bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Introduction to Bibliometrics and Informetrics
Authors: Eom Sean
Published: May 2010

Author cocitation analysis (ACA) is a branch of bibliometrics. Bibliometrics/informetrics is one of the older areas of library and information science. The terms bibliometrics, scientometrics, and informetrics are often used synonymously. This chapter briefly overviews bibliometrics, including basic concepts, scopes, and study areas of bibliometrics. The areas of study cover bibliometric distribution, citation and cocitation analyses, and library use studies. The study of bibliometric distribution led to the invention of Lotka’s law of scientific productivity, Bradford’s law of core scatter in journals, and Zipf’s law of word occurrence. The researchers in the citation and co-citation areas identify the pattern of how published documents are cited over time using many different approaches such as bibliometric coupling, document cocitation analysis, author cocitation analysis, and co-word analysis. This chapter also discusses assumptions, purposes, benefits, limitations, and criticism of ACA. The last section of this chapter includes discussions of several developments in informetrics and ACA. Since the late 1990s, a new subset of informetrics, webometrics/ cybermetrics, has become part of the main stream library and information science research area. In ACA, there had been a series of intense debates on the use of Pearson correlations coefficients, r, as a similarity measure along with several new developments in ACA visualization tools such as Pathfinder networks (Howard D. White, 2003b), AuthorLink (Lin, White, & Buzydlowski, 2003), and VxInsight (Boyack, Wylie, & Davidson, 2002).
Diagonal Values in ACA
Authors: Eom Sean
Published: May 2010

Diagonal values in the cocitation frequency counts matrix are a fundamental issue in ACA study. Diagonal values are the co-citation frequency counts between the author himself/herself excluding self-citation. Retrieving exact values of diagonal values in the co-citation matrix requires a manual and time consuming procedure. For that reasons, ACA researchers suggested many different approaches to create, not retrieving the real values, the diagonal cells in the cocitation matrix. They include the mean cocitation count, missing values, zeroes, highest off-diagonal counts, adjusted off-diagonal values, and the number of times cocited with himself/herself. The majority of ACA researchers seem to prefer to use either the adjusted value approach by adding three highest off-diagonal values and divided by two or the missing value approach. This chapter empirically examines the impact of these different approaches on the ACA outcomes. Based on the results of this study, if the pure cocitation counts are not used, the next best alternatives are as follows. They are the missing value approaches, mean cocitation value approach, and the highest off-diagonal value approaches in the order of the highest total variance explained.
Building Databases and the Cocitation Counts Generation System Using Microsoft Excel Program in Visual Basics
Authors: Eom Sean
Published: May 2010

This chapter shows another alternative approach of building citation database and retrieval system using the spreadsheet program, Microsoft Excel. McIntyre built a custom database based on the Clothing and Textile Research Journal (CTRJ), covering from 1990 to 2006 as part of his master’s thesis. The database includes all the author citations, citations sorted by article, and the top cited author’s cocitation frequencies.
Overview of Author Cocitation Analysis Procedures
Authors: Eom Sean
Published: May 2010

The previous two chapters examined the two alternative approaches of retrieving cocitation counts using custom databases and cocitation frequency counts extraction systems. The cocitaion frequency counts are the inputs to the SAS or SPSS systems for multivariate statistical analysis. The primary purpose of this chapter is to overview several important steps in author cocitation analysis. ACA consists of the six major steps beginning with the selection of author sets for further analysis, then collection of cocitation frequency counts, statistical analysis of the cocitation frequency counts, and the validation and interpretation of statistical outputs.
The Distance and Cluster Procedure
Authors: Eom Sean
Published: May 2010

This chapter describes the distance and cluster procedure of the SAS system. SAS version 9 introduced the proc distance procedure. All previous versions of SAS used two programs (xmacro.sas and distnew.sas) to process a transposed cocitation matrix (input) to produce a distance matrix (output). Cluster analysis is a data reduction technique for grouping various entities (individuals, variables, objects) into clusters so that the entities in the same cluster have more similarity to each other with respect to some predetermined selection criteria. The first section of this chapter explains the creation of a distance matrix, which is the input to the cluster procedure. The second part of this chapter focuses on the PROC CLUSTER statement which sets out the CLUSTER procedure steps. This chapter also includes the discussions of interpreting results of cluster analysis.
Multidimensional Scaling
Authors: Eom Sean
Published: May 2010

