bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preferential Course Scheduling
Authors: Bloomfield Stefan D. , McSharry Michael M.
Published: October 2008

An academic department of a college or university typically constructs its yearly schedule of classes in two stages. First, each faculty member is assigned a set of classes or course sections to teach during the year. Following that days, times, and room numbers are assigned to each course section. These two procedures are almost universally performed manually, demanding various degrees of combinatorial skill and political astuteness on the part of the course scheduler. Depending on the size of the department and the diversity of course offerings, the time required to construct such a schedule of classes can range from a perfunctory afternoon's work to an intensive month-long ordeal.

Recent work by Dyer and Mulvey [Dyer, James, John Mulvey. 1976. An integrated optimization/information systems for academic departmental planning. Management Science 22 (12, August) 1332–1341; Dyer, James, John Mulvey. 1977. Computerized scheduling and planning. New Directions for Institutional Research 13 (Spring) 67–86.] has addressed the problem of assigning faculty members to specific classes or course sections. They developed a network flow model that was successfully used to assign faculty members to course sections at the Graduate School of Management at UCLA.
Box-Jenkins vs Multiple Regression: Some Adventures in Forecasting the Demand for Blood Tests
Authors: Gardner Everette S.
Published: October 2008

This paper reports the application of a multiple regression forecasting model in a hospital laboratory setting. Twenty-five time series models were tested, and the comparative results should be of interest to practitioners. Box-Jenkins theory could not be stretched to fit the time series, which is characterized by powerful but erratic trend and seasonal components. Simple exponential smoothing performed much better than several highly sophisticated smoothing models.
An Integrated Production, Distribution, and Inventory Planning System
Authors: Glover Fred , Jones Gene , Karney David , Klingman Darwin , Mote John
Published: October 2008

The critical importance of integrating production, distribution, and inventory (PDI) operations has long been recognized by top management of many companies. Now, using the latest advances in Management Science modeling and solution technology, an integrated computer-based PDI system has saved approximately $18 million dollars during its first three years of implementation for a major national firm, Agrico Chemical Company. According to the Vice-President of Agrico Supply and Distribution, an additional $25 million savings is anticipated over the next two years.

Brought about by close cooperation between company officials and an outside staff of Management Science consultants, the PDI system has been used extensively to evaluate the benefit/cost impact of alternative capital investments in both short-term and long-term planning decisions. The development of the system underscores the value of recent Management Science innovations that have made it possible to analyze interacting influences too numerous and complex to be analyzed adequately only a few years ago.

Advanced network methodology incorporated into the PDI system required only one one-hundredth of the computer time and cost of methodologies previously used. The power and flexibility of the new Management Science tools have also brought about increased communication and understanding of key company operations. This increased communication and understanding stems from the inherent “pictorial” nature of network-based models, which facilitates interpretation of these models and policy recommendations based upon their solution.
An Integrative Model of Information Systems Spending Growth
Authors: Gurbaxani Vijay , Mendelson Haim
Published: October 2008

This paper develops a model of the growth of information systems expenditures in the United States. The model incorporates two major factors that influence the rate and pattern of spending growth—the diffusion of technological innovation and the effect of price on the demand for computing. Traditional studies have focused on the role of innovation while ignoring the effects of price on the growth process. We show that while information systems expenses initially grew following an S-curve, more recent growth has converged to an exponential pattern. These patterns are consistent with our integrative price-adjusted S-curve growth model.
Decision Support Systems: Directed and Nondirected Change
Authors: Silver Mark S.
Published: October 2008

The Decision Support Systems (DSS) literature is in general agreement that use of DSS leads to individual and organizational change, but there is no consensus as to whether DSS and their designers serve as agents for directed or nondirected change. Researchers have proceeded from two different sets of premises, drawing different conclusions about the nature of DSS. This paper considers both views, examining how differences in designers' attitudes toward change agency ought to be manifest in the features of the DSS they implement. Two attributes of DSS, “system restrictiveness” and “decisional guidance,” are discussed as the basis for understanding differences in DSS following from differences in designer attitudes toward change. Using these two attributes, four DSS strategies for directed change and five strategies for nondirected change are presented.
The Adoption of Spreadsheet Software: Testing Innovation Diffusion Theory in the Context of End-User Computing
Authors: Brancheau James C. , Wetherbe James C.
Published: October 2008

