Resource Management and Decision Making
Resource management is the process of using limited resources to reach the goals a family values most. The exam tests the management process, the correct order of decision-making steps, Maslow's hierarchy, and techniques of work and time simplification.
The management process
Planning (setting goals, listing resources, choosing alternatives) → organising → implementing → evaluating. Evaluation is not a final ritual: its feedback loops back into fresh planning.
Steps of decision making
Recognise the problem → identify resources → list alternatives → weigh the consequences of each → choose → plan the action → implement → evaluate. Values and standards decide which consequence matters most.
Maslow's hierarchy
Physiological → safety → love and belonging → esteem → self-actualisation. Lower needs dominate until met; questions often ask which level a stated goal satisfies.
Work simplification
Mundel's five classes of change: change in sequence, in the way the work is done, in the person, in the product, and in the place. Practical tools: eliminate, combine, rearrange, simplify; ergonomics; labour-saving devices; peak-load management.
Worked example
A family must host a wedding on ₹1,00,000. Problem: fixed date, limited money. Resources: family time, home kitchen, an uncle's car, savings. Alternatives: caterer versus family cooking; hall versus home. Consequences: a caterer saves time and energy but costs ₹40,000; home cooking is cheaper but needs leave from work. Choice: home cooking with hired equipment. Plan: divide tasks, set a schedule. Evaluation: leftover food shows over-ordering for next time.
Traps
Implementing before choosing; listing only money as a resource; calling evaluation "the end". Mundel has five classes of change - memorise all five; "change in place" is the one most often forgotten.