Arrow Repository
(481,460 recursos)
The ARROW Discovery Service searches simultaneously across the contents of Australian university research repositories,including theses; preprints; postprints; journal articles; book chapters; music recordings and pictures.
Mostrando recursos 161 - 180 de 483,040
161.
The Impact of Business Size and Business Type on Small Business Investment in Electronic Commerce: a study of Swedish small businesses - Robert MacGregor; L. Vrazalic; S. Carlsson; D. Bunker; M. Magnusson
In the past, organisations relied on traditional quantitative metrics, such as Return on Investment (ROI) to make decisions when investing in technology. With the advent of electronic commerce (EC), organisations have had to rethink their investment and acquisition decisions due to the strategic nature of electronic commerce. Where ROI measures have failed, they have been replaced with a plethora of organisational driving forces. This paper focuses on the driving forces behind EC adoption by small and medium enterprises (SME's) and aims to determine the impact of organisational factors such as size and type of business on EC acquisition criteria. The...
162.
Integrated Multimedia Based Intelligent Group Decision Support System for Electrical Power Network - Ajay Kumar Saxena; S. 0. Bhatnagar; P. K Saxena
Electrical Power Network in recent time requires an intelligent, virtual environment based decision process for the coordination of all its individual elements and the interrelated tasks. Its ultimate goal is to achieve maximum productivity and efficiency through the efficient and effective application of generation, transmission, distribution, pricing and regulatory systems. However, the complexity of electrical power network and the presence of conflicting multiple goals and objectives postulated by various groups emphasized the need of an intelligent group decision support system approach in this field. In this paper, an Integrated Multimedia based Intelligent Group Decision Support System (IM1GDSS) is presented, and...
163.
Using Soft Systems Methodology to Address Supply Chain Management Problems - Gulender Gencoglu; Graeme Altmann; Ross Smith; David Mackay
This paper reports an investigation of if, and how, Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) might.be used to facilitate better management of industry supply chains. In two workshops involving supply chain managers from the Textile Clothing and Footwear (TCP) industry and industry facilitators, ways in which SSM techniques might supplement existing Supply Chain Management (SCM) workshop approaches have been explored. Specifically, the placement of SSM techniques within a workshop setting, reactions to the techniques, perceived reasons for using SSM, together with strengths and difficulties encountered, have been examined.
164.
Models of Governance - A Viable Systems Perspective - John Davies
This paper suggests a framework for examining governance issues spanning the corporate, public and nonprofit sectors that draws on existing frames-in-use, and that reflects the systemic communality apparent within varied attempts to describe and effect change in governance. The paper surveys alternative conceptualisations of governance that have surfaced in the academic and practitioner literature and draws attention to the cybernetic and systemic features of diverse views of governance. Beer's viable systems framework is used to reinterpret alternative views of governance and to suggest a means of diagnosing the completeness/coherence of governance systems.
165.
Information Warfare: using the viable system model as a framework to attack organisations - Bill Hutchinson; Mat Warren
Information is the glue in any organization. It is needed for policy, decision-making, control, and co-ordination. If an organisation's information systems are disrupted or destroyed, then damage to the whole inevitably follows. This paper uses a proven systemic, analytic framework the Viable System Model (VSM) - in a functionalist mode, to analyse the vulnerabilities of an organisation's information resources to this form of aggression. It examines the tactics available, and where they can be used to effectively attack an organisation.
166.
The Evolution of Confusion: soft systems methodology and social theory revisited - L. Houghton; P.W.J. Ledington
Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is a potentially powerful tool for improving the management of the complex social systems aspect of Information Systems. Yet if it is to be employed effectively IS managers need to understand the theory of social systems that makes SSM a meaningful practical approach. However finding out about that social theory is not straightforward. It is 20 years since the first discussions of the social reality implied by Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and the area has been given little attention since. Yet SSM itself has progressed dramatically since those first critiques of its underpinning social theory were...
167.
Consensus Building Through Systems Thinking: the case of policy and planning in healthcare - Kambiz E. Maani
This paper discusses a methodology and a case study using qualitative system dynamics to create consensus, team learning and shared vision in a public organisation. The case involves determining planning priorities for a Division of the Ministry of Health in New Zealand, leading to the creation of a business plan. The methodology involves Systems Thinking using Group Model Building (GMB) - A three-step process starting with structured brainstorming using the partial KJ (Jiro Kawakita) technique to identify priority areas and then clustering them into 'affinity' groups. Next, the priority clusters are used by the participants to construct causal loop diagrams...
168.
The Systems Approach to Innovation Studies - Karen Manley
The academic literature, and business practice, reveals a shift in the way analysts understand innovation processes. This shift is not revealed as a cohesive trend, rather it comprises contributions from a wide range of academic disciplines and empirical evidence. Building on Edquist (1997) this paper ties together the diverse new ideas which stress a systems approach to successful innovation. The paper presents an up-to-date overview of this fast moving field, with a view to assisting public policy makers and business managers in designing more effective innovation processes.
169.
A Virtual Organisation Model for E-Government - Janice Bum; Greg Robins
This paper looks at the implementation of a new customer value alliance model in e-govemment. Firstly we review the issues of e-govemment and the drive towards customer centric organisations in the context of multiple government agencies. A model of e-Government is introduced and examined within the context of a virtual organisation model which can be applied along the customer value chain across multiple service agencies. A case study is used to demonstrate how this concept of a virtual organisation as a customer value-alliance model can effect a successful transition to e-Govemment from a traditional Government model. Finally, we examine how...
170.
