The Relationship between Procedural Rationality and Political Behavior in Strategic Decision Making

Despite the central place of rationality and political behavior in the decision‐making literature, we know little about the relationship between these two dimensions. Can decisions be made using both rational and political methods, or must managers use one approach or the other? These questions were addressed in a study of 61 strategic decisions in 24 companies using a multiple‐informant, structured interview protocol. Results indicate that procedural rationality and political behavior are independent dimensions of the strategic decision‐making process. The implications of our findings for future strategic decision‐making research are discussed.