bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Semantic Web
Authors: Gunter Darrell
Published: October 2011

The Semantic Web provides a common structure that allows data to be shared and reused across a variety of applications. The history and terminology of the Semantic Web, examples of STM achievements with semantics, an examination of semantic technology companies, and future possibilities for reference publishers are discussed and examined in this chapter. Cooperation between publishers will be imperative if we are to fully benefit from the advantages of the semantic technology.
Embedded Librarianship
Authors: Hamilton Buffy J.
Published: October 2011

This case study chronicles the learning experiences of 10th grade Honors Literature/Composition students who participated in a 2009-10 learning initiative, Media 21, at Creekview High School. This program, spearheaded by school librarian Buffy Hamilton and English teacher Susan Lester, provided students a learning environment facilitated by both Hamilton and Lester in which Hamilton was “embedded” as an instructor. Media 21, rooted in connectivism, inquiry, and participatory literacy, emphasized students creating their own research “dashboards” and portals, the creation of personal learning networks to help students engage in their learning experiences, and to evaluate a diverse offering of information sources more critically.
From ‘Gateway Site’ to Reference Content
Authors: Cullen Rebecca , Faber Robert
Published: October 2011

It is suddenly axiomatic that today’s researchers, faculty, and students alike begin their research online. The gateway sites (e.g., Google Books, Wikipedia) may provide a user-friendly and serendipitous searching experience, while simultaneously keeping the most authoritative and vetted content out of sight. This chapter will examine the research chain as it is currently understood, as well as discussing the planned and actual role of Oxford Bibliographies Online within this shifting research context.
From Information Management to Knowledge Management
Authors: Gurau Calin
Published: October 2011

The continuous evolution of theory and practice has modified the existing organizational paradigms and has introduced new models which attempt to explain how information is created, transmitted, used, and managed within various organizations. Many authors have outlined the fact that information no longer represents the most important asset of a firm. In the present competitive conditions, the managers must also consider knowledge and its relationship with enterprise information systems (Gray & Densten, 2005; Jorna, 2002; Nonaka & Takeuki, 1995). Using both a theoretical and empirical approach, this study attempts to investigate the implication of a new paradigm of knowledge management on an organization’s structure and functioning, considering knowledge management in direct relation with data management and information systems. This article shows, using two organizational examples, that the development of effective knowledge management systems requires a well-organized information system, as well as the clear identification of the main knowledge and decision-making centers within the business organization. After briefly defining the concepts of information management and knowledge management, the article presents a comprehensive literature review of the academic and professional publications that investigate the inter-relationship between these two organizational functions. Based on this secondary information, we propose a model that integrates both information and knowledge management systems, and provides an analysis of two UK business firms in order to illustrate the integration between these elements.
Understanding Time and its Relationship to Individual Time Management
Authors: Wu Dezhi
Published: October 2011

Time never has been an easy concept, since each of us has different time perceptions and experiences. Individual time management stories can vary dramatically because of a variety of reasons, such as different backgrounds, professions, social roles, cultures, gender and so on. The main focus of this book is on socially-constructed time, which demonstrates how humans interact with time in their social contexts. This perspective of time provides a good basis to understand how individuals experience time and furthermore manage their time. This chapter introduces the concept of time based on prior time research and its related concepts. First, it describes how difficult it is to interpret what time is and how scientists in different disciplines explain the nature of time.
The Business Knowledge and Information Policy Model
Authors: San Mujgan
Published: October 2011

As every technological development, information and communication technology also offers new life patterns to human beings. One of them is related to business and its environment. In this context, the main problem is how to manage knowledge and information and assets related to knowledge and information in business. Therefore, we have constructed the business knowledge and information policy model by using triangulation methodology. The business knowledge and information policy model includes the informative business theory, knowledge and information management (KIM) tools and projects. The first one has six characteristics. KIM tools include nine profiles which are common language, strategy, data-information-concepts, personal and social informatics, ICT infrastructure, measurement, cultural informatics and governance. KIM projects could be designed depending on business conditions and goals.
From Knowledge to Personal Knowledge Management
Authors: Sorrentino Fortunato
Published: October 2011

