Building an organizational decision support system for Korea Telecom: A process redesign approach

Organizational decision support systems (ODSSs) are a new type of decision support systems (DSSs) focusing on organization-wide issues rather than individual, group, or departmental issues. Because of its organization-wide scope, a typical ODSS cuts across organizational functions or hierarchical layers. Thus, seamless integration with organization's diverse IS applications running on heterogeneous platforms becomes a critical issue for building a successful ODSS. In this paper, we analyzed the Korea Telecom's (KT) Operations > Maintenance (O&M) division focusing on its investment strategies. We developed a conceptual framework through process redesign, which links O&M investment decisions to performance of its operational branches across the nation. To support the above framework, we also developed a prototype for the KTOM-ODSS with an EIS-like user-friendly interface. When a complete ODSS is implemented on top of various KT transaction processing systems, it will become a critical component of the O > M Integrated Decision Support Environment (IDSE).     

基于Agent 方法体系的ODSS 研究

通过组织与多Ａｇｅｎｔ系统的比较,指出组织问题的研究与多Ａｇｅｎｔ系统可以相互借鉴;对组织决策进行分析,指出组织知识、组织智能对组织决策的重要性;在此基础上,提出在组织环境下基于多Ａｇｅｎｔ系统的ＯＤＳＳ层次模型。     

Organizational information management strategies

Abstract. Information technology is a key factor in competitiveness. Business managers increasingly have to make decisions in this field. Their involvement in planning and decision making should be active and genuine. There are numerous methods to support information systems planning and implementation. This study focuses on the organizational approach to generating plans. An interactive framework for evolutionary information systems planning is presented together with the results of applying this framework in six organizations. The author has been working with these organizations very intensively, using an action research approach. The main emphasis is on the success of the organizational method of creating information management strategies. The main finding is that an interactive way of generating strategies is not enough. The role of internal 'project champions' in both planning and implementation is extremely important. Outside facilitators cannot replace their contribution.     

A Delphi study of knowledge management systems: Scope and requirements

We empirically explored the roles and scope of knowledge management systems in organizations. Building on a knowledge-based view of the firm, we hypothesized and empirically tested our belief that more integration is needed between technologies intended to support knowledge and those supporting business operations. Findings from a Delphi study and in-depth interviews illustrated this and led us to suggest a revised approach to developing organizational knowledge management systems.     

基于层次图变换的多Agent组织结构动态重组机制

如何动态适应环境是基于组织计算的多Agent系统的关键研究内容之一.组织结构的动态重组为多Agent系统柔性地实现组织目标提供了有效途径.结合Agent组织结构特点,给出了一种描述组织结构的社会结构、角色指定和Agent协调的单根节点层次图模型.通过单根节点和层次化地维护组织结构内元素的拓扑关系,有效地降低了大规模Agent组织重组问题的复杂性;扩展DPO(double-pushout)代数图变换,形式定义了Agent组织结构的重组过程.单根节点层次图描述了重组过程中给定时刻的组织结构状态,图变换规则序列定义了组织结构的变化过程.Agent组织重组和图匹配算法实验结果表明,该层次图变换方法有效地刻画了多Agent组织动态重组过程,并支持图形化重组过程要素设计和大规模Agent组织的重组计算.     

Organizational decision support systems

Decision support systems have traditionally been discussed within the context of individual or group decision making. In this paper we study decision support systems from an organizational perspective. We propose a framework for designing an organizational decision support system that is based on a network of knowledgebased systems. Nodes of this network interact with each other, as well as various other organizational systems, to provide comprehensive decision support. This network is also utilized to provide effective support for formal multi-participant decision making.     

多人决策支持系统研究评述

对多人决策支持系统的研究状况进行回顾,总结了ＧＤＳＳ理论和实验研究工作及取得的成果,指出了ＧＤＳＳ研究中存在的问题和研究方向。ＤＤＳＳ和ＯＤＳＳ目前仍处于概念开发阶段。最后探讨了多人决策支持系统的发展前景。     

Interorganizational and organizational determinants of planning effectiveness for Internet-based interorganizational systems

Internet-based interorganizational systems (IIOS) planning is based on a portfolio of systems that integrate organizational and interorganizational processes and assist a firm in realizing its objectives. However, very limited empirical research has been performed to evaluate the factors that influence IIOS planning effectiveness. Research from trading partnerships, organizational theory, and the literature were used to identify two interorganizational variables (competitive pressure and trading partner readiness) and three organizational variables (top management support, organizational centralization, and technology competence) that are important in planning success. This study then examined the influence of these five variables on IIOS planning effectiveness. Data gathered from 202 CIOs in large Taiwanese organizations were employed to test the relationships between the research model constructs using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach; the study provided strong support for the hypotheses: certain factors related to interorganizational and organizational factors were found to influence IIOS planning effectiveness. The implications of this finding are discussed.     

