Good intuition or fear and uncertainty : the effects of bias on information systems selection decisions

IS selections decisions are traditionally viewed through a techno-rationalist lens; however, it is clear that numerous biases affect the decisions makers. In this paper, we have categorised common types of biases into four groups. Firstly, information biases distort information and how it is weighted. Secondly, congnitive biases are "games" decision makers play to simplify information processing. Thirdly, risk biases distort the way information is used in order to minimise risk. Finally, uncertainty biases act to reduce the uncertainty surrounding decisions. In this paper, we have developed a framwork for conceptualising how these biases interact and affect decisions. After introducing the framework, we use it to examine specific Information Systems acquisition decisions in two organisations. The first organisation is a not-for-profit Australian health and aged care group that purchased a Patient Management System. The second organisation is an Australian higher education institution that purchased an Enterprise Resource Planning system.The paper concludes that the framework is usefu l; however context has an important role in determining the effects of bias on decision outcomes