411,678 research outputs found
UML Artefacts for a Blockchain-enabled Platform for Fairtrade
Fairtrade-certified products have successfully entered the mainstream distribution channels, mostly in developed countries, and these products are now sold in famous supermarket chains. Nonetheless, the packaging and labeling of products as āFairtradeā command premium pricing in the marketplace. How much of this, however, is valid and justified? Despite the reputable certification mechanisms for quality assurance, mass media reports suggest that much of the āsurplus valueā goes to the accreditation agencies themselves instead of the producers. This article proposes an agenda to set this right with a blockchain platform that provides ātrust-freeā assurances of verifiable labeling. Using an Action Design Research methodology, we have specified a research prototype of a Blockchain-enabled Fair-Trade platform Unified Modelling Language artifacts. We believe this will set the direction for social inclusion as part of information systems scholarsā aspiration to promote ātech for good.
Irish Sea : a socio-ecological system
Recent research has highlighted the need to look beyond the coastal zone and
adopt an ecosystem-based approach to sustainable use and conservation in
marine management. At the same time there has been a growing recognition that
ecosystem management involves coupled, complex socio-ecological systems
which are inherently unpredictable due to the non-linear nature of their
construction. The diverse social activities and natural processes involved in such
an approach requires the inclusion of multiple disciplines which presently have
very limited dialogues. It is apparent that there is an urgent need for new,
interdisciplinary, methods with which to address management holistically and
under conditions of uncertainty.
This research aimed to examine the data-policy and theory-practice divides which
currently hinder effective implementation of marine management. Key to this was
to approach the Irish Sea as an interacting human-marine system, and to explore
methodologies appropriate to interdisciplinary research in order to analyse why
marine conservation is failing to deliver. Using Geographic Information Systems
(GIS), a spatial `footprint' map of human activities in the marine area was
developed from an initial survey of available marine data. The Drivers-Pressures-
State Changes-Impacts-Response framework extended the scope to cover landbased
as well as marine activities, and soft systems methodology was used to
include data and knowledge from both the natural and social sciences.
The results showed a qualitative dichotomy in the types of data involved,
demonstrating how both the data-policy divide and the theory practice divide are
constructed and maintained. The pre-eminence of scientific data in informing
management decisions explained why conservation initiatives may fail, and why
advances in theoretical understanding are so difficult to translate into practice. It
also demonstrated some of the dangers of our present reliance on the Drivers,
Pressures, State-Changes-Impacts Responses (DPSIR) framework for the
development of sustainability indicators, particularly when based on scientific data
alone. An ontological reframing of the issues was then suggested, and scenario
development was used as a means of overcoming the limitations of disciplinary
epistemologies when dealing with a complex system.
It was concluded that, as well as the best available quantitative data, qualitative
factors are equally important in management. Feelings, concerns, aspirations and
values of individuals and society play a crucial role in shaping the research
agenda and in implementing policy. Sustainability therefore can not be
successfully addressed from within the scientific paradigm. Science can provide
information, alongside other conflicting information, and subject to an irreducible
level of uncertainty, but relying on quantitative, scientific data to solve what is
ultimately a social challenge is inadequate. Sustainability needs to be addressed
from a much wider paradigmatic basis, employing wisdom as well as knowledge.
This implies the need for consciously questioning more deeply what it is we really
want from science, for society and for the future. Environmental degradation, of
the Irish Sea or any socio-ecological system, is an expression of societal values,
which can change, and which we clearly need to change in the light of the present
conditions.ESRC/NERC Interdisciplinary studentship award, Plymouth Marine Fun
T-government for benefit realisation
This paper proposes a model for t-Government and highlights the research agenda needed to
increase understanding of transformational government and the processes involved in
furthering the agenda of the t-Government. In particular, both an operational and a conceptual
model for the effective involvement of citizens and businesses in government functioning
have been proposed. This will help to define an agenda for t-Government research that
emerges from national UK strategy and policy for e-Government. The main threads of t-
Government encompass: (1) A citizen-centric delivery of public services or e-inclusion, (2) A
shared services culture to maximize value added to clients, (3) The effective delivery and
management of resources and skills within government or professionalism. All three threads
should be addressed principally from the perspectives of delivery, evaluation and participation
in view of benefit realisation as envisioned by Government strategic planning and policy
directives (CabinetOffice, 2005). The management of change dimension of these phenomena
have been included in the research agenda. In particular, research is needed to reshape the
discourse towards emphasising a citizen centric approach that defines, develops, and benefits
from public service. Decision makers in Government will need models of Governance that
fulfil transformational objectives. They will also need models of benefits realisation within a
strategic Governance framework. It has been argued that t-Government research should be
addressing these relative voids
Developing the egovernment research agenda
This paper presents an exploratory research project to determine the needs for future eGovernment research. The project aimed particularly at getting relevant stakeholder views as a contrast to the received academic wisdom or political rhetoric. This paper outlines the need for such fieldwork and discusses the methodology adopted to elicit the stakeholdersā views without influencing the debate. The VIEGO workshops have shown that an eGovernment research agenda will require a multi-disciplinary approach involving a combination of social, technological and organisational issues. The primary concerns of stakeholders are not to develop more novel IT but to acquire the means to cope with constant change, coordinate development and extend participation.UKās Engineering Physical Sciences Research
Council (EPSRC)-(grant EP/ D043840/1
Green BPM as a business-oriented discipline : a systematic mapping study and research agenda
