Procure-to-Pay Software in the Digital Age: An Exploration and Analysis of Efficiency Gains and Cybersecurity Risks in Modern Procurement Systems

Procure-to-Pay (P2P) softwares are an integral part of the payment and procurement processing functions at large-scale governmental institutions. These softwares house all of the financial functions related to procurement, accounts payable, and often human resources, helping to facilitate and automate the process from initiation of a payment or purchase, to the actual disbursal of funds. Often, these softwares contain budgeting and financial reporting tools as part of the offering. As such an integral part of the financial process, these softwares obviously come at an immense cost from a set of reputable vendors. In the case of government, these vendors mainly consist of Oracle, SAP and Jagger. This paper will explore the evolution of P2P software from its birth as an IBM solution to strategic sourcing issues, to the current cloud-based, end-to-end procurement and payment software suites that millions of private enterprises and an increasing amount of governments now enjoy. It will also explore the risks associated with “the cloud”, an industry term for constantly connected online services where data and software are provided off-premises from the purchasing institution. These services often house all of the financial data related to the institution, safeguard it and provide consistent updates throughout the licensing term. However, as an expense, these softwares can be difficult to market to taxpayers, who ultimately pay for software upgrades. This paper concludes, after analysis of literature, financial data and interviews with key stakeholders in the decision-making process, that these softwares provide significant efficiency gains, but can pose a new form of misunderstood cybersecurity risks. This combination of the “newness” of cloud computing and immense costs stretched over years can make it difficult for governments—especially smaller governments—to convince taxpayers that these system upgrades are worthwhile

Applied Evaluative Informetrics: Part 1

This manuscript is a preprint version of Part 1 (General Introduction and Synopsis) of the book Applied Evaluative Informetrics, to be published by Springer in the summer of 2017. This book presents an introduction to the field of applied evaluative informetrics, and is written for interested scholars and students from all domains of science and scholarship. It sketches the field's history, recent achievements, and its potential and limits. It explains the notion of multi-dimensional research performance, and discusses the pros and cons of 28 citation-, patent-, reputation- and altmetrics-based indicators. In addition, it presents quantitative research assessment as an evaluation science, and focuses on the role of extra-informetric factors in the development of indicators, and on the policy context of their application. It also discusses the way forward, both for users and for developers of informetric tools.Comment: The posted version is a preprint (author copy) of Part 1 (General Introduction and Synopsis) of a book entitled Applied Evaluative Bibliometrics, to be published by Springer in the summer of 201

The effect of open-source software technologies in health-tech startups

Abstract. The research investigates how open-source technology improves product efficiency and identifies the challenges encountered by startups when introducing open-source software technologies in the startups. The semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare startups based in Oulu. Thematic data analysis was performed to analyse the collected data and identified common themes and sub-themes to the research objective

The functional fit between collaborative software and work systems:Qualification of work system needs to software functionality

The study develops an approach that tries to validate software functionality to work systems needs in SMEs. The formulated approach is constructed by using a SAAS based software i.e., work collaboration service (WCS), and SMEs as the elements of study. Where the WCS’s functionality is qualified to the collaboration needs that exist in operational and project work within SMEs. For this research constructivist approach and case study method is selected because the nature of the current study requires an in depth study of the work collaboration service as well as a detailed study of the work systems within different enterprises. Four different companies are selected in which fourteen interviews are conducted to gather data pertaining. The work systems method and framework are used as a central part of the approach to collect, analyze and interpret the enterprises work systems model and the underlying collaboration needs on operational and project work. On the other hand, the functional model of the WCS and its functionality is determined from functional model analysis, software testing, documentation and meetings with the service vendor. The enterprise work system model and the WCS model are compared to reveal how work progression differs between the two and make visible unaddressed stages of work progression. The WCS functionality is compared to work systems collaboration needs to ascertain if the service will suffice the needs of the project and operational work under study. The unaddressed needs provide opportunities to improve the functionality of the service for better conformity to the needs of enterprise and work. The results revealed that the functional models actually differed in how operational and project work progressed within the stages. WCS shared similar stages of work progression apart from the stages of identification and acceptance, and progress and completion stages were only partially addressed. Conclusion is that the identified unaddressed needs such as, single point of reference, SLA and OLA inclusion etc., should be implemented or improved within the WCS at appropriate stages of work to gain better compliance of the service to the needs of the enterprise an work itself. The developed approach can hence be used to carry out similar analysis for the conformance of pre-built software functionality to work system needs with SMEs

