IT assets-control by importance and exception: supporting the "paradigm of change"

Enterprise IT and, along with it, IT management have become increasingly complex. Continuous changes in hardware, software, communications, and organizational requirements force continual procedural changes to both business and engineering processes. These changes can be evolutionary because of normal business competition or revolutionary resulting from a merger, an acquisition, or a decision to replace a legacy system with a major commercial package.     

Integrating database technology, rule-based systems and temporal reasoning for effective information systems: the TEMPORA paradigm

Abstract. Recent years have witnessed a growing realization that the development of large data-intensive, transaction-oriented information systems is becoming increasingly more difficult as user requirements become broader and more sophisticated. Contemporary approaches have been criticized for producing systems which are difficult to maintain and which provide little assistance in organizational developments. This paper introduces the TEMPORA paradigm, which is currently under development and which advocates a closer alignment between organizational policy and information system functionality. This viewpoint impacts on a number of critical issues related to the development process of information systems most notably in the nature of conceptual models, the discipline adopted for the development, the type of support provided by CASE tools and the run-time environment. The paper introduces the philosophy and architecture of the TEMPORA paradigm and describes the conceptual models, tools and run-time environment which render such an approach a feasible undertaking.     

Information technology innovation diffusion: an information requirements paradigm

Abstract.  Information technology (IT) innovation research examines the organizational and technological factors that determine IT adoption and diffusion, including firm size and scope, technological competency and expected benefits. We extend the literature by focusing on information requirements as a driver of IT innovation adoption and diffusion. Our framework of IT innovation diffusion incorporates three industry-level sources of information requirements: process complexity, clock speed and supply chain complexity. We apply the framework to US manufacturing industries using aggregate data of internet-based innovations and qualitative analysis of two industries: wood products and beverage manufacturing. Results show systematic patterns supporting the basic thesis of the information processing paradigm: higher IT innovation diffusion in industries with higher information processing requirements; the salience of downstream industry structure in the adoption of interorganizational systems; and the role of the location of information intensity in the supply chain in determining IT adoption and diffusion. Our study provides a new explanation for why certain industries were early and deep adopters of internet-based innovations while others were not: variation in information processing requirements.     

Concept of inductive programming supporting anthropomorphic information technology

A new original approach to the formalization and implementation methods for the problem of inductive programming is described. This approach makes it possible for the first time to describe a wide range of problems within the given formalization based on examples from the implementation of problem-oriented languages to the development of applied systems with the help of these languages. Methods for passing on “procedure knowledge” that are accepted in information technologies and human communication are discussed and the concept of an “anthropomorphic information technology” is formulated. The general scheme for constructing this system based on the given technology is described. The fundamental role played by the mechanism of partial evaluation in providing the efficiency of implementation and maintenance of the extension mode for inductively specified languages is stressed. An example of inductive specification of a simple programming language and discuss the prospects of using the concept proposed is presented.     

Explaining information systems change: a punctuated socio-technical change model

We outline a Punctuated Socio-Technical Information System Change model. The model recognizes both incremental and punctuated socio-technical change in the context of information systems at multiple levels – the work system level, the building system level, and the organizational environment. It uses socio-technical event sequences and their properties to explain how a change outcome emerged. The critical events in these sequences correspond to gaps in socio-technical systems. By conceiving information system (IS) change as a multi-level and punctuated sequence of socio-technical events, IS researchers can conceive plausible and accurate process explanations of IS change outcomes, including IS failures. Such explanations are located in the middle range and thus avoid the highly abstract and stylized closed-boxed factor models of change, but go beyond the idiographic open box histories of singular change processes.     

Factors affecting the acceptance of information systems supporting emergency operations centres

Despite the recognition that information system acceptance is an important antecedent of effective emergency management, there has been comparatively very little research examining this aspect of technology acceptance. The current research responded to this gap in literature by adapting and integrating existing models of technology acceptance. This was done in order to examine how a range of technology acceptance factors could affect the acceptance of emergency operations centre information systems. Relationships between several of these factors were also examined. Questionnaire data from 383 end-users of four different emergency operations centre information systems were analysed using structural equation modelling. This analysis concluded that technology acceptance factors of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and information quality explained 65 percent of variance in symbolic adoption, which is a combination of mental acceptance and psychological attachment towards an information system. A number of moderating effects of age, gender, experience of use and domain experience were also identified. A mediating component, of performance expectancy, explained 49 percent of variance between facilitating conditions, information quality, effort expectancy, and resulting symbolic adoption. These findings highlight a need to re-focus technology acceptance research on both mediating and moderating effects and the importance of considering domain specific factors. Applied recommendations are also made, for successfully implementing relevant information systems.     

