ational Choice Theory as (Mis)Applied to Consumer Spending and Decision-Making: Implications for Management
The recent economic downturn seems to have been precipitated by a series of bad decisions made by consumers -- at the encouragement of opportunistic loan officers and organizations that ought to have known better and in many instances probably did -- in selecting loan products that they could not afford. While many companies and individuals walked away from the sudden fallout in the credit market wit great sums of cash, those that had purchased securities backed by bundled mortgages found themselves with virtually worthless assets, and the entire credit market crumbled. It would seem that somewhere along the line, a great number of people made choices-based either on faulty and perhaps even deliberately misleading information or an abysmal lack of foresight -- and often perhaps both.

This calls into question of the dominant theories regarding consumer choice and economic…...

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References

Huebsch, R. (2010). The meaning of rational choice theory. Demand Media. Accessed 24 November 2010.  http://smallbusiness.chron.com/meaning-rational-choice-theory-5210.html 

Jacoby, J. (2000). Is it Rational to Assume Consumer Rationality? Some Consumer Psychological Perspectives on Rational Choice Theory. NYU, Center for Law and Business Research, Paper No. 00-09. Accessed 24 November 2010.  http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=239538 

Miller, S., Hickson, D. & Wilson, D. (1996). Decision making in organizations. In Handbook of organizational studies, S. Clegg et al., eds. Thousan Oaks, CA: Sage.

Scott, J. (2000). Rational choice theory. In Understanding Contemporary Society: Theories of The Present, G. Browning, A. Halcli, and F. Webster, eds. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

ational Choice Theory: A esponse
With the exception of those who happen to be mentally ill, most people exhibit a rational mode of thinking. That means that before choosing a course of action, most individuals take into consideration all the relevant variables and only act if it is reasonable to do so.

According to the rational choice theory, most of those who break the law are rational thinking persons who are more likely than not to make calculated choices prior to committing a crime. As Siegel (2010, p. 85), points out, "before choosing to commit a crime, reasoning criminals carefully select targets, and their behavior is systematic and selective." An individual is hence less likely to commit a crime if chances of detection and/or apprehension are particularly high. This effectively means that any sane law breaker carefully considers the costs and benefits of each alternative before settling on that course of action…...

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References

Hakim, S. & Blackstone, E.A. (1997). Securing Home and Business: A Guide to the Electronic Security Industry. Newton, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Siegel, L.J. (2010). Criminology: The Core (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Rational Choice Theory and an Example of How It Applies Introduction
When it comes to explaining disorder in neighborhoods and communities, there are many theories that can be applied. Broken Windows Theory, for example, posited that crime comes to communities when community members allow their neighborhood to get rundown and fail to clean up graffiti, litter or abandoned buildings. Another theory, which this paper will examine, is the theory of rational choice, which can be used to explain how and why people make decisions in their lives and in their communities that have an impact on the order in the neighborhood. This paper will discuss how rational theory can be applied to the neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine in downtown Cincinnati, which has attracted a great deal of attention from city planners and community organizers over the past century due to its historic landmarks and character and the need for the area to be…...

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References

Cahn, S. & Markie, P. (2011). Ethics: History, Theory and Contemporary Issues, 5th Edition. UK: Oxford University Press.

Cornish, D., & Clarke, R. (1987). Understanding crime displacement: An application of rational choice theory. Criminology, 25(4), 933–947.

Gibbs, J. P. (1987). The state of criminological theory. Criminology, 25(4), 821-840.

Lyman, M. & Potter, G. (2007). Organized Crime, 4th Ed. NY: Prentice Hall.

Matza, D. (1964). Delinquency and Drift; from the Research Program of the Center for the Study of Law and Society. Wiley.

Miller, D. T. (2001). The norm of self-interest. In The next phase of business ethics: Integrating psychology and ethics(pp. 193-210). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Miller, Z. L., & Tucker, B. (1998). Changing plans for America\\\\'s inner cities: Cincinnati\\\\'s Over-the-Rhine and twentieth-century urbanism. The Ohio State University Press.