This chapter discusses multidimensional scaling (MDS) procedures. MDS is a class of multivariate statistical techniques/procedures to produce two or three dimensional pictures of data (geometric configuration of points) using proximities among any kind of objects as input. Three SAS procedures (MDS, PLOT, and G3D) are necessary to convert the author cocitation frequency matrix to two or three dimensional pictures of data. The distance matrix produced earlier by using xmacro.sas and distnew.sas programs should be converted to a coordinate matrix, to produce twodimensional plots, and annotated three-dimensional scatter diagrams. This chapter also discusses how to label data points on a plot. The annotate facility in the SAS system produces figures with the name of the author on each data point. The PROC MDS procedure includes many of the features of the ALSCAL procedure.
The Intellectual Structure of Decision Support Systems Research (1969-1989)
Authors: Eom Sean
Published: May 2010

This is the capstone chapter that shows how the concepts, tools, and techniques discussed in each of the previous chapters can be applied in conducting author cocitation analysis using a real data in the DSS area. The step-by-step procedures are shown in detail from the preparation of data file in Excel format and importing the file to the SAS system for multivariate statistical analysis. This chapter also guides the readers through the process of analyzing the results of principal components analysis, cluster analysis, and multi-dimensional scaling. The chapter also shows how to apply different criteria to select the optimal number of factor solutions, cluster solutions, and evaluating the acceptability of multi-dimensional scaling outputs. This chapter reports part of the intellectual structure of the DSS field by means of an empirical assessment of the DSS literature over the period 1969 through 1989. Three multivariate data analysis tools (factor analysis, multidimensional scaling, and cluster analysis) are applied to an author cocitation frequency matrix derived from a large database file of comprehensive DSS literature over the same period. Four informal clusters of decision support systems (DSS) research subspecialties and a reference discipline were uncovered. Four of these represent DSS research subspecialties—foundations, model/data management, user-interface/individual differences, and group support systems. One other conceptual grouping defines a reference discipline of DS—organizational science.
IT Governance-Based IT Strategy and Management
Authors: Lee Junghoon , Lee Changjin
Published: May 2010

Domestic and global companies are increasingly using information and communication technologies as a means of delivering their strategic visions and thus maintaining a competitive advantage. The value of information assets has increased as firms’ asset base shifts from tangible to intangible properties, placing a premium on firms’ capacity to develop, manage and utilize their information assets. In this environment, companies aim to strengthen their business control over IT resources, maximizing performance through defining the responsibilities of all staff involved in IT resource management and processes. However, while most managers acknowledge the importance of managing IT assets within a framework of IT governance (ITG), only a small number of academic treatments deal with ITG, meaning that businesses often find themselves making their governance decisions in a vacuum. This chapter therefore aims to clarify the concept of ITG through conducting a literature review, suggesting some implications of this work for practitioners, and indicating directions for the future study of ITG.
IT Governance
Authors: Musson David
Published: May 2010

This chapter reviews the IT governance literature. It proposes that there are three different concepts that are grouped together as IT governance. These concepts are IT governance as a framework or audit process, IT governance as IT decision-making and IT governance as a branch of corporate governance. It argues that the first of these concepts is not a senior management issue, but an aid to a business process and that the remaining two concepts are complementary. The chapter recommends that the term IT governance is seen as a crucial part of the board’s wider corporate governance task, and suggests that is concerning that the view of IT governance as IT decision-making rarely pays any attention to the role of the board in a crucial decision-making process. The chapter is intended to bring together the disparate views of IT governance so as to permit a broader view of this important subject.
Adoption and Implementation of IT Governance
Authors: Bhattacharjya Jyotirmoyee , Chang Vanessa
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces key IT governance concepts and industry standards and explores their adoption and implementation in the higher education environment. It shows that IT governance processes, structures and relational mechanisms adopted by these institutions generate value through improvements in a number of key focus areas for IT management. It is hoped that the study will inform both practitioners and researchers and lead to a better understanding of the relationship between IT governance structures, processes and relational mechanisms and business benefits.
A Comparative Case Study of Three Korean Firms
Authors: Lee Junghoon , Lee Jungwoo , Lee Ja Young
Published: May 2010