Personal knowledge management (PKM) is a conceptual framework applicable to personal knowledge. It is about taking an individual responsibility towards one’s competencies in the community where one belongs, be it an enterprise, a professional group, an institution, a class, and so forth. PKM implies developing methods and skills in using software and hardware technologies specifically applied to knowledge. These ideas are capturing much attention and analysis, but there are no books about PKM. PKM is an emerging discipline that sometimes challenges the principles of KM (Knowledge Management), from which it descends. To understand PKM we need to consider first the concepts of knowledge and knowledge management. Some widely shared beliefs are the following: • Knowledge is so valued today that our society defines itself as a “ knowledge society”; • Knowledge management is not a technology or a software solution, it is a discipline; • We are able to make distinctions among different forms of knowledge, that is, explicit, tacit and implicit knowledge, and see their transformations.
Critical Success Factors in the Development of Folksonomy-Based Knowledge Management Tools
Authors: Owen Kenneth , Willis Robert
Published: October 2011

This chapter examines three important aspects of folksonomies; common design factors found in folksonomies, developmental patterns of mature folksonomies, and the identification of knowledge consumer behaviors that can act as metrics for the evaluation of a small-scale folksonomy. In identifying desirable design elements, a comparative examination of tags and objects was made using a study conducted at Lakehead University. From this project, an exemplar of an effective folksonomical data structure was derived. User behavior was examined and categorized to identify behaviors that can be monitored and measured as indicators of user satisfaction. The authors analyze the structures of a folksonomy and synthesize a practical model of an effective folksonomy in the context of knowledge management.
Knowledge Appraisal and Knowledge Management Systems
Authors: Rasmussen Hannah Standing , Haggerty Nicole
Published: October 2011

Knowledge management (KM) is a critical practice by which a firm’s intellectual capital is created, stored and shared. This has lead to a rich research agenda within which knowledge management systems (KMS) have been a key focus. Our research reveals that an important element of KM practice—knowledge appraisal— is considered in only a fragmentary and incomplete way in research. Knowledge appraisal reflects the multi-level process by which a firm’s knowledge is evaluated by the organization or individual for its value. The processes are highly intertwined with the use of the KMS. It therefore requires consideration of KA across multiple levels and types of knowledge across the entire KM cycle. To achieve this goal, we develop and present a taxonomy of knowledge appraisal practices and discuss their role in the KM lifecycle emphasizing implications for research and practice.
Designing Open-Source OMIS Environment for Virtual Teams to Support Inter-Enterprise Collaboration
Authors: Hou VAT Kam
Published: October 2011

Today companies large and small have taken to open source as a way to increase collaboration, reduce development costs, provide a friendly platform for their products and services. Underlying this movement is a set of concerns related to the initiative to allow knowledge workers across different enterprises to participate in joint project work, resulting in some inter-organizational processes of knowledge sharing, to be modeled and followed by other enterprises of interest. This formulation, in terms of discovering business mutual benefits, could be considered as the open source philosophy behind an enterprise’s cooperation with other counterparts. In the specific context of establishing enterprise information systems (EIS) to enable organizations (especially small and medium enterprises) to integrate and coordinate their business processes, the stakes can be high in light of maintaining a company’s competitive advantages. Whether open source will work at any company depends on both the capabilities of the company and the maturity of the open source processes and hence the software to support them. This article investigates the context of knowledge networks among virtual teams of professionals as the case-in-point discussion on a specific type of open source knowledge environment based on the Wiki technology, called organizational memory information system (OMIS) to support people working within and across organizational boundaries with technology. The issues of trust and shared understanding among organizations using the relevant OMIS environment is also deliberated in the discussion alongside the technology alignment and process adaptation for managing the OMIS-based collaboration among members of the knowledge networks.
Integrating Production Planning and Control Business Processes
Authors: Lima Rui M.
Published: October 2011

Organizations have production planning and control (PPC) processes supported by systems that execute, mainly, repetitive calculations. Based on these calculation results, decisions are taken by production managers. These decision processes make the connection between different levels of aggregation of information and could benefit from the increment of the level of automation. An increased level of application of business process modelling languages is proposed in order to contribute to increment the level of process automation and the detail of business analysis. Thus being, concepts of integration of production management processes, specifically of production planning and control processes are presented. These concepts, the application of business process modelling language (BPML) and some solutions of PPC integration compose the core content of this work. Additionally, criteria for evaluation of these processes of integration are identified and discussed. Finally, the presentation of an industrial case will be supported by BPML model.
Integrating Enterprise Systems
Authors: Hwang Mark I.
Published: October 2011

