User involvement in organisational decision making

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Abstract
Aims to make critical comment on the role of expert consultants and the contribution of communication in organisational decision making, through reference to theory and case studies. The three case studies analyse factors in decision making processes at different stages and relating to different aspects of facilities management, including re‐planning, relocation and development in IT use. Although there are clear differences in the organisations and the foci of the projects, the issues of expert intervention and the nature of communication cross cut the different cases. Through reflection on three iterations of expert intervention, the basic model of power/knowledge/communications is criticised and developed in such a way as to redistribute responsibilities and power, and hence to encourage knowledge‐focused communication. The emergent model is not one which will be comfortably accepted by all the parties, since it challenges the mystique of the expert as provider of knowledge inputs, the role of the manager as holder of power, and the user as being devoid of responsibility.