Research has recently begun to place greater emphasis on the strategic application of IT in seeking to integrate firms’ IT infrastructures and business processes, thus boosting companies’ business values. In this context, efforts have been made to formulate workable structures for companies’ IT governance (ITG); however, little practical research has considered the effect of different forms of ITG in a range of domestic and multinational companies. This study undertakes a comparative case study analysis of the ITG setups of three large service sector firms in Korea. This research work sought to identify the activities, types, and determinants of firms’ ITG decision making processes, and to suggest the basis on which forms of ITG may represent rational selections for given service companies. The study was based on in-depth interviews with representatives of three firms, analysis of in-house materials, and the application of multiple perspectives dealing with ITG domains. Case study analysis yielded a detailed picture of the characteristics of ITG related decision making within the firms, suggesting the validity of the proposed ITG framework. The proposed and partially validated ITG framework should be useful for further research and practice of ITG.
Unexplored Linkages between Corporate Governance and IT Governance
Authors: Borth Michael A. , Bradley Randy V.
Published: May 2010

This chapter discusses the overall importance of both corporate and IT governance, and demonstrates that IT governance is a very important subcomponent of corporate governance. The authors present a framework, based upon a framework previously presented by Weill and Ross (2004), which should facilitate a strong understanding of the different factors and mechanisms that impact firm governance. A number of interesting empirical results relating to these governance mechanisms are presented within the context of the framework. Finally, the chapter presents a number of examples that link corporate and IT governance. In presenting those linkages, the authors identify a number of areas that should provide fruitful avenues for researchers to explore IT governance as it relates to corporate governance, and vice versa.
I-Fit
Authors: Fairchild Alea , Smits Martin , Ribbers Piet , van Geel Erik , Snijder Geert
Published: May 2010

This document summarizes the initial findings of the I-Fit research project that started in August 2006 as a joint activity of a regional ICT consultancy and a university research center. The main goal of the project is to help the consultants to improve alignment between business and IT in the client organizations. The I-Fit project takes the perspective of the business manager: how a business manager can influence and increase the value of the IT services that he receives. Based on the literature on strategic alignment and Information quality, we develop the I-Fit model. The model assumes causal relationships between IT governance, Strategic Alignment, Information Quality, and Business Performance in an organization.
Competence of Information Technology Professionals in Internet-Based Ventures
Authors: Kollmann Tobias , Häsel Matthias
Published: May 2010

This chapter articulates the knowledge and skills required by IT professionals in young Internet-based firms. Building on the general IT governance principle of aligning business and IT, it introduces an adequate competence model, outlines its dimensions, and suggests a framework for modeling the effects of factors internal and external to the firm on the value propositions of the different dimensions. The authors hope that a comprehensive understanding of the role of IT-related competence will assist founders not only in finding suitable partners, but also in aligning e-business strategy and information technology in Internet-based ventures.
The Role of Maturity Models in IT Governance
Authors: Rogers G. Philip
Published: May 2010

This chapter assesses what role maturity models can play in enterprise IT governance. Frameworks that are well known in the IT industry, such as the Capability Maturity Model, make it possible to assess maturity in key areas. The author describes additional maturity models that have no formal association with a comprehensive framework, the application of which represent significantly less overhead than the larger frameworks that include a maturity model component. The author seeks to present a broad perspective on maturity models that enterprises can use as a preliminary means of evaluating what tools are available to them. As such, this overview of maturity models is intended to facilitate the selection of a model that can bring about improved IT governance in one or more focus areas.
The Governance Implications When it is Outsourced
Authors: Rouse Anne C.
Published: May 2010

This chapter considers the governance issues raised by the increasing use of external parties to supply IT resources (including packaged enterprise software). The chapter briefly reviews existing formal governance frameworks and their treatment of IT outsourcing, then introduces an analytical model for considering outsourcing benefits and risks. The chapter then goes on to highlight some strategic IT governance issues that become critical once a firm outsources a significant proportion of its IT services. The aim of the chapter is to alert decision makers to the fact that outsourcing IT incorporates residual risks even when widely recommended operational controls are implemented. It concludes that effective control processes are necessary, but not sufficient for good corporate governance and suggests that those responsible for corporate governance ensure that both operational and strategic governance issues are considered when IT is substantially outsourced.
Applying Organizational Theories to Realize Adaptive IT Governance and Service Management
Authors: Dowse Andrew , Lewis Edward
Published: May 2010

With the cost, complexity and risk associated with IT systems, the approach to IT governance and service management in many organizations is to centralize and standardize. Often executives pursue a generic approach to the management of information technology, without consideration of their organizational context. This chapter examines the adaptation of IT governance arrangements through the lens of organizational theory. It uses concepts from systems theory, differentiation, value chains and structural contingency theory to give an appreciation of the factors that influence how IT can best support an organization’s business.
A Model for IT Service Strategy
Authors: McBride Neil
Published: May 2010

