A Systematic Review of the Role of Intuition and Intuitive Thinking in Management
Keywords:
Intuition, intuitive thinking, management, systematic reviewAbstract
Intuition and intuitive thinking in management refer to the ability to make quick and effective decisions, particularly in complex and uncertain conditions, without requiring a comprehensive analysis of data. This type of thinking plays a significant role in strategic and managerial decision-making processes. The present study aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic review of the role of intuition and intuitive thinking in management. To collect sources, reputable scientific databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were reviewed for English sources, while Irandoc, the Scientific Information Database (SID), the Comprehensive Portal of Humanities, and Noor Specialized Journals Database were examined for Persian sources. The initial search included 4,564 articles, from which 116 articles meeting the inclusion criteria—written in Persian or English, indexed in reputable scientific databases, accessible in full text, and within the time frame up to October 2024—were selected for final review. The findings of this research, addressing the primary question about the role of intuition and intuitive thinking in management, are categorized into five main themes: characteristics of intuition, optimal conditions for intuition, benefits of intuition, applications of intuition, and the relationship between intuition, instinct, and insight. The results indicate that the combination of intuition and analysis is essential for effective decision-making. However, the use of intuition may lead to errors and biases, which should be carefully considered during its application.
Downloads
References
Akinci, C., & Sadler‐Smith, E. (2012). Intuition in management research: A historical review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 14(1), 104-122. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2011.00313.x
Akinci, C., & Sadler‐Smith, E. (2019). Collective intuition: Implications for improved decision-making and organizational learning. British Journal of Management, 30(3), 558-577. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12269
Andersen, J. A. (2000). Intuition in managers. Journal of managerial psychology, 15(1), 46-67. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940010305298
Baldacchino, L., Ucbasaran, D., & Cabantous, L. (2023). Linking experience to intuition and cognitive versatility in new venture ideation: A dual‐process perspective. Journal of Management Studies, 60(5), 1105-1146. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12794
Bas, A., & Dörfler, V. (2024). Can AI have intuition?
Bierly, P. E., Kessler, E. H., & Christensen, E. W. (2000). Organizational learning, knowledge and wisdom. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810010378605
Campbell, A. (1991). Brief case: Strategy and intuition-A conversation with Henry Mintzberg. Long Range Planning, 24(2), 108-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-6301(91)90086-4
Covin, J. G., Slevin, D. P., & Heeley, M. B. (2001). Strategic decision-making in an intuitive vs. technocratic mode: Structural and environmental considerations. Journal of Business Research, 52(1), 51-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0148-2963(99)00080-6
Crossan, M. M., & Bedrow, I. (2003). Organizational learning and strategic renewal. Strategic management journal, 24(11), 1087-1105. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.342
Dane, E., & Pratt, M. G. (2007). Exploring intuition and its role in managerial decision-making. Academy of Management Review, 32(1), 33-54. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2007.23463682
Dane, E., Rockmann, K., & Pratt, M. G. (2005). Should I trust my gut? The role of task characteristics in intuitive and analytical decision-making.
Dörfler, V., & Bas, A. (2020). Tools for exploring the unknowable: Intuition vs. Artificial intelligence.
Elbanna, S., Child, J., & Dayan, M. (2013). A model of antecedents and consequences of intuition in strategic decision-making: Evidence from Egypt. Long Range Planning, 46(1-2), 149-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2012.09.007
Elbanna, S., & Fadol, Y. (2016). The role of context in intuitive decision-making. Journal of Management & Organization, 22(5), 642-661. https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2015.63
Epstein, S. (2002). Cognitive-experiential self-theory of personality. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/0471264385.wei0507
Gosar, A. K., & Solomon, R. (2019). Literature review on the role of intuition in decision-making process. World Journal of Research and Review, 9(4). https://www.wjrr.org/literature-review-on-the-role-of-intuition-in-decision-making-process
Haddadzadeh, M. (2016). Design and Explanation of a Strategic Decision-Making Model Based on Intuition with an Islamic Approach Doctoral Dissertation in Business Management, Payame Noor University].
Hanlon, P. (2011). The role of intuition in strategic decision making: How managers rationalize intuition.
