Garbage and goals : toward a prescription for research that would lead to a technology of foolishness

[摘要] 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 thenature and b) evaluating the results of case studies that employ the garbage can theory withinthe field of organisational decision making. The garbage can is used since it was developed todescribe decision making within organised anarchies. These are organisational contextscharacterised by ambiguous goals, amongs other traits. Thus, one of the aims of the theorywas to describe how decisions are made in the face of goal ambiguity. In this thesis nineteencase studies that were published between 1976 and 2010 are analysed. Only studies where thegarbage can theory's components are brought to bear on the data in a significant way areincluded in the scope of the study. This means that data has to be structured according to thetheory, 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 beput to use in developing a technology of foolishness. Based on the analysis of the nature ofthe garbage can theory and the studies in the sample, a new way of doing research on goalambiguity is put forth. Based on the insights on goal ambiguity that were produced, thethemes that need researching are suggested. A core discovery is that although the garbage canin used as a process theory very often, the interpretivist tools that fit within this approach areseldom used.The normative strategy that is put forth includes incorporating the role of active decisionmaking entities into the garbage can theory, or using the garbage can theory in conjunctionwith a model that does provide for the role of these decision making entities. It is important tonote that these entities need not and should not be subjected to the principles of rationalchoice theory. It is also proposed that the garbage can theory be utilised as a process theory ofdecision 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 understandingorganisational narratives. Themes that need to be researched include symbolic expressions(such as metaphors), tactile or visual experiences, the role of intuition and emotionalexpression in decision making processes, the role of identity (that of the focal decisionmakers and the people he comes into contact with) and, lastly, the idea that the world isenacted, rather than having to be predicted.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University