In-basket exercises have the potential to be an important research tool for examing how managers allocate attention and respond to information in their environment. This article describes the in-basket methodology outlines various issues in organizational information processing and decision making to which this methodology might be applicable, and discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages of using in-baskets to examine information processing in a simulated organizational context.
Aldag, R.
, & Storey, R. (1979, August). Perceived environmental uncertainty: Measurement and correlates. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management, Atlanta, GA.
2.
Andes, J.
(1977). In-basket simulation: Conceptual framework, scoring, and analysis. Simulation & Games, 8, 505-513.
3.
Bender, J.
(1973). What is typical of assessment centers. Personnel, 50(4), 50-57.
4.
Berkowitz, L.
, & Donnerstein, E. (1982). External validity is more than skin deep. American Psychologist, 37, 245-257.
5.
Brass, D.
, & Oldham, G. (1976). Validating an in-basket using an alternative set of leadership scoring dimensions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 61, 652-657.
6.
Cowan, D.
(1985). Empirical development of a theoretical model of the problem recognition process. In Proceedings: National Academy of Management Meetings, San Diego.
7.
Cowan, D.
(1986). Developing a process model of problem recognition. Academy of Management Review, 11, 763-776.
8.
Daft, R.
, & Weick, K. (1984). Toward a model of organizations as interpretation systems. Academy of Management Review, 9, 284-295.
9.
Dobbins, G.
, Lane, J., & Steiner, D. (1988). A note on the role of laboratory methodologies in applied behavioral research: Don't throw out the baby with the bath water. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 9, 281-286.
10.
Downey, H.
, Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. (1977). Individual characteristics as sources of perceived uncertainty variation. Human Relations, 30, 161-174.
11.
Dutton, J.
, & Jackson, S. (1987). Categorizing strategic issues: Links to organizational action. Academy of Management Review, 12, 76-90.
12.
Dutton, J.
, Stumpf, S., & Wagner, D. (1990). Diagnosing strategic issues and the investment of resources. In R. Lamb & P. Shrivastava (Eds.), Advances in strategic management (pp. 143-167). Greenwich, CT: JAI.
13.
Einhorn, H.
, & Hogarth, R. (1981). Behavioral decision theory: Processes of judgment and choice. Annual Review of Psychology, 32, 53-88.
14.
Fredericksen, N.
, Saunders, D., & Wand, B. (1957). The in-basket test. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied. 71, 1-28.
15.
Gibson, G.
(1961). A new dimension for "in-basket" training. Personnel, 38(4), 76-79.
16.
Gill, R.
(1979). The in-tray (in-basket) exercise as a measure of management potential. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 52, 185-197.
17.
Gorman, D.
, Clover, W., & Doherty, M. (1978). Can we learn anything about interviewing real people from "interviews" of paper people? Two studies of the external validity of a paradigm. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 22, 165-192.
18.
Kesselman, G.
, Lopez, F. M., & Lopez, F. E. (1982). The development and validation of a self-report scored in-basket test in an assessment center. Public Personnel Management Journal, 2, 228-238.
19.
Kiesler, S.
, & Sproull, L. (1982). Managerial responses to changing environments: Perspective on problem sensing from social cognition. Administrative Science Quarterly, 27, 548-570.
20.
Kruglanski, A.
(1975). The human subject in the psychology experiment: Fact and artifact. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 8, pp. 101-147). New York: Academic Press.
21.
Larkey, P.
, & Sproull, L. (1984). Introduction. In L. S. Sproull & P. D. Larkey (Eds.), Advances in information processing in organizations (pp. 1-8). Greenwich, CT.: JAI.
22.
Lopez, F. M.
(1966). Evaluating executive decision making: The in-basket technique. New York: American Management Association.
23.
Lyles, M.
(in press). Defining strategic problems: Subjective criteria of executives. Journal of Organization Studies.
24.
MacCrimmon, K.
, & Wehrung, D. (1984). The risk in-basket. Journal of Business, 57, 367-387.
25.
McGrath, J.
(1979). Toward a "theory of method" for research on organization. In R. Mowday & R. Steers (Eds.), Research in organizations: Issues and controversies, (pp. 4-21). Santa Monica, CA: Goodyear.
26.
Meyer, H.
(1970). The validity of the in-basket test as a measure of managerial performance. Personnel Psychology, 23, 297-307.
27.
Miller, D.
, Kets de Vries, M., & Toulouse, J. (1982). Top executive locus of control and its relationship to strategy-making, structure and environment. Academy of Management Journal, 25, 237-253.
28.
Milliken, F.
, & Dukerich, J. (1990). Insights into issue interpretation: The effect of issue characteristics on judgments of importance and information search. Working paper, New York University.
29.
Mintzberg, H.
(1973). The nature of managerial work. New York: Harper & Row.
30.
Mintzberg, H.
, Raisinghani, D., & Theoret, A. (1976). The structure of unstructured decision processes. Administrative Science Quarterly, 21, 246-275.
31.
Nees, D.
(1983). A complementary method for research on strategic decision-making processes. Strategic Management Journal, 4, 175-185.
32.
Newell, A.
, & Simon, H. (1972). Human problem solving. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
33.
Nisbett, R.
, & Ross, L. (1980). Human inference: Strategies and shortcomings of social judgment. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
34.
Nisbett, R.
, & Wilson, T. (1977). Telling more than we can know: Verbal reports on mental processes. Psychological Review, 84, 231-259.
35.
Simon, H.
(1957). Models of man. New York: Wiley.
36.
Sproull, L.
(1984). The nature of managerial attention. In L. S. Sproull & P. D. Larkey (Eds.), Advances in information processing in organizations (pp. 9-27). Greenwich, CT: JAI.
37.
Walsh, J.
(in press). Selectivity and selective perception: An investigation of managers' belief structures and information processing. Academy of Management Journal.
38.
Weick, K.
(1979). The social psychology of organizing. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
39.
Whetton, D.
, & Cameron, K. (1984). Developing management skills. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.