Knowledge sharing using IT service management tools: conflicting discourses and incompatible practices

ICT applications that include functionality for knowledge sharing are routinely used by IT service providers even though their implementation is known to be problematic and the reasons for such problems not well understood. To shed light on the issue, we collected data at two organisations where managers had provided IT service support workers with IT service management (ITSM) tools incorporating functionality for knowledge sharing. Using critical discourse analysis and rhetorical analysis techniques, we contrasted primary data representative of IT service support practice with other primary and publicly available secondary data reflecting the prevailing discourse of IT service managers. Through this analysis, we identify an apparent dissonance between ITSM managerial and worker discourses that reflect opposing epistemologies. Managers are optimistic about the benefits of ICT‐based knowledge sharing, whereas the practice of workers is revealed to privilege self‐reliance and interpersonal knowledge sharing. By taking a dual, management–worker, perspective, we provide fresh insight into why ICT‐based knowledge sharing is problematic. As a theoretical contribution, we propose that dysfunctional intra‐organisational conflict can arise where incompatible management and worker practices become institutionalised through the simultaneous diffusion of conflicting discourses.     

Acceptance of Corporate Blogs for Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing

ABSTRACT

This study investigates employees’ acceptance of corporate Web 2.0 applications for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Results show that altruism, managerial support, and perceived usefulness are good predictors of the intention to use corporate blogs as tools for collaboration and knowledge sharing. The study further explores differences between employees from companies with low and high adoption rates, and uses prediction-oriented segmentation to unveil two different paths to adoption of Web 2.0 collaborative tools in companies.     

基于科研知识图谱的近年国内外自动化学科发展综述

现今,以自动控制和信息处理为核心的自动化技术已经成为推动生产力发展、改善人类生活以及促进社会前进的源动力之一.全面了解自动化学科的最新发展态势,对本领域科研部门、科研人员进行工作的规划与实施有着重要的参考价值,本文以2011年～2013年期间88种期刊的46242篇文章作为数据基础,采用文献计量学、社会网络分析等方法进行数据解析,通过知识图谱定量描绘出本领域5个方向(控制理论与控制工程、模式识别与智能系统、系统工程、检测技术与自动化装置、导航、制导与控制)的最新研究态势.结果表明,本领域国内研究热点与国际研究热点各有侧重,国内机构在国际研究中的地位逐步提高,特别地,华人群体在本领域的研究中起到重要的推动作用.     

辽宁省(大连)建设全国IT教育基地的思路和对策

大连是中国软件与服务外包的中心城市,坚持以政府推动、市场主导为原则,以国际化和提高自主创新能力为方向,以人才培养、引进为核心,大力开拓以ITO、BPO为代表的服务外包业务。本文从分析大连IT教育现状入手,剖析了目前存在的问题,最后提出了建设全国IT教育基地的思路和对策。     

Requirement-driven Architecture for Learning Analytics: The Case of AT41 Project

Digital technologies are becoming present and essential in all sectors of our lives. In education, the intensive usage of digital learning devices contributes to generating a large amount of trace data from digital learning activities. Intelligent exploitation of these traces represents a valuable asset for both device producers (to improve the design of the devices) and consumers (learners and teachers). In this paper, we first share our vision for better exploitation by teachers, of traces from middle schoolers' digital activities generated by their use of tools and digital learning services during different classes. This vision is a part of the AT41 project funded by the French Ministry of Education. This exploitation has to meet the requirements of the different teachers. Conducting such a project is not an easy task, because it has to consider the following issues: the lack of comprehensive and clear methodology to design and exploit these traces; ②heterogeneity of teacher requirements that complicates their elicitation and analysis; ③the diversity of trace sources. Secondly, we propose a requirement-driven architecture for Learning Analytics composed of a well-identified life cycle. This architecture is augmented by learner traces. It offers a repository storing both teacher requirements and traces to facilitate the Learning Analytics in generating relevant and valuable indicators.     

Risks to Effective Knowledge Sharing in Agile Software Teams: A Model for Assessing and Mitigating Risks

We present an empirically grounded and theoretically informed model for the assessment and mitigation of risks to effective knowledge sharing in agile development. The model is anchored in empirical insights from four agile projects across two software companies and in extant research on risk‐strategy analysis and knowledge sharing in software development. We develop the model as part of the long‐standing tradition of presenting risk management models dedicated to specific issues in software development and confirm its practical usefulness in one of the software companies studied. The model offers concepts and processes to assess a project's knowledge sharing risk profile and articulate an overall resolution strategy plan to mitigate the risks. The results highlight how different knowledge sharing risk management profiles can lead to different project performance outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of research opportunities that the results offer software development scholarship. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

面向知识分享的数字资源版权保护开放模型研究

互联网环境下分享已经成为一种新的趋势,而高校中的知识分享是目前普遍关注的热点问题,随之而来对于数字资源的版权保护面临着更多的挑战。本文以高校为例,从高校的实际情况出发,分析现有的数字资源版权保护模式的实现方式及其存在的问题,并从格式、环节和权限三个方面分别对其进行讨论,提出版权保护模型。     