In the last two decades many organizations installed enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems as a means to integrate their back-office operations. The need for integration, however, actually amplified with the advent of ERP. In addition to integrating ERP with legacy systems, consolidating multiple copies of ERP running in different business units posed major challenges. Moreover, recent strategic initiatives such as customer relationships management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), business to consumer (B2C), and business to business (B2B) all require a free flow of information between ERP and other enterprise systems to be successful. It is, therefore, more critical than ever to plan for and implement integration projects involving ERP properly. Hwang (2005) describes the need for integrating enterprise systems in detail. He also discusses several success factors cited in practitioner journals. Since then a handful of empirical studies have been published in the scholarly literature. This article provides a review of those studies with a special focus on the success factors. A consolidated list of success factors is developed for practitioners. Promising research directions are discussed.
Expanding the Strategic Role of Information Interactions in the Enterprise Environment
Authors: Olah Judit , Axvig Ole
Published: October 2011

In a modern enterprise environment, many information resources are available to people working to produce valuable output. Due to technology proliferation, remote work access, and multiple geographical locations generating their own solutions for local infrastructure challenges, as well as the fact that modern professionals are tasked to make decisions autonomously, it is not self-evident what types of information resources could or should be accessed in what order in order to move processes towards the desired product outcome. Our integrated model was developed using the results of an empirical study. The model puts a user-centered focus on business process model building by mapping all information interactions surrounding the business processes (i.e. creation, storage, management, retrieval of documents/ contents as well as information and data). The model characterizes the business processes by types of information interaction, analyzes process phases by those interactions and evaluates actual locations of information content extractions.
Business Process Management as a Critical Success Factor in EIS Implementation
Authors: Modrák Vladimír
Published: October 2011

Nowadays, the implementation of business process management modern tools in companies becomes a mater of acceptation of an effective organization management. The first ultimate precondition for achieving this goal is a properly structured company. An attention in the study is placed on business process reengineering due to preparing preconditions for smooth implementation of enterprise information system (EIS). Since there are differences between tools of business processes redesign and information systems development, then a main focus was on overcoming existing semantic gaps. With aim to solve this problem the specific modeling method has been used that was clear for company’s staff and usable for EIS designers. Used modeling approach was supported by QPR software.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Maintenance Metrics for Management
Authors: Ng Celeste See-pui
Published: October 2011

A typical packaged software lifecycle, from the client-organization perspective, is packaged software selection followed by implementation, installation, training, and maintenance (that includes upgrades). Traditional software maintenance has been acknowledged by many researchers as the longest and most costly phase in the software lifecycle. This fact is no exception in the ERP packaged software maintenance context (Moore, 2005; Whiting, 2006). According to Ng, Gable, & Chan (2002, pg. 100) ERP maintenance is defined as “post-implementation activities related to the packaged application software undertaken by the client-organization from the time the system goes live (i.e., successfully implemented and transported to the production environment), until it is retired from an organization’s production system, to keep the system running; adapt to a changed environment in order to operate well; provide helps to the system users in using the system; realize benefits from the system (best business processes, enhanced system integration, cost reduction); and keep the system a supported-version and meet the vendor’s requirements for standard code. These activities include: implementing internal change-requests (initiated by an ERP-using organization’s system users and IT-staff); responding or handling usersupport requests (initiated by an ERP-using organization’s system users); upgrading to new versions/releases (introduced by the vendor); and performing patches (support provided by the vendor).” In order to achieve the abovementioned maintenance objectives of keeping the ERP system running, adapting the system to a new operating environment, and ensuring the system up to the vendor’s requirement for standard code; and realizing benefits such as competitive advantages from the system, the IT department staff has to collect some metrics or relevant data on patches and modifications done to the ERP system so that they can know or can tell the status and the performance of their maintenance activities. The authors in Fenton (1991), Fenton & Pfleeger (1997), and Florac (1992), agree that software maintenance data are useful for planning, assessment, tracking, and predictions on software maintenance. Although, there is a lot of literature on ERP, we find almost no literature on ERP maintenance metrics. Thus, this text is meant to provide some fundamental metrics on ERP patches and modifications which could be useful for ERP maintenance management in order to answer questions on the state of their ERP system, their patch implementation costs, and the ongoing maintenance costs for their previous modification or custom development.
An Alternative Model of Information Security Investment
Authors: Orondo Peter O.
Published: October 2011

