bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automatic Inference of Sound Correspondence Patterns across Multiple Languages
Authors: List Johann-Mattis
Published: December 2018

Sound correspondence patterns play a crucial role for linguistic reconstruction. Linguists use them to prove language relationship, to reconstruct proto-forms, and for classical phylogenetic reconstruction based on shared innovations. Cognate words that fail to conform with expected patterns can further point to various kinds of exceptions in sound change, such as analogy or assimilation of frequent words. Here I present an automatic method for the inference of sound correspondence patterns across multiple languages based on a network approach. The core idea is to represent all columns in aligned cognate sets as nodes in a network with edges representing the degree of compatibility between the nodes. The task of inferring all compatible correspondence sets can then be handled as the well-known minimum clique cover problem in graph theory, which essentially seeks to split the graph into the smallest number of cliques in which each node is represented by exactly one clique. The resulting partitions represent all correspondence patterns that can be inferred for a given data set. By excluding those patterns that occur in only a few cognate sets, the core of regularly recurring sound correspondences can be inferred. Based on this idea, the article presents a method for automatic correspondence pattern recognition, which is implemented as part of a Python library which supplements the article. To illustrate the usefulness of the method, I present how the inferred patterns can be used to predict words that have not been observed before.
Functional Diversity in the Retina Improves the Population Code
Authors: Berry II Michael J. , Lebois Felix , Ziskind Avi , da Silveira Rava Azeredo
Published: December 2018

Within a given brain region, individual neurons exhibit a wide variety of different feature selectivities. Here, we investigated the impact of this extensive functional diversity on the population neural code. Our approach was to build optimal decoders to discriminate among stimuli using the spiking output of a real, measured neural population and compare its performance against a matched, homogeneous neural population with the same number of cells and spikes. Analyzing large populations of retinal ganglion cells, we found that the real, heterogeneous population can yield a discrimination error lower than the homogeneous population by several orders of magnitude and consequently can encode much more visual information. This effect increases with population size and with graded degrees of heterogeneity. We complemented these results with an analysis of coding based on the Chernoff distance, as well as derivations of inequalities on coding in certain limits, from which we can conclude that the beneficial effect of heterogeneity occurs over a broad set of conditions. Together, our results indicate that the presence of functional diversity in neural populations can enhance their coding fidelity appreciably. A noteworthy outcome of our study is that this effect can be extremely strong and should be taken into account when investigating design principles for neural circuits.
From the Fringe to the Fore: Labor Unions and Employee Compensation
Authors: Knepper Matthew
Published: December 2018

Conventional wisdom suggests that labor unions raise worker wages, while the newer empirical literature finds only negligible earnings effects. I reconcile this apparent contradiction by arguing that collective bargaining targets fringe benefits. Using U.S. firm-level data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Multinational Enterprise Survey and Compustat, I exploit a regression discontinuity in majority rule union elections to compare changes in employee compensation at firms whose establishment barely won a union election against those that barely lost an election. Following unionization, average employee compensation and employer pension contributions increase, which raises the labor share of compensation.
An Empirical Model of Dyadic Link Formation in a Network with Unobserved Heterogeneity
Authors: Dzemski Andreas
Published: December 2018

I study a dyadic linking model in which agents form directed links that exhibit homophily and reciprocity. A fixed-effect approach accounts for unobserved sources of degree heterogeneity. I consider specification testing and inference with respect to the homophily and reciprocity parameters. The specification test compares observed transitivity to predicted transitivity. All test statistics account for the presence of an incidental parameter by using formulas based on an asymptotic approximation. In an application to favor networks in Indian villages, the specification test detects that the dyadic linking model underestimates the true transitivity of the network.
Real Exchange Rates, Income per Capita, and Sectoral Input Shares
Authors: Cravino Javier , Haltenhof Sam
Published: December 2018

Aggregate price levels are positively related to GDP per capita across countries. We propose a mechanism that rationalizes this observation through sectoral differences in intermediate input shares. As productivity and income grow, so do wages relative to intermediate input prices, which increases the relative price of nontradables if tradable sectors use intermediate inputs more intensively. We show that sectoral differences in input intensities can account for about half of the observed elasticity of the aggregate price level with respect to GDP per capita. The mechanism has stark implications for industry-level real exchange rates that are strongly supported by the data.
Comparative morphology and phylogenetic systematics of the families Cheilodactylidae and Latridae (Perciformes: Cirrhitoidea), and proposal of a new classification
Authors: KIMURA KATSUYA , IMAMURA HISASHI , KAWAI TOSHIO
Published: December 2018

