Příběhy jako zdroj znalostí pro rozhodování

The aim of this Master thesis has been to summarize the current theoretical knowledge about the possibilities of using stories in management, especially their use as a tool for better and easier decision-making in a nowadays turbulent period, and to summarize the aspects explaining their positive contribution in this issue. In the practical part, the thesis focuses on exploring the use of stories by students of the University of Economics in Prague to decide on subjects and teachers. More specifically, the aim has been to find out how students are influenced by stories told by their colleagues in selection of subjects and teachers, how actively students use stories for obtaining and transmitting knowledge and information, in what form stories spread among students, which communication channel students prefer and why, what the quality of stories is and what the differences between Bachelor's and Master's students in those aspects are. The purpose of this research has been to demonstrate the power of stories in influencing individuals decision-making, applicable also to classical management in the corporate environment. As a research method, a combination of a quantitative and simple qualitative analysis in the form of the semi-structured questionnaire has been used. Based on the research, it has been found out that students do decide about subjects and teachers on the basis of others'stories, they do actively seek those stories and they do prefer personal narrative from friends, as this form has turned out to be considered as the most reliable for students, and also the one which will find the most consistent validation in what they will experience next. Students of Bachelor's and Master's studies differ in the selected communication channel and the activity with which they search for and use the stories.