Model evaluation of rational decision-making model

Theoretically, the optimal decision is not infeasible. However, social reality is not equal to theoretical assumptions, and the assumptions of rational decision-making model encounter many obstacles, and people gradually find that many phenomena in policy practice are difficult to explain. The reason lies not in its logical system, but in its premise explanation. So it has been strongly criticized by many scholars. The most prominent are Charles Lindblom and herbert simon.

Linde blom pointed out: Policymakers are not faced with a given problem, but must first find out and explain it. The problem is that different people will have different understandings and opinions. For example, the rapid rise in prices needs to respond to inflation.

First of all, it is often very difficult to find out the crux of this problem. Because different interest representatives will look at these issues from their own interests, people will have different answers around whether inflation exists, if so, what is its degree and influence, and what is the reason for inflation.

Secondly, decision makers are influenced by values, and value conflicts often occur when choosing schemes. It is extremely difficult to compare, measure and judge right and wrong in value conflicts. The contradiction of values cannot be solved by analysis, because analysis cannot prove people's values, and it is impossible to unify people's values by administrative orders.

Third, some people think that public interest can be used as a decision-making standard. Linde blom criticized this understanding, arguing that there is no general consensus on what constitutes public interest, and public interest does not mean unanimously agreed interest.

Fourth, correlation analysis in decision-making is not omnipotent. Decision-making is limited by time and resources. For complex decisions, we will not make endless or even long-term analysis, nor will we spend too much money on analysis, or wait until all the analysis is done before making a decision, otherwise we will delay the opportunity.

Simon further added that it is impossible to collect all the information related to the decision-making situation during the decision-making process. Decision-makers' ability to process information is very limited, so they can't process and analyze information optimally, so they can't get the best decision of 100%.

Although rationalism is utopia to a certain extent, we also welcome to criticize it, but it is not advisable to be too simple and absolutely negative. Just because it can't be realized doesn't mean it's meaningless. People always become better and more beautiful in the pursuit of perfection. Because of this, the ideological value of the traditional rational decision-making model has been affirmed by the theoretical circle.