Tacit knowledge sharing in IT R&D teams: Nonlinear evolutionary theoretical perspective

Tacit knowledge sharing influences the performance of IT R&D teams. However, information regarding the mechanism of tacit knowledge sharing is limited. Accordingly, we develop a nonlinear dynamic model to explore the influence of structural changes on tacit knowledge sharing behavior in an IT R&D team, particularly in response to gradual changes in payoff structures. The following results were observed：(1) Certain situations and a traditional correlation analysis confirmed that the current contradictions in the influence of reward systems on knowledge sharing behavior are unified. (2) Under special conditions, the influences of several critical factors (e.g., reciprocity, penalty of social reputation, and supervising mechanism) lose efficacy. As an alternative, managers can only enhance the reward system or reduce sharing cost. The effectiveness of knowledge sharing substantially improves only once it reaches certain critical thresholds. (3) During a catastrophe, a team’s behavior may become immune to the deterioration of payoff structures. However, sudden jumps (i.e., from sharing to hiding knowledge) may occur when another threshold is reached. In summary, once team members experience a sudden jump, retrieving the previous cooperative status becomes difficult.     

Strategic dependence on the IT resource and outsourcing: A test of the strategic control model

Using resource dependency theory (RDT), this research analyzes how organizations control their information technology resources to improve organizational performance. According to RDT, organizations must manage their dependency on external organizations and limit external dependencies when resources are considered critical. The current study proposes and tests a portion of a Strategic Control Model positing that managers seek to control important, strategic resources in order to create value for the firm and to avoid dependency on external entities. Utilizing a research design that captured extensive quantitative data on the control of IT functions and services, the research team gathered 5 years of data on 54 business units (BUs) in 27 global companies located in seven countries. Study examined the linkages of these 54 BUs to firm performance. Locating the Extent of Control within the firm in cases where the firm depends on IT as a strategic resource proves to be a good explanation for effective decisions leading to higher performance. Viewing IT as a strategic resource alone does not lead to positive business unit outcomes, but the moderating influence of Extent of Control is found to establish the complex statistical relationship with business unit performance. For these reasons, it is critical that a theoretically grounded firm-wide process for decisions on locating IT control is in place to capture business value.

Knowledge transfer in IT offshoring relationships: the roles of social capital,efficacy and outcome expectations

Information technology (IT) development in global organisations relies heavily on the transfer of tacit and complex knowledge from onshore units to offshore subsidiaries. A central concern of such organisations is the development of social capital, which is known to facilitate the smooth transfer of knowledge. However, only a few studies in IS research have explicitly examined the role of social capital for knowledge transfer in an IT offshoring context. In this paper, we argue that such knowledge transfer mechanisms can be understood better by considering social capital in concert with knowledge senders' efficacy and outcome expectations, two of the potentially key motivational drivers of knowledge transfer. We develop our arguments through a qualitative case study of a large German multinational company. German IT developers in this firm provided in‐depth accounts of their experience with offshore colleagues in an Indian captive subsidiary unit. Drawing on our analysis, we develop a model that depicts the influence of social capital, efficacy and outcome expectations on onshore IT developers' ability and willingness to transfer knowledge to offshore colleagues. Through the model, we also explain how social capital, efficacy and outcome expectations are interrelated and generate three interlocked, self‐reinforcing circles of knowledge transfer success in IT offshoring relationships.     

Business analytics maturity of firms: an examination of the relationships between managerial perception of IT,business analytics maturity and success

This study develops a measure for business analytics (BA) maturity and empirically examines the relationships between managerial perception of IT, BA maturity and BA success. The findings suggest that (1) BA maturity can be measured via BA integration & management support, process-level benefits of BA and technology & data analytics capabilities, (2) BA maturity positively affects organizations’ overall BA success, and (3) managerial perception of IT positively influence organizations’ achievement of BA maturity.     

Integration by communication: knowledge exchange in global outsourcing of product software development

Global outsourcing is a growing trend among independent software vendors. In these projects like other distributed work, distances have negative effects on communication and coordination, directly impacting performance. We present a normative model designed to address this issue by improving communication and knowledge exchange. The model consists of six distinct practices and a tool blueprint, each coming with practical guidelines. It is based in part on two case studies of Dutch software vendors who have successfully outsourced part of their activities to an Eastern European outsourcing vendor, and validated by a panel of six experts from industry and the scientific community. It is concluded that knowledge exchange in global software outsourcing is a by‐product of efforts to enhance communication and coordination, rather than specific technical solutions. By committing to sharing knowledge, emphasizing transparency and integrating the outsourcing team into their organizations, customers from the product software business can realize the benefits of global outsourcing.     

