Title
Cognitive science and organizational design: a case study of computer conferencing
Abstract
Many researchers have investigated and speculated about the link between information technology and organizational structure with very mixed results. This paper suggests that part of the reason for these mixed results is the coarseness of previous analyses of both technology and structure. The paper describes a new and much more detailed perspective for investigating this link. Using concepts of object-oriented programming from artificial intelligence, the information processing that occurs in organizations is characterized in terms of the kinds of messages people exchange and the ways they process those messages. The utility of this approach is demonstrated through the analysis of a case in which a reduction in levels of management is coupled with the introduction of a computer conferencing system. The detailed model developed for this case helps explain both macro-level data about thd changes in the organizational structure, and micro-level data about individuals' use of the system.
Year
DOI
Venue
1987
10.1145/637069.637076
CSCW '86 Proceedings of the 1986 ACM conference on Computer-supported cooperative work
Keywords
Field
DocType
cognitive science,computer conferencing,detailed model,detailed perspective,organizational structure,case study,artificial intelligence,organizational design,micro-level data,information processing,information technology,macro-level data,messages people exchange,mixed result,object oriented programming,working paper,artificial intelligent
Computer conferencing,Information processing,Organizational structure,Information technology,Computer science,Knowledge management,Organizational architecture,Organizational learning
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISBN
3
1
0-93461-57-5
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
23
10.64
12
Authors
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Kevin Crowston13604363.73
Thomas W. Malone246831862.38
Felix Lin32310.64