CBR-DSS and Validation

Abstract

This chapter provides details on how the study, its validation, the CBR-logic and the CBR-DSS’s efficacy in terms of accuracy and usefulness was undertaken. The copious factors of consideration set at the research’s initial stages had been trimmed by selections from the Content Analysis and Statistical Analysis. Three supplementary factors – (i) the number of staff; (ii) embedded-ness of the firm; and (iii) isomorphism (mimetic, institutional and coercive) of firms were added to make up a more manageable list of 20 significant determinants (which would affect the strategic choice of an organization design) to be inputted into the CBR-DSS. The characteristics of the firms were summarized, tabled, and then used to establish the relationships between the independent variables (determinants) and the dependent variables (strategic choices of organization design). The weights of factors were derived through a re-run of the Content Analysis, using co-occurrences between key factors (with their related phrases and words) to determine the levels of significances (and thus the weights) to be allocated. The steps taken for the validation exercise is illustrated below in Fig. 11.1.