Judging by the wealth of problems reported in the literature, information systems (IS) and general managers are not sure how to manage the introduction of new information technology. One step toward providing sound management guidelines is to improve understanding of the social forces which affect the introduction and diffusion process within organizations. This research takes a step toward that goal by examining the validity of innovation diffusion theory within the context of end-user computing. The research involved a field study and historical analysis of the diffusion of spreadsheet software in organizations. To assist in controlling exogenous factors, only finance and accounting departments were studied. Over 500 professionals in 24 business units from 18 large businesses in manufacturing and services participated in the research. Findings supported hypotheses that earlier adopters of spreadsheet software were younger, more highly educated, more attuned to mass media, more involved in interpersonal communication, and more likely to be opinion leaders. Also supported was the hypothesized sigmoidal distribution of adoption over time. Application of the theory was not supported in all areas, however, suggesting that information technology diffusion is different from other diffusion phenomena. Contrary to theory, interpersonal channels of communication were dominant in all phases of adoption decision making. And contrary to their hypothesized role as change agent, IS departments played a minor role in the diffusion process. This was consistent with the observed user-led nature of the phenomenon. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
An Empirical Investigation of Factors Influencing the Success of Customer-Oriented Strategic Systems
Authors: Reich Blaize Horner , Benbasat Izak
Published: October 2008

A case research strategy was utilized to study first-mover strategic systems which companies had built and offered to their customers in support of a primary product or service. The study investigated eleven systems to discover the factors which enabled or inhibited the following outcomes: developing a first-mover customer-oriented strategic system (COSS); achieving a high level of adoption of the COSS by customers; obtaining competitive advantage from the COSS. In general, the findings supported previous research in the IS implementation and strategic systems literature. Factors that are related to the successful implementation of information systems and the competitive environment of the firm were associated with systems that were developed and introduced to the market first. Factors that are related to the adoption of innovations and information systems and to successful product marketing were associated with high adoption. There were several findings which had not been previously reported in the literature. Early adoption of the system was inhibited by poor support for the sales force and poor quality pilot tests. Long-term penetration was inhibited in cases where the champion lost direct control over the COSS. Competitive advantage was not achieved by any system which had spent less than three years in the market or by those which did not achieve high long-term adoption.
Electronic Trading and Work Transformation in the London Insurance Market
Authors: Barrett Michael , Walsham Geoff
Published: October 2008

The integration of information and communications technologies (IT) is playing a key role in transforming the nature of work. The link between IT and transformation is poorly understood, and further theoretical developments are needed to advance our current knowledge of this relationship. In this paper, we develop a conceptual scheme by drawing on and extending Giddens' social theory of transformation that relates changes in modern institutions to shifts in self-identity. We illustrate the value of these ideas in making sense of the introduction of an electronic trading system, LIMNET EPS, across the London Insurance Market. Furthermore, our case analyses suggest some practical implications on electronic trading and work transformation.
Colonial Systems
Authors: Porra Jaana
Published: October 2008

Colonial systems are presented as an alternative to the mechanistic and organic systems paradigms. They are based upon the inclusion of an evolutionary social history (Ernst Mayr), species-level evolution (Eldredge and Gould), and local context (Martin Heidegger) as central premises in the definition of human systems. The colonial viewpoint of systems is differentiated from the mechanistic and organic models by ten different axioms that define how systems operate during both homeostasis (stability) and radical change. From the axiomatic descriptions of colonial systems, the method of punctuated prototyping is derived to clarify how local colonies survive and prosper by creating and adopting isolated prototypes. This change mechanism (1) requires the self-awareness to recognize the necessity for change, and (2) describes the empowerment necessary for the colonists to build and adopt successful prototypes. The colonial systems model can be applied to explanations about how information systems, organizations, and social institutions change. Further, colonies can be used as a metaphor to design new human systems that capture a greater degree of humanness than do the models of machines and organisms.
Information Technology and Firm Boundaries: Evidence from Panel Data
Authors: Hitt Lorin M.
Published: October 2008

Previous literature has suggested that information technology (IT) can affect firm boundaries by changing the costs of coordinating economic activity within and between firms (internal and external coordination). This paper examines the empirical relationship between IT and firm structure and evaluates whether this structure is consistent with prior arguments about IT and coordination. We formulate an empirical model to relate the use of information technology capital to vertical integration and diversification. This model is tested using an 8-year panel data set of information technology capital stock, firm structure, and relevant control variables for 549 large firms.

