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The default heuristic in strategic decision making: When is it optimal to choose the default without investing in information search?

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  • Azar, Ofer H.

Abstract

Many studies have shown that decision makers have a tendency to choose the default or standard action among several possible actions. The article develops a model to explore under what conditions it is optimal for a firm facing a strategic decision problem to choose the default action without investing in obtaining more information that allows a more accurate decision. The model shows that the strategy to follow the default without additional information (“the default heuristic”) is more likely to be optimal when the cost of obtaining information is higher, and when the variation in possible outcomes is lower. The model also analyzes the optimal level of information search, showing that if the firm chooses to obtain information at all, it will invest in more accurate information when the cost of obtaining information is lower and when the variation in possible outcomes is lower.

Suggested Citation

  • Azar, Ofer H., 2014. "The default heuristic in strategic decision making: When is it optimal to choose the default without investing in information search?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(8), pages 1744-1748.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:67:y:2014:i:8:p:1744-1748
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2014.02.021
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Patt, Anthony & Zeckhauser, Richard, 2000. "Action Bias and Environmental Decisions," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 45-72, July.
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    3. Bar-Eli, Michael & Azar, Ofer H. & Ritov, Ilana & Keidar-Levin, Yael & Schein, Galit, 2007. "Action bias among elite soccer goalkeepers: The case of penalty kicks," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 606-621, October.
    4. Gabriel D. Carroll & James J. Choi & David Laibson & Brigitte C. Madrian & Andrew Metrick, 2009. "Optimal Defaults and Active Decisions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(4), pages 1639-1674.
    5. Ritov, Ilana & Baron, Jonathan, 1992. "Status-Quo and Omission Biases," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 49-61, February.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Willem Smit, 2023. "Top Manager Heuristics Under Knightian Uncertainty: Control Versus Prediction and the Moderating Impact of Framing," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(5), pages 1302-1340, July.
    3. Bogomolova, Svetlana & Szabo, Marietta & Kennedy, Rachel, 2017. "Retailers' and manufacturers' price-promotion decisions: Intuitive or evidence-based?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 189-200.
    4. Loock, Moritz & Hinnen, Gieri, 2015. "Heuristics in organizations: A review and a research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 2027-2036.
    5. Nathaniel J S Ashby & Kinneret Teodorescu, 2019. "The effect of switching costs on choice-inertia and its consequences," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, March.
    6. Krawinkler, Andreas & Breitenecker, Robert J. & Maresch, Daniela, 2022. "Heuristic decision-making in the green energy context:Bringing together simple rules and data-driven mathematical optimization," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).

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