Most companies would agree that securing their information assets is worth some investment. It is thus plausible to assume that low levels of IT security investment indicate that only a small portion of the firm’s business is IT asset value driven. It could also point to a misaligned corporate investment policy. Conversely, some firms may be investing more than is warranted given the value of their information asset holdings, thereby wasting shareholder resources. The question then becomes: What level of IT security investment is enough? Several models exist to help companies set their IT spending in general and Information Security spending in particular. The leading model out there is the Information Technology Portfolio Management (ITPM) model. This is really nothing more than financial portfolio management theory applied to the information technology realm. Thus ITPM tries to optimize IT spending based on a number of factors like business value, efficiency and cost reduction among others. Despite current vigorous research at esteemed institutions like the Center for Information Systems Research (CISR) at MIT and at the Free University of Amsterdam, ITPM is still in its infancy and the field would benefit from alternative models. In this chapter, we propose an alternative model of IT security spending that firms may readily apply when setting their Information Security budgets. The model is analytical and starts by developing a model for the business value of information. It then develops a model for the cost of an information security breach. Finally, we find the relationship between the value model and the cost model from.
Facilitating Connected Knowing Through Virtual Learning Communities
Authors: McCracken Holly
Published: October 2011

Generally believed critical to facilitating multi-dimensional instructional experiences for participants in a range of educational environments (for example, as accessed through academic institutions, corporate staff development, professional organizations, and so forth), the use of learning communities as an important instructional method is widely recognized across academic disciplines, teaching approaches, and delivery media. In fact, Lave and Wenger (in McPherson & Nunes, 2004) argued that learning is, by nature, an activity by which one engages knowledge in many forms, through which one becomes a “member of the community of knowledge” (p. 305). As such, communication, collaboration, and interaction become essential methods in facilitating instructional partnerships. Extending beyond a social context, the ongoing relationship building, advising, and mentoring generated through participation in learning communities provide a foundation for continued cognitive development and knowledge construction (Rovai, 2002; Wegerif, 1998).
Environments for Virtual Enterprise Integration
Authors: Cunha Maria Manuela , Putnik Goran D. , Ávila Paulo Silva
Published: October 2011

The virtual enterprise model is an emerging approach in answer to the new requirements of the business environment, relying on dynamically-reconfigurable partnerships, with extremely high performances, strongly time-oriented while being highly focused on cost and quality, in permanent alignment with the market, and strongly supported by information and communication technology, dictating a paradigm face shift to the traditional organizational models. Networking and reconfiguration dynamics are the main characteristics of this model,requiring enabling and supporting environments, at bearable costs. Some existing technologies and Internet-based environments can partially support this organizational model, but the reconfiguration dynamics can only be assured by environments able to manage, control, and enable networking and dynamics in virtual enterprise creation/reconfiguration. Several environments are introduced in the chapter, and particular focus is given to the market of resources, an environment coping with the requirements of the virtual enterprise model.
View Management Techniques and Their Application to Data Stream Management
Authors: Quix Christoph , Li Xiang , Kensche David , Geisler Sandra
Published: October 2011

Data streams are continuous, rapid, time-varying, and transient streams of data and provide new opportunities for analysis of timely information. Data processing in data streams faces similar challenges as view management in data warehousing: continuous query processing is related to view maintenance in data warehousing, multi-query optimization for continuous queries is highly related to view selection in conventional relational DBMS and data warehouses. In this chapter, we give an overview of view maintenance and view selection methods, explain the fundamental issues of data stream management, and discuss how view management techniques from data warehousing are related to data stream management. We also give directions for future research in view management, data streams, and data warehousing.
Collaborative Decision Making
Authors: Jankovic Marija , Zaraté Pascale , Bocquet Jean-Claude , Cardinal Julie Le
Published: October 2011

Recent years we can hear a lot about cooperative decision-making, group or collaborative decision-making. These types of decisions are the consequences of developed working conditions: geographical dispersion, team working, and concurrent working. In the article we present two research works concerning two different collective decision situations: face-to-face decision-making and synchronous distributed decision-making. These two research studies adopt different approaches in order to support decision-making process, in view to different research objectives. Nevertheless, the conclusions show complementary aspect of these two studies.
‘Stream of Training’ Approach in Project Management Training
Authors: Vequist IV David G. , Teachout Mark S.
Published: October 2011