L'Oréal Portugal : a digital challenge for the active cosmetics division

This thesis focuses on a topic which comes from the digital development of the pharmaceutical sector in the Portuguese market. L’Oréal, a multinational company, and worldwide leader in the cosmetic market has to deal in Portugal with challenges which are associated to the Portuguese context. Linked tightly with the overall Portuguese context, the pharmaceutical sector is starting to face new challenges associated with new trends observed in the market. Digital is one of those trends. Considering the example of other sectors and markets, the pharmacists’ opinions and the knowledge from different players in the market, this dissertation will study the impacts that a sudden digital development of the sector (mainly centered on the company’s clients) might have on the L’Oréal Portugal Active Cosmetics Division business. The main conclusions presented in this paper are related with the fact that although L’Oréal has some tools to leverage in case of a digital development of its clients there are a lot of possible developments which can bring risks and, at the same time, opportunities for the company. To conclude, with this paper, the reader will be able to understand how a sector, which traditionally shows little change and innovation, can represent and create situations for giant players to stop, analyse and rethink their strategy.Em plena era de revolução digital, esta tese aborda a possível digitalização do sector de farmácia em portugal e os desafios que daí poderão advir para aqules que estão ligados ao sector. Por sector de farmácia, entenda-se, neste caso, canal de farmácia. Como principal objecto de estudo será dada a atenção ao caso da divisão de Cosmética Activa da L’Oréal que exerce a sua actividade utilizando somente os canais de farmácia e parafarmácia para a distribuição dos seus produtos. Assim, mais do que um estudo acerca do negócio de farmácia, esta tese centra-se no mercado de dermocosmética em canal de farmácia. Partindo do ponto de vista de uma multicional como a L’Oréal e tendo em conta o seu passado e imagem ligada à inovação, esta tese pretende demonstrar que o canal farmácia apresenta desafios que deverão ser levados em conta pela empresa no desempenho da sua actividade. Para tal, foram contempladas as perspectivas de agências digitais, de profissionais no mercado de dermocosmética (Colaboradores L’Oréal) e farmacêuticos. As principais conclusões do presente estudo estão assim associadas à necessidade de levar a cabo investimentos em iniciativas por parte da empresa para estimular o desenvolvimento digital do sector. Este investimento terá em consideração ganhos futuros por parte da empresa em termos de maior informação do mercado e, principalmente, dos consumidores e do negócio de farmácia, de diferenciação para outras empresas no sector, de construção de uma imagem de empresa inovadora, etc

Identificando y priorizando los factores que influyen en el Código de Ética del Arbitraje Deportivo de Irán