The phylogenetic relationships of the families Cheilodactylidae and Latridae, plus related taxa, are examined from a detailed osteological perspective. The monophyly of each family is re-evaluated and a new classification is proposed on the basis of phylogenetic relationships. A phylogenetic analysis of characters in 67 transformation series showed Latridae to comprise a monophyletic group nested within cheilodactylids. Cheilodactylidae was non-monophyletic, but rather was formed by a clade including Cheilodactylus fasciatus and C. pixi having a sister relationship with a second clade comprising remaining cheilodactylids and latrids. A new classification is proposed, Cheilodactylidae, including only genus Cheilodactylus, and Latridae, including six genera (Latris, Nemadactylus, Mendosoma, Goniistius, Latridopsis and Dactylophora).
The Image of Slovenes and Gottschee Germans in the Historical Novel "Rebellion in der Gottschee"
Authors: Rezoničnik Lidija
Published: December 2018

The Image of Slovenes and Gottschee Germans in the Historical Novel Rebellion in der GottscheeThis article surveys the literature of the Gottschee Germans, the formal inhabitants of the Gottschee region in Slovenia. It begins by summarising the history and literary works of the Gottschee Germans, and secondly it deals with the historic novel Rebellion in der Gottschee by Karl Rom. The novel was published in 1938 in German. It focuses on the great peasant revolt in Slovenia (Carniola) that took place in 1515. The revolt was organised by the Gottschee Germans against the violent landlord and was soon repressed after that. Based on image studies (imagology) the article analyses the picture presented of the Slovenes and Gottschee Germans and discusses how Slavs (Slovenes) and Germans (Gottschee Germans) are represented in the novel. Wizerunek Słoweńców i Niemców z Kočevja w powieści historycznej Rebellion in der GottscheeArtykuł analizuje literaturę Niemców z Kočevja, będących niegdyś mieszkańcami tego słoweńskiego regionu. W pierwszej części została przedstawiona historia oraz twórczość literacka koczewskich Niemców, następnie uwaga skupia się na powieści historycznej Rebellion in der Gottschee (Bunt w Kočevju) autorstwa Karla Roma. Powieść ukazała się w 1938 roku w języku niemieckim, opisuje zaś wielki chłopski bunt w Słowenii (w ówczesnej Krainie) z roku 1515. Mieszkańcy Kočevja wzniecili bunt przeciwko okrutnemu właścicielowi ziemskiemu, jednak został on bardzo szybko stłumiony. Wpisując się w perspektywę imagologiczną, artykuł bada wizerunek Słowian (Słoweńców) i Germanów (Niemców z Kočevja) przedstawionych w powieści. Podoba Slovencev in kočevskih Nemcev v zgodovinskem romanu Rebellion in der GottscheePrispevek preučuje književnost kočevskih Nemcev, nekdanjih prebivalcev slovenske pokrajine Kočevske. V prvem delu kratko predstavi zgodovino in književno ustvarjalnost kočevskih Nemcev, nato pa se osredotoča na zgodovinski roman Rebellion in der Gottschee (Upor na Kočevskem), ki ga je napisal Karl Rom. Roman je izšel leta 1938 v nemškem jeziku in opisuje veliki kmečki upor v Sloveniji (v tedanji Kranjski), ki se je odvijal leta 1515. Upor so organizirali prebivalci Kočevske proti nasilnemu zemljiškemu gospodu in je bil kmalu tudi zatrt. Na podlagi imagologije članek analizira podobo Slovanov (Slovencev) in Germanov (kočevskih Nemcev) v romanu.
Inside Baseball: Coverage, quality, and culture in the Global WordNet
Authors: Benjamin Martin
Published: December 2018

