Make decision drivers

This section contains information on several of the various science-based drivers that provide a platform to facilitate the use of science in decision making. The drivers included in this section are Chemical Inventories, TSCA, Hazard x Exposure = Risk, Risk Assessments, and Risk vs. Benefit. 

Potter PC, Schepers JM, Van Niekerk CH. The effects of fexofenadine on reaction time, decision-making, and driver behavior. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2003 91 177-81. 

For those who desigii/ track/ and make decisions regarding the progress of clinical development programs/ the inclusion within the development plan of critical decision pointS/ with prespecified go/no-go criteria/ provides a focus for the clinical development team. The key clinical drug development decisions are identified in Table 33.2/ with the critical go/no-go decisions being shown in boldface. These critical decisions will be expanded on later in this chapter. It is important to note that the driver for these decisions is our question-based label-driven clinical development plan. Indeed/ the creation of a label-driven question-based clinical development plan not only increases the efficiency and speed of the clinical development process/ but also supports the question-based review by the FDA of an NDA/ as described by Lesko and Williams (35). 

Taken as a whole, participative management approaches can be extremely beneficial in organizational decision-making and driver retention. 

Figure 12-10 is convenient for summarizing the main specifications to the manufacturer. Any unusual conditions must be explained, and minimum and maximum ranges must be established. Normal conditions may be the same as maximum, although this may not always be the case. Detailed driver specifications should be included unless the manufacturer is to make preliminary recommendations before final decisions are reached. Note that some of the data are to be furnished by the manufacturer, and the insistence on receipt of this information facilitates evaluation of competitive bids. 

Feedstock, transportation, and labor cost are all key drivers of regional competitiveness. The cost of different types of feedstock is the least predictable variable, so it is crucial to develop well-informed scenarios before making capacity expansion decisions. The evolution of the competitive landscape, technological discontinuities, and industry conduct (pricing discipline) also need careful monitoring. 

Consider the plight of shipping clerk, or dock worker or truck driver who may be called upon to make some of the decisions indicated. With limited education, sometimes inadequate information, voluminous regulations, and under time pressure, mistakes occasionally occur. 

It is possible to invoke examples about the way the human brain works and from IT to illustrate that Zen and existentialism (see below) have an essentially scientific and biological justification. Consider this. Non-automobile drivers can substitute travel by subway train, walk routine, or other forms of transport to work. Drivers making their daily trips to work often barely remember the journey. Weren t they paying attention Wasn t that dangerous Consider first that these drivers must have made many intricate decisions, and performed many complicated operations, successfully. They switched lanes in a complex maneuvers and slowed down to let pedestrians stroll across roads. To perform such tasks many times a week, we take them in our stride, or we should say behind the wheel. Consider that if the unexpected had occurred, the driver would have quickly become alert and dealt with it soon enough. However, if the driver had been paying attention to every minute detail, that definitely would have made the trip dangerous, as this is exactly what happens the first time that we ever drive. 

If this seems like an onerous burden on businesses that serve alcohol, you probably would not feel that way if someone you loved was killed by a drunk driver leaving a bar. Theoretically, it is the drinker who should be responsible enough to arrange for a safe way to get home if he or she intends to drink. However, alcohol impairs judgment. So drinkers cannot be relied upon to make good decisions. Therefore, the establishment that is making a profit on excessive alcohol use will have to be inconvenienced to reduce the harm that drunk drivers cause. 

For the implementation of results, one other very significant factor for success concerns the reward structure of a company. If an optimization model minimizes cost but the user is not rewarded directly for implementing a solution that minimizes cost, the solution results are unlikely to be used. If a model minimizes the number of drivers but the decision maker is not rewarded for using fewer drivers, he is unlikely to jeopardize the goodwill of the people working with him by making a big effort to change the status quo. 

The use of information from all of these system components will enhance the planner s ability in designing efficient transportation networks and delivery routes. In addition, as this information is communicated to the drivers, they will also have the capability of making better decisions that wUl enhance customer satisfaction and reduce overall costs. 

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