Overall, increased use of IT is found to be associated with substantial decreases in vertical integration and weak increases in diversification. In addition, firms that are less vertically integrated and more diversified have a higher demand for IT capital. While we cannot rule out all alternative explanations for these results, they are consistent with previous theoretical arguments that both internal and external coordination costs are reduced by IT.
Accounting for the Contradictory Organizational Consequences of Information Technology: Theoretical Directions and Methodological Implications
Authors: Robey Daniel , Boudreau Marie-Claude
Published: October 2008

Although much contemporary thought considers advanced information technologies as either determinants or enablers of radical organizational change, empirical studies have revealed inconsistent findings to support the deterministic logic implicit in such arguments. This paper reviews the contradictory empirical findings both across studies and within studies, and proposes the use of theories employing a logic of opposition to study the organizational consequences of information technology. In contrast to a logic of determination, a logic of opposition explains organizational change by identifying forces both promoting change and impeding change. Four specific theories are considered: organizational politics, organizational culture, institutional theory, and organizational learning. Each theory is briefly described to illustrate its usefulness to the problem of explaining information technology's role in organizational change. Four methodological implications of using these theories are also discussed: empirical identification of opposing forces, statement of opposing hypotheses, process research, and employing multiple interpretations.
Morality and Computers: Attitudes and Differences in Moral Judgments
Authors: Gattiker Urs E. , Kelley Helen
Published: October 2008

Business ethics is an emerging area of research in many subfields of management, including information systems (IS). Empirical IS research has studied differences in users' attitudes and in moral judgments regarding ethical computer-related behavior. This study applied the “domains of morality” approach to determine how users felt about certain computer-related behaviors. Vignettes describing ethical dilemmas involving computer technology (e.g., uploading a computer virus on an electronic network/bulletin board system) were presented to a sample of Internet users. The research findings offered several interesting and, in some cases, unexpected results. The empirical results indicated that older computer users have a less permissive sense of what is right and wrong for an illegal game. When computers were used to test a banned game, men and women differed in their assessment of its appropriateness. A surprising finding was that participants were not likely to endorse civil liberties, and were more concerned about the harm to, and violations of, social norms when the scenario described a situation involving a computer virus. How users perceive, prejudge, and discriminate computer ethics and abusive computer actions raises numerous questions and implications for IS researchers, IS practitioners, and policy makers. The results of this study foster a better understanding of Internet users' moral categorization of specific computer behaviors and, hopefully, help to further reduce risks and vulnerabilities of systems by identifying computer actions deemed ethically acceptable by users. Opportunities for IS researchers to further explore this timely issue are also discussed.
Research Report. Learning from Goal-Directed Error Recovery Strategy
Authors: Sein Maung K. , Santhanam Radhika
Published: October 2008

Research on training has traditionally viewed errors made by trainees as detrimental to learning. A great deal of effort has been devoted to finding effective ways of preventing errors from occurring during training. Recently, some researchers have adopted a different perspective: that errors may provide a learning opportunity for trainees. What has been investigated less is the specific mechanism through which errors can foster learning. The objective of our research was to investigate and possibly reconcile these differing viewpoints by examining the error recovery process. We found that, in some situations, errors enhance learning when the trainee adopts an error recovery process that emphasizes the goal structure of the task. We suggest several ways of coaching trainees in training sessions to adopt such error recovery strategies.
Information and Communication: Alternative Uses of the Internet in Households
Authors: Kraut Robert , Mukhopadhyay Tridas , Szczypula Janusz , Kiesler Sara , Scherlis Bill
Published: October 2008

Is the Internet a superhighway to information or a high-tech extension of the home telephone? We address this question by operationalizing information acquisition and entertainment as the use of the World Wide Web and interpersonal communication as the use of electronic mail (e-mail), and examine how 229 members of 110 households used these services during their first year on the Internet. The results show that e-mail drives people's use of the Internet. Participants used e-mail in more Internet sessions and more consistently than they used the World Wide Web, and they used e-mail first in sessions where they used both. Participants used the Internet more after they had used e-mail heavily, but they used the Internet less after they had used the Web heavily. While participants' use of both e-mail and the Web declined with time, the decline in Web use was steeper. Those who used e-mail more than they used the Web were also more likely to continue using the Internet over the course of a year. Our findings have implications for engineering and policies for the Internet and, more generally, for studies of the social impact of new technology.
Information Technology Assimilation in Firms: The Influence of Senior Leadership and IT Infrastructures
Authors: Armstrong Curtis P. , Sambamurthy V.
Published: October 2008

