In 2015 I wrote a dissertation on military decision-making to complete my MBA. You can find the executive summary below, and the full dissertation at the link at the bottom of the page. This dissertation was designed to be an independent analysis, and should not be seen as a critique of the military (in which […]
Tag Archives: rational
June
12
What you could learn from ‘Think like a Freak’ by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt (2015, 211 pages)
posted by Max
Questioning perceived wisdom is a high stakes game. If you are wrong, then you can be laughed at or vilified. If you are right, then people may not listen. If you are very lucky and enough people accept that you are right, you can transform the world. Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner now have a reputation […]
June
06
What could you learn from ‘Decisive’ by Chip and Dan Heath (2014, 252 pages)
posted by Max
You make thousands of decisions each day. Some are more important than others. Research by many academics (for example, Daniel Kahneman, Gary Klein and Amos Tversky) has shown that the way you think, and your emotional state, play an enormous role in your decision-making ability. In their latest book,’Decisive’ Chip and dan Heath argue there four reasons […]
April
26
Optimal stopping theory – how maths can help you maximise your decisions by Max Eskell
posted by Max
In life and business, there are many problems where the main issue is that there is a high number of available choices. In business, these could be finding deciding on a primary contractor, choosing a joint venture partner or even recruiting key individuals. Optimal stopping theory possibly provides help. Briefly, optimal stopping theory suggests that you should reject […]
April
16
What you could learn from ‘Quick and Nimble’ by Adam Bryant (2014, 251 pages)
posted by Max
“Innovation distinguishes between leaders and follower.” Steve Jobs Innovation is one of the strongest sources of competitive advantage. Staying ahead of the competition allows you to explore new products, services, and business models while also making sure you are exploiting your existing offering. Adam Bryant offers 16 well thought and well-crafted pieces of advice […]
April
12
What can you learn from ‘Nudge’ by Cass Sunstein & Richard Thaler (2009, 312 pages)
posted by Max
In their book ‘Nudge’, Thaler and Sunstein are among the first to set out the arguments for using behavioural insights to change (‘nudge’) people’s behaviour. By changing the context of a decision, they argue it is possible to reduce unhealthy or undesirable decisions. Their main arguments stem from making sure that choices are presented in […]
April
12
What you can learn from ‘The Heart of Change’ by John Kotter (2012, 208 pages)
posted by Max
In The Heart of Change, John Kotter outlines his eight steps to make change stick. This is a good, short read, with a strong research foundation. As with much recent work on change, Kotter argues that you must appeal to feeling and emotions. In short, he argues that you must help people see, feel and […]
getting better every day 