Enhancing Software-As-A-Service With Insufficient Domain Knowledge

This study addresses the question “How do Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) vendors enhance their software with insufficient domain knowledge?” Results were obtained by analyzing a dataset from a SaaS vendor that provides administrative software to small schools around the world. The dataset includes archived data (email messages, company documents, and Skype messages) and access to the company’s online repositories (sales pipeline, client online chats, and engineering repository). We identified three types of domain knowledge that are relevant to SaaS vendors – organization specific, industry-wide, and regional variation. We also generated six propositions explaining how industry-wide and regional variation knowledge influences the SaaS enhancement process, and at which points in the process these two types of domain knowledge come into play. This study refines our current knowledge by highlighting the unfolding stages between insufficient levels of domain knowledge and software enhancement outcomes

Determinants of SaaS ERP Systems Adoption

ERP systems are now offered on the cloud under Software as a Service (SaaS) model. For small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), this is considered the best opportunity to take advantage of the capabilities of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system without the investment and management costs associated with the on-premise model. This study investigates the factors influencing the adoption of SaaS ERP system by SMEs. Using a cross-sectional field study conducted across four major case study organizations and software vendors, this study identifies the determinants for the adoption decision and analyses benefits and challenges. According to study, low total cost of ownership, low initial investment costs, potential willingness of the vendor to participate in co-creation of value for customers, continuous improvement of the product offerings and generic benefits of implementing an integrated ERP system are determinants of SaaS ERP adoption decisions by SMEs. Competitive pressures faced by the enterprise, external factors, concerns on the security and integrity of data have no influence on adoption decision, according to this study. Instead, SaaS ERP vendor’s long term reputation, promised shorter deployment time, total cost of ownership, willingness to listen and continuously improve the product, vendor’s ability and willingness to support customers throughout the product life cycle are the factors that would attract SMEs towards SaaS ERP systems

A Local Search Algorithm for Clustering in Software as a Service Networks

In this paper we present and analyze a model for clustering in networks that offer Software as a Service (SaaS). In this problem, organizations requesting a set of applications have to be assigned to clusters such that the costs of opening clusters and installing the necessary applications in clusters are minimized. We prove that this problem is NP-hard, and model it as an Integer Program with symmetry breaking constraints. We then propose a Tabu search heuristic for situations where good solutions are desired in a short computation time. Extensive computational experiments are conducted for evaluating the quality of the solutions obtained by the IP model and the Tabu Search heuristic. Experimental results indicate that the proposed Tabu Search is promising

Configurability, Maturity, and Value Co-creation in SaaS: An Exploratory Case Study

This study answers the research question, “How do value co-creation components – value, offering, value networks, user involvement, and interaction process – change over time as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) configurability moves toward maturity?” We conducted a case study of GlobalSchool, a SaaS company providing administrative software to small-sized schools. We refined the SaaS maturity model by integrating the concept of self-service. We further assessed configurability (along with SaaS maturity) from the co-creation of value perspective. Our findings show that value co-creation components are dynamic, changing at different maturity levels. We also identified two drivers for change – knowledge and volume of clients. Our study contributed toward the SaaS and value co-creation literature. The managerial implications include the need for SaaS vendors to balance between providing support and self-service, solicit feedback from long-standing clients, and slowly transition clients to the self-service concept

Aplicação do método Kanban a um software crm baseado na plataforma Open Source Vtiger