Understanding the Diffusion of Efficient Consumer Response: an Australian survey study - Sherah Kurnia; John M. Belts; Robert B. Johnston
Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) is designed to make the grocery industry more efficient. Although it originated in the US, the concept has been adopted in many regions. To enrich the findings of the existing studies that indicate a slow diffusion rate of ECR, this study examines ECR adoption in Australia by conducting a survey. The findings suggest that in Australia, ECR diffusion has also been slow. Differences in barriers, perceptions, and benefits experienced between manufacturers and retailers discovered in this study suggest that Australian retailers are leading manufacturers in ECR implementation and that they experience more benefits than manufacturers.
171.
Diffusion of Electronic Commerce in Small and Medium Enterprises - Robyn Lawson; Carole Alcock; Joan Cooper
Using the Internet for electronic business has become an area of action for the Australian Government. This paper presents research results from two regional areas which indicate that while most manufacturing SMEs use email, very few are involved in elecronic commerce activities. Major barriers are concern about security and privacy of transactions, cost of consultants, and lack of IT expertise of staff. Employing people with appropriate knowledge has been added to current training methods such as on-the-job training. Results from the two regional areas are found to be consistent. Comparisons between small and medium organisations highlight some differences.
172.
Evaluating the Benefits of Electronic Commerce in Small and Medium Enterprises - Peter Marshall; Judy McKay
This paper outlines and analyses the behaviours of small and medium enterprises with respect to the evaluation of electronic commerce investments, and the subsequent realisation of the anticipated benefits from those investments. The responses of executives who participated in the study suggested that on-going involvement in electronic commerce did not come cheaply. Nonetheless, our study suggests that there were generally ad hoc approaches to evaluation of the proposed electronic commerce investments, almost non-existent post-implementation reviews, few measures of success, and generally speaking, there was little evidence of there being proactive management of the realisation of benefits of those investments. Perhaps...
173.
Quality of Goals - a key to the human-oriented technology - Barbara Begier
A kind of an essay on some social and ethical impact of new technologies has been given in the first five sections. The next two sections bring a study on quality referred to the software process. Then some ethical issues are presented in the context of IT development and computer applications. The need for a quality of goals has been emphasized. Human objectives should gain the top position, especially in a coming post-computer era. Some conceptual research in the topic of quality of goals has been suggested to safe humanistic values.
174.
Reducing Software Failures: addressing the ethical risks of the software development lifecycle - Don Gotterbam
A narrow approach to risk analysis and understanding the scope of a software project has contributed to significant software failures. A process is presented which expands the concept of software risk to include social, professional, and ethical risks that lead to software failure. Using an expanded risk analysis will enlarge the project scope considered by software developers. This process also is incorporated into a software development life cycle. A tool to develop Software Development Impact Statements is also discussed.
175.
Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) and Information Ethics in Call Centres - 'You are the Weakest Link. Goodbye!' - Helen Richardson; Kate Richardson
This paper catalogues the rise and rise of call centres in the North West of England, UK and their use of CRM systems. CRM systems often imply new technologies and new ways of working. However, in this account we explore the historical development of the telegraph and work in early telephone exchanges and find the same old story. Our consideration of the ethics of CRM system use and some inherent contradictions are in terms of privacy, communication richness, management methods and computer ethics in an organizational context. Call centres today are viewed by some as offering satisfying employment of intrinsic...
176.
Virtuous Hackers: developing ethical sensitivity in a community of practice - Paula Roberts; Jenny Webber
It is estimated that losses due to computer break-ins by malicious 'crackers' (who might be external intruders or disgruntled employees intent on personal gain or revenge) are costing companies billions of dollars each year. But former hackers are now assisting the computer security industry to track down such intruders, and to develop sound security practices in order to ward off future attacks. It is argued that in recent times computer programming has moved from a craft-based, bricolage activity to a scientific approach which has led to a knowledge gap developing between the former fraternity of hackers and the computer security...
177.
Systems of the Information Society - Simon Rogerson
An inclusive information society needs an infrastructure built upon systems which are in harmony with citizens. This paper discusses some of the contextual issues which need to be addressed to realise this goal. There is a need to strive continually to develop adaptive systems which satisfy the dynamic needs of people. The project management of such development activities must be sensitive to the wider social issues. The development activity must adopt a sociotechnical perspective. It must never be forgotten how vulnerable individuals and society are from insecure and inappropriate information systems. It must be recognised that the social systems that...
178.
Meeting Ethical Demands in a Multi-Agent Project - Joe Thomas; Andy Bissett
Various health service and voluntary sector agencies dealing with drug misusers in a large city in the North of England have set up a task group to co-ordinate their assessment and referral process. An IT solution to their needs was believed to be desirable but raises serious issues concerning confidentiality, and the suitability of an IT solution to the particular information problem. The approach is informed by Social Informatics and utilises Soft Systems Methodology within the framework of Joint Application Development.
180.
Harnessing Intranet Technology for Organisational Knowledge Creation - Jan Damsgaard; Rens Scheepers
Many organisations have embraced intranets with the intent of harnessing the technology to support knowledge manage-ment initiatives. Despite the promise that intranet technology holds in this regard, many of the early research studies indi-cate rather disappointing results. In this paper we propose a model that organisations can use to conceptualise and reflect on their intranet applications with a view towards more fruitful results, specifically in terms of knowledge creation. We do so by drawing upon Nonaka’s well-known framework of knowledge creation and combining that with a taxonomy of five intranet use modes. For each of Nonaka’s four knowledge creating activities...
161.