Inside Baseball: Coverage, quality, and culture in the Global WordNetThe Global WordNet is succeeding in producing relatively open linguistic data that is coordinated to a degree among numerous languages. The project has grown organically, with no overall plan or direction. The result is a certain amount of incoherence in determining what items should be treated in wordnets, and how the various wordnets should aspire to consistent quality. Using the example of terms related to baseball, which constitute a non-trivial portion of the Princeton WordNet, this paper discusses problems of coverage selection both for English and for other languages, as well as methods to improve quality and depth through public review of current content, and contribution of missing terms and definitions. It is proposed that proper names be removed entirely from WordNet and treated as a separate project, and that individual languages produce annexes of indigenous concepts that can be readily considered within sister projects as a supplement to the Anglo-American weighting of the current endeavor. To produce a consistent product that transmits inter-intelligible understanding at a high level across languages, it is proposed that an open committee of interested stakeholders convene to consider the project's goals and develop a roadmap for how to achieve them. Baseball dla zaawansowanych: pokrycie leksykalne, jakość i kultura w Global WordNetGlobal WordNet z powodzeniem tworzy stosunkowo otwarte dane językowe, do pewnego stopnia powiązane pomiędzy wieloma językami. Projekt żyje własnym życiem, bez żadnego ogólnego planu ani kierunku. Rezultatem jest pewna niespójność w określaniu, które elementy powinny znaleźć się w wordnetach oraz w jaki sposób różne wordnety powinny dążyć do utrzymania tej samej jakości. Na przykładzie terminów związanych z baseballem, które zajmują niemałą część Princeton WordNet, niniejszy artykuł omawia problemy wyboru pokrycia leksykalnego zarówno dla języka angielskiego, jak i innych języków, a także metody poprawy jakości poprzez publiczny przegląd aktualnych treści oraz dodanie brakujących terminów i definicji. Proponuje się, aby nazwy własne zostały całkowicie usunięte z WordNetu i potraktowane jako odrębny projekt, a w ramach poszczególnych języków utworzone zostały aneksy rodzimych pojęć, które można wziąć pod uwagę w ramach siostrzanych projektów jako uzupełnienie obecnego anglo-amerykańskiego przedsięwzięcia. W celu stworzenia spójnego produktu, który będzie charakteryzował się wzajemną zrozumiałością na wysokim poziomie w różnych językach, proponuje się zwołanie otwartego komitetu zainteresowanych podmiotów, aby rozważyć cele projektu i opracować plan działania, w jaki sposób cele te osiągnąć.
New Bulgarian, Polish, and Ukrainian phraseology and language corpora
Authors: Sosnowski Wojciech Paweł , Blagoeva Diana , Tymoshuk Roman
Published: December 2018

New Bulgarian, Polish, and Ukrainian phraseology and language corporaThis article examines phraseological innovations in the Bulgarian, Polish and Ukrainian languages. Particular attention is paid to trends in the development of phraseology and to the sources of the enrichment of the phraseology of the three studied languages. The role of corpus technologies in research on language dynamics is described. Nowa bułgarska, polska i ukraińska frazeologia a korpusy językoweW artykule zostały przeanalizowane innowacje frazeologiczne w językach bułgarskim, polskim i ukraińskim. Szczególną uwagę autorzy zwracają na tendencje rozwojowe frazeologii oraz źródła wzbogacania zasobu frazeologicznego w trzech analizowanych językach. W artykule została przedstawiona rola technologii korpusowych w dziedzinie badania dynamiki rozwoju języka.
The Vertical Structure of Radiative Heating Rates: A Multimodel Evaluation Using A-Train Satellite Observations
Authors: Cesana G. , Waliser D. E. , Henderson D. , L’Ecuyer T. S. , Jiang X. , Li J.-L. F.
Published: December 2018

We assess the vertical distribution of radiative heating rates (RHRs) in climate models using a multimodel experiment and A-Train satellite observations, for the first time. As RHRs rely on the representation of cloud amount and properties, we first compare the modeled vertical distribution of clouds directly against lidar–radar combined cloud observations (i.e., without simulators). On a near-global scale (50°S–50°N), two systematic differences arise: an excess of high-level clouds around 200 hPa in the tropics, and a general lack of mid- and low-level clouds compared to the observations. Then, using RHR profiles calculated with constraints from A-Train and reanalysis data, along with their associated maximum uncertainty estimates, we show that the excess clouds and ice water content in the upper troposphere result in excess infrared heating in the vicinity of and below the clouds as well as a lack of solar heating below the clouds. In the lower troposphere, the smaller cloud amount and the underestimation of cloud-top height is coincident with a shift of the infrared cooling to lower levels, substantially reducing the greenhouse effect, which is slightly compensated by an erroneous excess absorption of solar radiation. Clear-sky RHR differences between the observations and the models mitigate cloudy RHR biases in the low levels while they enhance them in the high levels. Finally, our results indicate that a better agreement between observed and modeled cloud profiles could substantially improve the RHR profiles. However, more work is needed to precisely quantify modeled cloud errors and their subsequent effect on RHRs.
“Technologies of the law/ law as a technology”
Authors: Biagioli Mario , Buning Marius
Published: December 2018

