Expert versus novice use of the executive support systems: an empirical study

Expertise is essential in problem solving, particularly for executives. Much literature indicates that, in solving daily problems, executives may employ both analytical thinking and intuition. To develop skills and apply intuition, company executives require the use of support devices such as executive support systems (ESS), but their value may differ substantially between experts and novices.Previous research has failed to address the effects of expertise on ESS use. Therefore, this study examines how professionals use them to address business-oriented tasks. The professionals studied were divided into two groups, depending on whether they were experts or novices in the business represented by those tasks. The findings of the experiments show that computer self-efficacy strongly influenced the use of ESS. Moreover, experts felt that the ESS was of greater use when more powerful systems were employed, while the difference for novices between more and less powerful systems was insignificant. Finally, experts rated their user information satisfaction score significantly higher when employing more powerful systems. However, novices rated systems significantly higher only when they cognitively fit the performed task. Implications are discussed.     

Information flows amongst executives: their implications for systems development

Senior managers have tended to resist the incursion into their personal domain of computer systems meant for their use. Their main criticism is that technical solutions are being imposed on them without an adequate analysis of the problems at hand. This suggests that the way in which executives obtain and exchange information may not be adequately understood. With the help of a framework designed to identify top executives' networks of information flows, the study reported in this paper analysed the information practices of 16 executives from four organizations. The findings of the research indicated that executives use a combination of communication flows and information flows in a proportion which varies depending upon the context of their different activities. It also revealed that executives initiated information and communication flows of a different nature depending upon the role they play and the level of those with whom they deal within the organization. The results of the study suggest that very specific approaches are needed when identifying executives' needs in terms of developing systems aimed at supporting top managers' strategic activities.     

基于节点和信息特征的社会网络信息传播模型

随着在线社会网络的快速发展,越来越多的人开始利用微博或Twitter来传播信息或分享观点.研究社会网络中的信息传播规律对于意见领袖挖掘、舆情监控、品牌营销等有着重要意义.虽然有关社会网络中的信息传播模型已经得到广泛研究,但是影响网络中节点之间信息传播的因素有哪些,以及如何刻画信息传播过程,仍然是一个有待深入研究的重要内容.传统的传播模型及其扩展模型更多地从网络结构出发研究信息传播,很大程度上忽视了节点属性和信息内容的影响.从多个维度提取信息传播的特征,包括节点属性特征和信息内容特征,对节点间传播概率和传播延迟进行建模,提出一个细粒度的在线社会网络信息传播模型.利用随机梯度下降算法学习模型中的各个特征的权重.另外,针对模型的传播预测功能,在新浪微博真实数据集上进行了实验,结果表明,在预测准确率方面,所提出的模型要优于其他同类模型,如异步独立级联模型、NetRate模型.     

利用社交网络的影响力骨架探索信息传播

理解社交网络上的信息传播机制,通常包括对拓扑结构的分析和对用户行为的分析。由于社交网络上连边的强度具有异质性,只有一部分连边对于信息传播有实质作用,构成隐藏在社交网络中的影响力骨架。对影响力骨架的拓扑研究可帮助我们获得比直接研究社交网络拓扑结构更深入的认识。我们从连边正负性和个体节点角色分化入手,探讨了微观层面连边和节点在信息传播中的作用,进而从宏观层面分析信息传播所依赖的影响力骨架的连通性和扩散效率,发现信息传播具有一定程度的脆弱性,且其传播效率低于对社交网络本身研究的预期。     

Needed: Executive awareness of information resources

The authors argue that the development of international information markets requires a substantially heightened awareness on the part of executive decision makers of the characteristics of information and the potential of the information industry. They urge that the private and public sectors mount programs that will (1) educate executives in industry, government and academia on the value of scientific and technical information systems and services, (2) formulate strategies that view information and information systems as tradable commodities for national economic and diplomatic goals; and (3) develop marketing techniques for such commodities that take into account the social, economic and political environments of the clients. While these suggestions are aimed at the United States, they are believed to have an almost global relevance.     