This chapter describes a suggested model for developing a service strategy within IT services. It considers the context, the organization of IT services which might be appropriate for a service strategy. It discusses the content of an IT service strategy which it suggests should be presented as a portfolio of services. It reviews the process of developing the service strategy, suggesting a set of steps which may lead to the development of appropriate content within the right management structure. The example of hospital information systems is used to illustrate the strategic process. In order to set the scene for the strategic process, the state of information systems strategy research is discussed and set in the context of the developing service management research literature. The term service-centric is used and the difference between service-centric IT management and service-oriented architecture is clarified. A case is made for a migration from an IT strategy based primarily on the development of a portfolio of IT systems to a service-strategy based on the development of a portfolio of business services.
Integrated Product Life Cycle Management for Software
Authors: Malzahn Dirk
Published: May 2010

This chapter describes how models for software development and service delivery can be integrated into a common approach to reach an integrated product life cycle for software. The models covered by this chapter are the capability maturity model integration (CMMI), SPICE (software process improvement and capability determination, ISO 15504) and ISO 20000 (service management). Whilst the CMMI constellation approach delivers an integration perspective defined in three models (development, acquisition and services), SPICE and ISO 20000 need additional alignment to be usable in an integrated approach.
Life Cycle Design, Planning, and Assessment
Authors: Tan Raymond R. , Culaba Alvin B. , Purvis Michael R.I. , Tanchuco Joel Q.
Published: May 2010

Energy and environmental concerns are intricately linked to the supply chains of various goods. Increased public awareness of such issues is reflected in the contemporary business environment as well as government legislation. Companies must not only comply with environmental regulations, but also contend with the need for increasingly green corporate practices in order to stay competitive in global markets. Thus, it is necessary to apply systematic techniques to quantify the environmental impacts of supply chains, and to identify opportunities for making improvements. This chapter discusses life cycle assessment principles and its application in the design and planning of industrial supply chains. A specific case study on the production of biofuels from agricultural crops is used to illustrate the key concepts.
Environmental Criteria in a MCDM Context
Authors: Bufardi Ahmed , Kiritsis Dimitris
Published: May 2010

This chapter addresses the main issues that are worth considering when using environmental criteria in a multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) context and provides some guidance for a proper and efficient use of environmental criteria in a MCDM context. Among the main issues considered in this chapter, we can mention the definition and representation of criteria, their weighting, and their selection. The relation of criterion to other notions such as attribute, objective, goal, and indicator is also explained. Regarding the environmental criteria, we emphasize their main characteristics and indicate how these characteristics can support the users in selecting appropriate MCDM methods. An illustrative example about the selection of the best scenario for the treatment of a vacuum cleaner at the end of its life cycle is given. It shows the type of reverse supply chain problems in which environmental criteria can be used to evaluate and compare alternatives.
Sustainable Electronic Product Design
Authors: Zhou Xiaoying
Published: May 2010

The ability to concretely and quantitatively measure the environmental performance of a product system is essential to support the establishment of objectives, the selection among alternatives, and continuous improvement in environmental management. Integration of the life cycle perspective into the assessment tools is one of the key challenges. On the basis of an extensive literature review, the authors describe the state-of-the-art of assessment tools available for product systems in the electronics industry. The intent is to enable the informed use of these product assessment tools with life cycle thinking so that a tool is chosen for the optimal application given specific goals. Furthermore, the classification scheme, the business initiatives, the economic, geographical, legislative factors, and the methodological challenges of the emerging industrial practice are thoroughly examined. Through these discussions, the authors hope to facilitate the methodological development that moves beyond discrete product boundaries toward system optimization and standard guidelines that best meet the needs of corporations in a global and societal context.
From Cleaner Production to Greening the Local Economy
Authors: Odake Nobutaka , Furukawa Satomi
Published: May 2010

As interests in the impacts of business activities on environment have been growing, environmental policy is now shifting from the “end of pipe” stage to the next stage, which factor in the life cycles and social efficiency. An increasing trend in environmental departments of state and municipal governments in Europe is that these departments have outgrown their restriction-based environmental measures. Their concept of environmental policy has shifted to management support programs that helps small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increase their competitiveness through improving their environmental efficiency. This chapter discusses and compares two environmental programs: the case of die Effizienz Agentur NRW (EFA) and the case of der ÖkoBusinessPlan Wien, the Eco Business Plan Vienna (EBP). The goal of this chapter is to extract the conveyed meanings of partnerships and the role of public sectors through the activities of local intermediaries such as agents need to play in fostering environmental conservation. The focus of discussion is on the partnerships among the parties involved in the programs and on the program operations.
Does Trust Foster Sustainability? Results from a Management Simulation Game
Authors: Krikke Harold
Published: May 2010

