What are the actual processes used by humans when they make decisions in their everyday lives or in business situations? The contributors use cognitive psychological techniques to break down these processes and set them in their social context.

A hands-on guide to the art and science of problem solving--featuring examples of successful problem solvers. For executives and entrepreneurs, front-line supervisors and project leaders, this is an indispensable resource. The key principles are illustrated with brief, compelling stories that give the reader not only practical advice, but also an enjoyable way to think about how to apply it. This is one for the bookshelf of anyone who is interested in improving the way they get things done. Packed with substantive ideas, interesting stories of great problem solvers and useful how-to guidance material. Must-have for senior managers looking to improve organizational performance.

Experience is currently a hot theme in decision making. For a long time, decision research was almost exclusively focused on new decisions and neglected the importance of experience. It took the field until the 1990s for a new direction in research and theorizing to become visible in the literature. There are parallel movements happening in sociology, political science, social psychology, and business. The purpose of this edited book is to provide a balanced and representative overview of what is currently known about the dynamics of experienced-based decision making. The chapters are written by renowned experts of the field and provide the latest theoretical developments, integrative frameworks, and state-of-the-art reviews of research in the laboratory and in the field.

Education is becoming more competitive - choice in education is now a key issue. This book will help parents, schools, colleges, universities and policy makers understand how education and training markets work. Choosing Futures offers a wide ranging perspective on how young people, and their parents, make choices as they travel through a lifetime of education and training. The authors challenge traditional views of how choices are made of primary school, secondary school, college, university and career, which assume that choices are rational and objective. Instead this book reveals how choices depend upon a range of factors: *young people's personal experiences *individual and family histories *perceptions of education and careers. The book compares choice for 5 to 11 year olds, and for 16 and 18 year olds; drawing out models of the decision making process, and at the same time the consequences on schools, colleges and individuals of 'enhanced choice'.