In-Basket Exercises as a Methodology for Studying Information Processing

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.

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