IT assimilation is regarded as an important outcome in the efforts of firms to leverage the potential of information technologies in their business activities and strategies. Despite significant investments in information technology, considerable diversity exists in how well firms have been able to assimilate IT and leverage the business value of IT. This research draws upon the emerging knowledge-based and resource-based views of the firm to examine the influence of three factors on IT assimilation: (i) quality of senior leadership, (ii) sophistication of IT infrastructures, and (iii) organizational size. Drawing upon a large-scale sample survey where responses were obtained from CIOs and senior business executives who were members of the firms' top management teams, the study examines a variety of mostly normative prescriptions. The findings provide robust evidence about the impacts of CIOs' business and IT knowledge on IT assimilation. Further, we find that CIOs' membership in top management teams and their informal interactions with TMT members enhance their knowledge, particularly their business knowledge. We find that the intensity of the relationship between CIO's interactions with the top management team and their level of IT and business knowledge is much stronger in firms that articulate a transformational IT vision. The sophistication of IT infrastructures was also found to significantly impact IT assimilation. Surprisingly, the IT knowledge of senior business executives was not found to be a significant influence on IT assimilation. The implications of these findings for evolving a deeper understanding of the dynamics underlying IT assimilation are presented.
Designing Workflow Coordination: Centralized Versus Market-Based Mechanisms
Authors: Tan Jui Chiew (J. C.) , Harker Patrick T.
Published: October 2008

As a result of the increasing diffusion of decision-making within and between organizations, distributed scheduling methods have been proposed as alternatives to centralized, hierarchical, top-down production control schemes. While distributed scheduling methodologies are appealing, one must first address the fundamental questions of when and where such methods are appropriate. This paper seeks to provide answers to these questions. Using a generalized workflow framework, this paper models and compares the total expected costs of using decentralized and centralized organizational designs to coordinate the flows of information and work. This comparison allows one to define the characteristics of work environments where distributed scheduling methods are more suitable than hierarchical, top-down production approaches. Finally, from this analysis, one can conclude that distributed scheduling methods work well for systems where information technology is inexpensive relative to production cost, processing times are relatively long, and where the number of agents in the system is not too large.
Cognitive Fit: An Empirical Study of Information Acquisition
Authors: Vessey Iris , Galletta Dennis
Published: October 2008

From a broad perspective, our research can be viewed as investigating the fit of technology to task, the user's view of the fit between technology and task, and the relative importance of each to problem-solving or decision-making performance.

The technology investigated in this research is the mode of information presentation. Although there has been a considerable amount of research into problem solving using graphs and tables, until recently the circumstances in which each is more effective have been largely unresolved. Recent research has suggested that performance benefits accrue when cognitive fit occurs, i.e., when factors such as the problem representation and problem solving tools match the characteristics of the task. In this paper, we investigate the effects of the basic paradigm of cognitive fit and extensions to the paradigm in a laboratory experiment that examined the nature of subjects' mental representations as well as problem-solving performance. The experiment, using 128 MBA students in two identical, repeated measures designs, produced the following results:

• Performance improved markedly for symbolic tasks when the problem representation matched the task.

Performance effects also resulted from matching specific problem-solving skills to the problem representation and the task, and to a lesser extent when the skills matched the task alone.

• The incremental effects of matching skills to the problem representation and/or the task were small compared with the primary effects of cognitive fit-that of matching problem representation to task.

• A large proportion of problem solvers have insight into the concept of supporting tasks with certain types of problem representation and vice versa.

• Participants preferred to use tables rather than graphs; they also preferred to solve symbolic rather than spatial problems.

Finally, the problem representation more significantly influenced the mental representation than did task conceptualization.

