Designing a consulting services architecture model

textDuring my years of experience in the technology industry, it has become obvious that standard processes and methodologies within the engineering discipline are at a mature state. The realization though is that software engineering specifically lags behind. Most software engineering methodologies that I have studied focus on the mission of software development. It is this realization and the need for structure that led me to review existing methodologies used within my company's software services organization. The definition of what a successful software services methodology entails is rather limited. This report will provide a history of existing software engineering methodologies that I have studied, describe an initial services method that was being developed within my organization, develop a new model that addresses previous shortcomings and identify additional components required to further define a strong software services-oriented delivery methodology.Electrical and Computer Engineerin

Reinforcing Innovation Effectiveness – A New Methodological Approach for Policy Evaluation

‘Innovation is the ability to take new ideas and translate them into commercial outcomes by using new processes, products or services in a way that is better and faster than the competition’ (Nedis & Byler, 2009). Innovation is considered as an important competitiveness factor for companies and a source of wealth for economies. Therefore it is an important subject of policy intervention and regional development. The understanding of what innovation is has evolved in the past decades away from a purely technological definition – of new products and processes introduced on the market, to a wider one including organisational and marketing aspects or incremental innovation in low tech production companies and more recently, innovation in services (European Commission, 2008). The main purpose of this paper is to propose a new methodology for territorial analysis and planning focused on innovation and knowledge transfer and in its governance mechanisms. A new methodology which is intended that can contribute to strengthen the present analytical tools applied to the processes of regional innovation and technology transfer. A new methodology that seeks, for each specific territorial context, contribute to the following results: 1) Evaluate the socio-economic and territorial impacts of knowledge transfer and technology diffusion; 2) Mapping territorial innovation effects and pathways – reinforcing innovation mapping and strategic planning; 3) Monitor innovation productivity, competitiveness and its systemic effects; 4) Monitor the innovation implementing processes and public policies, and support the multidimensional and multiscale evaluation of its results; 5) Better understand the knowledge transfer and technology diffusion in a specific territorial bases; 6) Increase the understanding of local and regional contexts of innovation governance.

Methodical Approach for Detailed Planning of Services to offer Product Service Systems

The transformation of current business models towards offering product service systems (PSS) provides manufacturing companies numerous opportunities to consolidate or even expand their competitive position. Companies are confronted with the challenge of successfully designing this transformation process simultaneously. In order to approach the development of new business models and the transformation process, business model patterns and best practices provide a good first orientation for companies. However, these are designed to be industry-neutral and rather abstract when considering the actual processes. Thus, they do not offer any individual support to companies in the specific development of a business model and its required service delivery processes. Service delivery processes are part of a business model and describe activities that take place to provide services. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular do not have the necessary time, technical and methodological resources to manage a transfer from abstract business model examples to an individual business model. This barrier often leads SME to remain with their traditional business model. Therefore, this paper presents a methodology for the detailed planning of service delivery processes. The designed methodology supports the phases design and implementation, which are part of the business model development. The methodology describes a structured procedure, in which relevant services first have to be identified. These services are then broken down into individual process modules on a second level. The modules are elements that can get combined to services. On a third level there are explicit process models. The process models are assigned to the modules and define the respective process steps and the requirements for the implementation. The approach is designed to support companies successfully transform to new business models for PSS by applying the detailed planning for services with specific modules that contain detailed process models and requirements

Linkage between knowledge management practices towards library user’s satisfaction at Malaysian University Libraries

Academic library services have begun to apply various knowledge management (KM) practices in the provision of library services. KM has been developed to enhance the use of organizational knowledge through practices and organizational learning. KM practices include the creation, capture and/or acquisition of knowledge, its retention and organization, its dissemination and re-use, and general responsiveness to the new knowledge. The focus of this research is the assessment of KM practices, particularly creation, acquisition, capture, sharing, recording and preservation, and their effects on Library User’s Satisfaction (LUS) in Malaysian university libraries. The objective of this research is the development of a model to enhance KM processes (i.e. Creation, acquisition, capturing, sharing, recording, and preserving) and to improve library users’ satisfaction. A quantitative approach in research methodology is employed (e.g. Questionnaire) for the purpose of generating new knowledge and understanding of library concerns. The findings of this research show that the overall KM practice at six Malaysian university libraries is at a high level. The findings from the structural model indicated that two KM processes, namely knowledge creation and acquisition, are not supported in terms of KM practices at Malaysian university libraries. Other KM processes, namely capturing, sharing, recording, and preserving are fully supported towards KM practices in the library. Hence, the major contribution of this research is a model, namely KM Practice-Library User’s Satisfaction (KMP-LUS) highlighting six KM processes based on strong Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) fit indices

