Rational Decision Making ModelIntroductionRational decision making models can be defined as the steps used to make choices related to solving public or private problems and creating policies to resolve them. According to Kraft and Furlong (2013; 118), these steps are: defining and analyzing the problem, constructing policy alternatives, developing evaluation criteria, evaluating the alternatives, and drawing conclusions. The first step in the decision-making process is to define the problem; i.e. who is affected by the problem, what is the problem and where does it exist. The second part of the first stage involves analyzing the current circumstances or status quo while finding out what the main causes of the problem are and how they can be resolved through policy measures (Kraft and Furlong, 2013). The second step is to develop policy alternatives, describing which notions or possibilities constitute a viable solution to a particular problem. The third step is to develop evaluation criteria, that is, to find the best practical solutions to the problem. During this stage, possible costs involved, level of effectiveness and political feasibility are also discussed. The fourth step is to evaluate the alternatives; At this point in the process, it was decided that it would be necessary to confront the problem and determine which policy would be most favorable taking into account all the situations. The fifth step is to draw conclusions; what other influences should be assessed and what course of action is most likely based on existing knowledge (Kraft and Furlong, 2013). The rational decision-making model has several advantages and disadvantages. Some of the most common benefits of ...... middle of paper ......: http://www.governing.com/gov-data/economy-finance/minimum-wage-workers-by-state -statistics-2013-totals.htmlKraft and Furlong. (2013). Policies, analyzes and public policy alternatives. Washington DC: Sage. Levin-Waldman, O. (2011). From a narrowly defined minimum wage to a broader wage policy. Social Economy Review, 77-96. Miller, C. &. (2013). The impact of excess skills on earnings: extending the overeducation model to language proficiency. . Journal of Educational Economics, 36263-275. American Bureau of Economic Analysis. (nd). Retrieved March 1, 2014, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis: http://www.bea.gov/about/BEAciting.htmU.S. Department of Labor. (nd). Retrieved March 1, 2014, from Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2011.htmWhite House. (nd). Accessed March 1, 2014 from whitehouse.gov: http://www.whitehouse.gov