This research suggests that providing decision support systems to satisfy individual managers' desires will not have a large effect on either the efficiency or the effectiveness of problem solving. Designers should, instead, concentrate on determining the characteristics of the tasks that problem solvers must address, and on supporting those tasks with the appropriate problem representations and support tools. Sufficient evidence now exists to suggest that the notion of cognitive fit may be one aspect of a general theory of problem solving. Suggestions are made for extending the notion of fit to more complex problem-solving environments.
Software-Effort Estimation: An Exploratory Study of Expert Performance
Authors: Vicinanza Steven S. , Mukhopadhyay Tridas , Prietula Michael J.
Published: October 2008

An exploratory study was conducted (a) to examine whether experienced software managers could generate accurate estimates of effort required for proposed software projects and (b) to document the strategies they bring to bear in their estimations. Five experienced software project managers served as expert subjects for the study. Each manager was first asked to sort a set of 37 commonly-used estimation parameters according to the importance of their effect on effort estimation. Once this task was completed, the manager was then presented with data from ten actual software projects, one at a time, and asked to estimate the effort (in worker-months) required to complete the projects. The project sizes ranged from 39,000 to 450,000 lines of code and varied from 23 to 1,107 worker-months to complete. All managers were tested individually. The results were compared to those of two popular analytical models-Function Points and COCOMO. Results show that the managers made more accurate estimates than the uncalibrated analytical models. Additionally, a process-tracing analysis revealed that the managers used two dissimilar types of strategies to solve the estimation problems—algorithmic and analogical. Four managers invoked algorithmic strategies, which relied on the selection of a base productivity rate as an anchor that was further adjusted to compensate for productivity factors impacting the project. The fifth manager invoked analogical strategies, which did not rely on a base productivity rate as an anchor, but centered around the analysis of the Function Point data to assist in retrieving information regarding a similar, previously-managed project. The manager using the latter, analogical reasoning approach produced the most accurate estimates.
The Effects and Limitations of Automated Text Condensing on Reading Comprehension Performance
Authors: Morris Andrew H. , Kasper George M. , Adams Dennis A.
Published: October 2008

The optimal amount of information needed in a given decision-making situation lies somewhere along a continuum from “not enough” to “too much”. Ackoff proposed that information systems often hinder the decision-making process by creating information overload. To deal with this problem, he called for systems that could filter and condense data so that only relevant information reached the decision maker. The potential for information overload is especially critical in text-based information. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects and theoretical limitations of extract condensing as a text processing tool in terms of recipient performance. In the experiment described here, an environment is created in which the effects of text condensing are isolated from the effects of message and individual recipient differences. The data show no difference in reading comprehension performance between the condensed forms and the original document. This indicates that condensed forms can be produced that are equally as informative as the original document. These results suggest that it is possible to apply a relatively simple computer algorithm to text and produce extracts that capture enough of the information contained in the original document so that the recipient can perform as if he or she had read the original. These results also identify a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of text condensing schemes. The research presented here contributes to a small but growing body of work on text-based information systems and, specifically, text condensing.
Information Systems Success: The Quest for the Dependent Variable
Authors: DeLone William H. , McLean Ephraim R.
Published: October 2008

A large number of studies have been conducted during the last decade and a half attempting to identify those factors that contribute to information systems success. However, the dependent variable in these studies—I/S success—has been an elusive one to define. Different researchers have addressed different aspects of success, making comparisons difficult and the prospect of building a cumulative tradition for I/S research similarly elusive. To organize this diverse research, as well as to present a more integrated view of the concept of I/S success, a comprehensive taxonomy is introduced. This taxonomy posits six major dimensions or categories of I/S success—SYSTEM QUALITY, INFORMATION QUALITY, USE, USER SATISFACTION, INDIVIDUAL IMPACT, and ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT. Using these dimensions, both conceptual and empirical studies are then reviewed (a total of 180 articles are cited) and organized according to the dimensions of the taxonomy. Finally, the many aspects of I/S success are drawn together into a descriptive model and its implications for future I/S research are discussed.
A Conceptual Model of Adaptive Knowledge-Based Systems
Authors: Deng Pi-Sheng , Chaudhury Abhijit
Published: October 2008

The ability to learn or adapt is widely recognized as one of the most prominent abilities of any animate or inanimate intelligent system. While considerable progress has been made in the science and technology of machine learning, little of that has been incorporated in traditional knowledge-based systems such as diagnostic or expert systems operating in a managerial environment. In this paper a conceptual model of an adaptive expert system is proposed as an attempt to lay a foundation for building knowledge-based systems that can learn by interacting with the environment. In contrast to existing models for learning (such as for knowledge acquisition and skill refinement) where the issue of noise and uncertainty is usually neglected, our model incorporates a stochastic environment and a learning response behavior which too is stochastic in nature.
After-Hours Telecommuting and Work-Family Conflict: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Duxbury Linda Elizabeth , Higgins Christopher Alan , Mills Shirley
Published: October 2008

