Abstract
This paper discusses a number of factors influencing the way that science and technology information is requested, framed, transmitted and interpreted when the chips are down and the situation risky. Our research on the use of science and technology (S&T) information in policy analysis draws on research studies of three groups: (1) scientists, whose information-gathering has been well studied; (2) government officials; and (3) corporate managers. While S&T information search by technical professionals centers on efficiency, using informal gatekeepers or information stars, the other two groups do not focus primarily on S&T issues and would be expected to exhibit more idiosyncratic patterns of search. Government officials have policy analysis groups, expert panels, technical staffs, and personal contacts to draw on. Corporate executives have comparable staff personnel and groups and personal contacts to utilize. Yet both may be unable to use the best sources because of adversarial roles, procedural constraints, and cultural barriers. Detailed current S&T knowledge tends to reside at a much lower organizational level than decision making, and a number of mediating steps pass it through legal, political and technological filters before it reaches the decision makers. These filters may create problems which are accentuated when the problem is a nonroutine one, such as toxic shock, ice minus, or even Chernobyl.
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McLaughlin, C., Kathuria, N., Zmud, R., Lynn, F. (1990). Scientific and Technological Inputs to Nonroutine Decision Making by Three Groups: Scientists Government Officials, Corporate Managers. In: Cox, L.A., Ricci, P.F. (eds) New Risks: Issues and Management. Advances in Risk Analysis, vol 6. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0759-2_29
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0759-2_29
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