This article describes a training innovation that combines research on advances in information communication technologies (ICTs) and leading-edge training techniques. It also extends an evolution of traditional organizational change management (OCM) approaches and integrates technology more fully than current traditional change management practices. This new approach to training is based on concepts that have been utilized in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. This approach merges traditional project communication and project training together to form a continuous ‘stream of training’ throughout the life cycle of the project. This technique is an advanced combination of both training and communication. Rather than utilizing a traditional linear training model, in this technique, training becomes a stream of learning incorporating pretraining communication (screen prints of new applications), ‘push’ training that can be electronically distributed through really simple syndication (RSS, also referred to as resource description framework, site summary, or rich site summary) to key stakeholders just-in-time (JIT) and electronic performance support systems (EPSS) that reinforce new process/technology changes. Some of the potential advantages of this approach are that it is less costly than providing separate communication and training functions and that utilizing an integrated or streaming approach to communication and training may lead to less conflict and confusion among key stakeholders about the current status of the project team. A discussion of the background and the benefits achieved by this approach are described in the following sections.
Intelligent Business Process Execution using Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Kress Markus , Mostaghim Sanaz , Seese Detlef
Published: October 2011

In this chapter, the authors study a new variant of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to efficiently execute business processes. The main challenge of this application for the PSO is that the function evaluations typically take a high computation time. They propose the Gap Search (GS) method in combination with the PSO to perform a better exploration in the search space and study its influence on the results of our application. They replace the random initialization of the solutions for the initial population as well as for the diversity preservation method with the GS method. The experimental results show that the GS method significantly improves the quality of the solutions and obtains better results for the application as compared to the results of a standard PSO and Genetic Algorithms. Moreover, the combination of the methods the authors used show promising results as tools to be applied for improvement of Business Process Optimization.
Always-On Enterprise Information Systems with Service Oriented Architecture and Load Balancing
Authors: Bayram Serdal , Kirlidog Melih , Vayvay Ozalp
Published: October 2011

In today’s world, it is essential for a business to provide a seamless and continuous service to its customers. Such an always-on service is required, not only for the strong competitive environment but also because of the fact that most the customers also have to offer seamless and continuous service to their own customers. In this chain, failure of one of the systems even for a short time can result in a disaster in the entire service chain. A wise approach to provide a continuous service should consider all possible failure areas in a computer-based information system. Since hardware and software are vulnerable to a myriad of problems that can halt the normal operation of a system, an ideal solution should not only consider both of these two components, but also should seek to find ways for them to work in support of each other against a malfunction. This chapter is an attempt to develop a model that provides this functionality. Service oriented architecture (SOA) is implemented in the model due to its tenets that are suitable for such functionality.
Extending Sociotechnical Design to Project Conception
Authors: Kampf Constance
Published: October 2011

Project management processes offer specific sites for understanding the interplay of the social and the technical. This article focuses on the connection between knowledge and technology through knowledge communication processes, cultural & rhetorical contexts in projects, and the iterative process of project conception rooted in sense-making by designers. The data comes from a Project management course in which the students were asked to design and plan projects to situate a mobile phone game in a social context. The course was taught simultaneously at the Helsinki School of Economics in Finland and the Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus, Denmark. The analysis demonstrates the potential of knowledge communication concepts for social technical design and highlights the cultural context of the designers as a key factor to consider in socio-technical design.
Optimization of Enterprise Information Systems through a ’User Involvement Framework in Learning Organizations’
Authors: Dave Sumita , Shrivastava Monica
Published: October 2011

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) today is being adopted by business organizations worldwide with a view to maximize their capabilities. But more often than not the expected outcomes are not delivered due to inaccurate calculations with respect to the organization’s ability to adapt to the change. Although the benefits of enterprise information systems in streamlining the functions of the organization cannot be questioned, preparing the organization to adopt the new system needs more focused efforts. In order to ensure that the existing capabilities of the organizations are an enabler and not an inhibitor in the adoption process, they need to be learning organizations. A study was conducted in Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), one of the leading steel manufacturing public companies in India, where ERP is to be adopted. In spite of the fact that it has a strong backbone of resources in terms of information technology (IT) infrastructure, the implementation process is virtually on a standstill. In this chapter, an evaluation of the psychological capabilities of the organization is done. This can be evaluated through the mindset of the workforce and the willingness with which they are ready to adopt change.
Directed Basic Research in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Authors: Parthasarathy S.
Published: October 2011