After-hours telecommuting (AHT) is a work arrangement where job-relevant work is done at home on a computer outside of regular office hours. This study examined how after-hours telecommuting affects an individual's ability to balance work and family demands (measured as role overload, spillover of interference from work to family and spillover of interference from family to work). It also examined the impact of gender and maternal career employment on these relationships. The analysis showed that men and women who performed after-hours telecommuting worked significantly more hours per week and a greater number of hours of overtime at home than did individuals without computers at home. After controlling for total work hours of both spouses, significant gender differences and differences due to performing after-hours telecommuting were found. These differences were associated with role overload and spillover of interference from work to family.
Unravelling Is-a Structures
Authors: Goldstein Robert C. , Storey Veda C.
Published: October 2008

Is-a relationships are widely recognized as conveying important information for database design. Although these relationships are implicitly hierarchical in nature, it is not uncommon to find collections of is-a relationships that form nonhierarchical structures. This paper formally defines is-a structures and classifies and interprets them. It illustrates how is-a structures can be used to identify possible database design errors or inefficiencies and to produce a database design that incorporates more of the semantics of an application.
The Effects of Variations in Capabilities of GDSS Designs on Management of Cognitive Conflict in Groups
Authors: Sambamurthy V. , Poole Marshall Scott
Published: October 2008

Group decision support systems have been advocated as mechanisms for facilitating conflict management in groups. Two noted shortcomings of research on GDSS effects motivate this study: (i) Most researchers have compared the effects of computer-based and manual delivery of structures for supporting group decision making. By treating the GDSS as a “black box,” researchers have neglected attention toward examining the effects of specific capabilities delivered by a GDSS. (ii) Despite the volume of accumulated research, scant attention has been paid to examining GDSS impacts on the group interaction process itself. This research proposes a conceptual view of a GDSS as providing communication and consensus capabilities for supporting the cognitive conflict management process in group decision making. Through a manipulation of the delivery of communication and consensus structures to groups working on a strategic planning task, several exploratory research questions were examined. The GDSS used in this study was the SAMM system. Key results obtained were: (a) despite using the same GDSS structures, groups exhibited a variety of patterns of conflict management processes; (b) the delivery of communication and consensus structures together, as opposed to primarily communication structures, however, did result in higher confrontiveness, or the ability of groups to confront their conflicts and resolve them in positive ways; (c) higher confrontiveness resulted in higher levels of post-meeting consensus; and, (d) computerization of structures enabled groups to confront their conflict and resolve it more positively than when groups were provided with equivalent manual structures. The results demonstrate the value of process-oriented methodological approaches to investigating effects of GDSS designs.
Inductive Expert System Design: Maximizing System Value
Authors: Mookerjee Vijay S. , Dos Santos Brian L.
Published: October 2008

There is a growing interest in the use of induction to develop a special class of expert systems known as inductive expert systems. Existing approaches to develop inductive expert systems do not attempt to maximize system value and may therefore be of limited use to firms. We present an induction algorithm that seeks to develop inductive expert systems that maximize value. The task of developing an inductive expert system is looked upon as one of developing an optimal sequential information acquisition strategy. Information is acquired to reduce uncertainty only if the benefits gained from acquiring the information exceed its cost. Existing approaches ignore the costs and benefits of acquiring information. We compare the systems developed by our algorithm with those developed by the popular ID3 algorithm. In addition, we present results from an extensive set of experiments that indicate that our algorithm will result in more valuable systems than the ID3 algorithm and the ID3 algorithm with pessimistic pruning.
A Formal Approach for Designing Distributed Expert Problem-Solving Systems
Authors: De Prabuddha , Jacob Varghese S. , Pakath Ramakrishnan
Published: October 2008

In this paper, we consider the problem of generating effective information-gathering, communication, and decision-making (ICD) strategies for a distributed expert problem-solving (DEPS) system. We focus on the special case of a dual-processor DEPS system and present a decision-theoretic model that enables the characterization of feasible, efficient, and optimal ICD strategies. In view of the tremendous amount of computing needed to generate optimal strategies for problems of practical size, we develop useful heuristic procedures for constructing high-quality efficient ICD strategies. We illustrate the use of the model and the solution procedure through an example.
Interactivity and Communication Mode Choice in Ongoing Management Groups
Authors: Zack Michael H.
Published: October 2008

