Modeling and Simulating Patterns of
Knowledge Sharing
in Small Teams of Emergency
Responders
Bruce Neubauer
Albany State University
Rong Yang
Western Kentucky University
Knowledge management is not
emphasized in most MPA curriculums.

Information management . . .



Aggregation of data into information as needed in
context
Emphasis on COMPUTER NETWORKS
Knowledge management . . .


Getting right knowledge into the right minds at the
right times.
Emphasis on SOCIAL NETWORKS
Two extreme and poor strategies for
knowledge management.
Bounded rationality is the problem;
Design is the solution.

Dr. Herbert Simon
Challenge: To help MPA students visualize
the design of cognitive social networks
and understand the design tradeoffs.

We propose the use of Rockwell Arena
software to produce animations to help
students “see” the consequences of their
knowledge management design decisions.
Small team of emergency first
responders . . .
Parameters that students can set . . .
Sample simulation outcome . . .
Design question . . .

At what point and under what conditions does
the increasingly density of communications
network connections result in so much
cognitive overload within the system that the
throughput stops increasing and begins to
decline?
Live demonstration now followed by
questions and discussion.