20
Mental Models Theory
Mental models are simplified knowledge structures, or cognitive representations, that people use to make sense of and interact with the world around them (Gentner & Stevens, 1983; Johnson-Laird, 1983). The theory of mental models examines how managers use mental models to influence their decision making and strategic choices in order to accomplish organizational mission, strategies, and goals. The theory assumes that those organizations that are better able to construct and use accurate mental models of their business environment will be more successful than organizations that are not able to do so. The theory also assumes that managers who have both a fuller and more accurate understanding of their organization’s capabilities ...