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) covers the techniques and concepts employed for the integrated management of businesses as a whole, from the viewpoint of the effective use of management resources, to improve the efficiency of an enterprise. One way of looking at ERP is as a combination of business processes and information technology. The objective of this chapter is to highlight the research challenges in ERP projects from the viewpoint of software engineering and draw round the solutions in hand. This chapter on the directed basic research in ERP systems gives us two outputs: (1) A comprehensive framework presenting the current research problems in the ERP systems from the viewpoint of software engineering and (2) The channel to solve these problems. The outcome is a high quality, reliable and complete ERP software solution.
A Transactions Pattern for Structuring Unstructured Corporate Information in Enterprise Applications
Authors: Polovina Simon , Hill Richard
Published: October 2011

It is known that 80-85% of all corporate information remains unstructured. As such, many enterprises rely on information systems that cause them to risk transactions that are based on lack of information (errors of omission) or misleading information (errors of commission). To address this concern, the fundamental business concept of monetary transactions is extended to include qualitative business concepts. A Transaction Model (TM) is accordingly identified that provides a structure for these unstructured but vital aspects of business transactions. By highlighting how unstructured information can be integrated into transactions, the TM provides businesses with a much more balanced view of the transactions they engage in or to discover novel transactions that they might have otherwise missed. A simple example is provided that illustrates this integration and reveals a key missing element. This discovery points to a transactions pattern that can be used to ensure that all the parties (or agents) in a transaction are identified, as well as capturing unstructured and structured information into a coherent framework. In support of the TM as a pattern, more examples of its use in a variety of domains are given. A number of enterprise applications are suggested such as in multi-agent systems, document text capture, and knowledge management.
Enterprise Information Systems Change, Adaptation and Adoption
Authors: Jukic Boris , Jukic Nenad , Velasco Miguel
Published: October 2011

This article introduces and discusses the process and system conceptualization framework for adoption and ongoing evaluation of enterprise information systems, based on the series of recursive high and baselevel conceptualizations of organization’s existing (as-is) and desired (to-be) processes and systems. The motivation for the framework is provided by a qualitative study that reveals two distinct approaches to the organizations’ systems adoption and change. The approaches are labeled as systems view and process view, centered on organizations’ processes and systems respectively; where process oriented approach is more likely to result in better fit between the adopted systems and corporate needs. Consistent with this finding, the purpose of the introduced framework is to guide organizations toward embracing the process-centric approach to the adoption of enterprise information systems, by placing particular emphasis on processes’ and supporting systems’ fit with organization’s strategic goals.
The Implementation of Knowledge Management in Service Businesses
Authors: Shen Pei-Di , Lee Tsang-Hsiung , Tsai Chia-Wen , Chen Yi-Fen
Published: October 2011

Knowledge management is increasingly being mentioned in practice and research as a mechanism for gaining competitive advantage. Not only the high-tech industry needs to put knowledge management to use, but also the service industry. This article presents a conceptual framework to provide insights for managers to implement knowledge management in service businesses. Especially, we provide a four-stage approach in this study that was adopted from the processes of knowledge management proposed by Alavi and Leidner (2001) and we suggest two to four strategies for each process.
Implementation of ERP in Human Resource Management
Authors: Li Zhang , Dan Wang , Lei Chang
Published: October 2011

In 1999, Peter Drucker said: “A new Information Revolution is well under way. It is not a revolution in technology, machinery, techniques, software or speed. It is a revolution in concepts.” As a result of information technology (IT) innovation and reorganization, enterprise resource planning (ERP) was proposed by the Gartner Group in the early 1990s. It is a successor to manufacturing resource planning (MRP II) and attempts to unify all departmental systems together into a single, integrated software program that runs off a single database so that the various departments can more easily share information and communicate with each other (Koch, 2002). Over 60% of the U.S Fortune 500 had adopted ERP by 2000 (Kumar, & Hillegersberg, 2000; Siau, 2004), and it was projected that organizations’ total spending on ERP adoptions was an estimated $72.63 billion in 2002 (Al-Marshari, 2002). Many scholars have recognized the importance of people in organizations, and this viewpoint is the central focus of the human resource management (HRM) perspective (Pfeffer, 1995). In this perspective, HRM has the potential to be one of the key components of overall enterprise strategy. Additionally, HRM may provide significant competitive advantage opportunities when they are used to create a unique (i.e., difficult to imitate) organizational culture that institutionalizes organizational competencies throughout the organization (Bowen & Ostroff, 2004). Typically, an ERP system supports HRM, operation and logistics, finance, and sales and marketing functions (Davenport, 1998) (see Figure 1). But the early development stage of ERP in enterprises was all along with the center of production and sales course. Until recently, research has empirically supported the positive relationship between corporate financial performance and HRM function, and managers have also realized that HRM can deliver organizational excellence and competitive advantage for enterprises (Boudreau & Ramstad, 1997; Huselid, 1995; Wright, McMahan, Snell, & Gerhart, 2001). The HRM module was introduced into ERP, forming a highly integrated and efficient resource system with the other function modules of ERP. However, there are still many HRM-related problems that may result in the failure of ERP projects arising. So, there have been regular appeals to scholars for more research about the implementation of ERP systems in the HRM perspective in the last few years (Barrett & Mayson, 2006). This article introduces the functions of an HRM module in ERP systems from the fields of human resource planning, recruitment management, training management, time management, performance management, compensation management, and business trip arrangement. Then it analyzes five HRM-related problems that may block the enterprises from implementing ERP successfully, and it provides reasonable recommendations. Finally, the article discusses future trends and suggests emerging research opportunities within the domain of the topic.
Network Selection Strategies and Resource Management Schemes in Integrated Heterogeneous Wireless and Mobile Networks
Authors: Shen Wei , Zeng Qing-An
Published: October 2011

