Task Effects on Decision Quality in Traveling Salesperson Problems

Article Abstract:

Theories pertaining to information processing are tested with a time allocation problem for a traveling sales person. Impact on the decision quality due to different degrees of congruence of information type and processing demands, as well as processing load expansion, is investigated. Task changes were found to affect decision quality in anticipated ways. Given these situations, subjects' intuition did not provide them with an accurate sense of their performance. Sales performance is highly impacted by the allocation of time between travelling and calling on accounts, as well as the time spent per account. A laboratory simulation of salesmen's allocation of time is developed using the same structure of the Call Plan model, which involves sales territories with geographically scheduled accounts. One study conducted on the simulation was a completely random single-factor design using college business students, and another tested three situations affecting decisions with regression analysis. Graphs and tables of research data are featured.

Methods, Performance, Time management, Selling

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The Influence of Own and Other Outcome on Satisfaction and Choice of Task Difficulty

Article Abstract:

Theories regarding the links of task level difficulties selected by sequential task workers, success anticipation, comparative outcomes, and income satisfaction are promulgated. Multiple regression analysis is employed to investigate six trials of pair experiments. Selection difficulty of trials was previewed by subjects' outcome scores and satisfaction with previous trials. The role of outcome evaluation was of significance in mediation. Findings are in accord with former research pointing toward the dependency of assessment on social comparison processes. The slope of the trend toward more difficulty in tasks is closely linked to the initial level of the task selected. Graphs of trial and difficulty data are included.

Evaluation, Human behavior, Work measurement, Job satisfaction

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The Role of Task Properties in Determining the Relative Effectiveness of Multiattribute Weighting Techniques

Article Abstract:

Any weighting technique would be more effective with a smaller number of attributes because of lessened information processing requirements. Experiment focusing on the accuracy of the weights assigned to attributes by individuals and groups confirmed this. The objective of this study is to explore whether certain task properties can affect the relative effectiveness of different weighting and discussion techniques.

Study and teaching, Information storage and retrieval systems

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