智能Agent环境下的组织决策支持系统研究

基于Agent协作交互的组织决策支持系统(ODSS)的研究是智能信息系统研究的热点。该文在阐述了组织决策支持系统和智能Agent基础上,提出了基于Agent协作交互的SG-ODSS系统的结构和组成,包括组织Agent、处理Agent组、通信Agent等,介绍了该系统在某大型电器公司的应用。     

ODSS中可重构知识管理研究

为了实现ODSS中不同知识的可配置化处理，根据决茕知识的共享性与专业化等特征，提出了一种新的基于本体技术的可重构知识管理模型。在该模型中，知识被看做特定概念的对象，以构建ODSS的多本体系统。通过对本体定义、配置以及进化来实现不同专业知识的可重构化；通过共享模型、专用模型以及相对应的知识处理模板对组织决策过程中的多种类型知识进行管理。     

Multi-metaphor method: organizational metaphors in information systems development

Abstract.  Conventional methods have been criticized for their positivist philosophy and for either ignoring the organizational context of information systems development (ISD) or using only a simplistic, machine-based conceptual model of organizations. We have developed an approach to enable systems developers to use a richer view of organizations and a more interpretive approach. Multi-Metaphor Method (MMM) supports developers via a range of metaphors as cognitive structuring devices to understand an organization so that developers can learn to move between different ways of 'reading' the social context in which ISD occurs. We explain the rationale and theoretical underpinnings of MMM and then discuss our action research to investigate the viability and relevance of MMM during ISD practice. We show how the developers' use of organizational metaphors via MMM did not just enable rich conceptualizations of the client organizations but also influenced the ISD process and final product. We review the learning outcomes and discuss the implications for systems development practice of our research.     

An examination of organizational strategies for supporting DSS

Decision support systems (DSS) are widely used by managers to provide problem solving assistance. Despite their widespread use, little is known about how organizations support DSS users. This paper discusses support practices that are thought to affect DSS groups' ability to provide support services, and reports on a field study that sought to identify the support characteristics of a sample of groups. This study also investigated differences among groups that were placed in different organizational locations. Managers of twenty-three DSS groups were interviewed to provide information on group organizational location, staff-to-user ratio, staff backgrounds, formalization, and other support characteristics. The results suggest that DSS groups generally follow some of the recommendations found in the literature with respect to their management while disregarding others. The support characteristics also tend to vary when comparing groups across organizational locations, suggesting that certain strengths and limitations may be associated with organizational support strategies.     

How to get the most from a business intelligence application during the post implementation phase? Deep structure transformation at a U.K. retail bank

This paper focuses on the process of maximizing the benefits from a business intelligence (BI) application. A general theoretical framework of analysis is formulated based on previous research into organizational deep structure and inertia. Our framework is applied to a case study of a U.K. retail bank which used an existing customer profitability BI application to transform its marketing strategy. We find that an organization’s ability to extract strategic BI benefits is influenced by its deep structure (core beliefs, organizational structures, control systems and distribution of power) and also by its ability to overcome the effects of the multiple inertia sources that the deep structure generates. Organizations should therefore carefully consider the effects of multidimensional organizational inertia and aim to manage inertia sources in respect to information from BI applications when links that embed the BI into an organization as a whole are developed and maintained. We also present generally applicable insights into enhancing the delivery of informative long-term BI decision support for organizations.     

A method to select a successful interoperability solution through a simulation approach

Enterprise applications and software systems need to be interoperable in order to achieve seamless business across organizational boundaries and thus realize virtual networked organizations. Our proposition can be considered as an interoperability project selection approach and is based on three steps: (1) Modelling both collaborative business processes and potential related interoperability projects; (2) Evaluating the accessibility of each project regarding the current state of the organization; (3) Simulating each project and assessing the associated performance. These results are finally projected on a comparison matrix used as a decision support to select the most appropriate interoperability solution. An application case extracted from the French aerospace sector demonstrates the applicability and the benefits of the proposition.     

