44 research outputs found

    Strategies for the Development of IT Disaster Recovery Plans in the Manufacturing Industry

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    Information technology (IT) leaders have reported technology disruptions because of natural disasters, terror attacks, or adversarial threats. Information technology leaders are concerned with technology disruptions, as these disruptions are costing organizations as much as $22,000 per minute. Grounded in Zachman’s framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies IT managers in the manufacturing industry use to develop IT disaster recovery (DR) plans to support business operations. The participants included 3 manufacturing IT professionals, 2 Department of Defense manufacturing infrastructure specialists, and 1outsourcing contractor, each from firms located in the central United States who successfully developed IT DR plans to support business operations. Data collection comprised of interviews and documentation. I used Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step process for thematic analysis to identify 5 themes: contingency planning by priority, testing plans, levels of recovery, time requirements for recovery, and costs associations. The implications for positive social change include the potential for IT managers and leaders to contribute to strategic development of IT DR plans and prevent economic disruption for consumers, communities, and society during disaster events

    Small Business Responses to Reduce Impacts from Natural Disasters

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    Florida is a hurricane-prone state, and not all small business owners are prepared to survive in the wake of a hurricane or flood event, as only 14% of small business owners prepare for natural disasters compared to 44.9% for large corporations. Small business owners can enhance the survivability of their companies with well prepared disaster plans. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies 5 small business owners in northwest Florida implemented to avoid permanent business closure after a natural disaster. The conceptual framework was the theory of planned behavior. Data were collected through interviews with 5 small business owners; company documentation served as a secondary data collection source. Yin\u27s 5-step analysis process was used to analyze the data. Themes from responses were property insurance coverage, business continuity, disaster recovery plans, cloud computing, and remote working. The implications for positive social change include the potential to minimize unemployment, provide economic growth, and add stability to both the local and state economies. A well-planned disaster preparedness plan could reduce the number of days employees of small businesses would be out of work, keeping the local community thriving

    Information Technology Disaster Recovery Planning by Florida Nonprofit Organizations

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    Inadequate information technology (IT) disaster recovery planning (DRP) by nonprofit organizations could lead to organizational failure post-large-scale natural disasters. Without proper funding and planning, organizations may not be able to withstand the effects of a natural disaster resulting in the closure and the community losing a critical need service. Grounded in resilience theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies utilized by Florida-based nonprofit organization technology managers to adopt and implement an IT DRP to aid in post-natural disaster recovery efforts. The data collection included interviews with 5 IT managers and reviews of 4 business continuity plans, 5 IT disaster recovery plans, and 1 hurricane specific plan. Inductive analysis was used for coding, triangulation, and the identification of themes. The primary themes include managers are relying on their existing knowledge, more plan testing and training is required, and the critical staff includes everyone. The findings, as presented in this study, indicate that managers are using basic knowledge to create plans; there is a limited amount of testing and training, and organizations need everyone to help with recovery. The implications for positive social change include the potential to identify gaps in overall preparedness, which may pave the way for creating an IT DRP framework specific for nonprofit organizations

    Strategies to Mitigate Natural Disaster Impact in the Auto Maintenance Business

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    Many small business owners lack strategies to mitigate natural disasters. Damage caused by natural disasters usually costs millions of dollars in injuries or lost lives, disruption to operations, and property damage. Small business owners who fail to plan and prepare for disaster frequently face closure when disasters strike. The goal of this study was to explore strategies independent auto maintenance business owners use to mitigate natural disasters. Holling’s organizational resilience theory grounded this qualitative multiple case study. Five purposively selected participants who implemented disaster mitigation strategies from Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana participated in this study. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data, supplemented by triangulation using company documents, strategic plans, financial data, emails, website information, and operation manuals. Yin’s 5-step data analysis process yielded four themes: employee relations and financial strength, disaster planning and response guideline, communication, and collaboration and partnership. The key recommendation for business owners is to understand, plan, and execute successful natural disaster mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity and resilience. The implication for positive social change is the potential for businesses to avoid permanent business closure, create jobs, retain employees, and improve the economic standard of living for communities

    Information Technology Service Continuity Practices in Disadvantaged Business Enterprises

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    Disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) not using cloud solutions to ensure information technology (IT) service continuity may not withstand the impacts of IT disruption caused by human-made and natural disasters. The loss of critical IT resources leads to business closure and a resource loss for the community, employees, and families. Grounded in the technology acceptance model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies IT leaders in DBEs use to implement cloud solutions to minimize IT disruption. Participants included 16 IT leaders in DBEs in the U.S. state of Maryland. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and reviews of 10 organizational documents. Data were analyzed using inductive analysis, and three themes were identified: alignment with business requirements, sustaining business growth, and trust in cloud services. One recommendation is for IT leaders in DBEs to ensure cloud-based IT service continuity practices are built into all aspects of small business operation. The implications for positive social change include the potential for economic stability for families and environments that rely on the DBEs for continuing business and employment

    Public health emergency preparedness and response capabilities : national standards for state, local, tribal, and territorial public health