Sutherland, E. H., Cressey, D. R., & Luckenbill, D. F. (1992). Principles of criminology. Rowman & Littlefield.

Chapter OneIntroductionOverviewThis chapter provides an overview of the research problem and presents the research questions and objectives. It also discusses the significance of the study and provides a brief description of the methodology that will be used. Finally, it provides research questions that will guide this study as well as definitions that will help to clarify terms.BackgroundEthical leadership is a critical topic in todays organizations, given the increasing complexity of the business environment and the growing expectations of stakeholders. The consequences of unethical leadership can be severe, including reputational damage, legal penalties, and financial losses. Recent evidence suggests that ethical leadership is critical for organizational success and that this is true across cultures (Sarwar et al., 2020; Zaim et al., 2021).The concept of ethical leadership has been widely discussed in the literature over the last few decades. Scholars have explored various aspects of ethical leadership, including its definition, antecedents, and…...

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References

Acharya, A. (2020). The myth of the “civilization state”: Rising powers and the cultural challenge to world order. Ethics & International Affairs, 34(2), 139-156.

Ali, M., Li, Z., Haider, M., Khan, S., & Mohi Ud Din, Q. (2021). Does humility of project manager affect project success? Confirmation of moderated mediation mechanism. Management Research Review, 44(9), 1320-1341.

Brennan, G., & Brooks, M. (2014). Rational choice approaches to leadership. RAW Rhodes & P.’t Hart (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Political Leadership, 161-175.

Leadership Traits: Annotated Bibliography and ThesisThesis statement: Humility is the necessary foundation for effective leadership for Christians in public leadership. In this paper, I will argue that traits such as integrity, authenticity, communication skills, adaptability, and emotional intelligence are complementary for effective leadership, while traits like narcissism and remoteness are not desirable for Christians in public leadership. Additionally, positive traits like the ones discussed here can positively influence decision-making through the lens of the Rational Actor or Rational Choice models, while negative traits can negatively influence decision-making.Annotated BibliographyBrennan, G., & Brooks, M. (2014). Rational choice approaches to leadership.RAW Rhodes &P.t Hart (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Political Leadership, 161-175.This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of rational choice approaches to leadership. The authors examine the assumptions, methodologies, and theoretical frameworks that underpin the rational choice approach to leadership. They also provide a critical analysis of the strengths and limitations of this…...

Leadership Traits: The ole of Humility in Effective Leadership for Christians in Public LeadershipIntroductionEffective leadership is crucial for the success of any organization or community. In the context of public leadership, Christian leaders are called to serve others with humility and prioritize the interests of others over personal gain. This paper argues that humility is the necessary foundation for effective leadership for Christians in public leadership. While traits such as integrity, authenticity, communication skills, adaptability, and emotional intelligence are complementary for effective leadership, traits like narcissism and remoteness are not desirable for Christian leaders in public leadership. Positive traits can positively influence decision-making through the lens of the ational Actor or ational Choice models, while negative traits can negatively influence decision-making.ational ChoiceThe rational choice approach is a useful framework for understanding leadership decision-making in complex situations, as it assumes that individuals make decisions based on rational calculations that maximize their…...

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ReferencesBrennan, G., & Brooks, M. (2014). Rational choice approaches to leadership. RAW Rhodes & P.’t Hart (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Political Leadership, 161-175.Irving, J. A., & Strauss, M. L. (2019). Leadership in Christian perspective: Biblical foundations and contemporary practices for servant leaders. Baker Academic.Malphurs, A. (2003). Being leaders: The nature of authentic Christian leadership. Baker Books.McIntosh, G. L., & Samuel Sr, D. (2007). Overcoming the dark side of leadership: How to become an effective leader by confronting potential failures. Baker Books.Morris, J. A., Brotheridge, C. M., & Urbanski, J. C. (2005). Bringing humility to leadership: Antecedents and consequences of leader humility. Human relations, 58(10), 1323-1350.Newstead, T., Dawkins, S., Macklin, R., & Martin, A. (2021). We don\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t need more leaders–We need more good leaders. Advancing a virtues-based approach to leader (ship) development. The Leadership Quarterly, 32(5), 101312.Rueda, D. (2021). Is populism a political strategy? A critique of an enduring approach. Political studies, 69(2), 167-184.Sindane, A. M. (2011). Values and ethics enter the real world: a framework for public leadership and governance. Koers: Bulletin for Christian Scholarship= Koers: Bulletin vir Christelike Wetenskap, 76(4), 751-769.Stein, M. (2013). When does narcissistic leadership become problematic? Dick Fuld at Lehman Brothers. Journal of Management Inquiry, 22(3), 282-293.Stowell, J. M. (2014). Redefining leadership: Character-driven habits of effective leaders. Zondervan.Van Dierendonck, D. (2011). Servant leadership: A review and synthesis. Journal of management, 37(4), 1228-1261.Zyuzev, N. (2022). Altruism and rational choice theory. The American Sociologist, 53(1), 44-52.

