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Golden hammer is a bias whereby a society, organization or individual uses a familiar tool to solve all problems. This is popularly phrased as "if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." This can be extremely inefficient, irrational and failure prone as it is unlikely a single tool can solve all problems. The following are illustrative examples of a golden hammer.
Social constructionism is the use of social sciences to explain a great number of subjects. For example, using feminist theory to explain a scientific topic.Marketing Myopia Marketing myopia is an approach to business that involves continually optimizing the same product or service while ignoring greater competitive threats. For example, an energy company that seeks to dramatically boost fossil fuel production when there are clear signs that demand is about to decline and the industry will soon be replaced with renewable energy sources. In other words, a company that views itself as an "Oil Company" as opposed to an "Energy Company."
Continuing to use the same tool despite clear evidence that your efforts are failing. For example, Japan's response to its economic decline beginning in 1991 that involved large scale spending on infrastructure. This failed to produce significant and sustainable growth but continues to this day despite a declining population, signs of an infrastructure glut and an unusually large government debt.
The use of medical intervention such as medication to solve perceived problems that are arguably problems of behavior, outlook or lifestyle. For example, the excessive use of cosmetic surgery to "improve self-esteem."PanaceaPanacea a term for a medical solution that is incorrectly viewed as a universal cure. For example, a particular vitamin that is overpromoted as solving a great number of health problems.
Magic TechnologyThe assumption that technology is required to solve a problem that could easily be solved without technology. For example, using a fleet of drones to follow citizens of a city around to rebuke them with loudspeakers for poor manners when this problem could be solved with shared norms. Technology ProliferationA tendency for managers and developers to have a favorite technology that they bring in for a project when an organization already has similar technologies. For this reason, it is common for a large organization to use thousands of different technology products when essential complexity might call for a dozen or less.|
| Type | | | Definition | A bias whereby a society, organization or individual uses a familiar tool to solve all problems. | | Also Known As | Law of the instrumentLaw of the hammerMaslow's hammer | | Related Concepts | |
Cognitive Biases
This is the complete list of articles we have written about cognitive biases.
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ReferencesNew York Times, "Japan’s Big-Works Stimulus Is Lesson", Martin Fackler, Feb. 5, 2009.
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