Call for Papers
Decision Sciences Special Topic Forum
Behavioral Issues in Information Systems-Enabled Operational Decision Making
Deadline: January 20, 2007, via DSJ Online at https://wpcarey.asu.edu/dsjOnline/
Associate Editor Team
Elliot Bendoly, Goizueta Business School, Emory University
Cheri Speier, Eli Broad School of Management, Michigan State University
The business community has seen countless claims regarding the potential role of information systems toward more effective operational decision making. It is now recognized that the simple possession of information systems does not imply effective use of these systems by individuals charged with operating decisions. The amount of time and money spent on IS systems are similarly insufficient proxies for their use. In order to truly diagnose the linkages between information systems and operational benefits, a much more micro-level of study is necessary. Such a micro-level view must delve deeper than the common considerations of training programs, deployment of system experts, cross-functional integration, and other organization-wide concepts. It must fundamentally attempt to get into the mind of the decision maker and ask questions regarding why certain information is regularly sought out while other information may be ignored; how the information obtained subsequently is manipulated and interpreted; why some conclusions associated with immediate benefit are forgotten while others that imply greater risk of loss are pursued. These questions require the consideration of the psychological mechanisms that serve as barriers and motivators of continued and evolving use of IT in operational decision making.
This Special Topic Forum (STF) calls upon researchers to challenge some of the well-established beliefs regarding the linkages between the availability of information supported by technology and the operational gains obtainable through "better" decision making. In order to ground this forum in real-world contexts, we will be seeking rigorous empirical works making use of such methodologies as action research and field/lab experiments, case-based investigations coupled with structured or semi-structured survey collection, and system archival mining of use and decision making patterns. Theoretical models driving the specifics of such data collection and subsequent analysis should make ample use of established behavioral theory as it relates to information system use and operational decision making. Approaches to analysis can include a wide variety of techniques including both standard statistical comparisons common to experimental research as well as more qualitative approaches, such as content analysis and augmented forms of social network modeling intended to take into account cognitive phenomena.
While multiple levels of analysis and theories are acceptable, the individual decision maker must represent a key element of the research. As a result, theories that are fundamentally tied to higher levels of analysis or examine individual technology acceptance behavior (in general) are likely to be ineffective at approaching the kind of detailed research questions sought out by this call and are generally not encouraged. Instead, theories that focus on decision making cognitive processes to illuminate what happens within the "decision making" black box are encouraged. Finally, this call places no limitations on the specific form of information system studied or the specific operations management context / problems these systems are intended to benefit. Having said this, a wide range of research questions are open for consideration:
Examples topics of interest might, but are certainly not limited to:
· Selective disregard for pricing information in purchasing decisions
· Adversity to the use of process analysis recommendation in project management
· Misinterpretation and misuse of supply chain management solutions
· System circumvention in yield management settings
· Bias in scheduling constraint specification and performance sensitivity
· Customer relationship management overloads and assumption making in new service development
· Organizational information system characteristics and the resulting effects on decision making
· The role of information integration on work sharing and behavioral outcomes
· How decision support systems outputs are actually interpreted and interacted with in operations
· Decision maker ability to identify invalid or inappropriate data in operational decision making systems
Following the interdisciplinary focus of this STF, the Associate Editors bring expertise in IS, OM, and behavioral theory. Like other STFs, this research collaboration strengthens DSJ's renewed focus on decision making and provides a foundation for future research on the role of the individual decision maker in improving OM and IS practices within and between organizations.
Articles published in this STF must meet Decision Sciences' high standards of research rigor and originality, while embracing managerial relevance, not only in the research problem studied, but also in their impact on enhanced decision making. STFs consist of a collection of three to five articles that are published in a regular issue along with other peer-reviewed articles. All submissions must adhere to Decision Sciences journal format and style guidelines. Manuscripts will be evaluated on the same criteria as regular manuscripts. The evaluation process will be similar to regular paper submissions, except the Associate Editors assigned to the manuscript will be part of the STF Editorial Team. Manuscript preparation and submission instructions can be found on the journal's web site at http://wpcarey.asu.edu/dsjOnline/ . In the cover letter, please indicate that your submission is for the Special Topic Forum on Behavioral issues in IS-Enabled Operational Decision Making.
Deadline for Submissions: January 20, 2007
Best regards,
Jeanne Elliott on behalf of the Editors
_______________________________________________
Jeanne Elliott, Managing Editor, Decision Sciences Journal
Program Coordinator, Dept. of Supply Chain Management
W. P. Carey School of Business
P.O. Box 874706
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-4706
Decision Sciences Telephone: (480) 965-1152; Fax: (480) 965-8629
Decision Sciences Mail to: decisionsciences@asu.edu
Decision Sciences Website: https://wpcarey.asu.edu/DSJOnline/