Title: Analysis and intuition in technological choice: the lessons of Taurus

Authors: Helga Drummond

Addresses: Institute of Public Administration and Management, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK

Abstract: Computation and analysis play a pivotal role in technological choice. Conversely, intuition is usually regarded as irrational, that is, unreliable and synonymous with decision error. The present study highlights the limits of this assumption with reference to a case study. The case concerns a decision by the London Stock Exchange to utilise a software package known as Vista to drive an IT system known as Taurus. The choice of technology was subsequently identified as a major reason for the project|s collapse. The present study suggests that if the decision-makers had trusted their intuition, much waste could have been avoided.

Keywords: escalation; decision making; Taurus; intuition; social-constructionism.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1999.002723

International Journal of Technology Management, 1999 Vol.17 No.4, pp.459-466

Published online: 05 Jul 2003 *

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