Columbine Shooting Case Study

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What decision-making methods were utilized in the case? According to Charles E. Lindblom, there are two types of decision-making methods: the root method and the branch method. The root method, which he also calls he rational-comprehensive method, is an approach to decision-making where an individual chooses an objective and ranks all the relevant values in obtaining the objective. The person making the decision must “formulate many possible alternatives to achieve the stated objective.” This type of method is heavily based upon theory. In addition, the second type of method Linblom talked about is the branch method, which he also called the successive limited comparisons method. This method involves the decision-maker selecting “among the …show more content…

What communicating methods were utilized in the case? The main types of communication methods that were used in this case are lateral communication and informal communication. Lateral communication is when communication is “among organizational peers in the same or different unit.” The functions of lateral communication are task coordination, multidisciplinary problem solving, information sharing and mutual emotional support. In the case of the Columbine shooting, mainly two functions of lateral communication are used. The first is information sharing. This was used at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s command post. Many individuals called the post with information on what was happening inside the school during the crisis. In addition, the dispatchers in the post were receiving messages from the Jefferson County dispatch center, county officials and school officials. Second, the lateral communication function of multidisciplinary problem solving was used. There were various agencies and law enforcement administrators from different jurisdictions that worked together to respond to the crisis. For example, Jefferson County law enforcement initially responded to the shooting, but soon after, reinforcements from the surrounding counties of Arapahoe and Littleton arrived. Also, the Littleton Fire Department arrived with paramedics to respond to the injured students and