It is methodological individualism which makes up the group, creating problems for the ational Theories which tout individualism as the driving force in motivation. Some say that the actions of individuals results in an unintended consequence when done in a group (Scott, p. 30).

If you look long enough for the secret of society you will find it in plain sight: the secret of society is that it was made by men, and there is nothing in society but what men put there'" (Homans, p. 385).

Captain David Poston, head of the CMPD Property Crimes Unit, who spoke to the problem of this rash of burglaries within the metropolitan area in November, 2007, said that "while citywide, burglaries were down nearly 5% last year compared to 2006, we have seen an increase in the past couple of weeks" (Charlotte, p. 1).

He admits that over the month preceding, detectives saw a pattern to…...

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References

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Dept. (2008). Recent spike in home break-ins: suspects & Methods. Crime in Charlotte, NC. Retrieved January 26, 2008 at  http://www.crimeincharlotte.com/ .

Homans, G. (1961). Social Behaviour: Its Elementary Forms. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

Scott, John. (2000). Rational Choice Theory. Understanding Contemporary Society: Theories of the Present, Boston: Sage Publications.

Theoretical Evaluation
Theory Evaluation

The initial modern clarification of crime is known as "classical hypothesis" (Cullen and Agnew 2011). This hypothesis was produced in response to the malefic, irrational, and barbaric frameworks of criminal equity that existed in Europe in the 1700s. The laws were frequently arbitrary; judges were corrupt; penal awards for the same wrongdoing varied broadly; and disciplines were at times very cruel, causative of extreme physical abuse and often resulting in death. Classical Theorists needed to supplant the framework with one that was more viable and just. They contended that individuals are balanced creatures who seek after their own particular pursuits, endeavoring to amplify their pleasure and minimize their unhappiness. Individuals decide to indulge in wrongdoing when they accept that it will bring more joy than agony, As such, the most ideal approach to control wrongdoing is to guarantee that the torment of penal awards exceeds the delight gained…...

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References

Cullen, F.T., and Agnew, R. (2011). Criminological Theory: Past to Present. Los Angeles: Roxbury. [An overview of the leading theories of crime, with selections from the original works.]

Criminology
Application of Schools of Criminal Thought

Within the classical school of thought (rational choice framework from economics), the charges against the perpetrator would be considered both logical and effective. Under classical thought, criminology holds that punishment is an effective deterrent to crime, and that punishment should be rationally aligned with the severity of the crime. The positivist school of thought (functionalist or biological, psychological, and sociological framework) would consider the crime and the punishment against a background of social and genetic influence. Within positivist criminology, the offender is viewed as having a flawed personality and character, brought about by significant deprivations during impressionable years, and that may at least be ameliorated through integrated therapies and treatment. The neo-classical school of thought (empiricism framework) considers crime -- and makes and implements policy -- through a rationalist, scientific, and evidence-based lens.

Theoretical Criminology Frameworks

Social bonding theory. Social bonding theory stems from observations of…...