智慧矿山信息可视化研究

目前智慧矿山信息可视化研究主要围绕三维虚拟场景搭建和真实场景监控展开,忽视了从管理人员关注点的角度进行有选择性的可视化展示。针对该问题,基于“四横三纵”的智慧矿山总体架构,采用ISVE(信息-认知主体-可视化展示-效果)可视化方式选择模型构建了智慧矿山可视化信息框架,将智慧矿山信息系统划分为工程数字化系统、综合自动化系统及管理信息化系统,基于面向服务对象的思想对各系统中的信息进行分类,并研究了各类信息的属性;提出以认知主体为中心选择信息可视化方式,根据煤矿企业各层级管理人员的信息关注点来选择合适的信息可视化方式,从而提高管理人员认知效率,促进煤矿企业信息化和智慧化发展。     

Information systems planning and the challenge of shifting priorities

Establishing and maintaining priorities for information systems (IS) development is a challenge that has made IS planning an enduring issue. During structured interviews, senior IS executives from 20 diverse organizations discussed reasons why it is difficult to establish and maintain priorities. The executives also discussed the ways they are attempting to overcome such problems. An analysis of the interviews provides IS practitioners with insight into the difficulty and some possible actions to deal with it.     

The effect of strategic alignment on the use of IS-based resources for competitive advantage

Persuasive evidence has described the strategic use of information resources in organizations. As a result, IS researchers have sought empirically to link that use to improved organizational performance. However, this alignment-performance relationship has been difficult to confirm.The current study contributes by distinguishing the alignment of the information systems plan with the business plan (ISP–BP) and the reciprocal alignment (BP–ISP). The study used 107 matched pairs of IS executives and other senior executives. Analysis showed that for IS executives both ISP–BP and BP–ISP alignment predicted the use of IS-based resources for competitive advantage. However, for other senior executives, only ISP–BP alignment predicted it. Study results suggest both groups of subjects share an understanding of the role of ISP–BP in creating competitive advantage from their information systems investments. However, the lack of a shared understanding of BP–ISP alignment may prevent organizations from achieving that advantage.     

The influence of information security on the adoption of web-based integrated information systems: an e-government study in Peru

This study analyzes the determinants of information security that influence the adoption of Web-based integrated information systems (IIS) by government agencies in Peru. The study introduces Web-based information systems designed to formulate strategic plans for the Peruvian government. A theoretical model is proposed to test the impact of organizational factors such as deterrent efforts, severity efforts, and preventive efforts and individual factors such as perceived information security threats and security awareness on intentions to use Web-based IIS. The empirical results indicate that deterrent efforts and deterrent severity have no significant influence on use intentions of IIS, whereas preventive efforts play an important role in such intentions. Information security awareness and perceived information security threats as individual factors have a significant effect on intentions to use the system. This suggests that organizations should implement preventive efforts by introducing various information security solutions, and improve information security awareness while reducing perceived information security threats.     

Mobile information systems — executives' view

The concepts of travelling executive and executives' mobile information system are first defined in this paper. The main findings are in the form of collected data and opinions concluded from our personal discussions with 49 executives in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Finland concerning the nature of the work of executives and the usage of information technology (IT) to support their work today. The near future expectations of the executives are also analysed, especially concerning the mobile use of IT services in order to construct executives' holistic view of mobile computing. The use of IT services was found to be very widespread. Big differences were found: some of the executives had clear positive attitudes for using several mobile IT services but many had not yet realized the potential advantages of these services. Many reasons, e.g. certain cultural differences, were found to explain differences in these four countries.     

