Which of the following describes tactical decision-making?

• A. Long term decisions made by senior managers
• B. Medium term, made by middle managers, designed to help to achieve the strategic decisions
• C. Short term, made by frontline employees
• D. Decisions about wages

Answer: (B)

Tactical decision-making is about turning strategic goals into actions that can be carried out within a medium time frame. It sits between the broad direction set by top management and the everyday work carried out by staff, focusing on how to deploy resources, policies, and plans to support those strategic aims. The description that fits this best describes medium-term decisions made by middle managers to help achieve strategic decisions. For example, deciding the department’s budget or adjusting a marketing plan for the next quarter to align with the overall strategy illustrates tactical thinking in action. Long-term, senior-manager decisions are strategic in nature; short-term decisions by frontline employees are operational; and wage decisions concern HR policy, not the bridge between strategy and day-to-day execution.