Döntés

Döntés is the Hungarian term for the act of deciding, or a decision itself. In everyday speech as well as in business, politics, and philosophy, it denotes choosing a course of action from among available alternatives and accepting the consequences of that choice.

Etymology: The noun is formed from the verb dönteni, meaning to decide or settle, with the suffix -és. The term has long been used in Hungarian discussions of judgment, choice, and policy.

Decision-making typically involves a sequence of activities: defining the problem, setting criteria, generating options, evaluating alternatives, selecting one option, implementing it, and reviewing outcomes. Real-world decisions are often constrained by time, incomplete information, and cognitive limits.

Several theoretical models address how decisions are made. The rational model assumes complete information and consistent goals, while bounded rationality acknowledges limits in cognition and data. Other approaches, such as incremental change and the garbage-can model, describe more flexible or chaotic decision processes.

Decisions can be categorized by scope (strategic, tactical, operational), by novelty (programmed vs non-programmed), and by impact. They are influenced by values, risk tolerance, information quality, and organizational or cultural context.

Tools for improving decision quality include decision analysis, decision trees, multi-criteria decision analysis, and cost-benefit or risk assessments. Awareness of cognitive biases—such as overconfidence, anchoring, sunk costs, and confirmation bias—helps mitigate errors.