and time-bound practice.

📝 Worksheet 30 of 30 • 20 questions • ⏱️ Estimated time: 20 minutes • 🎯 Expert level

What you'll learn in this worksheet:
Your progress through Decision Making
Worksheet 30 of 30 (100% complete)

Question 1

Decision: Company considering automation that will eliminate 200 jobs but increase efficiency by 40% Considering all stakeholder impacts, what is the most ethical and practical approach?
Balances efficiency gains with social responsibility. Saves 100 jobs while improving efficiency, providing transition support for affected workers. This approach balances competing interests while prioritizing overall welfare.
decision, stakeholders, ethics, corporate

Question 2

Situation: A family needs to choose between buying a house in Suburb A (good schools, long commute) or Suburb B (shorter commute, average schools). What should be the primary criterion for this decision?
For a family decision, children's long-term development typically takes priority over convenience factors. Education quality has lasting impact on children's future opportunities.
decision, criteria, priorities

Question 3

Decision: Invest in R&D for new product or improve existing product? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
New product: 30% success → 500 profit, 70% failure → -200 loss = EV = 150-140=10. Improve existing: 80% success → 200 profit, 20% no gain = EV=160. Existing product improvement has higher EV.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 4

Decision: Company considering automation that will eliminate 200 jobs but increase efficiency by 40% Considering all stakeholder impacts, what is the most ethical and practical approach?
Balances efficiency gains with social responsibility. Saves 100 jobs while improving efficiency, providing transition support for affected workers. This approach balances competing interests while prioritizing overall welfare.
decision, stakeholders, ethics, corporate

Question 5

Situation: A farmer with limited land can either: grow wheat (guaranteed $5000 profit), grow organic vegetables (potential $8000 profit, 40% crop failure risk), or lease land to solar company (guaranteed $6000) Considering opportunity costs, what is the best choice?
Expected value of vegetables = $8000 × 0.6 = $4800, which is less than guaranteed $5000 from wheat. Solar lease gives $6000 guaranteed, making it optimal considering risk.
decision, opportunity-cost, trade-offs

Question 6

Situation: A company can use $500,000 to: upgrade equipment (increase efficiency 20%), hire employees (expand capacity 30%), or keep as cash reserve (maintain financial stability) Considering opportunity costs, what is the best choice?
30% capacity expansion provides highest growth potential if market demand supports it. The opportunity cost of hiring is foregone efficiency gains, but capacity growth typically drives revenue more directly.
decision, opportunity-cost, trade-offs

Question 7

Situation: Emergency room with one ventilator left. Four patients need it: 20-year-old (90% survival), 40-year-old (70% survival), 60-year-old (50% survival), 80-year-old (30% survival). What is the best decision in this emergency situation?
Utilitarian approach - maximizing total life years saved. Youngest patient has highest potential remaining lifespan and good survival probability.
decision, emergency, crisis, time-critical

Question 8

Situation: Factory fire with 50 workers inside. You can either: try to extinguish fire (30% success, 10 minutes, saves all) or evacuate (100% success, 5 minutes, saves 40 workers). What is the best decision in this emergency situation?
Expected value: Extinguish = 50×0.3 = 15 expected saved; Evacuate = 40 guaranteed saved. Guarantee of 40 saved is better than 15 expected.
decision, emergency, crisis, time-critical

Question 9

Situation: John has 4 hours of free time: study for exam (improve grades), work part-time job (earn $60), or exercise and relax (improve health) Considering opportunity costs, what is the best choice?
Long-term academic success typically has higher lifetime value than $60 or immediate health benefits. The opportunity cost of studying is short-term earnings, but education ROI justifies this choice.
decision, opportunity-cost, trade-offs

Question 10

Decision: Company considering automation that will eliminate 200 jobs but increase efficiency by 40% Considering all stakeholder impacts, what is the most ethical and practical approach?
Balances efficiency gains with social responsibility. Saves 100 jobs while improving efficiency, providing transition support for affected workers. This approach balances competing interests while prioritizing overall welfare.
decision, stakeholders, ethics, corporate

Question 11

Decision: City council deciding on new affordable housing project location Considering all stakeholder impacts, what is the most ethical and practical approach?
Distributes impact across neighborhoods, reduces concentrated opposition, provides better integration with existing communities. This approach balances competing interests while prioritizing overall welfare.
decision, stakeholders, ethics, corporate

Question 12

Decision: Accept job offer immediately or negotiate with current employer? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
Accept: guaranteed 25% raise. Negotiate: 50% chance of 15% raise, 50% chance of 0% raise → expected = 7.5% raise. Guaranteed 25% > expected 7.5%.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 13

Situation: A government agency needs to allocate limited disaster relief funds between flood-prone and earthquake-prone regions. What should be the primary criterion for this decision?
Risk assessment should prioritize areas with highest probability of imminent disaster, as prevention is more effective than post-disaster relief.
decision, criteria, priorities

Question 14

Decision: Invest in R&D for new product or improve existing product? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
New product: 30% success → 500 profit, 70% failure → -200 loss = EV = 150-140=10. Improve existing: 80% success → 200 profit, 20% no gain = EV=160. Existing product improvement has higher EV.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 15

Situation: A government agency needs to allocate limited disaster relief funds between flood-prone and earthquake-prone regions. What should be the primary criterion for this decision?
Risk assessment should prioritize areas with highest probability of imminent disaster, as prevention is more effective than post-disaster relief.
decision, criteria, priorities

Question 16

Decision: Outsource manufacturing or build in-house facility? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
Outsource: guaranteed 300 cost savings. In-house: 70% chance of 500 savings, 30% chance of 100 loss → EV=350-30=320. Outsourcing gives guaranteed savings with lower risk.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 17

Decision: Outsource manufacturing or build in-house facility? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
Outsource: guaranteed 300 cost savings. In-house: 70% chance of 500 savings, 30% chance of 100 loss → EV=350-30=320. Outsourcing gives guaranteed savings with lower risk.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 18

Situation: During a riot, you must decide whether to deploy tear gas on a crowd of 500 protesters (risk of injury to 50, but stop violence) or let them protest (risk of 100 injuries from violence). What is the best decision in this emergency situation?
Risk assessment: 50 injuries from tear gas vs 100 injuries from violence. Immediate deployment minimizes total harm despite short-term side effects.
decision, emergency, crisis, time-critical

Question 19

Situation: A student needs to choose between two summer programs: Program A costs $2000, lasts 6 weeks, and provides college credit. Program B costs $1200, lasts 4 weeks, and offers internship experience. What should be the primary criterion for this decision?
This addresses the fundamental value proposition of each program's outcomes. College credit provides long-term academic value, while internship offers immediate practical experience. The choice depends on career goals, making this the primary criterion.
decision, criteria, priorities

Question 20

Situation: A student needs to choose between two summer programs: Program A costs $2000, lasts 6 weeks, and provides college credit. Program B costs $1200, lasts 4 weeks, and offers internship experience. What should be the primary criterion for this decision?
This addresses the fundamental value proposition of each program's outcomes. College credit provides long-term academic value, while internship offers immediate practical experience. The choice depends on career goals, making this the primary criterion.
decision, criteria, priorities
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