Historians of science and technology and STS practitioners have always taken intellectual property very seriously but, with some notable exceptions, they have typically refrained from looking “into” it. There is mounting evidence, however, that they can open up the black box of IP as effectively as they have done for the technosciences, enriching their discipline while making significant contributions to legal studies. One approach is to look at the technologies through which patent law construes its object – the invention – in specific settings and periods by examining procedures, classifications, archives, models, repositories, patent specifications (in both their linguistic and pictorial dimensions), and the highly specialized language of patent claims. More ambitiously, we could treat intellectual property as a technology itself. Patent law does not evolve either by merely articulating its doctrine in response to technological developments. The line between what does and does not count as invention may be redrawn with the emergence of new objects and technologies, but is not determined by them. It is this constructive feature of the law that we are trying to capture with the notion of law as technology. We hope that thinking about the technologies of the law and the law as technology will bring into question what we mean by both “technology” and “law”.
A Framework for Evaluating Organizational Choice and Process Redesign Issues
Authors: Brooke Carole
Published: December 2018

This paper presents a new framework for the evaluation of organizational choice primarily within the context of process redesign issues and the information technology support of those ideas. Through a process of scenario generation, the framework is designed to identify and evaluate choices in work organization and to make more explicit the implications that such choices might have for people and work roles. A central aim is to encourage the participation of different organizational stakeholders in the evaluation process. Process redesign has hitherto tended to be explored predominantly through software engineering and functionally driven approaches. The framework presented here offers a counterbalance to those works by offering an organizational perspective. It is based on a broad, scenario-generating technique which is firmly rooted in the organizational vision of a broad range of interest groups. Some work has already been undertaken in this field. Previous research has demonstrated the value of taking a broader organizational approach to workplace technology redesign and shown that the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders during evaluation can result in some very creative, practical and productive solutions. Nevertheless, this paper identifies some potential weaknesses in that previous body of research and proposes a new approach. The author draws upon earlier work in order to develop a framework which will provide more guidance to stakeholders during the scenario-generating process and which will make even more explicit the values and assumptions underlying alternative choices. The framework enables an evaluation of those technological choices at a fairly deep level, whilst remaining relatively simple to apply. The new approach presented in this paper is currently being adopted by an EPSRC-funded research team exploring issues of the relationship between business processes and legacy systems (for details of the project, please see web site: www.dur.ac.uk/CSM/SABA ). Future work will concentrate on producing further, industry-based case studies of its application and assessing its value when applied alongside traditional and technically focused software engineering methods of technological evaluation and development.
Information Systems Evaluation in Practice: A Case Study of Organizational Change
Authors: Serafeimidis Vasilis , Smithson Steve
Published: December 2018

Information systems (IS) evaluation is a difficult problem in both theory and practice. While theoreticians are moving away from a positivistic approach towards a more interpretive approach, organizations are adopting a more entrepreneurial approach. We examine such a move through a case study of a large utility company in the UK which was relatively unsuccessful in its attempts at improving the evaluation of its IS. This paper uses an interpretive approach to explain the lack of success in introducing the new entrepreneurial evaluation procedures. However, we argue that the failure was not so much due to a lack of understanding of evaluation but more due to a failure to appreciate and support the necessary organizational changes.
Acts of Faith: Instinct, Value and it Investment Decisions
Authors: Bannister Frank , Remenyi Dan
Published: December 2018

Although well over 1000 journal articles, conference papers, books, technical notes and theses have been written on the subject of information technology (IT) evaluation, only a relatively small subset of this literature has been concerned with the core issues of what precisely is meant by the term ‘value’ and with the process of making (specifically) IT investment decisions. All too often, the problem and highly complex issue of value is either simplified, ignored or assumed away. Instead the focus of much of the research to date has been on evaluation methodologies and, within this literature, there are different strands of thought which can be classified as partisan, composite and meta approaches to evaluation. Research shows that a small number of partisan techniques are used by most decision makers with a minority using a single technique and a majority using a mixture of such techniques of whom a substantial minority use a formal composite approach. It is argued that, in mapping the set of evaluation methodologies on to what is termed the investment opportunity space, that there is a limit to what can be achieved by formal rational evaluation methods. This limit becomes evident when decision makers fall back on ‘gut feel’ and other non-formal/rigorous ways of making decisions. It is suggested that an understanding of these more complex processes and decision making, in IT as elsewhere, needs tools drawn from philosophy and psychology.
An ERP Implementation Case Study from a Knowledge Transfer Perspective
Authors: Lee Zoonky , Lee Jinyoul
Published: December 2018

