MAPPING STRATEGIC THINKING WITH METRIC CONJOINT ANALYSIS

Behavioral scientists have long sought to capture how individuals’ understandings, perceptions and beliefs affect their decisions, often through examining the underlying cognitive processes that drive action (Schendel & Hofer, 1979). Economists, for example, are interested in how individuals’ utility functions influence their actions. Marketing researchers investigate how consumers’ preferences are reflected in their purchase behaviors. Organization researchers examine individual characteristics that influence outcomes such as job satisfaction, promotion, and turnover (Aiman-Smith et al., 2002).