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Yes / Introduction. Decision making though an important information use has not been vigorously researched in information practices research. By studying how decision makers make decision in groups, we can learn about several underlying issues in information practices. Method. T20 middle-level (tactical) Commanders from blue light services in the UK were interviewed to share their experience on how and where they seek information from and how they make decisions while managing major incidents. Analysis. Activity theory was used as an overarching framework to design interview questions and as an analysis framework. Results. Information need and information practices such as information sharing and information use are investigated. A model of group decision making process and factors affecting group decision making is proposed. Conclusions. By understanding factors affecting decision making, decision support system designers and policy makers can readdress the underlying issue. Moreover, this paper reiterates the need of studying decision making to understand information practices. / This research is funded by ESRC and 1Spatial PLC.

I used a multiple-linear-regression model to test the effects of meeting group members’ expectations on strength of consensus in a group decision-making situation. The combination of met expression-of-views expectations and met decision-quality expectations, along with their associated valences, had a significant effect on consensus (p = .01). Expression-of-views expectations are composed of expectations about opportunity to express views and the information sharing. I proposed a new model consisting of two terms. The first term was the sum of the individual products of met expression-of-views expectations times their respective valences. The second term was the sum of the individual products of met decision-quality expectations times their respective valences. This new model was a much better predictor of strength of consensus than the original (p = .001). The two terms used in the new model had an equivalent influence on strength of consensus (p = .05). The results of this research suggest managers should elicit and try to meet group members’ high-valence expectations (i.e., expectations group members feel are important to be met). Managers should also realize expression-of-views and decision-quality expectations are important to meet in a consensus-gaining process. / Master of Science

There are a variety of creative problem solving techniques. Selected techniques are compared and contrasted and an ideal type is developed. The Idea Machine (TIM) is introduced and the six major steps involved with the technique are described. Results of using TIM in conjunction with three projects are presented. Improvements in TI:M sessions are described and insights associated with sessions in the second project are highlighted. Evaluations by participants are introduced and discussed. TIM is compared with the ideal type technique. It is concluded that while TIM is not comparable to this ideal in every respect, evaluations suggest that it is an extremely effective creative problem solving technique. / Ph. D.

Thesis (M. Div.)--Emmanuel School of Religion, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-72).

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Changes in the global salt market have presented Walvis Bay Salt Refiners with an opportunity to increase its current sales by approximately 40%. Following several pre-feasibility studies, the expansion project plan was created. The construction of new ponds, canals and sluices were to be performed by a subcontractor as selected through a tender process. The scope of the work comprised approximately 70% of the total project cost and it also represented the most critical part of the expansion project. Thomas Saaty’s Analytic Hierarchy Process, was used as a group decision support system for the selection of the most suitable subcontractor. The weighted average mean method was used to aggregate individual scores. A sensitivity analysis was performed following the final outcome to gain a deeper understanding of the problem, obtain a measure of margin between subcontractor scores and to check for the correctness of numbers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Veranderinge in die wêreld soutmark het vir Walvis Bay Salt Refiners 'n geleentheid gebied om sy verkope met ʼn beraamde 40% te verhoog. Na verskeie voorondersoeke is 'n volledige projekplan opgestel. Die vervaardiging van damwalle, kanale en sluise sou deur 'n kontrakteur gedoen word wat deur ʼn tenderprosedure gekeur sou word. Die omvang van hierdie gedeelte van die uitbreidingsprojek verteenwoordig ongeveer 70% van die totale projekkostes en is terselfdelyk die mees sensitiewe gedeelte van die projek. Thomas Saaty se Analytic Hierarchy Process is gebruik as die groepbesluitnemingsondersteuningstelsel om die mees geskikte kontrakteur te kies. Die geweegde gemiddelde is gebruik om die individuele oordele saam te voeg. Sensitiwiteits analise is uitgevoer nadat die finale uitslag bepaal is om sodoende beter insig in die probleem te ontwikkel, om ʼn beter onderskeiding tussen die kontrakteur puntetellings te kry en om die juistheid van die syfers na te gaan.

Knowledge acquisition is not only the most important but also most difficult task knowledge engineers face when they begin to develop expert systems. One of the first problems they encounter is the need to identify at least one individual with appropriate expertise who is able and willing to participate in the development project. They must also be able to use a variety of techniques to elicit the knowledge that they require. These include such traditional knowledge acquisition methods as interviewing, thinking-aloud protocol analysis, on-site observation, and repertory grid analysis. As expert system applications have become more complex, knowledge engineers have found that they must work with and tap the domain knowledge of not one but several individuals. They have also discovered that the traditional methods do not work well in eliciting the knowledge residing in a group of individuals. The complexity of the systems, the difficulties inherent in working with multiple experts, and the lack of appropriate tools have combined to make the knowledge acquisition task even more arduous and time consuming. Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) have been proven to be useful tools for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of a multiplicity of group activities. It would appear that by bringing experts together in a GDSS environment and using computer-based tools to facilitate group interaction and information exchange, a knowledge engineer could eliminate many of these problems. This research was designed to explore the possibility of using a GDSS environment to facilitate knowledge acquisition from multiple experts. The primary research question was "Does A GDSS environment facilitate the acquisition of knowledge from multiple experts?" The principle contributions of this research are (1) demonstration of the first use of a GDSS environment to elicit knowledge from multiple experts; (2) establishment of a methodology for knowledge acquisition in a GDSS environment; (3) development of process models for acquiring knowledge; (4) development of guidelines for designing and evaluating group support tools; and (5) recognition of some implications of using a computer-supported cooperative approach to extract knowledge from a group of experts. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

Computer-Support Cooperative Work (CSCW) reflects the change in emphasis from using computers to solve problems to using computers to facilitate human interactions. Most studies, however, have focused on the use of the technology rather than on the human-human interaction (HHI) in these environments due to: the varied perspectives of the investigators; and the lack of a consistent variables. Although numerous studies exist on a variety of products, only limited research has been conducted with the most prevalent of the technologies in the marketplace, Lotus Notes™. This field study, conducted using Lotus Notes™, operationalizes a model proposed, but not tested, for the study of group decision-making in CSCW environments put forth by Kraemer and Pinsonneault (1990). This study examines the use of CSCW in the group decision-making process, the participation rate for group decision-making in CSCW environments, and the criteria for determining quality in group decisions in CSCW environments. The study also proposes a new perspective for examining technology using the human context, recommends extensions for the group study framework and explores areas for future research.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Modern organizations increasingly rely on teams to act as information processors—pooling and integrating various sources of information in order to solve complex problems and reach quality decisions. Traditional frameworks for the influence of diversity suggest that diversity can enhance decision making by adding to the backgrounds and perspectives that can be applied to a given task. However, this additive view of diversity is unable to account for more recent findings that show that members of homogeneous and diverse groups differ in their decision-making processes even when they have access to identical task-relevant information. I propose a novel theoretical framework whereby in homogeneous groups, members construe the group more abstractly as a group, while members of diverse groups construe the group more concretely as individuals. These differences in cognitive orientation shape relational goals, communication norms and additional task-relevant cognitions within groups. I test some of the propositions set forth in two studies. In the first, I find that homogeneous group members’ tendency to focus on building positive relationships at the cost of thorough task consideration relative to diverse groups only occurs at more abstract levels of construal and can be eliminated by priming more concrete construal. In the second study, I find that members of diverse groups voice their unique opinions more frequently, use more first-person singular pronouns (i.e., “I”, “me”), and use more concrete language in their group discussions relative to homogeneous groups. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as future applications of this novel framework are also discussed.