Diversity, Not Randomness, Trumps Ability.

A number of formal models, including a highly influential model from Hong and Page, purport to show that functionally diverse groups often beat groups of individually high-performing agents in solving problems. Thompson argues that in Hong and Page's model, that the diverse groups are created by a r...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Philosophy of Science Vol. 86; no. 1; pp. 178 - 192
Autor principal: Singer, Daniel J.
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Cambridge University Press Jan2019
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:A number of formal models, including a highly influential model from Hong and Page, purport to show that functionally diverse groups often beat groups of individually high-performing agents in solving problems. Thompson argues that in Hong and Page's model, that the diverse groups are created by a random process explains their success, not the diversity. Here, I defend the diversity interpretation of the Hong and Page result. The failure of Thompson's argument shows that to understand the value of functional diversity, we should be clearer about how we conceive of and measure that diversity.