INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP DECISION MAKING IN MACEDONIAN SMES

Abstract

Management is principally a bundle of decision-making processes. Decision-making is the process of selecting the best alternative among various available courses of action. The managers of any organization are responsible for achieving the vision, mission and operational and financial goals in particular. All the functions like planning, organizing, coordinating and controlling are dependent on the quality of the decisions made. In companies, no matter of their size, decisions are made on all hierarchical levels. Structured decision-making process is important for large corporations, but not less important for small and medium enterprises. The innovation capacity that enables the competitive points of difference, utilization of market opportunities and potentials depend on the accuracy and timing of the decisions. This paper discusses the different methods used in individual and group decision-making processes and their application in the small and medium enterprises in North Macedonia. We conducted a research on a sample of SMEs from North Macedonia and analyzed the different decision-making methods applied and the role of individual and group decision-making methods from the perspective of managers (entrepreneurs) and employees including their roles and involvement.