This research studies the concept of responsiveness in management tools to improve the match between a management tool and managers using it. This research first operationalizes the concept of responsiveness. The concept involves two components: a management tool and managers using it. Responsiveness is a property of the tool for matching the varying and evolving needs of the managers. It requires certain capabilities of the tool: functionality, user interface capability, and adaptivity. Responsiveness implies a certain process: observe and understand the manager, and interpret and implement his or her needs.
This study combines the concept with artificial intelligence technology and introduces the responsive system. A responsive system mainly consists of three parts: the application program, the user interface, and the responsive layer. The responsive layer is the core of a responsive system, employing the blackboard architecture and performing the responsiveness process.
next to an author's name indicates that all files or directories associated with their ETD are accessible from the Virginia Tech campus network only.
![[VT]](http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/images/ETD-db/restricted.gif)
