Describe the Law of unintended consequences and explain why this is relevant to managers.

The law of unintended consequences states that you cannot always predict the results of purposeful action. Although unintended consequences can sometimes be good, often times negative ones occur that add to a problem or create new problems. When managers make quick decisions with little or no thought to the full range of consequences of their decisions they may end up with unintended consequences. To avoid this it is important to balance the need for quick decisions with taking the time to consider the impact the decision will have on stakeholders, the environment, and the company at large. Today's world is too complex to totally avoid unintended consequences, however, managers should make an effort to minimize them.