Introduction: This article is the result of the research “Importance of the CRM Software simplicity from the user’s perspective”, conducted by the Research Group in Interoperability in Academic Networks (GIIRA) of the District University Francisco Jose de Caldas, during the year 2015. Methodology: The Kanban method was implemented in the Open Source Vtiger-based platform, and 20 user companies were monitored for data collection in order to compare their usage with the information obtained during the first semester of 2015. During that period, the platform had an interface similar to Vtiger’s.  Results: 85 % of the companies increased their use of the platform significantly up to 310 %. The other 10 % did not present significant variations, and the remaining 5 % registered a decrease in their use of the platform. Discussion: The implementation of the Kanban method in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software allows access to commercial management information in an organized manner, thus highlighting key facts that are easily conclusive, and redirecting additional information, if necessary.Resumen. Introducción: este artículo es producto de la investigación “Importancia de la simplicidad Software CRM desde la perspectiva del usuario”, dirigida por el Grupo de Investigación en Interoperabilidad de Redes Académicas (GIIRA) de la Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas realizada durante el 2015. Metodología: se implementó el método Kanban en la plataforma basada en Open Source Vtiger y se hizo seguimiento a 20 empresas usuarias, a través de recolección de datos sobre estadísticas de uso para compararlas con la información previa obtenida durante el primer semestre del 2015, periodo en el cual la plataforma presentaba una interfaz similar a la de Vtiger. Resultados: el 85 % de las empresas aumentó significativamente el uso de la plataforma hasta en un 310 %; el 10 % no tuvo variaciones significativas y el 5 % restante registró un menor uso. Conclusiones: la implementación del método Kanban en el software Customer Relationship Management (CRM) permite tener acceso a la información de gestión comercial de manera organizada, resaltando en primer plano datos de interés fácilmente concluyentes, al igual que redireccionar la información complementaria si es necesario.Resumo. Introdução: este artigo é produto da investigação “Importância da simplicidadeSoftware CRM desde a perspectiva do usuário”, feita pelo Grupo de Investigação em Interoperabilidade de Redes Académicas (GIIRA), da Universidade Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, durante o ano 2015. Metodologia: foi aplicado o método Kanban na plataformabaseada em Open Source Vtiger fazendo acompanhamento a 20 empresas usuárias, atravésde coleta de dados sobre estatísticas de uso para serem comparadas com a informação previaobtida durante o primeiro semestre de 2015, durante o qual a plataforma apresentavauma interface semelhante à do Vtiger. Resultados: determinou-se que 85 % das companhiasaumentou significativamente o uso da plataforma até 310 %; 10 % não teve variações significativas e 5 % restante registrou um uso menor. Conclusões: a implementação do método Kanban no software Customer Relationship Management (CRM) permite ter acesso à informação de gestão comercial de maneira organizada, destacando em primeiro plano dadosde interesse facilmente concludentes, igual do que redirecionar a informação complementarse for preciso

Electronic Assessment for Software Development Certifications

Com o efeito da globalização, assistimos a uma mudança no paradigma dos mercados atuais, mudança essa que forçou as organizações a melhorar os seus processos de modo a manter a sua competitividade e deste modo garantir uma posição favorável no mercado. Para que tal aconteça, é necessário que comecem a simplificar e a perder menos tempo nos processos, pois só assim é possível à organização focar-se no que realmente interessa: a criação de valor.As certificações são um reconhecimento formal de uma organização que fornecem orientação e ferramentas, que garantem que os produtos e serviços vão de encontro às necessidades e requisitos dos clientes e a sua qualidade é constantemente melhorada. Apesar de serem úteis para a organização, as certificações exigem um esforço muito elevado e consomem muito tempo. Por exemplo, o método SCAMPI exige um esforço elevado, sendo por vezes muito doloroso e custoso monetariamente para a organização.O método SCAMPI é o método standard de avaliação para a melhoria de processos,  método de avaliação do modelo CMMI.O CMMI é um modelo para as organizações melhorarem os seus processos e é exigido por muitos contratos do governo dos EUA, especialmente no âmbito do desenvolvimento de software. SCRAIM é a ferramenta que vai fornecer meios para simplificar esse tipo de avaliações, com o objetivo de economizar tempo e consequentemente dinheiro.O objetivo principal é desenvolver um grupo de metodologias, técnicas e ferramentas integradas no SCRAIM, que irão tornar as avaliações e certas partes das certificações mais fáceis e menos extenuantes para os utilizadores do SCRAIM.Embora haja um número elevado de ferramentas que permitem gerir os projetos e o ciclo de vida deles, poucas combinam isso com técnicas de gestão de processos. O SCRAIM combina os dois e irá fornecer funcionalidades que irão permitir semi-automatizar a avaliação para a certificação de uma organização. O processo totalmente automatizado ainda não é viável, pois a intervenção humana ainda é obrigatória.Com o uso do SCRAIM, as boas práticas irão ser seguidas e, no final, a informação gerada irá facilitar no processo de tomada de decisão.Podemos ver muitas vantagens da criação e desenvolvimento desta inovação e acreditamos que a sua aplicação ajudará a reduzir os custos e o tempo de uma avaliação utilizando o método SCAMPI.Due to the change of the paradigm of current markets, resulting from the phenomenon of globalization, organizations are forced to streamline their business, in order to be able to maintain their competitiveness and ensure a favorable market position. To achieve such agility, their processes need to be less time consuming and more effortless, so they can focus on what really matters: value creation.Certifications are a formal recognition of an organization that will provide guidance and tools for those who want to ensure that their products and services consistently meet customer's requirements, and that quality is consistently improved. However useful for the organization, the evaluation for certification takes too much effort and time. For example, the SCAMPI method takes a significant effort, being in some cases a very painful and expensive process. SCAMPI is the Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement, the evaluation method of CMMI model. CMMI is a model for organizations to improve their processes and is required by many U.S. Government contracts, especially in software development. SCRAIM is the tool that is going to provide us the background and the base to work and simplify those kind of evaluations in order to save time and money.The main goal is to develop a group of methodologies, techniques and tools integrated in the SCRAIM interface, that will make evaluations and certain parts of certifications easier and less painful for the SCRAIM users.Although there are a number of life cycle and project management tools, few combine this with process management techniques. SCRAIM combines the two and will provide the users new features that will semi- automate the assessment for certification of an organization. The full automated process is not yet feasible, so human intervention is still mandatory. With the use of SCRAIM, good practices will be followed and in the end the generated information will facilitate the decision making process. We can see many advantages of this innovation, and we believe that the application of this innovation will help reducing the costs and time of one evaluation using the SCAMPI method

