Managers as Decision Makers

1) What is your reaction to this story? What does it illustrate about decision making? Being aware of the difficulties concerning the trains from Brussels, deciding to travel the trains was not a wise decision. Upon having two disruptions, I support the independent review of the incident, blaming the transporting service (Eurostar) for being unprepared for the severe winter weather. It is solely looked upon as poor managerial skills, with unpredictable weather leading to disaster involving thousands of people. This situation illustrates the route that should have been taken, which would have been to use an alternate way of transportation if allotted. Though chances sometimes have to be taken in the world of management, considering all factors before making any decision is mandatory, especially if the livelihood of others is involved.

2) How could the decision making process have helped in both the response to the crisis situations and in preventing them from happening? In response to the crisis, improvements to Tunnel evacuation and rescue procedures should be made for future happenings following an incident or breakdown. Providing assistance and effective communication to the passengers in times of disruption is also a good managerial technique. To prevent disruptions from happening in the first place, engine repairs and improvements should have and should be made to the trains. Reliability is always needed for any passenger.

3) Could procedures, policies, and rules play any role in future crisis situations like this one? If so, how? If not, why not? Yes. No set procedures were on hand at the time of the crisis, meaning the managerial staff was not prepared. This should serve as an indication for other companies to create a plan of depth to prevent any similar future situations.

4) What could other organizations learn from this incident?
Other organizations could practice methods used in the decision-making process. Recognizing the need for a decision, generating alternatives, and assessing alternatives are all keys to counter the repeat of an incident such as this.