Developing information systems with nomis: a model-driven systems development approach proposal

Trabalho apresentado na Seventh International Symposium on Business Modeling and Software Design 3-5 Julho 2017, Barcelona, SpainNOMIS is a human centred information systems modelling approach that is based on human observable actions. It models a business domain through a set of views focusing on human actions, human interactions, context for actions and information. These views are represented by a set of tables and diagrams using the NOMIS graphical notation. The modelling elements depicted in these views are defined in the NOMIS metamodel. NOMIS metamodel and graphical notation are a first step for formalizing and automate the design and implementation of computer applications with NOMIS. In this paper, we propose to develop NOMIS applications using a Model Driven System Engineering approach. The suggested approach will define formally NOMIS models and notation and, using model transformations, will derive a code structure to be used by the computerized information system, and a schema for a relational database supporting business data. Additionally, other components of a specified application middleware will be created.N/

A critically systemic approach for understanding information systems failure in the UK public sector

In the United Kingdom, the implementation of large-scale Information System (IS) projects has led to multifarious problems over the last few decades, and this seems to be an ongoing situation. As a result, within the public sector organisations, a number of information systems have failed to meet their pre-specified goals in spite of the large amount money and effort spent on IS projects. Information system projects are highly complex and the complexity is varied based on the different aspects involved including technical, organisational, and social, while the traditional concepts have less of an effect when aiming to achieve considerable improvement to cope with the increasing complexity of the situation. This was apparent in the study of two examples of large-scale IS failures in the UK public sector, whereas the attention was on examining discrete elements without considering the potential relationships between the elements. The current study, therefore, proposes a system approach as an alternative to understanding the nature of large-scale IS failures in the UK public sector. The systems approach, as an advanced movement in management science, seeks to identify social context and organizational issues and to use a combination of methodologies, methods, tools, and techniques to help problem solvers better control problematic situations. Thus, the Systems Approach is privileged because it offers a holistic approach to look at the problematic situation rather than being focused solely on a particular aspect instead of the interconnected relationships among its parts. The alternative approach benefits from the new problem solving and practical intervention strategies toward a better understanding of the complexity, diversity, and change of the problematic situations, while providing a comprehensive insight into the real-world problem of IS failure. This extends to identifying the contradictory issues related to power, conflict, and culture affecting the situation. Within the Systems Approach the researcher employed critical pluralism to the current study, which is theoretically built upon a combination of methodologies and methods designed for a particular intervention.Some findings of the research disclose that large-scale IS failure in the UK public sector is treated inadequately, and solutions proposed to reduce the rate of failure ignore this complexity. The findings also reveal that there are four factors affecting large-scale IS failure in the UK public sector: political factors; organisational factors; technical factors; and human factors. The founding related to the methodology, the researcher found that critical pluralism appears able to capture a set of systemic processes: appreciation; analysis; assessment; and action. All these processes were conducted collectively and supported by a particular type of collected data activities in the way of identifying the natures of the IS system and its associated sub-systems. Finally, by conducting a particular Systems Approach technique to assess the IS failure problem in the UK public sector context, it cannot be claimed that the solution is applicable to other situations in another context because the approach itself views any problematic situation as unique and hard to be generalised. Nevertheless, the discovery of such solutions leads to the accumulation of knowledge that contributes to reductions in the rates of IS failure in general

Local economic indicators: practitioners needs and associated issues of provision and use

The local economic information base for the UK does not meet the demand for local economic indicators emerging from the private and public sectors. This thesis identifies an 'information gap' between the need for and provision of local economic indicators in the public and private sectors. The existence of this 'gap' emerges in the literature review. Empirical evidence of the gap is provided by the thesis' postal survey (which investigates the use of local economic information in forecasting). The dearth of local economic indicators is then confirmed in the analysis of guided interviews with practitioners. The literature review and practitioner interviews identify a rising need for local economic indicators over the last decade. The increased political significance of local space has led to a growth in the need for information at this scale from the public sector. Organisational restructuring and the privatisation of utilities has also led an increase in demand from the private sector for local economic information. This need has been compounded by deficiencies in those local economic indicators which are currently available, in terms of quality, organisation and accessibility. The literature suggests that standardisation of the criteria for organising local economic indicators into a database would greatly assist the organisations that seek this information. However, no such set of criteria has been forthcoming. The thesis therefore incorporates a feasibility study which focuses on the establishment of a standardised local economic database. The research findings steer suggestions for its development, and local economic indicators for the Local Authority District (LAD) ofLuton are collected and organised into a database as a case study. The methodology is documented, and can be reproduced to develop a similar database for any other LAD in the UK

Implementation of the Delta/Start Model.

This working paper outlines the steps undertaken to develop a dynamic land use transport model. The model is based around an existing transport modelling suite, called START, which has been applied to many urban areas in the UK and abroad. However, its integration with an explicit land use model (called DELTA) was new, and this paper describes the first implementation of the combined dynamic land use transport model for the study area of Fife and Lothian region. The model was used in a PhD thesis and an EPSRC ‘Sustainable Cities’ research project at the Institute for Transport Studies. The paper discusses the processes involved in the full implementation of this model, involving both software development, modification to existing software, and implementation. However, it focuses in particular upon the data requirements and calibration of the various submodels in DELTA. In general the model dataset has been generated using existing study area data from past START applications, plus data from the 1991 Census of population and employment. Not all the disaggregations of data required by the model were available from published, or on-line, sources, and so several disaggregations were undertaken. A feature of the model is that the calibration is undertaken for each submodel individually. In general, the model made use of past research into the relationships that it represents, combined with the judgement of the model developers where no other data was available. The implementation of the location model is discussed in detail, including the use of environmental variables in location choice. This fulfils the main aim of this paper; to provide the technical background for the research projects that make use of this model implementation

Startup activity and employment growth in regions

Based on a model, the report outlines the impact of business start-ups on employment growth in Great Britain. Covering the 1980-1998 span, the data used were compiled for 60 British regions. Specific emphasis is put on short-term and long-term effects of the number of start-ups on regional employment creation. Besides, the above correlation is examined for various periods. The findings reveal that - compared to the Eighties - the significance of the number of starters as regards employment growth has risen during the Nineties.

"Assessing agglomeration economies in a spatial framework with endogenous regressors"

This paper is concerned with the influence of agglomeration economies on economic outcomes across British regions. The concentration of economic activity in one place can foster economic performance due to the reduction in transportation costs, the ready availability of customers and suppliers, and knowledge spillovers. However, the concentration of several types of intangible assets can boost productivity as well. Thus, using an interesting dataset which proxies regional productivity, we will assess the relative importance of agglomeration and other assets, controlling for endogeneity, spatial autocorrelation and heteroscedasticity at the same time. Our results suggest that agglomeration has a definite positive influence on productivity, although our estimates of its effect are dramatically reduced when spatial dependence and other hitherto omitted variables proxying intangible assets are controlled for.Agglomeration economies, intangible assets, endogeneity, spatial autocorrelation, spatial HAC estimation. JEL classification:C21, J24, R10, R11, R12.