Rationalist Theories of International Relations
Despite the name, rationalist theories of international relations are anything but, limited as they are by both an almost childlike understanding of human behavior and a catastrophic lack of imagination. Rationalist theories of international relations, like the Objectivism which developed in the same post-orld ar II period, rely on a number of assumptions which have since been shown to be empirically false. Rationalism assumes that the most important, and in fact, the only entities dictating international relations are nation states, and that these nation states are engaged in a zero-sum game of diplomacy and war, in which the goals of every nation state is eventual dominance above all others, so that international relations are dictated almost exclusively through violence or coercion, with diplomacy essentially reduced to the well-spoken threat of force. Thus, rationalist theories of international relations are not only incorrect, but altogether dangerous, as they…...

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Works Cited

Art, Robert, and Kenneth Waltz. The use of force: military power and international politics.

Lanham: Rowan and Littlefield Publishers, 2009.

Baylis, John, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens. The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Blatter, Joachim. "Performing Symbolic Politics and International Environmental Regulation:

Criminology
The case of former colonel ussell Williams offers insight into the psychology of criminal behavior. Williams's confession interview was released to the public and aired on The Fifth Estate, offering criminologists, sociologists, psychologists, and law enforcement officials unique access to the mind of a criminal. Analysts interviewed for The Fifth Estate documentary note that Williams presents a conundrum for psychologists and criminologists, as his reactions to the police interview did not fit any previously known profile, such as that of a psychopath. Williams exhibits traits that resemble psychopathic behavior, in accordance with individual trait theory. For instance, he meticulously recorded his crimes and kept the photographic and video imagery as souvenir mementos.

Yet Williams also denies his right to an attorney, permits a foot imprint of his incriminating boots, and also states in the interview that he "was hoping" that he would not have raped or killed again had he not…...

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References

"Dr. John Bradford won't work Magnotta case because of PTSD," (2014). CBC. Mar 13, 2014. Retrieved online:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/dr-john-bradford-won-t-work-magnotta-case-because-of-ptsd-1.2571463 

Fifth Estate (2010). The Confession. [Video documentary].

Friscolanti, M. (2014). Russell Williams's wife knew he was a predator: victim. Maclean's. Retrieved online:  http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/russell-williamss-wife-knew-he-was-a-predator-victim/ 

La Salle, L. (2013). Colonel Russell Williams where have you been? I've been to London to fly the queen and back to collect artifacts. All Things Crime. Dec 11, 2013. Retrieved online:  http://www.allthingscrimeblog.com/2013/12/11/colonel-russell-williams-where-have-you-been-ive-been-to-london-to-fly-the-queen-and-back-to-collect-artifacts/

Schools of Criminology
Schools of Thought

Classical School introduction: This approach to criminology holds that basically, people will do things based on whether it is helpful to them and they will look after their own self-interest first. In other words, if a person is penniless and hungry, he will steal food because it is in his own self-interest to eat and stay alive, notwithstanding his crime

Classical School summary: In the 18th century philosophers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that existing theories of crime (God or the devil determine what humans will do) were not relevant. They put forth the alternative idea that because humans have free will, they choose which behavior they will follow. Most humans respond to pleasure and pain, and if crime brings a person pleasure, that's what he will do; but being hungry can bring pain so a person will commit a crime to avoid hunger. The…...

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Works Cited

Gul, S.K. (2009). An Evaluation of the Rational Choice Theory in Criminology. Sociology & Applied Science, 4(8), 36-44.

Tibbetts, S.G., and Hemmens, C. (2009). Criminology Theory: A Text/Reader. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Vito, G., and Maahs, J. (2011). Criminology: Theory, Research, and Policy. Burlington, MA:

Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

theoretical concepts from parts XII and XIII to the events and actors at the Malheur Wildlife efuge occupation. Be sure to utilize the different sections in your application.
Environmental criminology often focuses on opportunity theory, which is linked with rational choice theory. Opportunity theory suggests that criminal behavior is motivated or prompted by available opportunities to commit the crime. Although the Malheur occupiers were not environmental criminals in the traditional sense of being motivated also by an environmentalist agenda with related ecological goals, the Malheur Wildlife efuge is a nature preserve. There are also compounding issues related to territoriality, the "extent to which a space conveys a sense of being 'owned' or 'private' and has having clearly designated purposes," (XII, p. 459). Territoriality has been a primary driving factor in the occupation. The occupiers, spearheaded by Ammon Bundy and the Hammond brothers "sought to turn the refuge into a symbol…...