Using Web Analytics to Assess Traffic to the Mandela Portal: The Case of African Countries

This article is a longitudinal assessment of the visitors to the Mandela Portal between 2009 and 2016. It is based on web analytics methodology that consists of a four-step process with the first and second steps using data collected by Google Analytics tool. The article outlines trends of global figures as well as specific trends within the top ten African countries. It further explored statistics from the top five African countries: South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Ghana. There are two main findings: those related to web traffic trends and those exploring the trustworthiness of Google Analytics data.     

An integrative model of trust on IT outsourcing: Examining a bilateral perspective

Trust has been considered a central aspect of successful IT outsourcing. Although a great deal of interest in trust has been described, there are very few theoretical models in the IT outsourcing literature to explain mutual trust, its role, and its impact in IT outsourcing. This study proposes a trust-based relationship research model to assess the perceived IT outsourcing success in terms of (1) mutual trust with its temporal dimension of initial trust and initial distrust, and (2) knowledge sharing with the moderating effect of mutual dependency. This model was then validated and applied in a study involving organizations in Korea. The data was collected and analyzed to understand initial trust, initial distrust, knowledge sharing, and mutual dependency as contributing factors to success in IT outsourcing. The results show that mutual trust between the service receiver and provider is very important for knowledge sharing and outsourcing success, and is affected by the initial perception to each other’s partner at the beginning of the outsourcing process. Interestingly, this study also shows that initial trust is considered a significant factor in the perception of mutual trust from the service receiver’s perspective, but not from the service provider’s viewpoint. The results help extend our understanding of critical success factors in outsourcing success and of different standpoints between the service receiver and provider.

Formal and relational governance in IT outsourcing: substitution,complementarity and the role of the psychological contract

This study aims to contribute to the literature on IT outsourcing governance by advancing our understanding of mechanisms of substitution and complementarity between formal and relational governance. Our study illustrates certain conditions under which substitution and complementarity can occur and depicts a two‐way causal relationship between them. Our examination further provides a more in‐depth assessment of relational governance by using the concept of the psychological contract. Our results demonstrate that the psychologically binding nature of the psychological contract makes it a particularly forceful substitute to formal governance, while its associations with other relationship aspects make it a forceful complement.     

Knowledge transfer in offshore outsourcing software development projects: an analysis of the challenges and solutions from German clients

Knowledge transfer is a critical factor in ensuring the success of offshore outsourcing software development projects and is, in many cases, neglected. Compared to in‐house or co‐located projects, however, such globally distributed projects feature far greater complexity. In addition to language barriers, factors such as cultural differences, time zone variance, distinct methods and practices, as well as unique equipment and infrastructure can all lead to problems that negatively impact knowledge transfer, and as a result, a project's overall success. In order to help minimise such risks to knowledge transfer, we conducted a research study based on expert interviews in six projects. Our study used German clients and focused on offshore outsourcing software development projects. We first identified known problems in knowledge transfer that can occur with offshore outsourcing projects. Then we collected best‐practice solutions proven to overcome the types of problems described. Afterward, we conducted a follow‐up study to evaluate our findings. In this subsequent stage, we presented our findings to a different group of experts in five projects and asked them to evaluate these solutions and recommendations in terms of our original goal, namely to find ways to minimise knowledge‐transfer problems in offshore outsourcing software development projects. Thus, the result of our study is a catalog of evaluated solutions and associated recommendations mapped to the identified problem areas.     

基于粗糙集分类一致性的规则挖掘算法研究 ——以IT外包中知识转移风险为例

随着IT外包服务业务的不断增长,IT外包服务中知识转移所导致的风险问题也愈加突出,如何规避IT外包中的风险问题也显得尤为重要。从知识分类的角度出发,利用粗糙集理论,对IT外包中的知识转移风险规则挖掘算法进行了分析与探讨,结合具体案例予以实证,以期为IT外包企业风险控制做出贡献。     

医药供应链知识共享影响因素研究－基于ISM模型

本文利用解释结构方法确定影响医药行业供应链知识共享各因素之间的层级关系模型,并找出其关键的根源性因素,解决了复杂因素相互作用的问题。     

知识共享平台建设中统一身份验证的设计与应用

文章分析了统一身份认证系统在知识共享平台建设中的必要性,提出了该系统总体框架。针对用户单点登录给出了一种利用安全声明标记语言(SAML)描述,基于kerberos协议的身份认证体系结构,同时,利用分布式目录树结构开发了用户身份和权限统一管理系统。在实现知识共享的同时,保证了资源的安全访问,提高了系统的使用效率。     

Computational Modeling and Analysis of Knowledge Sharing in Collaborative Distance Learning

This research aims to support collaborative distance learners by demonstrating how a probabilistic machine learning method can be used to model and analyze online knowledge sharing interactions. The approach applies Hidden Markov Models and Multidimensional Scaling to analyze and assess sequences of coded online student interaction. These analysis techniques were used to train a system to dynamically recognize (1) when students are having trouble learning the new concepts they share with each other, and (2) why they are having trouble. The results of this research may assist an instructor or intelligent coach in understanding and mediating situations in which groups of students collaborate to share their knowledge.