Creating Models of the Strategic Decision Making Process Via Participant Recall: A Free Simulation Examination

Abstract

Numerous models have attempted to explain the strategic decisionmaking process. Most of these models have used participant recall as their data base. Several theoretical arguments are cited regarding the potential invalidity ofparticipant recall data. The results of afree simulation study demonstrate a severe lack of agreement among participants about the nature and details of their own strategic decisions. Recallfidelity increased with deeper levels of detail, with an attendant loss in information comprehensiveness. A distinction was made between a lack of agreement arising from failures to remember elements mentioned by another decision maker and disagreements which occurred when each person remembered afact or event differently.