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    In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the Public Health Preparedness Capabilities: National Standards for State and Local Planning, a set of 15 distinct, yet interrelated, capability standards designed to advance the emergency preparedness and response capacity of state and local public health systems. These standards pioneered a national capability-based framework that helped jurisdictional public health agencies structure emergency preparedness planning and further formalize their public health agency Emergency Support Function (ESF) #8 role(s) in partnership with emergency management agencies.CDC\u2019s 2018 Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities: National Standards for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Public Health include operational considerations that support the public health and medical components of the 32 core capabilities specified in the National Preparedness Goal. Jurisdictions should use these operational considerations to develop their public health agency response strategies in greater alignment with the jurisdictional public health agency ESF #8 role.Suggested Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2018). Public health emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.CS290888-ACDC_PreparednesResponseCapabilities_October2018_Final_508.pdfIntroduction -- Using the Capability Standards for Strategic Planning -- At-A-Glance: Capability Definitions, Functions, and Summary of Changes -- Capability 1: Community Preparedness -- Capability 2: Community Recovery -- Capability 3: Emergency Operations Coordination -- Capability 4: Emergency Public Information and Warning -- Capability 5: Fatality Management -- Capability 6: Information Sharing -- Capability 7: Mass Care -- Capability 8: Medical Countermeasure Dispensing and Administration -- Capability 9: Medical Materiel Management and Distribution -- Capability 10: Medical Surge -- Capability 11: Nonpharmaceutical Interventions -- Capability 12: Public Health Laboratory Testing -- Capability 13: Public Health Surveillance and Epidemiological Investigation -- Capability 14: Responder Safety and Health -- Capability 15: Volunteer Management -- Glossary of Terms \u2013- Acknowledgements.201

    MSIS 2016 global competency model for graduate degree programs in information systems

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    [Extract] This document, “MSIS 2016: Global Competency Model for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems”, is the latest in the series of reports that provides guidance for degree programs in the Information Systems (IS) academic discipline. MSIS 2016 is the seventh collaborative effort between ACM and AIS (following IS’97, IS 2002, and IS 2010 at the undergraduate level; MSIS 2000 and MSIS 2006 at the graduate level; and CC 2005 as an integrative document).(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    The value of context awareness within information technology audit and governance

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    Thesis (MTech (Business Information Systems))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2020A shared common understanding or context awareness (CA) of IT Audit and Governance among all the internal stakeholders of a business remains an important factor. This context awareness is needed between the business itself, the IT department, and the Audit and Risk functions of the business. The research problem states that there is a lack of shared context awareness among all stakeholders when conducting IT audits and implementing IT Governance. To answer the research questions, a case study research strategy was followed using an International Services Group of companies operating from South Africa. The case study offered a diverse group of companies and vast experience in the South African Services, Trading, and Distribution sector. The diversity of this group of companies made it a perfect candidate for understanding context and the value of context in IT when conducting IT audits. The following research questions were asked: i) What are the factors affecting a shared context understanding among the stakeholders when conducting IT audits and implementing IT Governance? ii) How can a shared context understanding among stakeholders be achieved when conducting IT audits and implementing IT Governance? The aim of the study was to explore the value of context awareness within IT Audit and Governance in order to identify the value of shared context understanding. Data collection was done by means of interviews using semi-structured questionnaires and an interview guide. Qualitative data analysis techniques were adopted for this research. The conclusion of the study highlights the importance of a collective understanding of the business’s context in order to obtain alignment in business, IT, and Audit. It refers to the same or a similar understanding of the business processes; this takes time and is unique on all levels

    Knowledge exchange in crisis settings: A scoping review

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    BACKGROUND: Public health practice and efforts to improve the social determinants of health operate within a climate characterised by multiple and intersecting crises. This includes the Covid-19 pandemic as well as more protracted crises such as climate change and persistent social inequalities that impact health. We sought to understand and compare how knowledge exchange (KE) processes occur across different crises, and how knowledge on improving social determinants of health can be utilised at times of crisis to reduce health inequalities and strengthen public systems. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review to understand how KE on improving social determinants of health can occur across different types of crises (e.g. environmental, pandemics, humanitarian). Relevant studies were identified through electronic searching of Medline, EMBASE, Global Health, Scopus and Web of Science databases. RESULTS: We identified 86 studies for inclusion in the review. Most studies concerned pandemic or environmental crises. Fewer studies explored KE during technical (e.g. nuclear), terror-related or humanitarian crises. This may reflect a limitation of the searches. Few studies assessed KE as part of longer-term responses to social and economic impacts of crises, with studies more likely to focus on immediate response or early recovery stages. Exchange of research evidence or data with policy or practice contextual knowledge was common but there was variation in the extent that lay (public) knowledge was included as part of KE processes. CONCLUSION: As ongoing crises continue with significant public health implications, KE processes should appropriately reflect the complexity inherent in crises and foreground health inequalities. Doing so could include the utilisation of systems or complexity-informed methods to support planning and evaluation of KE, a greater focus on KE to support action to address social determinants of health, and the inclusion of a plurality of knowledge-including lived experience-in planning and responding to crises

    Advancing Ehealth Education for the Clinical Health Professions

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    This is the final report of a project that aimed to encourage and support program coordinators and directors of Australian undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs in all allied health, nursing and medical professions to address the need for Ehealth education for entry-level clinical health professionals
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