Management is communication intensive and, therefore, managers may derive benefits from computer-based alternatives to the traditional communication modes of face-to-face (FTF), telephone, and written memo. This research examined the use of electronic messaging (EM) by ongoing management groups performing a cooperative task. By means of an in-depth multimethod case study of the editorial group of two daily newspapers, it examined the fit between the interactivity of the chosen communication mode (FTF vs. EM) and the mode of discourse it was used for (alternation vs. interaction/discussion). Two propositions were derived from this exploratory study. The first proposes that FTF, being highly interactive, is appropriate for building a shared interpretive context among group members, while CMC, being less interactive, is more appropriate for communicating within an established context. Groups exhibiting effective communication will use FTF primarily for interactive discourse and EM for discourse consisting primarily of alternating adjacency pairs. The second proposes that to the extent that the appropriate communication modes are chosen, communication will be more effective.
Model Integration Using Metagraphs
Authors: Basu Amit , Blanning Robert W.
Published: October 2008

The availability of a large and diverse collection of stored modules such as data relations and decision models is a desirable feature in a decision support system (DSS). However, it is usually infeasible to design a DSS in which every problem instance can be solved using a single module. Instead, it may be necessary to combine several stored modules into an integrated model that is sufficient to solve the given problem. We show that modules such as data files and decision models in a DSS can be usefully represented by a metagraph, a graph-theoretic construct that captures relationships between pairs of sets of elements. In addition to the visualization benefits that graphical representation offers, we show that many useful questions faced by the designers and users of DSS can be addressed by exploiting analytical properties of metagraphs. In particular, we show that the process of model integration can be significantly facilitated by exploiting certain connectivity properties in metagraphs.
Formal Modeling of Complex Commands in Industrial Software Specifications
Authors: Mannino Michael V. , Rathnam Sukumar , Choi In Jun , Tseng Veronica
Published: October 2008

We present a formal approach for modeling complex commands characterized by heavy overloading of function, large numbers of parameters, dependencies among parameters, subtle side effects, and lack of abstraction. Complex commands arise in a variety of business settings such as requesting a brokerage order, enrolling in a course, and specifying a product order. In addition, complex commands are also prevalent where specification of commands is strictly separated from multiple, independent implementations as in open software standards.

Our approach is based on an inheritance structure known as a command lattice. Like other forms of inheritance, command lattices support incremental definition and abbreviation of specifications. Because a complete command lattice can have a large number of specifications, we develop another structure known as a minimal command tree in which a command lattice is derived from a much smaller number of independent specifications. To map from a minimal command tree to a command lattice, we present algorithms that materialize an arbitrary node of a command lattice and compactly generate the behavior of a command lattice. To demonstrate the potential of command lattices, we have implemented a set of tools that provide convenient specification and powerful reasoning capabilities. Our tool collection includes the Command Specification Language that supports a precise and rich specification of the structural and behavioral properties of commands, the incremental definition tool that ensures consistency of command lattices, the browsing tool that displays a command's inheritance structure, the type checker that ensures structural consistency of commands in expressions, and the target system tracer that simulates a sequence of command executions. We discuss our experiences applying the tools to IBM's Distributed Data Management, a large scale specification of data access on remote and heterogeneous IBM systems.
Improving End-User Proficiency: Effects of Conceptual Training and Nature of Interaction
Authors: Santhanam Radhika , Sein Maung K.
Published: October 2008

Users of information technology form mental models that reflect' their understanding and knowledge of an information system. These models affect the proficiency with which they use these systems. In this paper, we draw upon assimilation theory of learning to propose and test a two-stage model of mental model development. We examined the effects of two types of training method, namely conceptual model and procedural, and two levels of nature of interaction, namely novel and simple tasks, on end-users' proficiency in forming accurate mental models of an electronic mail system. Our results indicate that the actual mental models of the system formed by the users predict learning success instead of the type of training provided. Subjects who formed mental models that were conceptual in nature performed significantly better than those who formed mental models that were procedural. Main effects for nature of interaction were not significant. However, we observed a significant interaction effect between the models formed by the users and the nature of their interaction with the system. Our findings suggest that end-user performance is enhanced through training methods that provide good conceptual models but only if users form conceptual mental models and retain them.
What's Mine Is Ours, or Is It? A Study of Attitudes about Information Sharing
Authors: Constant David , Kiesler Sara , Sproull Lee
Published: October 2008

