Inquisitiveness: distributing rational thinking
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims at redefining bounded rationality on the basis of a more socialized view of the individual. In doing so, it introduces “inquisitiveness” as a key disposition that some team members use to assemble and integrate knowledge when solving problems.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an agent-based computational simulation, this research models different simulated employees working together in “ad hoc” teams to solve problems.
Findings
Results show that inquisitiveness may work as an efficiency “driver” that, when present, economizes on the knowledge needed by team members to solve problems. In addition to that, results also show that environments with many problems are more suitable for inquisitive individuals to be effective.
Originality/value
Following the late Herbert Simon, the paper takes the stance that rationality should be redefined as a socially oriented process and introduces inquisitiveness as one – although probably not the only one – of the characteristics that help individuals and teams to make rational decisions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This article was entirely handled by the editor-in-chief Prof Petru Curseu, from submission to peer review, and to its final acceptance.
Citation
Bardone, E. and Secchi, D. (2017), "Inquisitiveness: distributing rational thinking", Team Performance Management, Vol. 23 No. 1/2, pp. 66-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/TPM-10-2015-0044
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited