Pragmatic considerations for effective knowledge acquisition: the case of business expert systems

Current knowledge acquisition practices place undue restrictions on the issues placed under consideration when they are applied in an organisational context. This paper reviews a number of such techniques and explores their limitations for many ‘real world’ business problems. Managerial and administrative problem solving, in particular, predicate a less obtrusive and more interpretive methodology of knowledge acquisition. This needs to be established around realistic objectives that are compatible with business strategy and managerial requirements. This paper argues that the future for knowledge acquisition therefore lies in a shift of focus from narrow conceptions of technique, structure and mode to a broader understanding of what contributes to the effectiveness of business expert systems.