Empirical study on continuance intentions towards E-Learning 2.0 systems

Although E-Learning 2.0 has played a significant role in training and development within the organisational environment, after an initial acceptance, its use is frequently discontinued. Prior studies offered insights into participation in E-Learning; however, there is limited research on continuance intention towards E-Learning 2.0 systems in organisational contexts. Furthermore, the most widely used research models, such as technology acceptance model (TAM), neglect the interactive social processes in E-Learning 2.0. Therefore, this study proposes a unified model integrating the TAM, the information system success model and social motivation theories to investigate continuance intentions towards E-Learning 2.0 in an organisational context. A sample of 284 participants from companies in China that have already implemented E-Learning 2.0 systems took part in this study. Structural equation modelling was conducted to test the research hypotheses. The results show that the unified model provides a more comprehensive understanding of the cognitive processes and behaviours related to this context: (1) perceived usefulness and attitude were critical to the continuance intention towards an E-Learning 2.0 system; (2) perceived usefulness was a significant mediator of the effects from perceived ease of use, information quality and social influence on continuance intention; (3) perceived ease of use, information quality and social influence were found to play important roles in predicting the continuance intention; (4) system quality played an important role in affecting the perceived ease of use; and (5) unexpectedly, social motivations had no significant effect on attitude.     

Information properties of the simplest feedback operator and certain conclusions

A study of the response to a random input signal of the simplest operator with constant transfer factor in a direct channel where there is negative feedback present is carried out. It is shown that feedback in the channel exerts a positive influence on the information properties of the output quantity. It is suggested that the results of the study can be recommended for the construction of reliable computations in future computers and other information systems.     

Liking Obama and Romney (on Facebook): An experimental evaluation of political engagement and efficacy during the 2012 general election

Existing research on the effect of social media use on political behavior has yielded mixed results to date, demonstrating the importance of research examining the effects of varying types of social media communication on political behavior. The experiment reported in this study provides valuable insights into the role of social media in elections. A longitudinal experiment was conducted to assess the effect Facebook use in the 2012 Presidential election had on political information efficacy, external efficacy, and political engagement. Results suggested that while political information efficacy and engagement increased over time, it was not related to following candidates on Facebook.     

Understanding the mechanism of social tie in the propagation process of social network with communication channel

The propagation of information in online social networks plays a critical role in modern life, and thus has been studied broadly. Researchers have proposed a series of propagation models, generally, which use a single transition probability or consider factors such as content and time to describe the way how a user activates her/his neighbors. However, the research on the mechanism how social ties between users play roles in propagation process is still limited. Specifically, comprehensive summary of factors which affect user’s decision whether to share neighbor’s content was lacked in existing works, so that the existing models failed to clearly describe the process a user be activated by a neighbor. To this end, in this paper, we analyze the close correspondence between social tie in propagation process and communication channel, thus we propose to exploit the communication channel to describe the information propagation process between users, and design a social tie channel (STC) model. The model can naturally incorporate many factors affecting the information propagation through edges such as content topic and user preference, and thus can effectively capture the user behavior and relationship characteristics which indicate the property of a social tie. Extensive experiments conducted on two real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our model on content sharing prediction between users.     

Erotetic Search Scenarios and Three-Valued Logic

Our aim is to model the behaviour of a cognitive agent trying to solve a complex problem by dividing it into sub-problems, but failing to solve some of these sub-problems. We use the powerful framework of erotetic search scenarios (ESS) combined with Kleene’s strong three-valued logic. ESS, defined on the grounds of Inferential Erotetic Logic, has appeared to be a useful logical tool for modelling cognitive goal-directed processes. Using the logical tools of ESS and the three-valued logic, we will show how an agent could solve the initial problem despite the fact that the sub-problems remain unsolved. Thus our model not only indicates missing information but also specifies the contexts in which the problem-solving process may end in success despite the lack of information. We will also show that this model of problem solving may find use in an analysis of natural language dialogues.     

数字水印信道分类及其信道容量分析

在数字水印理论模型研究过程中,将数字水印系统看作一种通信系统,将信道的概念引入数字水印系统,形成数字水印信道,通过对水印信道容量的研究来指导数字水印系统中嵌入算法及攻击算法的设计。基于带边信息的水印信道模型,根据水印编码方和水印译码方是否知道水印的边信息(即信道状态信息),该文将数字水印信道归纳为4类：编译码双方都不知道边信息的水印信道,仅编码方知道边信息的水印信道,编码方和译码双方都知道边信息的水印信道,仅译码方知道边信息的水印信道。对相应的水印信道容量进行了分类讨论,结果证明,这一类含水印强度因子的水印信道容量是水印强度因子的单调函数。     

