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Chapter 7 - Observing Decion-Maker Behaviour and the Office Environment

  1. Kinds of Information Sought
    • Activities
    • Messages
    • Influence
    • Relationships
  2. Observing a Decision Maker's Behaviour
    • Observing a Typical Manager's Decision-Making Activities
      1. Decide what is to be observed (activities)
      2. Decide at what level of concreteness activities are to be observed.
      3. Create categories that adequately capture key activities.
      4. Prepare appropriate scales, checklists, or other materials for observation.
      5. Decide when to observe.
    • Time and Event Sampling
      Time Sampling Event Sampling
      Advantages
      • Cuts down on bias with randomization of observations
      • Allows a representative view of frequent activities
      • Allows observation of behavior as it unfolds
      • Allows observation of an event designated as important
      Disadvantages
      • Gathers data in a fragmented fashion that doesn't allow time for a decision to unfold
      • Misses infrequent but important decisions
      • Takes a great deal of analyst's time
      • Misses a representative sample of frequent decisions
    • Observing a Decision Maker's Body Language
      • Adjective Pairs and Categories
      • The Analyst's Playscript
  3. Observing the Physical Environment
    • Structured Observation of the Environment (STROBE)
      • STROBE Elements
        1. Office location
        2. Placement of the decision maker's chair
        3. Stationary office equipment
        4. Props
        5. Trade journals and newspapers
        6. Office lighting and color
        7. Clothing worn by decision makers
      • Application Alternatives
        • Analysis of photographs
        • Checklist/Likert scale approach
        • Anecdotal list (with symbols)
        • Observation/narrative comparison


Exercises: (due - noon Oct. 6, 1998)
e-mail to summers_wayne@ColumbusState.edu your answers to the following problems: pg. 191-2: 1 Explore the MRE HyperCase company and e-mail the answers to the questions [This can be done in a group of 2-3]


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