Enhancing intellectual processes

All these slightly different approaches to information and understanding relate to the relatively technical matters which are perceived to be at the core of problems. They are aimed at reducing UE (uncertainty pertaining to the decision-making environment) . We must now consider how the provision of information actually aids client processes, and also how ORers contribute in other ways to these processes.

An individual manager's experienced trauma can be reduced by information, if it was caused largely by ignorance of the object system, or UE. There are, however, other ways in which problem-helping consultants aim to effect improvement in clients' mental coping and decision-making processes. Most directly, a consultant may provide a "counselling" type of support to the client. Here the consultant aims to interact with the client's puzzled processes, and to 'prod' them into receiving, comprehending, classifying and evaluating data that is relevant to the decision processes. Whilst the OR profession is not traditionally noted for this kind of support, the ORers in this study were very aware that this is part of the contribution that they make to clients' decision processes. On practitioner commented that

"sometimes you just sit down and have a chat, and at the end you don't really do anything, you just chat generally about the problem, and help them to see it in a different light".

Another recounted similar experiences :

"just talking to them may make them feel happier. .. just take the problem off them, take responsibility for it, talk to them about it, boil the problem down

hold their problem while it's hot - relieve them of it, and then, between you, come to realise that it's not so bad".

In these situations, no new information is being provided by the operational researchers. Instead, they are enhancing clients' intellectual capabilities to formulate theories and proposals from information that is already available to them. In section 6.1, I discussed the ways in which clients' problem-handling efforts may be related to their ongoing management processes. Although client managers are continually involved in 'issue' handling, they may also benefit from extended periods of reflection. One OR practitioner described his contribution in these terms :

"When you've got somebody in a line position, being bombarded with information .., they haven't got the chance to sit back for the afternoon, put their feet up on the desk, and just generally think 'what are my objectives', .. do things like quick SWOT analysis,

.. just sit down and play all those games".

Problem-helping consultants, such as ORers, can aid their clients by 'taking time out' when their clients are unable to do so. This is a way of enhancing their is sue-handling capabilities.

The aim of enhancing clients' mental processes, so that they can formulate theories and proposals for action, is more commonly associated with other branches of consultancy. Cropper (1984, 1987) describes two common aims of "decision managers" as "to aid articulation, definition and clarification of the issues", and to generate understanding of the structure of decision processes. The latter type of help would equip the client to act more effectively in both what Radford (1987) calls the "strategic" and "tactical" phases of decision making. Churchill (1987) describes his aims in terms of "strengthening analytical skills" and "helping participants explore their own thoughts, values and feelings". Schein (1969) writes of "process consultation" as "a set of activities . . which help the client to perceive, understand

and act", whilst Bennis (1969) describes OD as being "intended to change the beliefs, attitudes, values and structure of organisations so that they can better adapt". All these approaches suggest that providing information about an object system is, at the most, only part of the overall process of decision aiding.

ORers in this study were aware that one way of reducing the trauma that surrounds a difficult decision situation is to assure the decision maker that 'someone else is dealing with it' . Many OR consultants, including some that were interviewed at length in this research, extol the virtues of their consulting approach by emphasising that they relieve

clients of the burden of their problems by taking responsibility for the problems "from formulation to completion".^ This is the role that Bryant (1989) and, in daring moments, other OR consultants call "Super-hero". Paradoxically, this role is one of service to the client whereas, following Eden (1987) , we can see that helping clients to finish with problems is associated with collaboration with the client so that his/her mental and emotional state can be properly discerned.

At this point, it is important to note that an ORer's contribution to the decision process, and in particular the information which he may proffer, may not help to relieve trauma, and may even heighten anxiety. ORers in this study made it clear that there are occasions when they ' impart understanding' about the object system which conflicts with clients' present beliefs. Their response in this situation is to look for "a compromise between what the client wants and what's best".