Successful supply chain collaboration is one of the principal means of achieving competitive advantage. New concepts such as vendor managed inventory, efficient consumer response, and factory gate pricing, among others, have been developed to optimize supply chains. The dual focus of supply chain collaboration has traditionally been customer service and cost. Sustainability is now also a primary focus. In this chapter, we study how trust impacts sustainability. Trust is often seen as a key moderator in supply chain performance. Yet, little is known about the role it plays in achieving sustainable supply chains. The ongoing debate about the greenhouse effect highlights the relevance of this topic. We look at trust and sustainability in supply chains using an advanced management game played by master students. We present the empirical data collected and then develop tentative propositions. We conclude with a discussion of the potential impact of the results for business and make suggestions for further research.
Identifying and Clustering of Target Customers of Green Products
Authors: Wang Miao-Ling
Published: May 2010

The number of consumers concerned about the environment is growing. Although the promotion of green products is recognized as a basic method for solving the waste crisis and improving the environment, resources for producing or serving green products are relatively limited, causing inconveniences and elevated prices for the consumer. Therefore, it becomes significant that those customers who are willing to sacrifice convenience in order to purchase higher priced green products be identified. Through the affirmation of target customers in an effective marketing system, enterprises can recycle used products efficiently, increase profits and successfully transmit advertising information to consumers who are disposed to buy green products. In this chapter, we apply data mining techniques to cope with this problem. After clustering the customers, a bi-objective nonlinear problem is constructed with multiple attribute utility theory; the target customers form the foundation of marketing.
Application of Fuzzy Analytic Network Process and Fuzzy TOPSIS to the Undesirable Location Selection Problem
Authors: Önüt Semih , Kara Selin Soner , Tekin Derya
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, a combined fuzzy multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) methodology for supporting the undesirable location selection process is presented. The undesirable location selection process is formulated by using the fuzzy analytic network process (FANP), one of MCDM methods, which is used to evaluate the most suitable alternatives of undesirable facility locations. Then, the fuzzy TOPSIS (technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution) is used to rank competing locations in terms of overall performances. Since different alternatives and various quantitative, qualitative, tangible, and intangible criteria should be considered in the selection process, fuzzy MCDM methods have been found to be a useful approach to solve this kind of location selection problems including vagueness and imprecision in the human judgments.
Strategic Decisions for Green Electricity Marketing
Authors: Pérez-Plaza Marta
Published: May 2010

Green electricity (GE) has emerged as one of the most interesting instruments for promoting renewable electricity in liberalized markets, at least in theory. Indeed, some experiences have already been carried out, mostly in the U.S. and Europe. However, most of them have been largely unsuccessful. In this chapter, we look at previous surveys and studies carried out on customer response, and provide a review of the most relevant results achieved by GE experiences, in order to learn from them. As a result, we provide what we believe are the key strategic recommendations for green electricity retailers to launch a successful GE program. Although the green electricity market remains a difficult one, several improvements can be achieved by learning from past mistakes and carefully analysing the alternatives and the boundary conditions.
Reverse Supply Chain Design
Authors: Pochampally Kishore K. , Gupta Surendra M.
Published: May 2010

The success of a reverse supply chain heavily relies on the efficiency of the collection facilities and recovery facilities chosen while designing that reverse supply chain. In this chapter, we propose a neural network approach to evaluate the efficiency of a facility (collection or recovery) of interest, which is being considered for inclusion in a reverse supply chain, using the available linguistic data of facilities that already exist in the reverse supply chain. The approach is carried out in four phases, as follows: In phase I, we identify criteria for evaluation of the facility of interest, for each group participating in the reverse supply chain. Then, in phase II, we use fuzzy ratings of already existing facilities to construct a neural network that gives impacts (importance values) of criteria identified for each group in phase I. Then, in phase III, using the impacts obtained in phase II, we employ a fuzzy TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) approach to obtain the overall rating of the facility of interest, as calculated by each group. Finally, in phase IV, we employ Borda’s choice rule to calculate the maximized consensus (among the groups considered) rating of the facility of interest.
A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach for Household Appliances and Automobile Recycling
Authors: Kongar Elif , Gupta Surendra M.
Published: May 2010

