The decision-making process is not so precise as it appears although it is a valiant attempt at precision. In fact, it is extremely important to note that normative and descriptive theory are not in conflict. The former attempts to prescribe how decisions ought to be made while behavioral theory has, as its only goal, the description of the decision-making process. In this article the author discusses the principles of normative (or prescriptive) and of descriptive decision theory in health administration.