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References

Bernton, Hal. "Birds -- and staff -- return to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge." Seattle Times. 27 March, 2016. Retrieved online:  http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/northwest/birds-and-staff-return-to-malheur-national-wildlife-refuge/ 

Carpenter, Zoe. "Inside the Bundy Brothers' Armed Occupation." The Nation. Jan 5, 2016. Retrieved online:  http://www.thenation.com/article/inside-the-malheur-wildlife-refuge-occupation/

ational choice theory can in fact encompass the other two previously mentioned theories of criminal behavior due to the fact that acting rational may include conflicting with common culture or joining the neighborhood gang to eventually escape the ghetto.
Conclusions

Of all the theories of criminal behavior studied so far, rational choice theory is the most applicable to the current state of society in my opinion. Much too often criminals are often dismissed for their faults, when in actuality they are truly acting rational and within their known boundaries of experience. Blanket laws do little good when examining them under this theory. Followers of rational choice theory would agree that changes within the criminal justice system should be made to expose the relative circumstances surrounding each case and not assuming that common punishments meet the required solution for the problem. Warner tended to agree: "building stronger communities will require not only…...

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References

Kurbin (nd). "Sociological Theories of Criminal Behavior II."

Warner, B. (2003). The role of attenuated culture in social disorganization theory. Criminology, 41(1), 73 -- 98.

Criminology
Classical theory elucidates crime as a creation and outcome of beliefs that advantages of committing crimes are extremely greater than normative, socially acceptable behavior. The foundation of this school of thought on criminology is that crime is a rational choice and that many individuals have the capacity to resort to crime. In addition, individuals will commit crime subsequent to the comparison of prospective advantages and disadvantages of such actions. The positivist school of criminology tries to ascribe crime causation to understood, contemplative assertion of advantages that criminal activities carry. Next, sociological school of criminology asserts that crime comes about due to manifold factors that can be split into mental, biological, and social factors. Therefore, it implies that crime is a result of social factors and elements that influence the behavior of human beings.

eek 2 Discussion

Siegel delineates the three different ways crime is recorded in our country. The first method is…...

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Works Cited

Boston University Metropolitan College. Reintegrative Shaming & Restorative Justice, 2016. Web. Retrieved:  https://learn.bu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1942479-dt-content-rid-6162758_1/courses/14sprgmetcj602_ol/week06/metcj602_W06L01T04_Reintegrative.html 

Criminal Justice. Similarities and Differences Between Social Control Theories and Other Major Theories of Crime. Social Control Theory, 2016. Web. Retrieved  http://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/criminology/theories/social-control-theory/7/ 

Mongold, Jennifer L., and Bradley D. Edwards. "Reintegrative Shaming: Theory into Practice." Journal of Theoretical & Philosophical Criminology 6.3 (2014): 205.

Podgor, Ellen S. "The challenge of white collar sentencing." The Journal of criminal law and criminology (2007): 731-759.

Rational choice theory is an economic principle that assumes individuals make decisions based on rational calculations aimed at maximizing their benefits or utility. This theory suggests that individuals weigh the costs and benefits of various choices and select the option that offers the greatest payoff.

Rational choice theory is based on the idea that individuals are rational actors who make decisions based on self-interest and the information available to them. This theory is often used to explain various behaviors, such as consumer choices, voting decisions, and criminal behavior.

Overall, rational choice theory provides a framework for understanding how individuals make decisions....

Rational Choice Theory

Rational choice theory, a prominent sociological perspective, posits that individuals make decisions and engage in behaviors based on careful calculation and rational evaluation of potential outcomes. This theory emphasizes the role of individual agency, rationality, and utility maximization in understanding human behavior.

Key Assumptions:

Individuals are rational: They possess the cognitive abilities to make informed decisions and calculate the potential costs and benefits of various actions.
Individuals are utility-maximizers: They strive to choose actions that will yield the greatest benefit or satisfaction.
Individuals act in their own self-interest: They prioritize their own goals and desires when making decisions.
Individuals....