Treasury management information systems and the contribution of information technology

Treasury management is a relatively new function in large corporations. It is a data-dependent activity requiring information systems support. Thus, many It-based products are available to treasurers. An exploratory study has revealed that corporate treasurers are concerned with five core activities in which they exploit a rich set of information sources. They appear to rely on personal and informal information processes as much as use more formal systems and It products. Paradoxically, most computer systems have focussed on external data collection where treasurers generally have developed their own effective intelligence networks. Conversely, internal data collection, which appears to be problematic in most corporations, so far has benefitted little from It. Treasurers' usage of It has been mainly confined to small, local or personal systems. These have been developed or acquired with scant involvement of in-house Mis departments. Better understanding of treasury managers' work and preferences therefore is a prerequisite for successful treasury Mis.     

Basic notions regarding business processes and supporting information systems

In order to achieve and maintain an optimal fit between business processes (BPs) and business process support systems (BPSs), both need to be understood thoroughly and coherently. Moreover, to benefit fully from the potentials of modern information and communication technology (ICT), the deep structure that lies behind the surface structure of BPs should be understood. The Ψ-theory, which is only summarized in this paper, provides the basis for such an understanding of BPs and BPSs as well as for some other basic notions. In particular, the notions of design and engineering and of architecture and ontology will be addressed. The conclusion is that these notions can consistently and coherently be related to each other, on the said theoretical basis, such that the concurrent (re)design and (re)engineering of BPs and BPSs can be performed more effectively.

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Agile systems development: Privacy theoretical lens to challenge the full information disclosure paradigm.

Software development requires intense collaboration within, across teams, and with the client. Since the popularization of agile software development in the 2000s, the virtuous effects of transparent collaboration have been emphasized. However, some studies have alluded to concerns with full information disclosure and mentioned that teams may benefit by withholding some information. We used case studies to explore such situations. We adopted a privacy theoretical lens because it is antithetical to the information disclosure lens and offers frames to comprehend how professional information can be retained by individuals, shared to restricted circles or entirely divulged. We found situations when the disclosure paradigm is challenged in agile processes. There is ambiguity in the disclosure message because individual and collective information retention do play a role in agile development. Our findings help refine information systems development philosophies and practices. We also extend our understanding of the communication privacy management theory to a context where full disclosure is preferred to privacy, and where control over privacy depends on allowances granted by a third party, which can generalize to other settings (e.g., social media platforms).     

Information technology,information systems and information management: definition and development

The growth and development of the information and communication technologies has led to a parallel profusion of different terminologies and literature. It is becoming increasingly difficult for managers and academics to find their way through the confusion and develop a common understanding of terminology. In an attempt at clarification, this paper looks at the main terms and definitions from a management perspective. Their overall use is assessed by an analysis of their usage in general management literature. It is clearly shown that although there are major overlaps and confusions, the term ‘information systems’ is the one in most widespread use. Finally we suggest a framework which may be helpful to those working in this field of research.     

Instructional technology: A key to successful information systems

Success and failure patterns of information systems development are widely discussed. However, the potential of education and training to address these problems has not received adequate attention. Managers and other information systems professionals need to be aware of the best technologies both for development of information systems and for the associated training of developers and end users. The best way to produce effective, efficient training is through instructional technology. Although derived from system science, as are information system development methods, the processes and techniques of instructional technology are often unknown to information systems professionals. This paper discusses the parallels between these two disciplines and points out where each could benefit from the other.     

Assessing the suitability of process and information technology in supporting tacit knowledge transfer

The transfer of tacit knowledge, one of the most important issues in the knowledge sharing context, needs a multi-dimensional perception in its process. Information technology's (IT) supporting role has already been addressed in the process of tacit knowledge transfer. However, IT has its own characteristics, and in turn, may have dissimilar support suitability. On the basis of the knowledge transfer process proposed by Garavelli et al. (Garavelli, C., Gorgoglione, M., Scozzi, B., 2002. Managing knowledge transfer by knowledge technologies. Technovation 22, 269–279), this study conducts an assessment using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique to disclose (1) importance rank of transfer stages for the transfer efficacy and (2) the support suitability of IT types for the transfer stages. The assessment hierarchy has three levels, which are the goal, process and support levels. According to the 21 domain scholars and specialists' assessment analysis, the main results suggest that (1) for goal level, both the knowledge provider's and receiver's cognitive system are of more importance, (2) for process level, database techniques and information system applications obtain the higher importance in supporting the provider's cognitive system and externalisation, and (3) software tools and information system applications are more likely to support the receiver's cognitive system and interpretation. Discussion and implications are also addressed.     