My mom's on Facebook: an evaluation of information sharing depth in social networking

Information sharing in social networking sites (SNSs) provides users the opportunity to maintain relationships and express themselves. However, users share information with a heterogeneous audience with varied expectations. As a result, various social spheres may influence the information individuals share or their decision to share at all. The current research describes dimensions of information in terms of horizontal and vertical information sharing. Previous research has demonstrated the salience of social spheres with conflicting norms for SNS users. We build on previous research by exploring the effects of social spheres on the depth of information shared by SNS users. Students from a university in the USA and South Korea were interviewed to understand their perceptions of information sharing and the influence social spheres have on the depth of information they provide. We found that conflicting social spheres influence the depth of information provided when a user posts to their SNS and that impression management plays a key role.     

Internet-based information systems use in organizations: an information studies perspective

Abstract. This case study investigates various ways in which different internet-based information systems (IS) are used by organizational participants. Borrowing theoretical insights on information behaviour accumulated over 50 years of information studies research, a conceptual framework is presented to help understand and assess the social and organizational impacts of internet-based IS. The framework describes the use of internet-based IS as a dynamic cycle of information needs–seeking–use activity situated in the context of a firm's information environment. Research questions pertain to the process of how individuals in organizations seek and use information from internet-based IS to satisfy information needs. In terms of information needs, this involves understanding the problem situations that lead participants to use internet-based IS, as well as the characteristics of those problems beyond subject matter. With respect to information seeking, this involves analysing how information from internet-based systems is displayed and formatted to signal their potential usefulness. In terms of information use, this involves how information obtained from internet-based systems is used in practice to resolve or redefine problems. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods are used. Data collection involves web tracking to identify significant episodes of internet-based IS activity, as well as one-on-one interviews to explore the context behind these episodes. Results suggest that it is possible and valuable to identify scenarios of internet-based IS use dominant in an organizational work setting. Doing so can help to identify ways to improve the situated use of internet-based IS that ameliorate the information needs–seeking–use cycle in firms.     

Senior executives' use of information technology

There is a paucity of literature focusing on the ingredients for effective top management, i.e. senior executives, use of Information Technology (IT). In practice, many senior executives argue that they do not see a connection between what IT does and their tasks as executives. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), a research model was developed and tested to assess the factors that influence the use of IT by senior executives. A dedicated system supporting the task of a senior executive, an Executive Information System (EIS), was used as the IT tool under review. A large number of external variables were identified and hypothesized, influencing the core elements of TAM. To test the research model using structural equation modeling, cross-sectional data was gathered from eighty-seven senior executives drawn from twenty-one European-based multinationals. The results supported the core TAM and found only a small number of antecedent variables influencing actual use, either directly or indirectly. In addition to identifying the external factors, three of these key variables are under managerial control. They can be used to design organizational or managerial interventions that increase effective utilization of IT.     

基于信息偏好的影响最大化算法研究

实证研究表明,社会个体对于不同主题的信息有着不同的偏好,这对于社会网络中的信息传播过程起着非常重要的作用.影响最大化是社会网络信息传播领域中关于影响结点集挖掘的热点课题.它会从社会网络中寻找最具影响力的结点子集,以这些结点为目标进行影响传播时会获得最大的影响范围.以前关于影响最大化算法研究的大部分工作没有考虑社会个体的信息偏好,这大大降低了结果的准确性.为了提高影响最大化算法的效率和种子集的影响范围,提出一种基于信息偏好的2阶段启发式影响结点挖掘策略L_GAUP：第1阶段,基于网络中各结点对于信息主题的偏好程度,得到易感染结点网络;第2阶段,在易感染网络中,基于贪心策略进行影响结点的挖掘.实验中,在数据集douban上实现了L_GAUP,GAUP和CELF算法.实验结果表明,与基准算法GAUP相比,L_GAUP不仅在影响范围指标ISST和IS上有着更好的表现,在效率上也有大幅度的提高.