How Values and Attitudes Influence Decision-Making
Impact of Values on Decision Making
Working as an IT manager in a government organization entails handling large volumes of data. Therefore, one must possess positive values that impact the decision-making process positively. Therefore, values have a significant impact on the decision-making process. First, values act as the guiding principles that help employees in an organization to make decisions that effectively solve the issues of the organization. In the case of an IT manager for a government organization, values would guide in implementing decisions that would safeguard the information and data stored by the organization (Vorobyova et al., 2022). Secondly, values help employees to remain authentic in the decision-making process. Authenticity helps employees to overcome any pressure or influence that might derail them from making conclusive decisions. Since the safety of data and information in a government is paramount, an IT manager should be authentic when deciding how to safeguard data stored in the organization’s system.
An IT manager in a government organization is tasked with many responsibilities of ensuring the safety of data and information is maintained. Therefore, responsibility would be essential while making decisions for the IT department. The value of responsibility helps employees to undertake their duties seriously and work towards meeting the organization’s goals and targets (Vorobyova et al., 2022). Thirdly, values promote trustworthiness, which helps employees to make decisions that best suites the issue faced by the organization. As an IT manager for a government organization, the value of trustworthiness would be essential for making decisions that can appropriately solve the issue of data safety.
Impacts of Attitudes on Decision-Making
Attitude refers to the way of thinking and behavioral patterns held by an individual towards a particular issue. An employee’s attitude towards an organization’s specific issue or problem will impact their decision-making efficacy towards resolving the issue or problem. First, attitude provides a ready means of evaluating the choice of alternatives to identify the most effective in solving a particular issue. The issue of data security in a government organization is vital and can be resolved in several ways. To identify the best solution for solving the data security problem in a government organization, the attitude of the IT manager towards solving the issue will guide them in identifying the most appropriate solution among a variety of them.
Secondly, attitudes help employees in an organization to make decisions quickly and effortlessly. Due to technological advancement, IT managers are required to frequently make decisions that ensure data safety in the organization is maintained. Therefore, an IT manager in a government organization should hold a positive attitude towards the issue of data safety so that they may be able to make quick and reliable decisions whenever an issue concerning data safety in the organization arises (Vorobyova et al., 2022). The ability to make a reliable decision concerning data safety depends on whether the IT manager holds a solid or weak attitude towards the issue of data safety. If the IT manager holds a strong attitude towards the data safety issue, they can make reliable decisions to solve it.
How Values and Attitudes Influence Various Structures and Lines of Authority
Impact of Values
On Structures of Authority
Structures of authority define the powers and rights attached to the various job positions in an organization. Structures of authority define the responsibilities employees under a specific job title undertake within an organization. Therefore, values would be essential in determining how the structures of authority function. For instance, respect is an essential value that helps employees in varying job positions to collaborate and work effectively towards achieving the goals and targets of an organization (Spektor et al., 2021). In a government organization, understanding the structures of authority would enable the IT manager to realize their powers and how they can control the use of IT resources in the organization. In making decisions on how IT resources should be used in the organization, the IT manager would be guided by values that ensure the well-being of every employee in the organization is respected and promoted. Values would deter the IT manager from making decisions that might negatively affect the performance of other employees in the organization.
On Lines of Authority
The lines of authority entail the superiority of job positions in an organization. Besides, an IT manager in a government organization has certain powers that help them to delegate duties to their subordinates. The relationship between the IT department’s IT manager and subordinate staff must be guided by ethical values. For instance, respect for each other, trustworthiness, integrity, and open-mindedness are essential values that guide the interaction between an IT manager and subordinate staff in an IT department (Spektor et al., 2021). Values help the IT manager to know how to communicate with other employees in the organization and the communication skills that should be used while addressing the issue of using IT resources in the IT department. Reliance on positive values in a department positively impacts employees’ motivation and increases their organizational performance. The IT manager should adopt the correct values to guide them in making decisions for their departments.
Impact of Attitudes
On Structures of Authority
The values held by an IT manager in a government organization significantly impact the structures of authority in the organization. For instance, if the IT manager is biased, they will not be able to make conclusive decisions and control the flow of activities; thus, they will not be able to solve the issue of data safety in the organization. Holding a positive attitude towards the issue of data safety in an organization would help the IT manager approach the issue professionally and make decisions that will yield a permanent solution to the problem. The IT manager needs to control and regulate the unofficial usage of IT resources in the IT department (Spektor et al., 2021). Therefore, the IT manager would need to respect the users of the IT resources and convince them of the importance of using them for official purposes only. Thus, the IT manager needs to know the effects of misusing IT resources in an organization and the threat that the misuse exposes to the organization.
On Lines of Authority
The lines of authority in an organization play an important role. An organization with clear lines of authority impacts the performance of employees effectively because they understand the roles and responsibilities of each line of authority. Concerning the lines of authority in a government organization, the IT manager occupies a top position and delegates duties to subordinate staff. To delegate duties effectively, the IT manager should be guided by values that show respect to other employees and influence their performance effectively (Spektor et al., 2021). Without positive values, an IT manager would be unable to control the IT department, and the IT resources would be misused, putting the organization at the risk of losing confidential data to the wrong persons. The IT manager should be guided by the values of trustworthiness, integrity, and compassion to interact with other employees effectively and make decisions quickly and effectively.
Problem Description and Preliminary Suggestions to Solve Misuse of IT Resources
The main impact of misuse of IT resources on confidentiality is the breach of privacy. One commonly misused IT resource is a computer where an employee uses another staff’s laptop or desktop. In the process, the person accesses the worker’s data, such as payroll or bank details. Besides, some employees may be tempted to insert flash disks they find on their desks without performing safety checks on the flash drive. As a result, the flash disk may end up introducing malware into another staff’s computer, allowing hackers to access company data. Additionally, some employees may decide to search for non-work-related content from various websites. These websites may collect crucial data about the company, especially if they ask employees to input their professional emails and contact information. Generally, misusing IT resources through ways such as plugging random flash drives or using company computers for unprofessional access to the internet can lead to a breach of confidentiality in the company’s data.
Government information is vital and must be protected from malicious internet users. Once government information is leaked, the leaked information might be used against the government by hackers and cyber bullies. Therefore, the IT manager should create a space for personal computer usage where the employees will be educated on safeguarding the government information stored in the IT resources. Employees who spend too much time using IT resources might get exhausted, increasing the chances of misusing them (Engen et al., 2021). Therefore, the IT manager should encourage stretch breaks so that the employees do not overwork themselves and get exhausted. The IT manager should organize regular training sessions where employees will be retrained on contemporary security threats in the modern world and the effective ways of evading the data security threats. If proper training of employees is done regularly, data and information security for the government organization will be enhanced.
References
Engen, M., Fransson, M., Quist, J., & Skålén, P. (2021). Continuing the development of the public service logic: a study of value co-destruction in public services. Public Management Review, 23(6), 886-905. Web.
Spektor, M. S., Bhatia, S., & Gluth, S. (2021). The elusiveness of context affects decision-making. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(10), 843-854. Web.
Vorobyova, K., Alkadash, T. M., & Nadam, C. (2022). Investigating beliefs, attitudes, and intentions regarding strategic decision-making process: an application of theory planned behavior with moderating effects of overconfidence and confirmation biases. Specialists Ugdymas, 1(43), 367-381. Web.