- ### __Bias : __
- Post-purchase rationalization
- ### __Definition : __
- The tendency to persuade oneself through rational argument that a purchase was good value.
- ### __OODA Class : __
- Act Phase
- ### __OODA Subclass : __
- ### __Classification Reasoning : __
- The effects of post-purchase rationalization is felt once a decision for a purchase has been made and has been acted upon. The purchase is justified irrespective of whether it was good or bad.
- ### __Example : __
- Purchase of third-party solutions: Companies often spend large amounts of money in purchasing readymade solutions from third parties. This is especially true in cases when the required skill set is lacking within the organization.
- ### __Impact : __
- Following the purchase of such solutions, the post-purchase rationalization effect would result in the continued application of the selected technology even in cases when it could be a poor choice. The point of realization might come a bit too late until the point of a resounding failure. It would then require vast efforts in large scale migrations from the old technology to a new one. Post-purchase rationalization also makes it harder to learn from new alternatives down the line.
- ### __Debiasing Techniques : __
- If using third party solutions, ensure that support is being provided for a long term along with regular updates. Set checkpoints to regularly verify if the existing solution caters to existing requirements as well as new ones.
- ### __Related Biases : __
- [[Choice-supportive bias]]