Integrated heterogeneous wireless and mobile network (IHWMN) is introduced by combing different types of wireless and mobile networks (WMNs) in order to provide more comprehensive service such as high bandwidth with wide coverage. In an IHWMN, a mobile terminal equipped with multiple network interfaces can connect to any available network, even multiple networks at the same time. The terminal also can change its connection from one network to other networks while still keeping its communication alive. Although IHWMN is very promising and a strong candidate for future WMNs, it brings a lot of issues because different types of networks or systems need to be integrated to provide seamless service to mobile users. In this chapter, the authors focus on some major issues in IHWMN. Several noel network selection strategies and resource management schemes are also introduced for IHWMN to provide better resource allocation for this new network architecture.
Operational Process Management in the Financial Services Industry
Authors: Heckl Diana , Moormann Jürgen
Published: October 2011

The financial services industry faces significant competitive pressures. Economic and political influences, incessant regulation, and fast changing markets make for a highly complex and dynamic environment. Thus, banks and insurance companies are forced to permanently improve their performance – raising process performance represents one of the biggest levers for success. This chapter analyses the challenges of operational process management for banks and insurance companies. The involvement of customers in service processes of financial institutions make these not as easy to manage as production processes. In response to these challenges, cornerstones for a general framework for operational management of service processes will be developed. The aim of this chapter is to present a framework for structuring service processes which allows combining influences by customers and an operational process management. The concept is based on the modularisation approach and will be demonstrated using a loan process as an example.
Knowledge Management for E-Government Applications and Services
Authors: Markellou Penelope , Markellos Konstantinos , Stergianeli Eirini , Zampou Eleni
Published: October 2011

The Web is revolutionizing the way citizens and businesses interact with government agencies and organizations. Nowadays, a wide spectrum of governmental services is available online in order to facilitate end-users and provide them with effective Web-based experiences. In this chapter, authors argue that the usage of knowledge management (KM) would greatly assist e-government applications and services. The basic aim is to point out the necessity of designing and implementing efficient KM e-government applications in order to improve public sector quality. In this framework, firstly it gives e-government and KM basic definitions. Then the chapter provides a review of literature and all these foundations upon which it is envisioned and then demonstrates the close relationship between the two issues. The chapter continues with the presentation of a characteristic KM conceptual model for e-government services. It examines the most interesting applications in the area, and finally demonstrates the barriers, the arising opportunities, and the key challenges regarding e-government and KM.
Semantic Business Process Management
Authors: Stein Sebastian , Stamber Christian , El Kharbili Marwane , Rubach Pawel
Published: October 2011

The application of semantic technologies promises boosting business process management because semantic integration of business and IT is achieved. To enable the vision of semantic business process management, semantic technologies like ontologies, reasoners, and semantic Web services must be integrated in BPM tools. We extended a professional BPM tool to allow semantic business process modelling using the EPC notation. In addition, we adapted the tool’s EPC to BPEL transformation to preserve the semantic annotations. By introducing a proxy service, we are able to perform Semantic Web service discovery on a standard BPEL engine. We evaluated our approach in an empirical case study, which was replicated 13 times by 17 participants from 8 different organisations. We received valuable feedback, which is interesting for researchers and practitioners trying to bring semantic technologies to end-users with no or only limited background knowledge about semantics.
Project Management for Project-Based Learning
Authors: Williams van Rooij Shahron
Published: October 2011