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) application is an enterprise-wide package that tightly integrates all necessary business functions into a single system with a shared database. An ERP implementation often entails transferring the business knowledge incorporated in the basic architecture of the software package into the adopting organization. This article proposes a new approach to analysing ERP implementations from a knowledge transfer perspective. It also contributes to a better understanding of competitive advantage based on process knowledge when standardized business processes are implemented by an organization. The article begins by identifying the types of knowledge transferred during an ERP implementation and the factors affecting this transfer. It then investigates how conflicts between the business knowledge transferred from the ERP package and the existing organizational knowledge are resolved. During our investigation, we used in-depth interviews, process analysis and documentation analysis in order to analyse an early implementation stage of ERP. The results indicated that the business processes which are incorporated in an ERP package are transferred into an organization along with the business rules inherent in the processes due to process automation, the limited flexibility of such packages and the cross-functional nature of an ERP package. The results also suggested that an organization's adaptive capability concerning role and responsibility redistribution, the development of new types of required knowledge and the introduction of a different knowledge structure influence an organization's ability to internalize these standardized processes into business routines that provide a competitive advantage
Achieving Flexible Information Systems: The Case for Improved Analysis
Authors: Fitzgerald Guy
Published: December 2018

This paper examines the problems of change that continue to thwart the development of successful information systems. The symptom of maintenance is discussed and a variety of techniques and methodologies that seek to provide solutions are discussed. Changing business needs and user requirements are identified as enduring problems and the technique of Flexibility Analysis is proposed. Finally some preliminary results from a research study are discussed. The study looked at a number of information systems in organizations and examined the changes and enhancements that were subsequently made to those systems and the reasons for them. The results indicate the benefits and practicality of the technique of Flexibility Analysis.
The Design of a Knowledge Communication Shell
Authors: James E.B. , Lister R.P. , Edeleanu C.
Published: December 2018

The Juniper 1 program offers a simple, low cost ‘shell’ for the construction of interactive knowledge bases. This paper describes some of the features of Juniper 1 and the reasons for using it in preference to conventional expert systems.
Teaching Information Systems to the Visually Handicapped — A Case History
Authors: Roberts A. , Gough T. G.
Published: December 2018

This paper outlines a number of issues to be addressed in teaching information systems to visually handicapped students. It is a case history in that it draws on the authors’ experience of teaching a multiply handicapped student over a three year period. Its particular emphasis is on the need for early preparation, in advance of the student's arrival and then throughout the teaching process. It points to the type of support facilities required. Although all the main headings would need to be considered in the teaching of any subject to visually handicapped students there are several that have added importance in the teaching of information systems. The paper is an attempt to share experience rather than make a case for tackling the issues raised in one particular way.
Evaluation of Information Systems: Is Development in the Processing Company
Authors: Symons Veronica
Published: December 2018

Information systems (IS) are centrally important to the modern form of organization, but their impacts are not yet well understood. IS development is, in general, grounded in a quasi-scientific ‘formal-rationalism’, oriented chiefly towards technical aspects; yet the accompanying difficulties in implementation are due for the most part to ‘people problems’. In defining an IS as a computer system embedded in an organization, this paper argues that information systems are not purely technical systems, but also social systems. Consequently, work in this area necessitates an interactionist approach, taking the effects of information technology to be a product of neither the technical nor social aspects alone, but of their interaction. Evaluation is shaped, similarly, by the interaction of technique with social process: it is a multi-stage activity running through IS development. The history of IS development in the Processing Company illustrates these views and highlights the dysfunctionality of the formal-rational perspective.
A Portfolio Approach to Evaluating Information Systems Investments and Setting Priorities
Authors: Ward John M.
Published: December 2018

The types of benefits which a business can obtain from investments in information Systems (IS) have developed and become more varied over time. During that same period many organizations have become dependent on their Information Systems in terms of how they do business and some have used IS to gain competitive or strategic advantages. This article explores the nature of the benefits that can accrue in relation to the business objectives of IS investments. A portfolio model is discussed which helps management evaluate the relative importance of such investments to the business and hence to define how each investment can be appraised and managed. In order to maintain a coherent strategy for managing IS investments, not only must they all be evaluated on a consistent basis, but priorities amongst the applications must be established on the same set of criteria. Again the portfolio approach enables management to address this issue in a rational way, based on business needs and imperatives.
Overcoming the Barriers to the Implementation of Information System Strategies
Authors: Wilson Tom
Published: December 2018

This paper reports on a study of the 500 major UK companies and 50 financial service companies, which used interviews and self-completed questionnaires. The key feature of information system strategies are presented, together with an identification of the barriers to setting up and implementing a strategy which companies perceive. Finally, strategies for overcoming the major barriers to successful information system strategies are outlined.
Case Study: Implementing New Systems at Penguin Books
Authors: Baddeley Julie
Published: December 2018

