Thoughtful intelligence offers a sustainable position to enhance the influence of decision makers. Thoughtful intelligence implies the ability to realize the impact of one’s thoughts, words and actions on other’s (individuals, groups, and nations) survival, dignity and development. In view of the concerns this paper addresses the question: How to create a model of ‘Thoughtful Decision Support System (hereafter TDSS)’ based on thoughtful intelligence concepts to promote sustainable decision making. The reasonable premise of thoughtful intelligence includes three dynamic capacities of decision making: 1) A great sense of taking actions, 2) Interconnectivity with people and nature and, 3) Realization of the long-term impacts of decisions that are made in a specific time and space; and seven associate capacities of decision makers; righteousness, purposefulness, understanding, contemplation, sincerity, mindfulness, and nurturing. The study utilized two methods to signify the relationship between thoughtful intelligence and sustainable decision making; focus group discussions to count prevailing Decision Support Systems regarding sustainable decision making, Delphi focused to conceptualize thoughtful intelligence and TDSS for sustainable decision making. In focus group discussions six groups participated each of 8-12 members consisting of interested faculty, students in higher education, and members of the political, civil and military bureaucracy. We found a positive relationship between thoughtful intelligence and sustainable decision making.
In Delphi focused analyses a sample of 15 specialists with decision information and experience participated; 5 experts each from the sciences and technology, management sciences and social sciences. The concepts of: linkage between thoughtful intelligence and sustainable decision making, the possibility of practicing thoughtful intelligence and the intensity of practicing thoughtful intelligence for sustainable decision making were deliberated in three rounds. The results of the Delphi analysis indicated a 65% correlation between thoughtful intelligence and sustainable decision making. TDSS is offered here as our contribution to the decision making literature. The clients are top leaders such as chief executive officers, and military, civil, and political bureaucrats.
Keywords: Thoughtful intelligence, Sustainable decision making, Thoughtful decision support system