Extending the Object-Oriented Paradigm for Supporting Complex Objects

In this paper a generalized object-oriented approach for complex object modeling is proposed,which ischaracterized by adding the concept of Meta-Class into the object-oriented paradigm for unifying thehandling of object types and primary data models,and also characterized by integrating the modeling ofobject type hierarchy and object configuration hierarchy.Concepts such as Compositional RelationshipObject,Face,Object Configuration Schema Expression,Object Skeleton are introduced to specify objectstructure,to support high degree of object sharing and to offer high degree of data independence.Operationson the class hierarchy,the object configuration structures and the object instances are developed respectivelywith distinguished semantics.This approach provides an extended object-oriented framewerk for handlingcomplex objects in any AI or database system(?).     

Searching for management information systems: coherence and change in the discipline

Abstract. The now familiar and longstanding discussion on the status of the field of management information systems (MIS) consists of at least two themes – the lack of coherence in MIS and the question of rigour vs. relevance (academic vs. practical concerns). The research questions we pose here ask: what themes or ideas represent the centre of MIS or its zones of coherence – or is diversity and fragmentation the rule? and will the centre or zones change over time? Within MIS research, is there evidence of theory building that contributes to a cumulative research tradition? Using a co‐word analysis approach – to analyse the patterns in discourse by measuring the association strengths of terms representative of relevant publications – the researchers found 62 specific centres of coherence. The data documented a high degree of change in centres of coherence over time. Evidence of theory building was extremely weak. A cumulative research tradition remains elusive. MIS centres of coherence change over time – we think, partly in response to practical pressures. We suggest that MIS opens a richer and more difficult debate on its theory, practice, and identity as a discipline in the 21st century university.     

Expert systems: art alternative paradigm

There has recently been a significant effort by the A.I. community to interest industry in the potential of expert systems. However, this has resulted in far fewer substantial applications projects than might be expected. This article argues that this is because human experts are rarely required to perform the role that computer-based experts are programmed to adopt. Instead of being called in to answer well-defined problems, they are more of ten asked to assist other experts to extend and refine their understanding of a problem area at the junction of their two domains of knowledge. This more properly involves educational rather than problem-solving skills.An alternative approach to expert system design is proposed based upon guided discovery learning. The user is provided with a supportive environment for a particular class of problem, the system predominantly acting as an advisor rather than directing the interaction. The environment includes a database of domain knowledge, a set of procedures for its application to a concrete problem, and an intelligent machine-based advisor to judge the user's effectiveness and advise on strategy. The procedures focus upon the use of user generated “explanations” both to promote the application of domain knowledge and to expose understanding difficulties. Simple database PROLOG is being used as the subject material for the prototype system which is known as MINDPAD.     

Computer assisted learning: from process control paradigm to information resource paradigm

Computer assisted learning (CAL) has several dimensions. This article highlights only one of those dimensions: the degree to which the computer controls the learning process during a CAL session. Until recently the dominant guiding principle for CAL was the tutor metaphor. Experience with three decades of CAL in operation (only occasionally with satisfactory results), and two decades of research on intelligent CAL has brought increasing doubts about the general value of this guiding principle. The basic problem with ICAL is that we still don't know much about the fundamental principles of tutoring. We believe that research on the subject of intelligent tutoring is important for psychology of learning and instruction but also that it should be treated as such. Intelligent tutoring cannot be presented as THE solution for the shortcomings of traditional CAL. I will argue that dissatisfaction in general with traditional CAL, recognition of fundamental problems with ICAL for most domains and the advent of low cost high density storage media make the time right to direct more attention to multimedial information resources.     

The modern paradigm of information science: Informology

This paper considers printed and internet sources determining the content of information science (informology). The philosophical approaches to information (attributive, anthropocentric, and cybernetic) are described, of which only the cybernetic approach is recognized as scientifically grounded. Theoretical and applied informology are distinguished. Statements that can be considered as the axioms and laws of informology, are suggested as the modern paradigm of informology. The existing concepts of informology (probabilistic, semantic, algorithmic, pattern, and qualitative) are described. The general properties of information as well as specific properties of scientific and technical information are determined. The components (divisions), which can be included in the composition of theoretical and applied informology, are described.