The significance of logistics in servicing growing volumes of e-commerce

Purpose: The article highlights the multi-task nature and prospects of the development of the transit potential of warehouse logistics systems, reveals the theoretical and methodological foundations of logistics in the storage and cargo handling system, indicates and confirms the importance of warehousing logistics in the context of servicing the growing volumes of electronic commerce. Design/Methodology/Approach: For the purposes of developing logistics in the storage and cargo handling system we study the technical and technological support and design developments that have significant potential for increasing the efficiency of logistics processes, and to study consumer behavior in the warehouse services market and transport market trends - warehouse activities. Findings: Automation significantly simplifies logistics processes, information exchange, remote control and management, optimizes costs by combining various market entities and objects, target groups and parameters of logistics processes on electronic platforms. Integration in modern logistics allows synchronizing the complex information component of electronic services and platforms and activating the formation of a system interface that is common for all elements of the logistics system of warehousing, cargo processing and inventory management. Practical implications: The results of the study can be implemented in the activities of Russian companies in order to develop the transit potential of warehouse logistics systems. Originality/value: The significance of this study lies in shifting the emphasis to the need to switch to improved customer service systems taking into account the needs and development of online retail and fulfillment of logistics operators (full-cycle operator: taking goods from the customer’s warehouse, responsible storage, packaging, delivery, work with returns), tied to the development of infrastructure, as the foundation for increasing the efficiency, speed and quality of logistics processes.peer-reviewe

Cultivating knowledge sharing through the relationship management maturity model

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present the development of the relationship management maturity model (RMMM), the output of an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between business units and the IT organisation. It does this through improving and assessing knowledge sharing between business and IT staff in Finco, a large financial services organisation. Design/methodology/approach - The objectives were achieved by undertaking ethnographic research with the relationship managers (RMs) as they carried out their activities, and developing the RMMM by visualizing the development of a community of practice (CoP) between business and IT. Findings - The RMMM demonstrates a learning mechanism to bridge the business/IT gap through an interpretive approach to knowledge sharing by defining knowledge sharing processes between business and IT and defining the tasks of the relationship managers as facilitators of knowledge sharing. Research limitations/implications - More research is necessary to determine whether the RMMM is a useful tool on which Finco can base the development of RM over the next few years. Practical implications - The RMMM acts as a practical knowledge management tool, and will act as a future reference for the RMs as they attempt to further develop the business/IT relationship. Originality/value - The findings provide an initial endorsement of the knowledge sharing perspective to understand the business/IT relationship. Also, the RMMM can be used to identify problematic issues and develop processes to address them

System for Monitoring the Quality of Services Provided by a Public Institution Based on Business Processes

Monitoring the quality of the services provided by public institutions is an important element in improving the effectiveness of the entire system of public services in the Russian Federation. As a rule, monitoring is associated with obtaining quantitative indicators of the level of satisfaction of citizens which characterize the quality of services provided. Monitoring results are the basis for modernizing the service management system. However, this approach allows us to evaluate only one side of the process by which a public institution renders services to the consumer of services (citizens). The other side of the issue is related to monitoring the processes of the institution itself. This direction also allows us to find approaches to improving the quality of service delivery, and to make the work of a state institution more efficient. This article describes the methodology for monitoring the process of providing services in a public institution based on business processes. The description of the activity of the institution in terms of the implementation of services is presented in the form of a set of business processes. It is shown that the main element of business processes that can be measured is the time of their implementation. On this basis, a mathematical model for assessing the quality of public service delivery is constructed, including both qualitative assessments (obtained from experts and clients of the institution) and quantitative assessments of the quality of service delivery based on measuring the time of business processes. The quantitative aspect of the proposed methodology is directly related to the main direction declared by the Government of the Russian Federation – the development of digital economy. As an example, the article considers such a state institution as the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation

Net structure of subject-to-subject relations in the management of the system of administrative services provision

The purpose of the work is to form the net structure of management of the system of administrative services provision on the basis of implementation of subject-to-subject interactions between state sector and civil society. Methodology. The methodology basis for the investigation is the abstract-logical analysis of theoretical and methodological backgrounds for management of relations and interactions. For the theoretical generalization and formation of net structure, there are used scientific recommendations of Ukrainian scientists regarding the necessity to implement subject-to-subject relations in the system of administrative services provision. Results. The investigations allowed confirming that the hierarchical structure of the state governance system does not give an opportunity to implement equal interaction between a subject of provision and a subject of an appeal as these relations have one – way communication and the feedback channel has a formal character. Moreover, the civil society is not considered by state sector to be a source of methods and ways to develop the system of state governance, in particular, the management system of administrative services provision. Practical meaning. The net structure of management will allow implementing the subject-subject relations in the system, under which the actions of the subject of provision – that means state sector – will be directed to the realization of rights and interests of the subjects of appeal. In their turn, apart from the performance of all legislative responsibilities that they should perform, they can carry out activities directed to the development of management activity in the system of administrative services provision and the whole system of state governance as an integral system of management. Meaning/Distinction. The provided model of the net structure will allow involving citizens in the processes of state governance and increasing the impact of the civil sector during the making of state and management decisions and, as a result, to confirm subject-to-subject positions in the relations

IRS-III: A Broker for Semantic Web Services based Applications

In this paper we describe IRS-III which takes a semantic broker based approach to creating applications from Semantic Web Services by mediating between a service requester and one or more service providers. Business organisations can view Semantic Web Services as the basic mechanisms for integrating data and processes across applications on the Web. This paper extends previous publications on IRS by providing an overall description of our framework from the point of view of application development. More specifically, we describe the IRS-III methodology for building applications using Semantic Web Services and illustrate our approach through a use case on e-government