Decisions that require considerable research and/or judgment

Situation
Sometimes we are faced with a decision or choice that requires research and/or judgment. In others words, the best decision is not clear and requires considerable effort to determine. We may not always have the time or resources to put in the necessary effort.

One approach under these circumstances is to do what the majority of other people have done – if most of the other people have made this choice then it must be the best one. This is preferential attachment – our choice is positively influenced by the choices of others.

This phenomena can be seen when selecting a cafe or restaurant based on how many other people are already there. Similarly, there are many factors and features to consider when we purchase a new car. If we don’t want to do the research ourselves, or are overwhelmed by the options, we may be drawn to purchase a car, in our segment of interest, that we see frequently on the road on the basis that if so many others have chosen that car it must be a good choice.

In the business context, it can be difficult to assess whether a particular type of business improvement initiative will be worth the effort, especially if it involves a broad scope of change, requires considerable initial investment and the benefits accrue progressively in the future. Although many managers seek to develop and evaluate a business case for such investments, the extent of assumptions in the business case mean that the results have wide confidence limits and are therefore quite uncertain. It is not unusual in these circumstances for managers to place considerable emphasis on the extent to which the initiative has been implemented in comparable organizations, especially their competitors. If many other respected organizations are doing it, then it must be worthwhile.

Preferential attachment is not the same as a fad. With a fad, people copy others simply because others are doing it. Fads are primarily motivated by the desire to conform and fit in. Preferential attachment, on the other hand, uses the decisions of others as an indicator of the right or best decision to make in a certain circumstance. Preferential attachment is primarily motivated by the desire to make the best decision quickly and efficiently.