Public Administrators in China, Taiwan, the Philippines, and the USA. Intuition or Deliberation?

What is it about?

This study looks at how public sector professionals—like government officials and administrators—make decisions in four different countries: China, Taiwan, the Philippines, and the USA. Specifically, it compares how much they rely on: Intuition (gut feeling, quick decisions) Deliberation (careful thinking, analysis) The authors wanted to understand whether cultural differences influence how decisions are made in public service roles. For example, do officials in the USA think things through more carefully than those in China? Or do people in the Philippines rely more on instinct than those in Taiwan?

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Photo by Natalie Sierra on Unsplash

Photo by Natalie Sierra on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Public decisions affect millions of lives. Understanding how these decisions are made—and how culture shapes them—can help improve training, leadership, and policy-making in governments around the world. While the full results are detailed in the article, the key takeaway is that culture plays a big role in shaping decision-making styles. Some countries lean more toward intuition, while others emphasize deliberation. These preferences can affect how policies are created, how budgets are managed, and how crises are handled.

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