The purpose of this research was to compile a sports refereeing ethics code in Iran. The method of the present research was mixed (qualitative and quantitative). A total of 15 experts in the field of refereeing ethics in sports were interviewed by the method of snowball sampling. The results obtained from the interview led to a valid and reliable questionnaire that was randomly distributed among the referees and assistant referees of the Iranian premier leagues of team sports (football, volleyball, handball and basketball) and individual sports (taekwondo, karate, wrestling and swimming), with a total sample of 224 people. Analysis and coding were performed using the softwares Max Kyoda, SPSS and Smart PLS. Research findings showed that 8 themes and 61 sub-themes were extracted in this field, which include the components of behavior, corruption, communication, sociocultural aspect, family, respect, legality and justice, in this order of importance. In general, paying attention to the behavioral and corruption aspects plays an important role in improving the ethical status of sports referees in Iran.El propósito de esta investigación fue compilar un código de ética del arbitraje deportivo en Irán. El método de la presente investigación fue mixto (cualitativo y cuantitativo). Se entrevistó a un total de 15 expertos en el campo de la ética del arbitraje deportivo mediante el método de muestreo de bola de nieve. Los resultados obtenidos en la entrevista dieron lugar a un cuestionario válido y fiable que se distribuyó aleatoriamente entre los árbitros y árbitros asistentes de las principales ligas iraníes de deportes de equipo (fútbol, ​​voleibol, balonmano y baloncesto) y deportes individuales (taekwondo, kárate, lucha libre y natación), con una muestra total de 224 personas. El análisis y la codificación se realizaron utilizando los softwares Max Kyoda, SPSS y Smart PLS. Los hallazgos de la investigación mostraron que en este campo se extrajeron 8 temas y 61 subtemas, que incluyen los componentes de comportamiento, corrupción, comunicación, aspecto sociocultural, familia, respeto, legalidad y justicia, en este orden de importancia. En general, prestar atención a los aspectos de comportamiento y corrupción juega un papel importante en la mejora del estatus ético de los árbitros deportivos en Irán

Blended Learning Researches in Iran: Several Fundamental Criticisms

The present study seeks to critically review the state of the blended learning researches in the Iranian context. For this critique, 47 papers about blended learning were found in a number of indexing databases and their contents were analyzed. The contents mainly revolved around use of relevant terminology, features of blended learning, methodology, levels of blended learning, variables of the study, and the analyzed educational programs. Some major criticisms that can be leveled at these studies include limited range of terminology, inappropriate use of key concepts, overemphasis on quantitative methods, overuse of pseudo-empirical method, lack of case studies, mistaking blended learning for application of computers in education, excessive concentration on the level of educational programs, superficial treatment of the distinction between learning and retaining, lack of attention to some of the variables of blended learning, and use of blended learning for primary and secondary education

Strategic knowledge creation through the analysis of the structure of the network formed by the participants of european R&D projects. Case of the emerging sector of renewable energies, at organizatio

321 p.La estrategia del Espacio Europeo de Investigación (ERA) tiene como objetivo aumentar el porcentaje de energías renovables en el mix energético hasta el 20% para el año 2020, impulsando este sector multidisciplinar y emergente. Existe la incertidumbre de crear consorcios de proyectos de I+D incluyendo colaboraciones ineficientes de transmisión de información y conocimiento entre los socios y las regiones locales. Esta tesis doctoral se centra en los proyectos europeos de I + D en los sectores de energía eólica, solar, marina, geotérmica y biomasa, para el período 2000 2013. El objetivo final de la tesis ha sido presentar el potencial de la técnica Análisis de Redes Sociales, para obtener conocimiento estratégico para la toma de decisiones de un sector tecnológico emergente y multidisciplinar. Para ello, se ha tomado como base la aplicabilidad de la teoría de redes sociales y la utilidad de la información que proporcionan los proyectos de I+D. Por un lado, muestra teóricamente el potencial de la información sobre proyectos para crear conocimiento estratégico a través de la aplicación integrada de los enfoques de centralidad y ¿structural hole¿ de Análisis de Redes Sociales. Por otro lado, aporta la creación de conocimiento estratégico en el sector de las energías renovables en Europa, proporcionando conocimiento de valor añadido en base a la eficiencia sobre las organizaciones y regiones locales participantes en estos proyectos. Concluye en cómo influyen estos en el resto de actores de las redes de colaboración, quiénes son eficientes y quiénes tienen un rol facilitador de cohesión de la red de transferencia de información y conocimiento adquirido a través de los proyectos I&D, aplicable a cualquier sector, normalmente subvencionados por organismos públicos cuando son sectores emergentes. Este estudio constituye una novedosa contribución, siendo una herramienta complementaria a los estudios de patentes y publicaciones que los responsables políticos deben considerar al invertir en proyectos públicos de I+D, para construir ERA eficientemente