| Analysing the Thinking of F.W. Taylor Using Cognitive Mapping |
| | Cossette, Pierre | U. du Québec à Montréal | cossette.pierre@uqam.ca | (514)-987-3000, ext.7091 |
| | Although the ideas of F.W. Taylor have profoundly marked the 20th century, they do not seem to have been understood in the same way by the people who have studied them. This research, aimed at enriching our understanding of the ideas of this remarkable author, proposes a graphic representation of Taylor's thinking in the form of a cognitive map. The structure and content of the map are then analysed using the Decision Explorer software package. The concepts and links shown in the map were drawn mainly from Shop Management, and some were taken from Principles of Scientific Management. The results highlight the relative importance of the concepts used by Taylor, the dimensions on which he more or less consciously structured his thinking, the characteristics of the concepts he considered basically as "explanations" or "consequences", and the more or less systemic or circular logic that guided him in the organization of his thinking. The limits of the results and some future avenues for research are discussed. |
| | Keywords: F.W. Taylor; Cognitive Mapping; Decision Explorer |
| Eliciting and Comparing Cognitive Cause Maps in Large Samples |
| | Rodan, Simon A. | INSEAD / European Institute of Business Administration | rodan@insead.fr | 00-33-1-60-71-25-02 |
| | This paper describes a new software tool suitable for collecting cognitive mapping data in large sample
surveys. It also proposes some additions to the analytical constructs used in comparing cognitive map
data. The results of a preliminary field trial of the new software are reported which seem to suggest that
the tool has reasonable external validity. |
| | Keywords: diveristy; Cause map; methodology |
| Structural Knowledge Assessment In Management Education: A Comparison of Competing Assessment Methods |
| | Tschetter, Jeffrey David | U. of Sioux Falls | jdt@dtgnet.com | 605-331-6707 |
| | Davis, Mark A. | U. of North Texas | davism@unt.edu | (940) - 369 - 7031 |
| | This research examines and compares two primary methods for cognitive mapping, Markoczy and Goldberg's (1995) causal mapping methodology, and Pathfinder (non-causal) network representation (Schvaneveldt et al., 1989). Though these two cognitive mapping methods are different with respect to considering causal relationships, they both purport to measure structural knowledge quality. We used both methods to assess structural knowledge with a group of executive MBA students. We found that the non-causal approach reflects more surface level knowledge than the causal approach. The causal approach captures more complex knowledge that appears to be a strong indicator of performance. Management development and education implications are discussed. |
| | Keywords: Knowledge Assessment; Structural Knowledge; Cognitive Mapping |
| Visualizing and Evaluating Student Understanding of Strategic Management:: Using Cognitive Maps for Case Analysis |
| | Sheetz, Steven D. | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State U. | sheetz@vt.edu | (540) 231-6096 |
| | Gnyawali, Devi R. | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State U. | devi@vt.edu | (540) 231-5021 |
| | Tegarden, Linda F. | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State U. | tegarden@vt.edu | (540) 231-5065 |
| | Tegarden, David P. | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State U. | dtegarde@vt.edu | (540) 231-6099 |
| | Poppo, Laura | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State U. | lpoppo@vt.edu | (540) 231-4553 |
| | Assessing student understanding of factors impacting a company's strategic
situation can be difficult. We used a computerized cognitive mapping
approach and showed it is a useful tool for evaluating student learning.
Students and instructors qualitatively and quantitatively agreed on
management strategy and competitive conditions relevant to the firm's
situation. The approach provided insights for understanding and evaluating
students' perceptions. In particular, students find the strategic principles
of rivalry and strategic performance difficult to evaluate in a business case. |
| | Keywords: Cognitive Mapping; Strategic Management Education; Business Case Analysis |