Abstract
This paper demonstrates an unusual approach to trace decision makers’ interpretations over time as they attempt to understand environmental events. The paper adopts an evolutionary perspective and methodologically, demonstrates a way of tracing changes in cause maps over time from available documents and statements. Arguments are offered for the usage of such data to infer cognitive processes. The South African Society of Physiotherapy is the subject of study.
Highlights
The view adopted in this research is that the reports by the chairman of the professional association and the deci sions, in the form of motions, passed by the national council are most likely to closely relate to strategic action taken by the physiotherapy profession in South Africa
Member countries of WCPT mounted increasing political pressure on the South African Society of Physiotherapy (SASP) because of the apartheid policies held in the country “we are under fire from certain countries regarding accept able policies in this country - we will have to convince the international body that we as a society do not necessarily subscribe to those views”
Significant actions took place due to the change in legislation firstly, the formation of the professional board for physiotherapy and secondly, the eventual promulgation of the ethical rules allowing physiotherapists the free dom to practice without a patient referral from a medical practitioner
Summary
Interpretation is a cognitive process and a key difficulty in any research that attempts to identify cognitive processes is that they cannot be measured directly (Barr, 1998). The view adopted in this research is that the reports by the chairman of the professional association and the deci sions, in the form of motions, passed by the national council are most likely to closely relate to strategic action taken by the physiotherapy profession in South Africa. Whilst statements made by chairpersons in their report are con cerned with the past, the motions passed at the meetings are concerned with the future. These statements serve as an important forum in which interpre tations are articulated and they are a particularily rich source of causal' statements about the environment and professional strategic action. E conom ic re g u la to ry te ch n o lo g ic p o litica l s o cio /cu ltu rc 1 g ro w th co m p e titio n p o lic y custom ers suppliers
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