11,007 research outputs found

    Exploring the Sources of Enterprise Agility in Software Organizations

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    Organizations involved in the design, development and sustainment of software systems have to manage the tension between creating new products and services, while at the same time maintaining their existing portfolio. This paper explores the sources of enterprise agility in software firms, wherein agility is defined as the ability of the organization to sense changes in its environment (both internal and external), and effectively respond to these changes. Using engaged scholarship as the overarching paradigm, we report on the findings of a process study that uses semi-structured interviews, observation, and archival firm & project information for data gathering, and grounded theory methods and comparative case analysis for data analysis and theory generation. The analysis highlights the importance of the four organizational enablers of: stakeholder alignment, employee empowerment, group & organizational learning, and governance mechanisms, as necessary but not sufficient precursors to obtaining enterprise agility. Furthermore, we provide illustrative case examples of the three mechanisms: Continuous Improvement, Creating Systems of Innovation, and Leveraging Globally available Capabilities, that software organizations use to gain enterprise agility

    ICT implementation in Estonian construction industry and industry related business opportunities for ICT start-ups

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    The current research identifies the hindrance posed by the construction industry to ICT innovation based on the experience of BIM implementation in Estonia. The results of the study show that there are six main hindrances to the ICT implementation in construction that are caused by the fundamental structure of Estonian construction industry. The authors argue that by avoiding these six hindrances and minimizing the other hindrances identified when building new ICT solutions for the construction market, the ICT companies (IT start-ups) can achieve a competitive advantage when entering the construction market.Antud uurimustöö teemal “IKT lahenduste rakendamine Eesti ehitussektoris ning sektoriga seotud potentsiaal idufirmadele” uurib info- ja kommunikatsioonitehnoloogia (IKT) rakendamist Eesti ehitussektoris. Uurimustöö tulemusena tuvastati kuus peamist takistust, mis on tugevalt sĂ”ltuvuses ehitussektori struktuurist ja mida IKT ettevĂ”tted (idufirmad) peaksid ehitussektorile IT lahendusi luues vĂ€ltima. Nende takistuste vĂ€ltimisel ja teiste tuvastatud takistustega tegelemisel on vĂ”imalik autorite hinnangul saavutada edu IKT lahenduste juurutamisel Eesti ehitussektorishttp://tartu.ester.ee/record=b2693844~S1*es

    Software Engineering and Management: a curriculum description

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    [Abstract] The curriculum of the Software Engineering and Management education at the IT University of Gothenburg is described. The education is build upon porblem based learning and uses a project orientation, in each term students spend as much time in projects as they spend in courses where the theory is taught. This educational model orginiates from the university of Aalborg in Denmark. It is used in the described curiculum to enable the students to aquire managerial and programming skills to complement their technical knowledge

    Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Facing Dilemmas in IT Risk Management

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    In this paper we extend IT risk management theory using evidence gleaned from IT-enabled process management in a Swedish pulp and paper factory. Our analyses of risk management practices in the factory’s core process revealed surprising insights. As organizational actors managed process related IT risks to ensure that the core production process was running 24/7, they generated strategic IT risks that threatened the sustainability of the process infrastructure. However, they could not manage these strategic risks without jeopardizing the 24/7 operation. Hence, they inadvertently found themselves between a rock and a hard place where they could not mitigate one high priority risk without generating another. Drawing on practice theory, we explain the observed risk management practices, introduce the notion of risk dilemmas, and discuss the practice-based view of risk as a useful approach to advancing IT risk management theory

    The alignment of university curricula with the building of a smart city: a case study from Barcelona

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    This paper argues the role of the University in the Smart City transformation strategy. The theoretical structure takes as reference the recent Complexity theory for city development and their application to the networks of the Connected city. The approach is based on a justified selection of Barcelona and its four universities. We carry out a deductive and interpretivist method interviewing 19 senior experts whole profiles represent the dif- ferent forces of the Triple Helix model. Our results show the Barcelona city hall has the objective to implement five main innovative services which are fuelled by six main emerging technologies. Nevertheless, we demon- strate that the universities curriculum is not aligned with the city hall's objectives and a gap exists to prepare the undergraduates to the professions required for the Smart City. We recommend six propositions to reshape the University program curricula and leverage the application of Complexity theory to network. The originality of this study is to propose a 3-phases method along with a framework with pre-filled templates and protocols of interviews to analyze universities that pursue the objective to support Smart Cities implementation in a new context of science of cities.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

    The Relationship Between Leadership Style and Cognitive Style to Software Project Success

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    Project managers can be change agents providing direction and motivation for subordinates to meet and exceed goals; however, there is a lack of information about the soft skills needed to achieve project success. Understanding the relationship between cognitive style and transformational leadership to software project outcomes is important. This study describes the lived experiences of software project managers by focusing on their attitudes towards, perceptions of, and behaviors related to using transformational leadership and cognitive styles in agile software development environments. Husserlian phenomenological design was used to identify the structure of participants\u27 experiences. The naturalistic decision-making model and the theory of constraints were a framework for the study. Software project managers identified as transformational leaders were selected from government agencies and commercial companies. Prior to being interviewed, individuals completed the Cognitive Style Indicator. In-depth, semistructured interviews and member checking were used for data collection. Qualitative, phenomenological analysis was used to code the interview data and identify thematic response categories. Results indicated that transformational leaders possessing a planning or creating cognitive style stimulate an environment with an uplifting work atmosphere in which team members are fulfilled and product development outcomes are successful. The implications for positive social change include broadening project managers\u27 leadership and decision making regarding overall project success and leading executives to reexamine the leadership and decision-making styles of their managers resulting in their organizations\u27 prosperity, employee effectiveness, and cost containment