Hayashi, A. M. (2001). When to trust your gut. Harvard business review, 79(2), 59-65. https://hbr.org/2001/02/when-to-trust-your-gut
Hensman, A., & Sadler-Smith, E. (2011). Intuitive decision-making in banking and finance. European Management Journal, 29(1), 51-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2010.08.006
Hester, A., Hutchins, H., Burke-Smalley, L., Sadler-Smith, E., & Burke-Smalley, L. A. (2009). Fostering intuition in management education. Management, 33(2), 239-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562907310640
Hodgkinson, G. P., Langan‐Fox, J., & Sadler‐Smith, E. (2008). Intuition: A fundamental bridging construct in the behavioural sciences. British Journal of Psychology, 99(1), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1348/000712607X216666
Hogarth, R. M. (2001). Educating intuition. University of Chicago Press. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/E/bo3624460.html
Huang, L., & Pearce, J. L. (2015). Managing the unknowable: The effectiveness of early-stage investor gut feel in entrepreneurial investment decisions. Administrative Science Quarterly, 60(4), 634-670. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001839215597270
Jagtiani, J. (2018). The natural power of intuition: Exploring the formative dimensions of intuition in the practices of three visual artists and three business executives.
Julmi, C. (2023). Analysis and intuition effectiveness in moral problems. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-023-05407-y
Khatri, N., & Ng, H. A. (2000). The role of intuition in strategic decision making. Human Relations, 53(1), 57-86. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726700531004
Kopalle, P. K., Kuusela, H., & Lehmann, D. R. (2023). The role of intuition in CEO acquisition decisions. Journal of Business Research, 167, 114139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114139
Krawczyk, P., & Kokot-Stepien, P. (2023). Intuition - Knowledge over management science: Lessons from the past decades.
Luoma, J., & Martela, F. (2021). A dual-processing view of three cognitive strategies in strategic decision making: Intuition, analytic reasoning, and reframing. Long Range Planning, 54(3), 102065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2020.102065
Malewska, K. (2019). Determinants of the use of intuition in decision-making-an empirical study. Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego W Krakowie, 983(5), 23-36. https://doi.org/10.15678/ZNUEK.2019.0983.0502
Müller, J. (2023). Inspirational intuition - Bridge to future viability. ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics. https://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/268392
Okoli, J., & Watt, J. (2018). Crisis decision-making: The overlap between intuitive and analytical strategies. Management Decision, 56(5), 1122-1134. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-04-2017-0333
Orlandi, L. B., & Pierce, P. (2020). Analysis or intuition? Reframing the decision-making styles debate in technological settings. Management Decision, 58(1), 129-145. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-10-2017-1030
Pretorius, C., Razavian, M., Eling, K., & Langerak, F. (2024). When rationality meets intuition: A research agenda for software design decision-making. Journal of Software: Evolution and Process, e2664. https://doi.org/10.1002/smr.2664
Sadler‐Smith, E., & Burke, L. A. (2009). Fostering intuition in management education. Journal of Management Education, 33(2), 239-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562907310640
Sadler‐Smith, E., & Shefy, E. (2004). The intuitive executive: Understanding and applying 'gut feel' in decision-making. Academy of Management Perspectives, 18(4), 76-91. https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.2004.15268692
Sheehan, N. (2010). The power of intuition: Lynn Robinson sees it as path to success. 1. https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-power-of-intuition-lynn-robinson-sees-it-as-path/id479278352
Shepherd, N., Lou, B., & Rudd, J. (2024). Going with the gut: Exploring top management team intuition in strategic decision-making.
Sinclair, M., & Ashkanasy, N. M. (2005). Intuition: Myth or a decision-making tool? Management Learning, 36(3), 353-370. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350507605055351
Varshney, D., & Varshney, N. K. (2020). Workforce agility and its links to emotional intelligence and workforce performance: A study of small entrepreneurial firms in India. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 39(5), 35-45. https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.22012
Zulganef, Z., Pratminingsih, S. A., & Rianawati, A. (2023). Leveraging strategic intuition to reach firm performance: The role of entrepreneurial agility and environmental dynamism. Jurnal Siasat Bisnis, 49, 49-60. https://doi.org/10.20885/jsb.vol27.iss1.art4
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mahdi Ebrahimi; Vahid Khashei Varnamkhasti, Shahram Khalil Nezhad, Hossein Samiee (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
