Fuzzy Clustering: Application on Organizational Metaphors in Brazilian Companies

Authors

  • Angel Cobo Universidad de Cantabria
  • Rocío Rocha Universidad de Cantabria
  • Adolfo Alberto Vanti Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos
  • Gustavo Schneider Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4301/s1807-17752012000200001

Keywords:

organizational images, soft clustering, data mining

Abstract

Different theories of organization and management are based on implicit images or metaphors. Nevertheless, a quantitative approach is needed to minimize human subjectivity or bias on metaphors studies. Hence, this paper analyzed the presence of metaphors and clustered them using fuzzy data mining techniques in a sample of 61 Brazilian companies that operate in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. For this purpose the results of a questionnaire answered by 198 employees of companies in the sample were analyzed by R free software. The results show that it is difficult to find a clear image in most organizations. In most cases characteristics of different images or metaphors are observed, so soft computing techniques are particularly appropriate for this type of analysis. However, according to these results, it is noted that the most present image in the organizations studied is that of “organisms” and the least present image is that of a “political system” and of an “instrument of domination”

Author Biographies

Angel Cobo, Universidad de Cantabria

Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science

Rocío Rocha, Universidad de Cantabria

Department of Business

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Published

2012-08-29

How to Cite

Cobo, A., Rocha, R., Vanti, A. A., & Schneider, G. (2012). Fuzzy Clustering: Application on Organizational Metaphors in Brazilian Companies. Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management, 9(2), 197–212. https://doi.org/10.4301/s1807-17752012000200001

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 2 (2012)

Section

Articles

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