3,107 research outputs found
What Can We Say about Information? Agreeing a Narrative
The nature of information remains contested. This paper proposes a set of principles for a narrative of information, and explores the consequences of taking these principles as normative in the present rhetoric of the information society
Information Theoryâs failure in neuroscience: on the limitations of cybernetics
In Cybernetics (1961 Edition), Professor Norbert Wiener noted that âThe role of information and the technique of measuring and transmitting information constitute a whole discipline for the engineer, for the neuroscientist, for the psychologist, and for the sociologistâ. Sociology aside, the neuroscientists and the psychologists inferred âinformation transmittedâ using the discrete summations from Shannon Information Theory. The present author has since scrutinized the psychologistsâ approach in depth, and found it wrong. The neuroscientistsâ approach is highly related, but remains unexamined. Neuroscientists quantified âthe ability of [physiological sensory] receptors (or other signal-processing elements) to transmit information about stimulus parametersâ. Such parameters could vary along a single continuum (e.g., intensity), or along multiple dimensions that altogether provide a Gestalt â such as a face. Here, unprecedented scrutiny is given to how 23 neuroscience papers computed âinformation transmittedâ in terms of stimulus parameters and the evoked neuronal spikes. The computations relied upon Shannonâs âconfusion matrixâ, which quantifies the fidelity of a âgeneral communication systemâ. Shannonâs matrix is square, with the same labels for columns and for rows. Nonetheless, neuroscientists labelled the columns by âstimulus categoryâ and the rows by âspike-count categoryâ. The resulting âinformation transmittedâ is spurious, unless the evoked spike-counts are worked backwards to infer the hypothetical evoking stimuli. The latter task is probabilistic and, regardless, requires that the confusion matrix be square. Was it? For these 23 significant papers, the answer is No
Complexity and Action: Reflections on Decision Making and Cybernetics.
This paper highlights some theoretical and epistemological reflections about the relevance of action for managerial studies. These reflections show how the cybernetic paradigm of complexity management can be used for better decision making that unites knowledge and action in a comprising, dynamic, and evolving approach. Cybernetics can help to overcome the fear of decision making in the face of uncertainty in complex scenarios, and can be an effective tool for improving the viability and competitiveness of firms in the twenty-first century
Investigating e-business practices in tourism :a comparative analysis of three countries
This study examined the behaviour of tourist companies in relation to the adoption of e-business technologies and applications. The study aimed to identify groups of companies with homogenous behaviour among three European countries (Greece, Portugal and Norway). Based on data from a European survey, the study employed two-step cluster analysis which revealed 14 clusters of common behaviour (five clusters in Greece, five in Portugal and four in Norway). These clusters were named as: Leadersâ âTechnology Expertsâ, âFast Adoptersâ âBeginnersâ, âLate Adoptersâ. In Norway, the group âLate Adoptersâ also included companies characterised as âBeginnersâ in the other two countries. We suggest further investigation among European countries in order to reveal more groups of similar behaviour toward e-business adoption
MER Model of Integral Management: Culture as Enterpriseâs Key Success Factor
Enterprise culture is judged by many acknowledged scientists and researchers now as a major determinant of any enterpriseâs success. The present article shows the research cognitions on the impact of enterprise culture to the success of the enterprises observed.
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Communicating about systems and complexity:from contingency to praxis
The chapter is part of a special Gedenkschrift publication honoring the work of Professsor Brenda Zimmerman in the field of complexity thinking. The term, Gedenkschrift, borrowed from German, can be translated as celebration publication. It is a memorial publication honoring a respected person, especially an academic, created and presented posthumously.
The tribute tracks the influence of Brenda's work in formulating the heuristic developed by the author for teaching systems thinking in practice (STiP) as part of the postgraduate programme on STiP at the Open University
Modelling and optimizing multiple attribute decisions by using fuzzy sets
The purpose of this paper is to present a coherent perspective of modeling and optimizing multiple attribute decisions by using fuzzy sets. In management practice we face most of the time the situation in which a problem have several possible solutions and each solution can be analyzed using multiple criteria models. In the same time, in real life decision making process there is a given level of uncertainty which makes difficult a clear cut analytical analysis. The object of this article is to build a model approach for making multiple criteria decision using fuzzy sets of objects. Elaborating multiple attribute decisions involves performing an assessment and selecting from a given and finite set of possible alternative courses of action in the presence of a given and finite, and usually conflicting set of attributes and criteria.decision making, fuzzy sets, modeling, multiple criteria optimization.
Homunculus strides again: why âinformation transmittedâ in neuroscience tells us nothing
Purpose â For half a century, neuroscientists have used Shannon Information Theory to calculate âinformation transmitted,â a hypothetical measure of how well neurons âdiscriminateâ amongst stimuli. Neuroscientistsâ computations, however, fail to meet even the technical requirements for credibility. Ultimately, the reasons must be conceptual. That conclusion is confirmed here, with crucial implications for neuroscience. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach â Shannon Information Theory depends upon a physical model, Shannonâs âgeneral communication system.â Neuroscientistsâ interpretation of that model is scrutinized here.
Findings â In Shannonâs system, a recipient receives a message composed of symbols. The symbols received, the symbols sent, and their hypothetical occurrence probabilities altogether allow calculation of âinformation transmitted.â Significantly, Shannonâs systemâs âreceptionâ (decoding) side physically mirrors its âtransmissionâ (encoding) side. However, neurons lack the âreceptionâ side; neuroscientists nonetheless insisted that decoding must happen. They turned to Homunculus, an internal humanoid who infers stimuli from neuronal firing. However, Homunculus must contain a Homunculus, and so on ad infinitum â unless it is super-human. But any need for Homunculi, as in âtheories of consciousness,â is obviated if consciousness proves to be âemergent.â
Research limitations/implications â Neuroscientistsâ âinformation transmittedâ indicates, at best, how well neuroscientists themselves can use neuronal firing to discriminate amongst the stimuli given to the research animal.
Originality/value â A long-overdue examination unmasks a hidden element in neuroscientistsâ use of Shannon Information Theory, namely, Homunculus. Almost 50 yearsâ worth of computations are recognized as irrelevant, mandating fresh approaches to understanding âdiscriminability.
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