Motivational Information Systems: Case study of a University Research Productivity Index leading to a 6th Extension to Ashby's Law

Information systems are widely used to map and chart organisational activities for management to motivate staff. We have coined the term ‘motivational information systems’ for information systems that have this role. This paper describes one example of recent research by the authors using a ca se st...

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Main Authors: Love, Terence, Cooper, T.
Other Authors: David Cook
Format: Conference Paper
Published: SECAU - Security Research Centre 2008
Online Access:http://www.anzsys.org/index.php/anzsys08-conference/anzsys08papers
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30600
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author Love, Terence
Cooper, T.
author2 David Cook
author_facet David Cook
Love, Terence
Cooper, T.
author_sort Love, Terence
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Information systems are widely used to map and chart organisational activities for management to motivate staff. We have coined the term ‘motivational information systems’ for information systems that have this role. This paper describes one example of recent research by the authors using a ca se study to investigate the internal and external dynamics of motivational information systems. In this paper, causal loop modeling is used to understand the dynamics of a motivational information system in a large organisation: a university-wide motivational information system intended to motivate academics to increase research outcomes. The analyses and findings of the research led to identification of a sixth extension to Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety. The research described in this paper is part of a larger program of systems research by the authors investigating the application and extension of Beer’s, Viable Systems Model, Ashby’s Laws of Requisite Variety, Checkland’s Soft Systems, Critical Systems Analysis, System Dynamics and Causal Loop Diagrams to situations in which these tools are not commonly applied.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2008
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-306002017-01-30T13:20:29Z Motivational Information Systems: Case study of a University Research Productivity Index leading to a 6th Extension to Ashby's Law Love, Terence Cooper, T. David Cook Information systems are widely used to map and chart organisational activities for management to motivate staff. We have coined the term ‘motivational information systems’ for information systems that have this role. This paper describes one example of recent research by the authors using a ca se study to investigate the internal and external dynamics of motivational information systems. In this paper, causal loop modeling is used to understand the dynamics of a motivational information system in a large organisation: a university-wide motivational information system intended to motivate academics to increase research outcomes. The analyses and findings of the research led to identification of a sixth extension to Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety. The research described in this paper is part of a larger program of systems research by the authors investigating the application and extension of Beer’s, Viable Systems Model, Ashby’s Laws of Requisite Variety, Checkland’s Soft Systems, Critical Systems Analysis, System Dynamics and Causal Loop Diagrams to situations in which these tools are not commonly applied. 2008 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30600 http://www.anzsys.org/index.php/anzsys08-conference/anzsys08papers SECAU - Security Research Centre restricted
spellingShingle Love, Terence
Cooper, T.
Motivational Information Systems: Case study of a University Research Productivity Index leading to a 6th Extension to Ashby's Law
title Motivational Information Systems: Case study of a University Research Productivity Index leading to a 6th Extension to Ashby's Law
title_full Motivational Information Systems: Case study of a University Research Productivity Index leading to a 6th Extension to Ashby's Law
title_fullStr Motivational Information Systems: Case study of a University Research Productivity Index leading to a 6th Extension to Ashby's Law
title_full_unstemmed Motivational Information Systems: Case study of a University Research Productivity Index leading to a 6th Extension to Ashby's Law
title_short Motivational Information Systems: Case study of a University Research Productivity Index leading to a 6th Extension to Ashby's Law
title_sort motivational information systems: case study of a university research productivity index leading to a 6th extension to ashby's law
url http://www.anzsys.org/index.php/anzsys08-conference/anzsys08papers
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30600