“Herbert A. Simon introduced scientific rigor to decision-making in Public Administration. Explain his decision-making model and its practical relevance in contemporary governance.”

The strict formalism of classical theories was replaced with a knowledge of how administrators actually make decisions under restrictions in Herbert Simon’s decision-making theory which redefined administration as a science of choice.

Crucial Components

• Every managerial action including organising, planning and controlling is a form of decision-making, according to Simon who saw administration as decision-centered.
• His concept is divided into three phases: choice (choosing the best option), design (creating alternatives), and intelligence (identifying the problem).
• Officials “satisfice” rather than optimize, choosing solutions that are sufficient given restricted time, information and capacity according to Simon’s theory of bounded rationality which acknowledges the limitations of human cognition.

Crucial Elements

• Simon integrated psychology into administrative theory moving away from ideal rationality and towards behavioural realism.
• His work foreshadowed the use of structured problem analysis in contemporary data-driven governance and evidence-based policy.
• Bounded rationality still holds true in the digital age while AI may improve data availability, human limitations such as choice bias and information overload still exist.

Way Forward

• The use of evidence and analytical thinking in administrative problem-solving should be emphasised in training programs going forward.
• In today’s intricate, information-rich governance environment, Simon’s concept made bureaucracy a dynamic learning system rather than a rule-following machine.
• To combat merely technocratic logic, decision-support systems must incorporate ethical filters and citizen input.

In order to continuously improve public policy, administrators must see decision-making as an iterative learning process and revisit results.

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