Real-Life Decision Making
You are working as an operator of a grain elevator. One of your responsibilities
is to meet with farmers when they bring in grain. The farmers want to sell
you their grain, and naturally they want to sell for the highest price they
can get.
Your job is to buy the grain from the farmers. Your prices are usually
determined by the prices set by the grain markets at the end of the day. However,
your employer has a number of different programs that are available to the
farmers who want to sell their grain. These programs all have different terms
and conditions.
Your employer has given you a set of regulations and guidelines to follow
when buying grain from the farmers. However, your employer has also told you
that your job is to use common sense. "You cannot just follow the rule book
blindly," he says.
"You have to try to find an arrangement that is good for both the farmer
and for us. It is called win-win. If you can't do what a farmer asks,
then you don't just say, 'No, sorry, can't help you.'
Instead, you should sit down with him and work out an alternative arrangement."
Today, a farmer brings in a truckload of grain that he is hoping to sell
you. He tells you that he wants a certain price and has certain conditions
for the sale. Glancing at your book of guidelines, you see that the deal and
the price that he wants are not recommended. The farmer's grain is off
by one percentage point.
What do you do?