Rapid technological developments are leading to a significant decrease in the demand for old technology products. As a result, old technology products are rushed to their end-of-lives (EOLs) even though they still function properly and have the ability to satisfy stated needs. It is therefore important to find environmentally and economically benign ways to handle this accumulating waste to regain the value added to such products and to reduce the environmental damage. However, EOL recovery options are not always economically justifiable due to the complexity and uncertainty involved in the process. To reduce these setbacks, it is crucial to perform an analysis prior to taking any action and rank the products according to the importance of their EOL processing outcomes. To this end, this chapter proposes a data envelopment analysis (DEA) algorithm to determine the technical efficiency of end-of-life processing of household appliances and automobiles depending on various tangible and intangible performance criteria.
Green Product Retrieval and Recommendations System
Authors: Liao Yi-Chun
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces a preference-based recommendation procedure in a green product information retrieval system. It constructs a green information management system based on data mining technology. Green products and relevant green regulations were collected and then integrated in a content-based and collaborative filtering method to provide a preference-based query interface for green products. It is hoped that the proposed system offers consumers a green information platform when they are considering buying green products. Our proposed system recommends the best possible choices for consumers that indicate a green preference. Besides serving as a green information retrieval for the consumers, the system also assists the product designers with understanding the preference some consumers have for green products and the satisfaction they get from buying these products.
Applying Web-Based Collaborative Decision-Making in Reverse Logistics
Authors: Tsoulfas Giannis T. , Pappis Costas P. , Karacapilidis Nikos I.
Published: May 2010

The increasing environmental concerns and the technological advances have boosted the post-use treatment of nearly all kinds of products and a new area for research and application has emerged described by the term “reverse logistics.” In this chapter, parameters that may affect reverse logistics operation are discussed from a decision-making perspective, so that alternative design options may be proposed and evaluated. In particular, these parameters are used for the qualitative evaluation of the reverse supply chain of mobile phones in Greece. For this purpose, we present an illustrative application of a Web-based decision support tool that may assist collaborative decision-making in conflicting environments, where diverse views, perspectives, and priorities shared among stakeholders have to be considered.
Managing Knowledge for Enhancing the Participants through Organizational Learning and Leadership
Authors: Saito Murako
Published: May 2010

Managing knowledge is essential to facilitate the process of organizational learning and to foster organizational culture in which the participants are inspired and feel confident to contribute to the organization and to enhance competitive advantages. The participants develop their capabilities driven by the process of cognition-action coupling at individual and collective levels. The role of knowledge management is inevitably to redesign the organization into an innovative one by inspiring the participants to create new values. The first topic in this chapter is on the conceptual models of business performance, such as our basic model of organizational adaptability and organizational learning capability model explaining organizational learning process (i.e., cognition-action coupling process in organizational environment). In the second topic, continuity of reflexive organizational learning for creating new values and the process models of organizational learning are discussed for harnessing organizational learning development (OLD). The final important topic is on the relevance of knowledge management to organizational learning and to technology. Innovation (i.e., knowledge generation and knowledge generalization) emerges in the recursive information processing harnessed by technology, which in turn leads to flexibility, adaptability of organization and inspires people to achieve shared goals. The focus of this chapter is placed on the participants of the organization who are most important business assets and a fundamental aspect in knowledge management in redesigning innovative organizations.
Conceptual Levels of Information Processing and Information Interpretation in Knowledge Management
Authors: Saito Murako
Published: May 2010

In managing knowledge, conceptual confusion on information arises frequently among researchers in different disciplines. The term of information is defined at least into four: data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. Procedural ways of information are different among disciplines even when the definition is similar. Interpretation of information varies in accordance with its meaning or its value for the receivers. Most of the misalignment in the field stems from different interpretations and the different procedural ways of the information presented. In this chapter, first, information processing levels in knowledge management and second, three levels in cognition-action reflective process are described. Thirdly, information interpretation in internal world, and finally juxtaposition of scientific and interpretive perspectives are discussed for developing organizational learning and organizational resilience and for building common ground for productive and constructive dialogue between and within disciplinary fields.
The Intelligence Continuum and Emergency and Disaster Scenarios
Authors: Wickramasinghe Nilmini
Published: May 2010

Application of germane knowledge and pertinent information is always important; however, it is imperative in emergency and disaster situations where a few seconds lost reading irrelevant data can translate into loss of life. To address the issue, this chapter discusses the intelligence continuum, which ensures the systematic and appropriate application of the critical tools, techniques, technologies, and tactics of knowledge management (KM) to ensure that only relevant knowledge is used at all times.
Evaluation of Human Action
Authors: Wickramasinghe Nilmini
Published: May 2010