As the costs of computer systems continue to rise, and the commercial advantages become harder to maintain, the implementation of IT projects is coming under close scrutiny. An analysis of the methods used at Penguin Books suggests that a coherent, carefully planned programme, giving priority to the needs of the end-users, can greatly improve the levels of efficiency and reduce support costs once the system goes live. This article outlines the steps taken in drawing up an integrated package of research, documentation and training, and explains how the users were encouraged to contribute to the design of the overall implementation programme. The methods described are put forward as a means of reducing the massive costs currently incurred by implementing new systems, and improving the return on this investment. By prioritizing the role of the user, this article offers a coherent solution to some of the current IT investment problems.
A User-Satisfaction Approach to IS Effectiveness Measurement
Authors: Remenyi Dan , Money Arthur
Published: December 2018

This paper reports on research conducted by the authors into how to measure the effectiveness of a personal computer network used by a business school to deliver a range of personal productivity tools to MBA students, as well as academic and administrative staff. The use of user-satisfaction is recognized by many IT researchers as an appropriate surrogate for IT effectiveness. The authors decided to use a user-satisfaction model which is based on the gap between users’ beliefs of what is important and their perception of what is delivered by the ISD, to measure the effectiveness of the personal computer network.

In brief, the research showed that all was not well with the personal computer network in use. The gaps on the two perceptual performance factors, namely effective benefits and system access, are significant in assessing overall satisfaction with the network. The gap on effective benefits is approximately twice as important as system's access in terms of its impact on overall satisfaction. This research study showed that this gap approach is quite effective. It is inexpensive. It does not require an enormous amount of expertize, although an acquaintance with factor analysis is necessary. The study need not take a long period of time; the total lapse time for the above research was six weeks, requiring the equivalent of five person-days work.
An Application of Group Decision Support Technology in Collective Bargaining
Authors: Hsieh Chang-Tseh , Menefee Michael L.
Published: December 2018

An enhanced distributive bargaining model is developed to be used as the foundation model of a group-decision support system for facilitating collective bargaining. The proposed system takes into account the multiple objectives decision process and is able to handle qualitative decision variables. The implementation of the proposed system can expedite bargaining and minimize the possibility of a work stoppage.
IT Directors and it Strategy
Authors: Coulson-Thomas Colin J.
Published: December 2018

Organizations are transitioning to more flexible and adaptable forms. There is a strategic opportunity for IT that supports the facilitation of change, the building of closer relationships with customers, and the harnessing of human talent. Yet in many organizations there is a gulf of suspicion and misunderstanding between the chief executive and board, and the IT community.

There is a requirement for IT professionals, and particularly IT directors, who share the vision of the ‘network organization’, and who can work at board level to bring it about. There is a need for facilitating directors in the boardroom.

More IT professionals would secure board appointments if they could demonstrate the skills and qualities needed by a company director. IT directors require directorial qualities which are distinct from those demanded of IT managers. They need a broader, and more strategic awareness and perspective.

This article examines the qualities that distinguish directors, and the key issues which should feature on the IT directors agenda. It draws upon three surveys and a report concerning directors and boards, and four organizational surveys.
Strategies for Teaching Information Systems
Authors: Jamieson Rodger
Published: December 2018

This paper aims to provide insights into strategies for teaching information systems. Key strategies discussed include the development and use of computer case studies, interviewing corporate information systems management, use of appropriate guest lecturers, project work within organizations, and research into current technology issues. These strategies arc illustrated with reference to the teaching of two postgraduate subjects. New technology may be appropriated to the teaching of information systems namely the use of Self-Monitoring And Reactive Tutoring Systems (SMARTS). These systems will include elements of intelligent tutoring systems, artificial intelligence, hypermedia, information tracing and students’ thought processes. A framework outlining the objects or elements of a SMART and their relationships is presented as an initial guide to researchers interested in further development of these technologies. Mention is also made of an experiment underway in the USA on customized text book publishing which provides tailored resource material chosen by the lecturer for a particular subject which is then published as the customized text for that subject.
Scenario Playing for Critical Success Factor Analysis
Authors: Barat Janos
Published: December 2018

This paper presents a structured method, based on practical experience, to derive critical success factors using a business game called ‘scenario playing’. It aims to show why this method is superior to other well-known focusing techniques or group evaluation methods.

The scenario playing business game consists of submitting to managers a sequence of reports, one after the other. Each report (called a scenario) contains randomly generated outcome values for some parameters of the business (called candidate critical success factors) which the manager deemed to be most important for the business at hand. After reviewing each report i.e. scenario, the manager has to give a value judgement about it, like ‘good’, ‘bad’ or ‘indifferent’, reflecting his perception of how the business would be doing if the report was real. A statistical method is used to evaluate these answers and deduct from them which parameters are the most important for the manager who played the given session of the game.

