Structuration bridging diffusion of innovations and gender relations theories: a case of paradigmatic pluralism in IS research

This paper discusses the adoption of a pluralist theoretical framework – one that is also multiparadigmatic – for conducting and publishing information system (IS) research. The discussion is illustrated by a single case study involving the Australian cotton industry. The theoretical framework is informed by three sociological theories, each with its particular paradigmatic assumptions: structuration theory as a meta‐theory, and diffusion of innovations and gender relations as lower‐level theories from notionally opposing paradigms. Theoretical pluralism helped to produce rich findings, illuminating both the social nature of women farmers' roles, the materiality of the cotton farming context, the characteristics of the decision support systems in use and the recursive way in which human agency and institutional pressures shape each other. Because users of so‐called divergent paradigms often face criticism based on the incommensurability issue, one of the main contributions of this paper is to discuss the value of a pluralist and multiparadigmatic theoretical framework in dealing with complex IS social phenomena.     

A comparison of pyrrolidide and picolinyl ester derivatives for the identification of fatty acids in natural samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The pyrrolidide and picolinyl ester derivatives of the fatty acids in two natural lipid samples rich in unsaturated fatty acids, pig testis lipids and cod liver oil were satisfactorily resolved on capillary columns of fused silica coated with stationary phases of varying polarity. The picolinyl esters, in particular, when subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on a column containing a cross-linked methyl silicone, gave distinctive mass spectra, which could be interpreted in terms of both the numbers and positions of the double bonds.     

Forming an intention to act on recommendations given via online social networks

Online social networks (OSN) are technology-enabled relationship tools in which a user creates a profile, connects to other individuals, and shares user-generated content with them. One of the many features OSN offer is the ability to post messages in the form of product and service recommendations. Although word-of-mouth research has examined this type of personal communication to intentionally influence consumer decisions, limited understanding exists regarding when a user acts upon a recommendation received from one of their contacts. In this study, we draw on relationship theories and research on trust to analyze the impact relationship characteristics and behaviors of the OSN contacts have on trust in the recommendation that subsequently leads a user to act on this OSN contact’s recommendation. The results of a survey of 116 OSN users showed that closeness, excessive posting behavior, and past recommendation experience have a positive impact on trust and intention to act on the recommendation. One characteristic of the relationships, that is, similarity, however, does not affect recommendation trust in the context of OSN. The findings enhance our understanding of relationships and their defining characteristics in OSN. The results also provide insights into how companies might leverage OSN in their marketing efforts.     

Awareness of Organizational Expertise

Comprehension of computer programs involves identifying important program parts and inferring relationships between them. The ability to comprehend a computer program is a skill that begins its development in the novice programmer and reaches maturity in the expert programmer. This research examined the beginning of this process, that of comprehension of computer programs by novice programmers. The mental representations of the program text that novices form, which indicate the comprehension strategies being used, were examined. In the first study, 80 novice programmers were tested on their comprehension of short program segments. The results suggested that novices form detailed, concrete mental representations of the program text, supporting work that has previously been done with novice comprehension. Their mental representations were primarily procedural in nature, with little or no modeling using real‐world referents. In a second study, the upper and lower quartile comprehenders from Study 1 were tested on their comprehension of a longer program. Results supported the conclusions from Study 1 in that the novices tended towards detailed representations of the program text with little real‐world reference. However, the comprehension strategies used by high comprehenders differed substantially from those used by low comprehenders. Results indicated that the more advanced novices were using more abstract concepts in their representations, although their abstractions were detailed in nature.     

An update-based step-wise optimal cache replacement for wireless data access

Many network applications requires access to most up-to-date information. An update event makes the corresponding cached data item obsolete, and cache hits due to obsolete data items become simply useless to those applications. Frequently accessed but infrequently updated data items should get higher preference while caching, and infrequently accessed but frequently updated items should have lower preference. Such items may not be cached at all or should be evicted from the cache to accommodate items with higher preference. In wireless networks, remote data access is typically more expensive than in wired networks. Hence, an efficient caching scheme considers both data access and update patterns can better reduce data transmissions in wireless networks. In this paper, we propose a step-wise optimal update-based replacement policy, called the Update-based Step-wise Optimal (USO) policy, for wireless data networks to optimize transmission cost by increasing effective hit ratio. Our cache replacement policy is based on the idea of giving preference to frequently accessed but infrequently updated data, and is supported by an analytical model with quantitative analysis. We also present results from our extensive simulations. We demonstrate that (1) the analytical model is validated by the simulation results and (2) the proposed scheme outperforms the Least Frequently Used (LFU) scheme in terms of effective hit ratio and communication cost.     

Calculus Students' Use and Interpretation of Variables: Algebraic vs. Arithmetic Thinking

Abstract

The ability to use and interpret algebraic variables as generalized numbers and changing quantities is fundamental to the learning of calculus. This study considers the use of variables in these advanced ways as a component of algebraic thinking. College introductory calculus students' (n = 174) written responses to algebra problems requiring the use and interpretation of variables as changing quantities were examined for evidence of algebraic and arithmetic thinking. A framework was developed to describe and categorize examples of algebraic, transitional, and arithmetic thinking reflected in these students' uses of variables. The extent to which students' responses showed evidence of algebraic or arithmetic thinking was quantified and related to their course grades. Only one third of the responses of these entering calculus students were identified as representative of algebraic thinking. This study extends previous research by showing that evidence of algebraic thinking in students' work was positively related to successful performance in calculus.     

Inventive Tool Use to Comprehend Big Code

Software developers often need to understand a large body of unfamiliar code with little or no documentation, no experts to consult, and little time to do it. A post appeared in January 2008 on Slashdot, a technology news Web site, asking for tools and techniques that could help. This article analyzes 301 often passionate and sometimes articulate responses to this query, including the themes and the associated tool recommendations. The most common suggestions were to use a code navigation tool, use a design recovery tool, use a debugger to step through the code, create a runtime trace, use problem-based learning, ask people for help, study the code from top down, and print out all the code. This analysis presents an intriguing snapshot of how software developers in industry go about comprehending big code.     

Asimov’s “three laws of robotics” and machine metaethics

Using Asimov’s “Bicentennial Man” as a springboard, a number of metaethical issues concerning the emerging field of machine ethics are discussed. Although the ultimate goal of machine ethics is to create autonomous ethical machines, this presents a number of challenges. A good way to begin the task of making ethics computable is to create a program that enables a machine to act an ethical advisor to human beings. This project, unlike creating an autonomous ethical machine, will not require that we make a judgment about the ethical status of the machine itself, a judgment that will be particularly difficult to make. Finally, it is argued that Asimov’s “three laws of robotics” are an unsatisfactory basis for machine ethics, regardless of the status of the machine.

---

Triangulation in practice

Triangulation is the means by which an alternate perspective is used to validate, challenge or extend existing findings. It is frequently used when the field of study is difficult, demanding or contentious and presence research meets all of these criteria. We distinguish between the use of hard and soft triangulation—the former emphasising the challenging of findings, the latter being more confirmatory in character. Having reviewed a substantial number of presence papers, we conclude that strong triangulation is not widely used while soft triangulation is routinely employed. We demonstrate the usefulness of hard triangulation by contrasting an ontological analysis of in-ness with an empirical study of (computer) game playing. We conclude that presence research would be well served by the wider use of hard triangulation and for the reporting of anomalous and ill-fitting results.