Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

Teaching and learning in virtual worlds: is it worth the effort?

Educators have been quick to spot the enormous potential afforded by virtual worlds for situated and authentic learning, practising tasks with potentially serious consequences in the real world and for bringing geographically dispersed faculty and students together in the same space (Gee, 2007; Johnson and Levine, 2008). Though this potential has largely been realised, it generally isn’t without cost in terms of lack of institutional buy-in, steep learning curves for all participants, and lack of a sound theoretical framework to support learning activities (Campbell, 2009; Cheal, 2007; Kluge & Riley, 2008). This symposium will explore the affordances and issues associated with teaching and learning in virtual worlds, all the time considering the question: is it worth the effort

The impact of enterprise social networking on knowledge sharing between academic staff in higher education

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonHigher education institutions have always considered knowledge sharing critical for research excellence and finding proper methods for sharing knowledge across academic staff has therefore been a major issue for universities and knowledge management research. Recent evidence shows that many universities have embraced enterprise social networking tools to improve communication, relationships, partnerships, and knowledge sharing. To date, there is little understanding of the critical factors for online knowledge sharing behaviour between academic staff, and the impact of these factors on work benefits for academic staff which differ between consumptive users and contributive users in higher education. This study employed the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to examine factors affecting knowledge sharing about the consumptive use and contributive use of enterprise social network (ESN) behaviour. The study adopts a critical realism philosophical approach and employed a grounded theory mixed methods. The conceptual model was validated through structural equation modelling based on an online survey of 254 academic staff using enterprise social networking as a part of their work in the United Kingdom. The findings have significant theoretical and practical implications for researchers and policy makers. The research has developed a cohesive ESN use model by extending and modifying the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. The findings indicate significant differences around factors affecting consumptive and contributive usage patterns within ESNs. Due to advances in communication technologies, this research argues that a previous model suggested by Venkatesh et al. (2003) is no longer fit for purpose and the new communication tools can lead to improved knowledge in higher education. This research also makes valuable contributions to universities from a managerial viewpoint, suggesting that universities could help their scholars find a more comprehensive range of funding sources matching scholars' ideas

Understanding the Role of Information Technology for Sustainable Development in Small Businesses and Micro-Enterprises

Small businesses, including micro-enterprises, represent the majority of all firms in the world. This study investigates how Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) can impact the performance of small businesses, including micro-enterprises. This research introduces an updated Information Technology for Development (IT4D) framework to investigate the key factors that influence the adoption of technology in small businesses. Through structural equation modeling (SEM) and factor analysis of 118 microenterprises in China, facilitating conditions, attitude toward using technology, and anxiety is positively related to the behavior intention to use IT. Also, the usage of ICTs and human capital have a positive effect towards the development of small businesses. In order to understand why, in-depth case analysis of China and the United States based microenterprises was carried out using a qualitative research strategy. Case study data was gathered from 11 Chinese, Native American, African American, and Caucasian owned micro-enterprises and small businesses in the United States and China. In order to find out how the growth of those micro-enterprises varies, a comparative analysis was carried out. The results suggest that the characteristics of ICTs, the access to ICTs, and personal inequalities impact the process of economic development and empowerment of the small businesses. Contributions of the dissertation are as follows: the theoretical contribution of this dissertation is an updated framework for IT4D. The practical contribution is in the interventions that providing IT training opportunities are critical for the growth of small businesses. Finally, this research identifies gaps in the IT4D in small businesses and proposes a framework to guide future research

Complexity Theory of Leadership and Management Information

Implementing effective leadership strategies in management of information systems (MIS) can positively influence overall organizational performance. This study was an exploration of the general problem of failure to lead effectively in the current knowledge-based economy and the resulting deleterious effects on organizational performance and threats to continuing organizational viability. The specific problem was the lack of understanding regarding the interaction of leadership processes with MIS functions and the impact on organizational success. Managers\u27 and employees\u27 lived experiences of leadership in small- to medium-sized enterprises were explored, as well as how those experiences influenced the organization\u27s adaptive responses regarding technology and performance in the knowledge-based economy. The complexity theory of leadership was applied as the theoretical foundation for this study. A phenomenological methodology was used. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed through open coding to identify emergent themes from the data. The themes were leaders motivate employees\u27 positive work-related behaviors, effective communication skills ensure accessibility and efficiency of the organizational information system, and leadership practices influence business productivity. This study contributes to social change by providing insights for managers and employees regarding effective strategies for working as teams and networks via the use of nontraditional leadership theory, which promotes company sustainability by demonstrating the benefits of responding to the changing economy