This chapter reports the results of a case study in which the final project outcomes of small virtual instructional design teams using Project Management in an online graduate-level course are compared with teams using a less-structured approach. Based on the findings, the author offers the following recommendations for structuring project-based learning in small virtual teams: (a) assess through pre- or in-course questioning individual motivators of success and performance in virtual teams, (b) provide teams with templates with which to document roles, responsibilities, milestones and key deliverables, and (c) offer time and schedule management tips to reinforce/extend entry skills in team project management and participation. This case study can serve as a resource to eLearning practitioners seeking research-based best practices for both managing and participating in project teams that may have limited human and material resources and that may be distributed over a number of geographic locations and time zones.
Continuous Database Availability
Authors: Tomic Drazena , Markic Brano
Published: October 2011

In today’s business environment, it is usual that data relevant to business is stored on different hardware, inside different databases, different data warehouses, inside as well as outside of the organization. Accuracy, quality, timeliness, and especially availability of such distributed data make crucial role in the process of business managing. Now, one of the biggest challenges is to ensure continuous availability of that data, even in critical and disaster situations. This chapter gives a short overview of the most used solutions for database availability that have become industry standards and gives examples of implementation of these standards by, in this moment, three main database vendors: Oracle (Oracle 11g), IBM (DB2 Version 9.5) and Microsoft (SQL Server 2008).
Impact of Organizational Culture on Knowledge Management in Higher Education
Authors: Biloslavo Roberto , Prevodnik Mojca
Published: October 2011

Knowledge management is a set of purposeful activities led by management in order to enable and support generation, storage, transfer and application of knowledge within an organization so as to create value and improve the organization’s effectiveness. The effectiveness of these activities is in a large part dependent on organizational culture, which can support or impede the two-way social process of learning and knowledge sharing between individuals, groups, organizations, and artifacts. This chapter discusses the fundamentals of organizational culture and knowledge management, their definitions, components, and processes. Specifically, the study presented is focused on how different types of organizational culture, as defined by the competing values framework, might be related to the iterative processes of knowledge generation, storage, transfer, and application in higher education.
The Role of Information Technology Knowledge in B2B Development
Authors: Ortega Blanca Hernandez , Martinez Julio Jimenez , De Hoyos Ma Jose Martin
Published: October 2011

The objective of this work is to analyse the importance of firms’ previous experience with different information technologies (Internet, electronic data interchange (EDI)) in their implementation of e-Customer Relationship Management (e-CRM) and B2B. Moreover, we also study the role of e-CRM in B2B development. The results show that experience with systems such as EDI or Internet has a direct influence on the use of e-CRM. There is also a direct and positive transmission of knowledge from e-CRM to B2B, though the former has not been adopted intensively by firms yet. Companies should be aware of the interrelations that exist between the different information technologies. The knowledge accumulated from using a technological innovation can be considered an important aspect of organisational knowledge, which allows firms to obtain a number of benefits as a result of applying systems that are complementary.
Business Process Onshore Outsourcing within the Community Banking System
Authors: Medlin B. Dawn , Romaniello Adriana
Published: October 2011

Business processes refer to the activities that are performed within an organization that are used in order to produce value for the organization and its customers. Through the use of onshore outsourcing, banks as do other industries expect several benefits such as cost savings and reduction in overhead. Using knowledge management concepts, banks can better understand their firm’s performance as well as their own needs. This knowledge may also lead to the increase of employees’ skill sets. This study surveyed members of the North Carolina Bankers Association in order to determine what if any of their business processes they selected to outsource.
Information Resources Development in China
Authors: Lai Maosheng , Fu Xin , Zhang Liyang , Wang Lin
Published: October 2011

In its several thousand years of social progress, China has put continuous effort into cultural development, which to a certain extent contributed to the exploitation and utilization of information resources. This article reviews the history and present situation of China’s information resources development (IRD), with the focus on some IRD projects launched since the mid-1990s. The specific projects that will be introduced include the China Academic Library and Information System, the China Digital Library Project, the construction of the China National Science and Technology Library, the China Online Government Project, and the construction of the National Institute for Information Resources Management. The goal of each project is described and its initial impact is discussed.