Exploring Knowledge and Cognitions in Decisions About Technological Innovation: Mapping Managerial Cognitions

Abstract

Successes and failures with technological innovation can, in some cases, be attributed to the decision-making processes in the user organization. There has been a growing interest among strategy researchers in managerial cognitions. This paper describes the nature and importance of knowledge bases and cognitions for decisions about technological innovation and suggests how knowledge and cognitions can be explored using process research. An example is given from research comparing firms who had tried to adopt computer-aided production management technologies. This research illustrated that knowledge bases provided the potential to innovate but that cognitions of individuals also shaped the outcomes of decisions about the design of the innovation. Cognitive mapping methodologies could be used to explore systematically and in more detail the cognitions of individuals and groups. The paper provides an overview of these methodologies. It concludes that they are useful to researchers, particularly in conjunction with process research, and potentially useful to practitioners, for understanding managerial cognitions and for anticipating problems that may arise as a result of these cognitions.