Graduation Year

2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

D.B.A.

Degree Granting Department

Business Administration

Major Professor

Anand Kumar, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Paul Spector, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Moez Limayem, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Richard Plank, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Richard Will, Ph.D.

Keywords

ACE, Error Management Culture, Inattentional Blindness

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Cognitive Awareness training on transaction processing accuracy rates within the US Financial Services Industry. Grounded in the theories of Inattentional Blindness and Error Management Culture, this paper supports and extends both theories through the development of a new theoretical construct. The ACE Construct is a novel approach that combines cognitive science, organizational development, and operational efficiency practices into a single approach designed to improve transaction processing accuracy. The study involved the design and implementation of a novel training program, with performance data observations sampled over seven months, to evaluate the impact of Cognitive Awareness training on accuracy.

The researcher was able to partner with a global financial services firm to conduct experiments within three of their US based locations. It involved over 150 agents as they processed live-client transactions requests in real time. The similarities between agent populations, training practices, systems and procedures, and work types, allowed for analysis and interpretation of independent variables related to gender, proficiency/experience of the agent, and location.

As expected, analysis of pre-treatment conditions suggest that accuracy is largely dependent on experience. Analysis of post-treatment accuracy results favor improvement in both accuracy measures and organization climate and culture dynamics as a result of Cognitive Awareness Training. Statistically significant improvements to both accuracy and organizational climate, related to type of Cognitive Awareness treatment introduced, and tenure, were discovered in the agent populations who were present during the entirety of the study.

However, there was an absence of statistical support for a direct relationship between Cognitive Awareness Training as an independent variable and accuracy improvement. Furthermore, I was unable to detect a correlation between improvements in Error Management Culture and transaction processing accuracy.

The results suggest the possibility of positive effects on transaction processing accuracy in practice, and open the door for continued research in this field.

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