The people dynamic is especially significant when trying to understand knowledge management. One aspect of interactions between groups of people is the impact of knowledge, be it a gain or a lack of knowledge. The work of Michael Foucault addresses this in his thesis on power/knowledge. By analyzing traditional theories and introducing Foucault’s power/knowledge ideas, the following provides some insights into the actions and interactions of people within organizational settings.
Key Considerations for the Adoption and Implementation of Knowledge Management in Healthcare Operations
Authors: Wickramasinghe Nilmini , Geisler Elie
Published: May 2010

The importance of knowledge management (KM) to organizations in today’s competitive environment is being recognized as paramount and significant. This is particularly evident for healthcare both globally and in the U.S. The U.S. healthcare system is facing numerous challenges in trying to deliver cost effective, high quality treatments and is turning to KM techniques and technologies for solutions in an attempt to achieve this goal. While the challenges facing the U.S. healthcare are not dissimilar to those facing healthcare systems in other nations, the U.S. healthcare system leads the field with healthcare costs more than 15% of GDP and rising exponentially. What is becoming of particular interest when trying to find a solution is the adoption and implementation of KM and associated KM technologies in the healthcare setting, an arena that has to date been notoriously slow to adopt technologies and new approaches for the practice management side of healthcare. We examine this issue by studying the barriers encountered in the adoption and implementation of specific KM technologies in healthcare settings. We then develop a model based on empirical data and using this model draw some conclusions and implications for orthopaedics.
Roles of Interpersonal Relationships in Improving Organizational Performances in the Case of Hospital Nurses
Authors: Saito Murako
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, a comparison of organizational performances representing team reciprocity, communication accuracy, and performance reliability was made with participants’ competence of emotional regulation, communication type, and also with the appreciation level of professional work based on our empirical studies on healthcare organization. The results in case study 1 suggest that team reciprocity is significantly influenced by the type of communication, face–to–face (FTF) and computer mediating communication (CMC). The results in case study 2 suggest that interpersonal relationship management played important roles in giving critical effects on organizational performance of team reciprocity, communication accuracy, and performance reliability. The results in case study 3 suggest that appreciation degree of team and organization goals gave significant effects on team reciprocity and performance reliability. Causal relationships among structural variables on work environment, communication, and organizational performances in case study 1, and causal relationships among work demand, organizational environment, and fairness in case study 3, were discussed. Quality of healthcare evaluated by organizational performance is influenced by the condition of how interpersonal relationship plays a role in managing emotional regulation, communication, and appreciation of the work environment. Most of the organizational issues are related with loss of con- fidence and trust among the participants of the organization, which stems largely from inappropriate alignment of interpersonal relationships.
Causal Relationship among Perceived Organizational Environment, Leadership, and Organizational Learning in Industrial Workers
Authors: Saito Murako
Published: May 2010

It does not seem that recent social events occur simply due to the inappropriateness of a particular individual human action or a particular technological system. Most social events are caused largely by insufficient organizational management and inappropriate organizational climate in which the participants are scarcely motivated to develop them and to continue their work in a discretionary manner. Organizational performance is improved by designing the organizational environment where the participants are inspired to work in a recursive learning process underpinned by innovative operations management on the basis of systemic thinking. The purpose of this chapter is to present empirical evidence on organizational learning type shaped by strategic business unit (SBU) in industry and to compare organizational performance representing self-discretion, team reciprocity by learning type, and also to identify multiple causations among the structural variables of predictors,
Eye-Movement and Performance during Reading by Cerebral Palsy Patients
Authors: Karashima Mitsuhiko
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduced the characteristics of CP patients reading Japanese documents in comparison with fully abled students through two experiments. Experiment 1 was designed to study the characteristics in reading Japanese still documents and Experiment 2 was designed to study the characteristics in reading Japanese scrolling documents. The results of Experiment 1 revealed that the CP patients needed more time to read the documents than the students regardless of the difficulty of the documents. The eye fixation duration of the CP patients was generally the same as the students, although slightly longer with the most difficult documents. The frequency of eye fixation of the CP patients was greater than the students regardless of the difficulty. The distribution map of the intervals between the eye fixations revealed that the CP patients performed more eye movements. The results of Experiment 2 revealed that the most comfortable scrolling speed of CP patients was slower than that of the students regardless of the size of the scrolling window. The most comfortable scrolling speed of CP patients was stable regardless of the window size, while the most comfortable scrolling speed of the students increased as the window size increased from 3 to 5 characters and the scrolling speed was stable in 5 characters or more. Further discussions of the occurrence of the characteristics of CP patients reading both the still document and the scrolling document were done.
Roles of Home Care and Rehabilitation Equipment for the Aged Who Need Care in Improving Performance
Authors: Nishiguchi Hiromi
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, some countermeasures are shown for the aged who need care to be able to live their own daily life not only at home, but also in the community, under the situation of worldwide aged society. At first we survey the present situation of the aging in the world. Next, it is explained what human functions are, and how they change by the aging with some research findings. Because of the fall of functions, the barrier often occurs that the aged cannot perform an objective daily life activity. Therefore, the methods to remove the barrier are examined. In the removal methods of the barrier, the commentaries are focused to the support technology, such as home care and rehabilitation tools which utilize survival functions effectively. Furthermore, the research is introduced on satisfaction and well-being of users of rehabilitation facility service of day care, and it is pointed out that kind of service as a social resource is important for the aged who need care to support the independence and well-being in daily life. Effective use of social resources is required to facilitate knowledge management in community life.
The First Attempt of Intensive Approaches in Cognitive Rehabilitation in Clients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Fujii Masako
Published: May 2010