Green Business Process Management (BPM) focuses on the ecological impact of business processes. This article provides a systematic mapping study of Green BPM literature to evaluate five attributes of the Green BPM research area: (1) scope, (2) disciplines, (3) accountability, (4) researchers and (5) quality control. The results allow developing a research agenda to enhance Green BPM as an approach for environmentally sustainable organizations. We rely on a dichotomy of knowledge production to present research directives relevant for both academics and practitioners in order to help close a rigor-relevance gap. The involvement of both communities is crucial for Green BPM to advance as an applied, business-oriented discipline
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`ICT Policy` for ICT service management - role of business organizations in national reforms agenda for services sector
Several governments around the world have made significant endeavours and allegiances to deliver new National Reforms Agenda (NRA) in order to drive sustained prosperity for their citizens e.g. the cases of Australian, Georgia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) governments etc. In general, the rationale for transformation in NRA has been manifold such as: (a) healthier and more active the population, the stronger the economy; (b) the more skilled the population, the higher the productivity; (c) the greater the degree of social inclusion, the greater the workforce/stakeholder participation and (b) improving individual governmentās investment climate and strengthening democratic and political institutions. Notwithstanding, in the present and coming decades nationals of different countries around the world are (to a greater extent due to the credit crunch) and further will be facing immense challenges, due to mounting competitiveness in the global economy. Some governments are highly aware of the magnitude and complexity of these challenges. Nevertheless, resolving these challenges is not merely within the jurisdiction of the national government ā success will essentially hinge on a collaborative working relationship within all levels of governments (e.g. local, national, central) and business/trading stakeholders. As a result of this collaboration, formulating and consigning prosperity to citizens. The research carried out in this paper strives to exemplify the objectives of the national reforms in general. In addition, structural change of the reformation policy is presented to the business organisations for the purpose of enabling them by focusing on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) based participation and productivity in service management
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Electronic transformation of government in the U.K.: a research agenda
This paper presents the findings of an exploratory research project into future
e-Government (electronic Government) initiatives. The Virtual Institute for
Electronic Government Research (VIEGO) project aimed at identifying and
further developing the research agenda of e-Government based on a solid
practical ground. As such, the paper offers a novel methodology in identifying
the road map for future e-Government initiatives based on a series of
workshops organised around the U.K. hosting a mixture of stakeholders
involving both academics and parishioners. The analysis of the VIEGO
workshops depicted that an e-Government research agenda involves a
combination of social, technological and organisational issues at both
governmental and individual citizen level, ultimately driven by empirical
case-based experience and active participation in e-Government processes.
Unlike other propositions for the future of e-Government offered in the e-
Government literature, raised research questions not only originated from an
analysis of e-Government literature but also on the outcome of brainstorming,
reflections and contemplations throughout the duration of the project
The Political Economy of Education Systems in Conflict-Affected Contexts: A Rigorous Literature Review
This report is a rigorous literature review on the political economy of education systems in conflict-affected contexts and is aimed at education advisers and agencies, development practitioners and Ministry of Education policy makers working in conflict-affected contexts. The report seeks to provide theoretically informed and policy relevant insights on the global, national and local governance of education systems in conflict-affected contexts garnered from a rigorous review of the academic and policy literature on the political economy of education in conflict-affected contexts.<p></p>
The review was driven by three main questions: (1) What are the underpinning assumptions of the main bodies of political economy research in education and conflict? (2) What can the political economy of education literature since 1990 inform us about educational change and reform in conflict-affected contexts? (3) What are the strengths, weaknesses, blind spots and research gaps in the political economy of education literature exploring the governance of educational change and reform in conflict-affected contexts?<p></p>
Chapter 1 outlines the rationale and aims of the review. Chapter 2, describes the theoretical and conceptual framework and presents the framing of the key issues under review, and Chapter 3 outlines the review methodology. Chapter 4 presents the main characteristics and an assessment of the quality of the studies selected for the in-depth review, and Chapter 5, discusses the reviewās main findings. Chapter 6 presents the conclusions of the study, outlines a theory of change that emerges from the findings and draws out the policy insights and research gaps for future study
The political economy of education systems in conflict-affected contexts
This report is a rigorous literature review on the political economy of education systems in conflict-affected contexts and is aimed at education advisers and agencies, development practitioners and Ministry of Education policy makers working in conflict-affected contexts. The report seeks to provide theoretically informed and policy relevant insights on the global, national and local governance of education systems in conflict-affected contexts garnered from a rigorous review of the academic and policy literature on the political economy of education in conflict-affected contexts.
The review was driven by three main questions: (1) What are the underpinning assumptions of the main bodies of political economy research in education and conflict? (2) What can the political economy of education literature since 1990 inform us about educational change and reform in conflict-affected contexts? (3) What are the strengths, weaknesses, blind spots and research gaps in the political economy of education literature exploring the governance of educational change and reform in conflict-affected contexts?
Chapter 1 outlines the rationale and aims of the review. Chapter 2, describes the theoretical and conceptual framework and presents the framing of the key issues under review, and Chapter 3 outlines the review methodology. Chapter 4 presents the main characteristics and an assessment of the quality of the studies selected for the in-depth review, and Chapter 5, discusses the reviewās main findings. Chapter 6 presents the conclusions of the study, outlines a theory of change that emerges from the findings and draws out the policy insights and research gaps for future study
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