    Developing unbiased artificial intelligence in recruitment and selection : a processual framework : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand

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    For several generations, scientists have attempted to build enhanced intelligence into computer systems. Recently, progress in developing and implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quickened. AI is now attracting the attention of business and government leaders as a potential way to optimise decisions and performance across all management levels from operational to strategic. One of the business areas where AI is being used widely is the Recruitment and Selection (R&S) process. However, in spite of this tremendous growth in interest in AI, there is a serious lack of understanding of the potential impact of AI on human life, society and culture. One of the most significant issues is the danger of biases being built into the gathering and analysis of data and subsequent decision-making. Cognitive biases occur in algorithmic models by reflecting the implicit values of the humans involved in defining, coding, collecting, selecting or using data to train the algorithm. The biases can then be self-reinforcing using machine learning, causing AI to engage in ‘biased’ decisions. In order to use AI systems to guide managers in making effective decisions, unbiased AI is required. This study adopted an exploratory and qualitative research design to explore potential biases in the R&S process and how cognitive biases can be mitigated in the development of AI-Recruitment Systems (AIRS). The classic grounded theory was used to guide the study design, data gathering and analysis. Thirty-nine HR managers and AI developers globally were interviewed. The findings empirically represent the development process of AIRS, as well as technical and non-technical techniques in each stage of the process to mitigate cognitive biases. The study contributes to the theory of information system design by explaining the phase of retraining that correlates with continuous mutability in developing AI. AI is developed through retraining the machine learning models as part of the development process, which shows the mutability of the system. The learning process over many training cycles improves the algorithms’ accuracy. This study also extends the knowledge sharing concepts by highlighting the importance of HR managers’ and AI developers’ cross-functional knowledge sharing to mitigate cognitive biases in developing AIRS. Knowledge sharing in developing AIRS can occur in understanding the essential criteria for each job position, preparing datasets for training ML models, testing ML models, and giving feedback, retraining, and improving ML models. Finally, this study contributes to our understanding of the concept of AI transparency by identifying two known cognitive biases similar-to-me bias and stereotype bias in the R&S process that assist in assessing the ML model outcome. In addition, the AIRS process model provides a good understanding of data collection, data preparation and training and retraining the ML model and indicates the role of HR managers and AI developers to mitigate biases and their accountability for AIRS decisions. The development process of unbiased AIRS offers significant implications for the human resource field as well as other fields/industries where AI is used today, such as the education system and insurance services, to mitigate cognitive biases in the development process of AI. In addition, this study provides information about the limitations of AI systems and educates human decision makers (i.e. HR managers) to avoid building biases into their systems in the first place

    ABAC GSB Freshmen’s Perceptions on Expected Performance Dimensions and Learning Preferences: Implications to Curriculum, Instruction, and Institution Development

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    This research aims to build comprehensive student profiles to identify perceptions and expectations of the students enrolled in the Master programs of the Graduate School of Business (GSB) at Assumption University of Thailand. The main purpose is to establish curriculum and instructional links between what is offered and what students perceived as relevant learning experiences in the program and contribute towards increased student satisfaction in their master degree education.  Self-administered questionnaires were collected from 379 incoming freshmen MBA students from February to August, 2015. The findings of the study revealed that among the performance dimensions expected by the industry from MBA graduates, the dimensions on English proficiency, ethical behavior, and effective use of IT obtained the highest means. Interestingly, timely achievement and responsibility as well as entrepreneurial spirit scored lowest while based on their profiles, the majority of the freshmen are self-employed. Likewise, the overall students’ preferences on the learning processes, modalities, and learning styles indicated no marked differences of preferences of one or two of these modalities and activities. This indicates that choices are generalized and would imply the need for a variety of teaching strategies to respond to the variety of learning processes and modalities that would require appropriate learning activities. To conclude on the interface of the three areas of the study namely: the demographic profiles, the expected performance dimensions, and preferred learning processes to areas of development in graduate education - curriculum, instruction, and institution development, certain initiatives for development were recommended such as: the inclusion of a module or course on the entrepreneurship as a basic foundational course for all students enrolled at GSB to support the third dimension of the Unique Identities of an ABAC graduate which is entrepreneurial spirit and leadership; the adoption and utilization of a brain-based holistic and integrative model of the experiential learning cycle by all lecturers to provide for the use of a variety of teaching modalities and learning activities in all courses. Further it is concluded that Quality Education at any level must come from the interface of quality curriculum, quality instruction, and quality organization. These three areas are intimately interactive and interrelated to achieve the desired outcomes of higher education and realize the vision of AU in “educating intelligences and active minds to change the world.
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