Decision support requirements in flexible manufacturing

Flexible manufacturing systems are being installed by many organizations in an effort to improve productivity. Because efficient operation of these systems is such a complex task, their capacity is often underutilized. The concept of computer-based decision support systems promises to remedy the situation. This paper defines the components of a decision support system which will enable the user to get the maximum benefit from a flexible manufacturing system. The structure of this decision support system parallels the organizational activities involved in running the flexible manufacturing system. This structure should be implemented using appropriate hardware and software components.     

A comprehensive framework of information system design to provide organizational creativity support

This research is motivated by two considerations: (1) organizational creativity is a component that enhances the ability of organizations to retain their competitive advantage and (2) too little research has been conducted worldwide that focuses on the design of information systems to provide organizational creativity support. This research proposes a comprehensive and conceptual framework for the design of organizational creativity support systems. To address the objective of this study, two theories, the resource-based view and a multiagent approach, are used to build the model proposed. The customer opinions from websites concerning a consumer electronics product are used to validate such a system. The theoretical contributions, practical implications, and future directions of the study are presented and discussed.     

How does leadership affect information systems success? The role of transformational leadership

We examined the positive impact of transformational leadership on IS success in organizations via two psychological mechanisms of system users’—perceived organizational support and systems self-efficacy. Our conceptual model was assessed using a sample of 251 employees from a multi-national bank in Korea. Overall, our results supported the hypothesized relationships: transformational leadership was positively related to system users’ IS success, and both perceived organizational support and systems self-efficacy of the system users mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and IS success. The results call for manager's attention to the importance of transformational leadership development in organizations.     

Rationality in Information Systems Support to Decision Making

Management information systems serve business organizations by providing information for decision making. Various types of systems serve different types of decision contexts. The philosophic basis of information system support is discussed. The rational (or normative) philosophy is widely used, and appears in business theory in the form of agency theory and transaction cost analysis. While this approach has been valuable in some contexts, there are other contexts where the rational approach has limited in utility for real business decision making. Decision makers need to consider subjective factors to enable them to cope with the high levels of uncertainty, incomplete understanding, and imperfect data typical of dynamic open systems. There are alternative philosophies upon which to base decision-making that are appropriate for specific decision contexts. Churchman identified empirical, multi-perspective frameworks, dialectic, and cause-and-effect inquiring systems as alternatives to the rational (normative) system. A number of information system tools, such as decision support systems, expert systems, and group support systems can be supported by models based on philosophies other than rational models. A more empirically based philosophy, with decision-makers balancing hypothesis generation and observations of performance, is often more appropriate. The relationship between Churchman's inquiring systems and information system types are discussed.     

Empirical analysis of biometric technology adoption and acceptance in Botswana

There has been a slight surge in the study of technology adoption in developing countries. However, little attention has been paid to the adoption of biometric security systems. This paper reports a study that analyzed the adoption of biometric technology in a developing country from an institutional point of view. The results show that job positions (managerial and operational) could influence perceptions of innovation characteristics (especially ease of use and usefulness) in the decision to adopt biometrics. However, the unified organizational analyses indicate that ease of use, communication, size and type of organizations have significant impacts on the decision to adopt biometrics.     

Design matters for decision makers: Discovering IT investment alternatives

The literature has traditionally focused on how decision makers choose among alternatives based on rational behaviors, organizational politics, and organized anarchies. However, there is little research on decision making as a creative process where managers discover and evaluate alternatives. We address this gap by proposing a design approach to transform decisions in organizations. The approach views decision making as a creative and adaptive process in which managers recursively collect and interpret heterogeneous evidence, explore and test different ideas, and discover and evaluate alternatives. While the approach is rooted in the know-how of the involved stakeholders, its underpinning design attitude invites managers to better understand possible alternatives based on analyses of structured as well as unstructured data. To assess its utility, we applied the approach to IT investment evaluations through a Collaborative Practice Research project involving Swedish public organizations. Building on the project findings, we discuss the proposed approach and spell out its implications for transforming decision making in organizations.