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Sharing Expertise Beyond Knowledge Management

Beyond Mindless Embodiment

Incorporating an ethical perspective into problem formulation: implications for decision support systems design

Abstract
As organizations become ever larger and increasingly complex, they become more reliant on information systems and decision support systems (DSS), and their decisions and operations affect a growing number of stakeholders. This paper argues that DSS design and problem formulation in such a context raises ethical issues, as DSS development and use puts one party, the designers, in the position of imposing order on the behavior of others. Thus, decision support systems are more than technical artifacts and their implications for affected parties should be considered in their design and development. The paper integrates Jones‘ model [Acad. Manage. Rev. 16 (1991) 366] of moral intensity with Mitroff‘s five strategies for avoiding Type III errors, solving the wrong problem [H. Raiffa, Decision Analysis, Addison-Wesley, Reading, 1968], and proposes a model for incorporating ethical issues into DSS design and problem formulation. A survey of managers is used to assess the current situation regarding use of elements of the integrated model. The results are somewhat encouraging in that 40% of the respondents felt that their organizations did follow the model reasonably well, yet 23% felt their organizations did not.
© 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Decision making and knowledge management in inquiring organizations: toward a new decision-making paradigm for DSS

Introduction
In one of the most widely cited works in the MIS/DSS literature, Churchman described the work of five influential western philosophers Leibniz, Locke, Kant, Hegel and Singer) from the perspective of systems theory. These five inquiring systems constitute different approaches to the creation of knowledge. It has been proposed that Churchman‘s inquiring systems serve as models for the development of Ainquiring organizations.
This paper describes decision making and knowledge management KM issues in inquiring organizations. Relying heavily on work by Mitroff and Linstone, it is argued that a new paradigm for decision making is needed within decision support systems. This paradigm must address decision-mak- ing in more complex contexts than have been attacked in the past by DSS research. It is suggested that the Singerian organizational model, and what Mitroff and Linstone refer to as unbounded systems thinking (UST), provide a way for DSS research to begin addressing these more complex, wicked situations.

Wissensmanagement von 1990 bis 2003 -
Die Zeit der Irrwege

Peter Schütt

Introduction
Die Jahre von 1990 bis etwa 2003 waren im Wissens­manage­ment zunächst eine Zeit großer Euphorie. Mitte der 90er folgte dann die Ernüchterung über Fehlschläge mit Wissens­daten­banken und Wissens­bilanzen. Es ist daneben aber sehr viel gutes Handwerkszeug entstanden, wie Dave Snowdens Cynefin Modell. Damit ist Wissensmanagement, das sich dank Web 2.0 heute im zweiten Frühling sonnt, als Disziplin reif für die Masse der Unternehmen geworden.

Steve Thornton

STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE?

Kann ein Computer jemals alles wissen?

Die Gestörten

»Von Natur aus gut«