Simulation Software as a Service and Service-Oriented Simulation Experiment

Simulation software is being increasingly used in various domains for system analysis and/or behavior prediction. Traditionally, researchers and field experts need to have access to the computers that host the simulation software to do simulation experiments. With recent advances in cloud computing and Software as a Service (SaaS), a new paradigm is emerging where simulation software is used as services that are composed with others and dynamically influence each other for service-oriented simulation experiment on the Internet. The new service-oriented paradigm brings new research challenges in composing multiple simulation services in a meaningful and correct way for simulation experiments. To systematically support simulation software as a service (SimSaaS) and service-oriented simulation experiment, we propose a layered framework that includes five layers: an infrastructure layer, a simulation execution engine layer, a simulation service layer, a simulation experiment layer and finally a graphical user interface layer. Within this layered framework, we provide a specification for both simulation experiment and the involved individual simulation services. Such a formal specification is useful in order to support systematic compositions of simulation services as well as automatic deployment of composed services for carrying out simulation experiments. Built on this specification, we identify the issue of mismatch of time granularity and event granularity in composing simulation services at the pragmatic level, and develop four types of granularity handling agents to be associated with the couplings between services. The ultimate goal is to achieve standard and automated approaches for simulation service composition in the emerging service-oriented computing environment. Finally, to achieve more efficient service-oriented simulation, we develop a profile-based partitioning method that exploits a system’s dynamic behavior and uses it as a profile to guide the spatial partitioning for more efficient parallel simulation. We develop the work in this dissertation within the application context of wildfire spread simulation, and demonstrate the effectiveness of our work based on this application

Privacy in Cooperative Distributed Systems: Modeling and Protection Framework

A new form of computation is emerging rapidly with cloud computing, mobile computing, wearable computing and the Internet-of-Things. All can be characterized as a class of “Cooperative Distributed Systems” (CDS) in open environment. A major driver of the growth is the exponential adoption by people and organizations within all aspects of their day-to-day matters. In this context, users’ requirements for privacy protection are becoming essential and complex beyond the traditional approaches. This requires a formal treatment of “privacy” as a fundamental computation concept in CDS paradigm. The objective is to develop a comprehensive formal model for “privacy” as base to build a CDS based framework and platform in which various applications allow users to enjoy the comprehensive services in open environments while protecting their privacy seamlessly. To this end, this thesis presents a novel way of understudying, modeling and analyzing privacy concerns in CDS. A formal foundations and model of privacy is developed within the context of information management. This served as a base for developing a privacy protection management framework for CDS. It includes a privacy-aware agent model for CDS platform with the ability to support interaction-based privacy protection. The feasibility of the proposed models has been demonstrated by developing an agent-based CDS platform using JIAC framework and a privacy-based Contract Net Protocol. It also included the application scenarios for the framework for privacy protection is Internet-of-Tings, cloud-based resource scheduling and personal assistance