Foreword - Business Decision Making - ثاني ثانوي

Foreword On a cold January morning in 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger was launched from the Atlantic coast of the United States on its tenth mission. The flight was broadcast live throughout the world, and millions watched as the rockets ignited and carried the shuttle up into the sky. 73 seconds into the flight, one of the solid rocket booster engines exploded, destroying the shuttle and causing the death of its seven crew members. It was one of the most tragic disasters in the history of the American space program. The explosion was blamed on the failure of two O-ring seals in the booster rocket, but the real cause of the disaster was later found to be a case of bad decision making. The freezing temperatures that day reduced the elasticity of the rubber O-rings which caused them to fail and leak fuel. Engineers were concerned about the effects that the cold weather would have on the integrity of these systems, voiced their reservations, and recom- mended that the launch be delayed until a day when the temperatures were warmer. However, managers and NASA officials ignored these warnings and made the decision to proceed with the launch. By giving in to what was most certainly enormous pressure to carry on with the mission, their poor decision had catastrophic results. Life is all about making decisions. From the moment you wake up in the morning until you fall asleep that night, you are constantly making choices and decisions. How many deci- sions do we make? The number of daily decisions could exceed 100. Whether these are part of your personal or professional life, you are defined by your decisions. If you want your life to follow a particular path, be sure to make decisions carefully, and make the right choices. Many of the decisions we make each day are routine, and we barely give them a thought. You probably don't spend much time each day thinking about which route you'll take to go to school. You have a routine and the decision becomes automatic. The more challenging decisions are the ones we don't make regularly. This is especially true when the decision is important and has broader implications. Some of the important decisions that many students face include: . Shall I go on to study at college? • Which field should I study? • What profession would I like to go into? • Where do I want to live and work after finishing school? Each of these choices will have a major impact on our life's direction. Imagine the outcome if we made important decisions like these randomly or without careful thought? Important decisions are also a large part of professional life. Consider these examples: • A manager deciding which job applicant to hire • A banker deciding whether or not to approve a business loan . A doctor making decisions about how best to treat a critically-ill patient ليم In each of these situations, making a thoughtful and informed decision will improve the likelihood of a positive outcome (for example, hiring a good employee, making a productive loan, helping a patient to recover). If these decisions aren't made care- fully, we can imagine the negative outcomes that might follow. Being able to effectively make decisions in the workplace can make you a better employee, manager, and leader. Good deci- sions have many positive benefits for you and the organization you will work for. Everyone makes numerous decisions every day, 10 FOREWORD REWORI Ministry of Education 2024-1446 Business Decision Making S1 S2 S3.indb 10 30/06/2023 14:27

so knowing why decision making is important, and always improving your decision-making skills, will enhance your perfor- mance and work productivity. On the job, decision-making skills can distinguish you from others and contribute to your professional growth and career development. Depending on your position in the organization, your decisions and choices may also impact other employees and affect their performance as well. The better you are at making decisions, the more success you will experience in your posi- tion. Demonstrating your decision-making skills at work can be beneficial when seeking promotions and managerial positions. Complex decisions aren't only made by individuals. Schools, businesses, public agencies, and even nations must make operational and strategic decisions as they seek to move forward. These are often challenging as the decisions typically affect many people, each of whom may have a different idea about how best to act. Consider the example of Saudi Vision 2030. This was launched with the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may God protect him, and it is the vision of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, for the future of this great country. Since the development of Saudi Vision 2030 in 2016, the Kingdom has witnessed changes and development on different levels in the Saudi community. This vision is a wise example of the power and importance of making complex decisions. Saudi Arabia's economy is heavily reliant on oil exports and has been since the discovery of oil in 1938. Oil is thought to make up 30-50% of Saudi GDP. (GDP, gross domestic product, is a measure of a country's economic output.) Its leaders recog- nize that the country would benefit from change, but how best to accomplish this? Many important and difficult decisions were made about different aspects of Saudi life, culture, and society. These decisions culminated in the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, a strategic framework designed to: . Reduce dependence on oil . Diversify the country's economy • Develop public-service sectors including: Healthcare, Education, Infrastructure, Recreation/Entertainment, and Tourism Saudi Vision 2030 is translated into strategic goals to empower effective execution through programs that aim to imple- ment the vision through three main pillars: 1 A resilient society 2 A prosperous economy 3 An ambitious country Saudi Vision 2030 is based on the following competitive benefits for Saudi Arabia: • To become the heart of the Arab-Islamic world To become a powerful global investor • To become a hub connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe Saudi Vision 2030 represents the combined efforts of many people under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Since its introduction in 2016, the country has seen changes and developments throughout society. Saudi Vision 2030 is an example of the power and significance of complex decision making. Making good decisions is easier when we understand and follow sound decision-making practices. In this book, you will learn about this important process and how to approach problems logically and rationally. You will learn powerful decision- making strategies that you will use throughout your personal and professional life. This book is written in a way that makes learning simple and enjoyable. Important concepts are broken up into short les- sons. Each of these can be quickly read and understood. The lessons are colorfully illustrated to help reinforce each concept. In addition, your teacher may assign learning activities to give you an opportunity to practice these new skills. The structure and features of each lesson are detailed in the Preface of this book. Good decision making is an important personal and professional skill; one that you'll develop and improve throughout your life. وزارة التعليم Ministry of Education 2024-1446 Business Decision Making S1 S2 S3.indb 11 FOREWORD 11 30/06/2023 14:27