Masters Degrees (Information Science)

Permanent URI for this collection

https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/628

Browse

Browsing Masters Degrees (Information Science) by Author "Botha, Helet"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Garbage and goals : toward a prescription for research that would lead to a technology of foolishness
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-12) Botha, Helet; Muller, H. P.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this thesis is to develop a framework for research that will lead to a “technology of foolishness”, à la James March (1972). This is done by a) analysing the nature and b) evaluating the results of case studies that employ the garbage can theory within the field of organisational decision making. The garbage can is used since it was developed to describe decision making within organised anarchies. These are organisational contexts characterised by ambiguous goals, amongs other traits. Thus, one of the aims of the theory was to describe how decisions are made in the face of goal ambiguity. In this thesis nineteen case studies that were published between 1976 and 2010 are analysed. Only studies where the garbage can theory’s components are brought to bear on the data in a significant way are included in the scope of the study. This means that data has to be structured according to the theory, or that the authors’ conclusions address the theory specifically. It was found that the case studies produce very few insights on goal ambiguity which can be put to use in developing a technology of foolishness. Based on the analysis of the nature of the garbage can theory and the studies in the sample, a new way of doing research on goal ambiguity is put forth. Based on the insights on goal ambiguity that were produced, the themes that need researching are suggested. A core discovery is that although the garbage can in used as a process theory very often, the interpretivist tools that fit within this approach are seldom used. The normative strategy that is put forth includes incorporating the role of active decision making entities into the garbage can theory, or using the garbage can theory in conjunction with a model that does provide for the role of these decision making entities. It is important to note that these entities need not and should not be subjected to the principles of rational choice theory. It is also proposed that the garbage can theory be utilised as a process theory of decision making and that theoretical tools that are appropriate to this kind of theory be used. These tools would form part of theories designed for analysing and understanding organisational narratives. Themes that need to be researched include symbolic expressions (such as metaphors), tactile or visual experiences, the role of intuition and emotional expression in decision making processes, the role of identity (that of the focal decision makers and the people he comes into contact with) and, lastly, the idea that the world is enacted, rather than having to be predicted.