Cognitive rehabilitation (CR) was undertaken by two clients, A and B, using pen and paper method by an exclusive and intensive approach. Client A with very severe TBI showed improved attention and memory deficits and after undergoing a step-by-step trial, he finally landed a satisfactory job and maintained it, with the support of a large organization. Client B underwent CR with considerable effort by himself and attained a normal cognitive level but was still half way to the satisfactory social integration owing to an insufficient support system. Through the long process undergone by the two clients, it was suggested that environmental factors (support system) are extremely important for a satisfactory social life in severe TBI clients, together with the recovery of cognitive functions by CR.
Making Sense of e-HRM
Authors: Foster Steve
Published: May 2010

Several organisations have adopted e-HRM technology as a platform for achieving transformational change, improving HR operational processes, allowing distributed access to employees / managers and providing better decision support. However, as a consultant working in this field, the author regularly encounters organisations that fail to take advantage of the transformational potential of e-HRM, particularly those in the United Kingdom public sector. This chapter argues that the concepts of sense-making and technological frames may explain the inertia experienced in some organisations. It contends that the analysis of technological frame domains provides a valuable lens for understanding and interpreting e-HRM, where high levels of frame incongruence may act as a barrier to transformational change. Research suggests that power relations between key groups of stakeholders, in particular HR Managers and line managers, may influence these frames and shape attitudes to technology. This approach may also provide the basis for strategies to manage e-HRM related change more effectively. Using a grounded theory approach, the research, currently work in progress in support of a professional doctorate (DBA),investigates how United Kingdom public sector organisations make sense of, plan for and implement HR technology.
HR Portal
Authors: Ruta Cataldo Dino
Published: May 2010

Intellectual capital is today considered a key issue in analyzing the critical determinants of company performance. Companies design more and more human resource (HR) strategies when creating and developing intellectual capital. HR portals are applications that enable single personalized access points designed for specific user profiles and organizational positions. Our clarifications and recommendations highlight that HR portal implementation and use can be contingent if the HR function offers a specific set of HR applications to single employees based on differentiation strategies. HR portal implementation and use can also be individualized if the HR function offers a set of alternatives where the single employee can choose a personal HR configuration that is still aligned with the strategy and based on the differentiation of the workforce. Our contribution intends to underline the role of HR portals as a tool for the pursuit of a mature differentiation strategy of the workforce, where the technologies can increase the opportunities for negotiating and exchanging preferences and expectations between employees and the HR function.
E-Work and Labor Processes Transformation
Authors: Imperatori Barbara , De Marco Marco
Published: May 2010

The evolution of the managerial discourse is the result of fashion lifecycles that sometimes have no rational or technical foundations and find no real application within the firms. Taking our cue from the new-institutional perspective, the chapter explores the real labor transformation processes related to the introduction of e-work projects, considering their outputs, outcomes and impacts. The study is based on a multiple-case analysis and underscores the relevance and impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on both “rational” firm’s productivity and “normative” employees’ psychological contract, also considering different institutional environments. Some critical issues and guidelines inherent the design and implementation of technology-based work systems are discussed, such as the dual perspective approach (the organizational and the employer viewpoint) during the needs-analysis and goal-setting phases; the relevance of coherent organizational culture and human resource practices; the removal of organizational structural constraints; the management of cognitive resistance; and the importance of the evaluation and monitoring phases.