A New Probabilistic Problem-Solving Paradigm: A Conceptual Critical Reflection

Chris William Callaghan

doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p2070

Chris William Callaghan

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p2070

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Abstract

For Coase, organisations exist because they manage resources more efficiently than markets can. In contrast, for Grant, organisations exist because they are more efficient at integrating knowledge. Therefore, according to Grant, certain types of knowledge, such as tacit knowledge, cannot be transferred efficiently; problem solving therefore needs to be devolved to the level of the individual. Similarly, the work of Hayek and von Hippel suggests that knowledge is ‘sticky’ and cannot easily be transferred. In this paper the argument is made that a second generation of problem solving research and development management systems need to be developed; as a global system of distributed problem solving, in order to be able to deal with specific types of problems, termed ‘catastrophic events’, that may arise. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p2070

Highlights

For Coase (1937), organisations exist because they manage resources more efficiently than markets can
This is done in order to make the argument that the proactive development of a global system of research and development (R&D) management in the form of distributed problem solving is necessary in order to address ‘catastrophic’-type problems which may occur in future
This paper argues that the development of a new paradigm of R&D management systems is necessary to address such potential catastrophic problems; and that a ‘second-generation’ model of R&D based on a probabilistic perspective of knowledge management is necessary

Summary

Introduction

For Coase (1937), organisations exist because they manage resources more efficiently than markets can. In this paper it is argued that a certain type of devolution of problem solving is needed to solve certain types of problems, which for the purposes of this paper are termed ‘catastrophic events’ For problems such as, for example, disease pandemics that provide data only after their onset, a second generation of research and development management problem solving based on distributed problem solving, may be required. This paper argues that the development of a new paradigm of R&D management systems is necessary to address such potential catastrophic problems; and that a ‘second-generation’ model of R&D based on a probabilistic perspective of knowledge management is necessary. It is argued that the ‘first-generation’ systems of research (which by definition do not utilise distributed R&D systems) are fundamentally antithetical to the requirements R&D management where a disaster, or catastrophic event, has already occurred

The Objective of the Paper

An example of the Challenge

Findings

Conclusion