The paper contains a short outline of the statistical evaluation (learning) algorithm used by the author and the description of a software tool that contains an implementation of this technique. Finally, the experience gained by using this tool and approach to derive critical success factors on different projects is discussed.
Risk Analysis for Information Systems
Authors: Birch David G.W. , Mcevoy Neil A.
Published: December 2018

This paper presents an integrated approach to risk analysis for Information Systems (IS) using the Structured Risk Analysis (SRA) methodology developed at Hyperion. SRA has been used, very successfully, to perform risk analysis both for security-oriented risk analysis in the City and safety-oriented risk analysis for the European Space Agency. This paper develops and describes a particular instance of the SRA methodology for IS. Excluding safety-critical applications allows certain simplifications to the methodology in the case of IS. These simplifications make structured risk analysis for information systems (SRA-IS) a practical and cost-effective basis for risk analysis and risk management in commercial organizations.
The Automation of Accounting Practice
Authors: Wilson R.A. , Sangster A.
Published: December 2018

This article examines the use of computer technology by the UK accounting profession. The first part of the paper examines the nature of the accounting environment and identifies a number of reasons why accounting automation should be an issue of general concern. A particular accounting task, auditing, is examined in detail to illustrate some of the factors affecting accounting automation. The second part of the paper reports the findings of an empirical examination of computerization amongst a number of different accounting groups with different working environments. Practitioners’ views on several factors constraining further technological innovation, and on factors motivating innovation, are analysed and examined. It is concluded that domain characteristics, historical factors and skill availability are amongst the most significant variables influencing automation.
Researching Information Systems: Data Analysis Methodology Using Content and Correspondence Analysis
Authors: Remenyi Dan
Published: December 2018

This paper describes the use of content analysis and correspondence analysis in respect of case study research performed by the author in the field of strategic information systems planning. During the collection of data from the firms participating in the case study research the author collected in excess of 200 pages of text. It was necessary to analyse and summarize the data in order to see what general principles relating to the formulation and implementation of a strategic information system could be derived. The main process adopted for this analysis and synthesis was content analysis. Correspondence analysis was then applied in order to help corroborate the findings of the content analysis.
Computerized Marketing Databases: Their Role Now and in the Future
Authors: Cameron Ross , Targett David
Published: December 2018

The application of IT to the marketing function for strategic purposes has been the subject of much debate. At the same time the use of computerized marketing databases has experienced rapid growth which is likely to continue. This paper reports a research survey to find out about the use of CMDs and, specifically, whether they are being used strategically.
A Vision of the Future? An Innovative Database Micromarketing System
Authors: Flowers S.
Published: December 2018

The increase in the scale of retail grocery operations to the supermarkets of today has been at the expense of the detailed knowledge of local customer preferences that small retailers could possess. This article examines the features of a technological solution to this problem and describes how the Vision System, an interactive multimedia point-of-sale shopper loyalty and promotion system, is revolutionizing retail marketing in the United States. The implications of highly-targeted marketing at the individual household level, micromarketing, are examined and it is suggested that supermarkets using such systems would achieve a significant competitive advantage. It is also suggested that the widespread adoption of Vision-type systems would have a profound impact upon manufacturers and the marketing industry as a whole.
Managing the Local Market: Information Technology Applications in Retailing
Authors: Reynolds Jonathan
Published: December 2018

The need for UK retailers and other consumer service companies to be taking better informed decisions within an increasingly uncertain market environment and in response to a series of other key drivers has had a number of consequences for the management processes within these organizations. Not least, it has served to formalize processes having to do with the geographical aspect of the market environment, a perspective of particular importance to the consumer services sector. This paper reviews the combination of pressures which has led to the introduction of more sophisticated techniques of local market profiling and segmentation within UK organizations, and in which information technology and the management of information has begun to play a significant role.
Information Systems Software Cost Estimating: A Current Assessment
Authors: Lederer Albert L. , Prasad Jayesh
Published: December 2018

A study of information systems managers and other information systems professionals at 112 different organizations confirmed that information systems software cost estimating is an important concern. Subjects reported the completion of only one of every four systems development projects within their estimates. According to them, the major cause of inaccurate estimates was changes in user requirements. Organizations using sophisticated cost estimating software packages were less successful at preventing large cost overruns than organizations not using them. However, the use of the estimator as system developer, the careful monitoring of systems development projects, and the inclusion in performance evaluations of success in meeting estimates were associated with more accurate cost estimating.
Moving from An Executive Information System to Everyone's Information System: Lessons from a Case Study
Authors: Wheeler F.P. , Chang S.H. , Thomas R.J.
Published: December 2018

The history of a major steel company's executive information system (EIS) is reported from its inception in 1984, through its demise as a system for top management, to its transformation in 1991 as a strikingly successful information system for all managers and administrative staff. This case has significant implications for all those who are interested in providing technical support to top decision-makers. It also has important lessons for any organization that has an EIS or that is planning to implement the current generation of EIS technology.
Financial Analysis and Expert Systems
Authors: Birts A. , Mcaulay L. , King M.
Published: December 2018