As technology for information access improves, people have more opportunities to share information. A theory of information sharing is advanced and we report the results of three experiments on attitudes about sharing technical work and expertise in organizations. Based on research on sensitive topics difficult to study in the field, we derived vignette-based measures of attitudes. Subjects read a description of an employee's encounter with a previously unhelpful coworker who subsequently requested help—in the form of a computer program or computer advice. The influence of prosocial attitudes and organizational norms is inferred from subjects' support of sharing despite the previous unhelpful behavior of the coworker. Experiments 1 and 3 demonstrated that greater self interest reduces support of sharing, but that a belief in organizational ownership of work encourages and mediates attitudes favoring sharing. Work experience and business schooling contribute to these attitudes. The theory asserts that information as expertise belongs to a special category of information that is part of people's identity and is self-expressive. Experiments 2 and 3 demonstrated that subjects felt computer expertise belonged more to its possessor than the computer program did but would share it more than the program. Hence, attitudes about information sharing depend on the form of the information. Sharing tangible information work may depend on prosocial attitudes and norms of organizational ownership; sharing expertise may depend on people's own self-expressive needs.
Designing Information Systems to Optimize the Accuracy-Timeliness Tradeoff
Authors: Ballou Donald P. , Pazer Harold L.
Published: October 2008

It is well known, of course, that the assessment of this month's economic activity will improve with the passage of time. The same situation exists for many of the inputs to managerial and strategic decision processes. Information regarding some situation or activity at a fixed point in time becomes better with the passage of time. However, as a consequence of the dynamic nature of many environments, the information also becomes less relevant over time. This balance between using current but inaccurate information or accurate but outdated information we call the accuracy-timeliness tradeoff. Through analysis of a generic family of environments, procedures are suggested for reducing the negative consequences of this tradeoff. In many of these situations, rather general knowledge concerning relative weights and shapes of functions is sufficient to determine optimizing strategies.
Actualizing Organizational Memory with Information Systems
Authors: Stein Eric W. , Zwass Vladimir
Published: October 2008

Preservation of organizational memory becomes increasingly important to organizations as it is recognized that experiential knowledge is a key to competitiveness. With the development and widespread availability of advanced information technologies (IT), information systems become a vital part of this memory. We analyze existing conceptualizations and task-specific instances of IT-supported organizational memory. We then develop a model for an organizational memory information system (OMIS) that is rooted in the construct of organizational effectiveness. The framework offers four subsystems that support activities leading to organizational effectiveness. These subsystems rest on the foundation of five mnemonic functions that provide for acquisition, retention, maintenance, search, and retrieval of information. We then identify the factors that will limit the success of OMIS implementation, although full treatment of this issue is outside the scope of the paper. To initiate a research agenda on OMIS, we propose an initial contingency framework for OMIS development depending on the organization's environment and its life-cycle stage, and discuss the relationships between an OMIS and organizational learning and decision making.
The Role of IT in the Transformation of Work: A Comparison of Post-Industrial, Industrial, and Proto-Industrial Organization
Authors: Winter Susan J. , Taylor S. Lynne
Published: October 2008

The mid-twentieth century was marked by the dominance of large, stable, centralized business; the late twentieth century is marked by a downsizing and disaggregation of the firm. This manuscript investigates this change and considers some possible causes for it using historical analysis. In order to explore the causes of the post-industrial organization of work, we compare it to the history of the industrial organization of work and to the early or proto-industrial system of artisanal and “putting out” manufacturing. We identify strong similarities between post-industrialization, which has been attributed to the use of Information Technology (IT) and an information-based economy; proto-industrialization, which was a goods-based manufacturing economy with little IT; and flexible specialization, a form of workplace organization common to the early industrial period and surviving in some areas today. These similarities cast doubt on the argument that the causal link between technology and the organization of work is a simple or direct one. We also review the literature on the role of technology in the organization of work in all three eras and determine that there is little support for technological determinism in any of them. Alternative determinants of organizational structures and avenues for future research are suggested.