Abstract
Attention is a term commonly used in education, psychiatry, and psychology. Attention can be defined as an internal cognitive process by which one actively selects environmental information (i.e., sensation) or actively processes information from internal sources (i.e., stored memories and thoughts; Sternberg, 1996). In more general terms, attention can be defined as an ability to focus and maintain interest in a given task or idea, including managing distractions. Attention is selective by its nature. According to Pashler (1998, p. 37), “The process of selecting from among the many potentially available stimuli is the clearest manifestation of selective attention.”
Key Terms in this Chapter
Bounded Rationality: According to Simon (1947) , the limited attentional capability of humans resulting in their bounded capacity to be rational.
Capacity: The amount of stimuli that can be noticed and processed in a given time period. The number of concurrent issues that can be processed by a decision maker.
Attention Deficit Principle: Recognizes that organizations have limited attention capacity and attention should be treated as a resources that needs to be managed.
Awareness: A stage in the knowledge management cycle in which a decision maker is made aware of potential application of organizational memory to a current issue.
Absorptive capacity: The ability of an organization to recognize the value of new knowledge, assimilate it, and apply it to commercial ends.