Financial analysis expert systems have been developed but there is little evidence to suggest that such expert systems are as widely used in the financial analyst community as other information technology products. The research findings presented here suggest that one explanation for this non-use of expert systems may be that users do not have a need to use the existing technology. We arrived at this conclusion by researching the rich picture of the task and the needs of a small number of financial analysts. In so doing, we were able to develop insights into the topic area which to our knowledge are new. Our analysis may confirm a need to re-orientate expert systems development. Thus, the selection and use of research methods which are geared to shedding light on users’ needs may be valuable to practitioners, in developing product development strategies, and to researchers, in casting new light on their topic areas.
Information Systems Strategies and the Management of Organizational Change – a Strategic Alignment Model
Authors: Burn Janice M.
Published: December 2018

This article presents findings of an investigation into the relationship between organizational configurations and alternative patterns of information systems (IS) development. The study focuses on the IS strategic process. A theoretical framework is developed to examine the relationships between organizational and IS strategy formulation processes. The framework was evaluated in 56 organizations. Results of the analysis support the theory that different stages of growth in the use and development of IS require different approaches to strategy, and that different approaches to strategy are favoured by different organizational configurations. Evaluation of the relationship between organizational change and IS developments reveals a pattern of strategic alignment reflecting the interdependencies between the organizational configuration and the stage of IS growth. It would appear that transitions through this alignment model are characterized by periods of dynamic change which can be predicted at certain stages of growth. The model may prove useful both to assist in the management of organizational change and to identify appropriate IS strategy formulation approaches.
The Effectiveness of Decision Support Systems: The Implications of Task Complexity and Dss Sophistication
Authors: Webby Richard , O'Connor Marcus
Published: December 2018

All Decision Support Systems (DSS) are, by their nature, designed to improve decision making effectiveness, yet a review of the experimental literature reveals that achievement of this objective is mixed. We propose that this is because DSS effectiveness is contingent upon a number of factors related to the task and DSS under investigation. This paper reports a longitudinal experiment designed to evaluate the relationship between DSS effectiveness and two such factors: DSS sophistication and task complexity. In comparison to unaided human judgement, two levels of DSS were evaluated: a deterministic spreadsheet model and a probabilistic model with a graphical risk analysis aid. Our subjects made decisions in a business simulation providing two successive phases of increasing task complexity. Initially, when task complexity was low, we found that neither DSS affected subjects’ performance. In the more complex phase, both types of DSS users performed significantly better than unaided subjects. However, risk analysis users performed no better than model-only users. Interestingly, DSS users performed less homogeneously than unaided subjects in the complex phase. DSS users had greater confidence and considered more alternatives than their unaided counterparts. Risk analysis users took longer making decisions in the early stages, while model-only users became the most efficient in the later stages.
Introducing Executive Information Systems into Organizations: Separating Fact from Fallacy
Authors: Fitzgerald Brian , Murphy Ciaran
Published: December 2018

Several factors have been proposed by researchers to explain why organizations are motivated to introduce executive information systems (EIS) now. These are identified and categorized in this paper and the results of an empirical study which examined the relevance of these factors in practice are presented. The findings of the study question the relevance and validity of some of the factors that have been identified – most notably that EIS are being introduced at the request of executives who are becoming increasingly computer literate and see EIS as a means of coping with today's extremely competitive business environment. The study findings suggest that IS department push and EIS envy are factors which play a significant role in the emergence of EIS in organizations.
Systems Development Methodologies: Unanswered Questions
Authors: Wynekoop Judy L. , Russo Nancy L.
Published: December 2018

Despite over a decade of study, little is really known about information systems development and the use of systems development methodologies. There has been little evaluation of methodologies in use or examination of the selection, development, adaptation or use of methodologies in practice. This paper discusses this lack of knowledge and its ramifications for research and practice.
Participation in the Development of Inter-Organizational Systems Involving users outside the Organization
Authors: Cavaye Angèle L.M.
Published: December 2018

User participation is usually discussed in the context of internal systems. This study places participation in an inter-organizational context where the intended users are outside the sponsoring organization. This paper uses case evidence to investigate whether factors identified in the user participation literature as contingency factors for participation are also associated with participation in the development of inter-organizational systems. It was found that previously identified factors are not predictors of participation or non-participation in the inter-organizational context. Instead, the case evidence suggests that the underlying reason for development of such systems was associated with participation or non-participation by intended users from outside the sponsoring organization.