[go: up one dir, main page]

Skip to main content

Bounded Rationality

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management

Abstract

Bounded rationality refers to the fact that decision makers are intentionally rational, but only in a limited sense. They are constrained in their rationality by a variety of environmental, organizational and cognitive aspects. Bounded rationality (also sometimes called limited rationality) has become a foundation stone for subsequent developments in strategic management and organization theory as well as certain developments in economics. As a result of bounded rationality, decision makers in organizations do not maximize expected utility. Instead, they often develop (and rely on) rules of thumb and other heuristics when making decisions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 1,099.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 1,699.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cyert, R., and J.G. March. [1963] 1992. A behavioral theory of the firm, 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dosi, G. 2004. A very reasonable objective still beyond our reach: Economics as an empirically disciplined social science. In Models of a man: Essays in memory of Herbert A. Simon, ed. M. Augier and J.G. March. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • March, J.G., and H.A. Simon. 1958. Organizations. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R., and S. Winter. 1982. An evolutionary theory of economic change. Cambridge, MA: Bellknap Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, H.A. 1947. Administrative behavior. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, H.A. 1955. A behavioral model of rational choice. Quarterly Journal of Economics 69: 99–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon, H.A. 1956. Rational choice and the structure of the environment. Psychological Review 63: 129–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon, H.A. 1957. Models of man. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williamson, O.E. 1985. The economic institutions of capitalism. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williamson, O.E. 1996. Transaction cost and the Carnegie connection. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 31: 149–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williamson, O.E. 2002. Empirical microeconomics: Another perspective. In The economics of choice, change and organization: Essays in honor of Richard M. Cyert, ed. M. Augier and J.G. March. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mie Augier .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Augier, M. (2018). Bounded Rationality. In: Augier, M., Teece, D.J. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-00772-8_533

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics