Capitulo II. La minindustria en Cuba Diagnóstico del registro de los gastos y cálculo
2.3 Diagnóstico sobre la situación que presenta la práctica contable
FM emphasis lies on attending to multiple mental models thus uncovering and aiding to the effective negotiation of differences on perceptions and positions. It is further argued that this may prove a fruitful avenue towards ultimately reaching to ‘commitment to action’ in a given problematic situation (Ackermann, 2012: 655; Ackermann & Eden, 2011; Franco & Montibeller, 2010). A claim made by FM literature is that the appropriation of models during FM workshops shall allow for overall better decisions that are more likely to be implemented (Ackermann, 2012: 654; Eden & Ackermann, 2010:241). The rationale for such a statement is that the
14
It should be noted that while interpersonal communication also involves non-verbal interaction, such an all-encompassing research endeavor falls outside the scope of this research.
53
dynamic formulation of a diagrammatic depiction of the problematique (i.e. the model and model building process), acting both as a transitional object as well as a script assisting group interaction, should, among others, allow for more effective conflict management. To be more precise:
The model is claimed to allow for the realisation of the following benefits in terms of the conflict management process:
• Attendance to multiple perspectives, thus surfacing and discussing ideas without suppressing dissent (Eden & Ackermann, 2010: 240) and avoiding groupthink (Janis, 1972) . The trade-off between the need for differentiation and integration fits neatly within the effective conflict management conceptualisation stating that conflict needs to be surfaced and then effectively managed (Kuhn & Poole, 2000; Sambamurthy & Poole, 1992).
• More procedurally just processes (Kim & Mauborgne, 1995), thus enhancing the on-process commitment of participants. Process-committed participants are more likely to invest more effort in dealing with conflict in an effective manner (Ackermann & Eden, 2011).
• Managing complexity without losing richness. Incorporating multiple perspectives will inevitably cause an increase to the task complexity the group is faced with (Eden & Ackermann, 2010: 253). Task complexity has been shown to have a direct effect on a group’s conflict management processes (Kuhn & Poole, 2000: 579 & 583). Scholars claim that FM models should allow for this complexity to be constructively managed (Eden & Ackermann, 2010: 253-262).
54
• Improved sense-making, by allowing participants for ‘mental pauses’. Mental pauses allow for the participants to gain a better appreciation of one another’s viewpoints without having the emotional pressure to immediately reject or accept a proposed idea (Eden & Ackermann, 2010: 249-250). Sufficient elaboration of ideas is seen as critical to effective conflict management (Kuhn & Poole, 2000; Sambamurthy & Poole, 1992)
The model characteristics allowing for these claimed benefits are:
• The linked, clustered and hierarchical structure of the model allows for capturing the multiple perspectives while at the same time effectively managing complexity via categorisation and prioritisation (Eden & Ackermann, 2010: 239, 242, 251, 254 & 260)
• Anonymity of the issues on the map. Depersonalisation of the issues on the map (i.e. the issues are presented anonymously), places equal weight to all the issues. As such, no-one issue deserves a-priori more attention than another, allowing for “...a ‘safe space’ in which participants are able to risk expressing views that they might judge to be ‘out-on-a-limb’” (Eden & Ackermann, 2010: 249). Thus, participants feeling that they can freely air their opinions without repercussions will feel that the procedure followed has been legitimate and just in attending to their own personal viewpoints (Kim & Mauborgne, 1995)
• Modelling language. The modelling language of FM is the natural language expressed through words. Using the natural language allows for a certain degree of “fuzziness” in terms of the way ideas are expressed. This fuzziness is viewed as allowing for small, incremental transitions from a position to
55
another (Eden & Ackermann, 2010: 249). As such, it offers an easy ‘way-out’ for participants that change their mind and do not want to appear as inconsistent, thus allowing them to “save face”.
• Visible and interactive common repository of ideas and issues allowing for the participants to make mental pauses without running the ‘risk’ that while the conversation moves on, their specific points of interest will be forgotten or disregarded (Eden & Ackermann, 2010: 249-250).
The above clarifies the claim made by FM scholars being that, the appropriation of models constructed during an FM workshop, would result to better decisions via, amongst others, more effective conflict management processes.
Persistent calls for more process related research in order to uncover the effects of models have gone largely unnoticed (Ackermann, 2012; Eden, 1995; Finlay, 1998; Franco & Rouwette, 2011). Unfortunately, little research has been conducted, in an empirical and systematic manner, that could offer evidence, for or against, the model appropriation and process related claims FM scholars make, with most of the evidence being confined to anecdotal and subjective accounts of FM interventions (Ackermann, 2012: 656; Franco & Rouwette, 2011: 169; Franco & Montibeller, 2010: 498; for an exception see Ackermann & Eden, 2011).
A fruitful research avenue towards addressing this lacuna can be found in assessing the effects of FM models in terms of the conflict management processes FM groups display.
In this section I explicated Facilitated Modelling. The different types of facilitated modelling as well as the key characteristics of both the model and the facilitation aspects of FM have been described. FM was positioned within the context of conflict
56
management effectiveness and the claims FM scholarship make, as to how the appropriation of models could enhance conflict management effectiveness, have been described.
Within the context of this research it is easy to notice the technological as well as the process and procedural similarities of FM with GDSS. Thus, FM designs (i.e. models15, methods16, techniques17, rules18, procedures19 and resources20) earn FM a place under the wider umbrella of Advanced Information Technologies (AIT).
A theory that has gained wide acceptance amongst AIT scholarship is Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST). In the following section I explicate Adaptive Structuration Theory as the theoretical test-bed for the conduct of my research.