Whatsapp en la toma de decisiones estratégicas y operativas en una organización en crisis: Una experiencia con “role playing”

Abstract

This papper aims to study whether the use of virtual tools without cost, (i.e. WhatsApp), could be applied to management decision‐making as a cost reduction measure. This experiement is performed with students from Social Work, Business Administration and Engineering (36 groups of 4, 144 people), with a designed ad hoc case simulating a Third Sector organization in crisis. In order to choose this tool its widespread use by young people has been taken into account. Results posit that proposal on income generation are more frequent than adjustment costs ones. Moreover, contrary to the downsizing and working times measures raised by students of Engineering and Business Administration, Social Work’ students propose adjustment on other type of costs. A significant and positive relationship between the use of WhatsApp and cognitive processes related to decision making has been found too. Future research would expand this experiment to other universities, degrees and other sociodemographic and individual results would be included .