Demystifying Intuitional and Rational Decision-Marking: Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Analysis

Abstract

Effective decision-marking in the dynamic business environment is key to business performance. The relationship between intuition and rationality in decision-making has long been discussed in the relevant literature, albeit with discrepant views and inconsistent findings. Drawing on cognitive experiential self-theory (CEST), this paper examines an integrated model of antecedents and decision outcomes of intuition and rationality and how intuition and rationality in different scenarios interplay to influence decision outcomes. The study was undertaken in Australia and New Zealand. Both symmetrical (structural equation modeling or SEM) and asymmetrical (fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis or fsQCA) methods were employed to capitalize on a holistic understanding of the proposed relationships. The findings show that the fsQCA testing presents more insightful information about how different levels of factors inform intuitive and/or rational decision making and outcomes, and how it relates to SEM findings. This paper provides a novel perspective on the strategic decision-making process by integrating various decision-making situations and by deploying fuzzy or configurational and linear or symmetrical methods. The results also have implications for the relevant practitioners to consider the appropriate decision situations and their preferred decision styles to achieve optimal decision outcomes.