ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE-INTENSE, PERSONORIENTED SERVICES – A STATE OF THE ART ANALYSIS

This paper provides a state-of-the-art analysis of service engineering (SE) approaches for knowledgeintense person-oriented (KIPO) services, focussing on IT-enabled provision of such services. Key attributes are derived that distinguish KIPOs from other services. These attributes are integrated in a framework with regard to their applicability on KIPOs development and used for a systematic literature review. KIPOs are of high economic relevance, yet they are laggards in terms of realization of IT potentials. As the most value-creating activities in service provision are bound to persons or personal knowledge, KIPOs design is complicated. The analysis reveals several gaps in SE research. In particular, identified shortcomings of existent approaches are an insufficient level of detail, i.e. no concrete actions or methods for deployment are described, a lack of practical corroboration as well as insufficient IT support. Further, current approaches are not sufficiently equipped to handle the interplay between people-bound activities and technical components. This paper contributes to IS research by clearly identifying these gaps in SE methods. It further provides researchers with ideas for future research activities and guides practitioners in selecting methods that serve as candidates to be integrated into KIPOs development in order to leverage IT potentials more systematically and efficiently

Linguistic and cultural impacts on English medium instruction : Chinese teacher-researchers’ cases

This research investigates linguistic and cultural impacts on English medium instruction (EMI) of a group of Chinese teacher–researchers who teach Mandarin in Australian public schools. Due to fast growing internationalisation, EMI has gained unprecedented prevalence across subjects and significant numbers of non-English background countries adopt it to face global market. After a literature review on EMI study through linguistic, pedagogical and cultural lenses, different factors that impede teacher development are found. Linguistically, lack of English proficiency hinders EMI teachers’ overall progress from the language base. Pedagogically, insufficient understanding of teaching strategies results in unfavourable outcomes and training shortage obstructs consistent improvement. Culturally, EMI teachers struggle with finding their identity and power in foreign environment. There is scarce study on linguistic and cultural background influence of EMI teachers on their teaching practice and development. Therefore, this research seeks to contribute in this aspect. To obtain in-depth data for exploration of linguistic and cultural background impacts on Chinese Mandarin teachers’ EMI in Australian classes, case study was applied. Through classroom observation and semi-structured interview, three cases with nine participants and three research sites were involved. Data were coded and categorised after transcription and further reduced based on relevance and manageability. Four main themes emerged from data analysis, which fell into places of four respective evidentiary chapters. The theoretical framework for this research was constructed through a combination and synthesis of theories and concepts from resources of both Western and Chinese origin. It covers Western concepts of culture (e.g., cultural universality, cultural commonality, and cultural difference), concepts of intercultural capabilities (e.g., cultural sensitivity, cultural adaptability, and cultural tolerance), Chinese concepts (e.g., bǎihuāqífàng, bǎijiāzhēngmíng and héshíshēngwù, tóngzébújì), incarnations of culture (e.g., cultural subjects, their identity, and language) as well as biological concepts (e.g., symbiosis and mutualism). This framework was named the theoretical framework of wénhuàgòngshēng, which was used for data analysis and yet tested by the data. Significant findings are revealed from data analysis. First, the teacher–researchers’ native language influences their EMI. Language patterns and grammatical forms of Chinese root are uncovered in interactions with students. Second, the teacher–researchers’cultural background exerts influence on their EMI. Embodiment of cultural patterns permeates the process of instruction and demonstrates extensive impact. Third, identity dilemma caused by a range of reasons such as environmental unfamiliarity leads to uncertainty to both teaching and their self-cognition. Fourth, coming from a culture where teacher “authority” is assumed, these teacher–researchers struggle in Australian classes claiming power. In many cases, they find themselves caught on the horns of a dilemma between being authoritativeanddemocratic. Based on the findings of this research, it is salubrious to be cross-cultural teachers with competence of wénhuàgòngshēng that explore and utilise both background and targeted linguistic and cultural elements instead of avoiding them. Comprehensive awareness of relationship amongst culture, language, identity and power is conducive to appropriate selfappreciation and connection recognition. For these teacher–researchers, their background resources could be strategically accommodated and applied to facilitate their Australian classroom. Through wénhuàgòngshēng valuable ingredients from both Chinese and Australian culture is suggested to be integrated to generate inclusive associations

The Psychology of Human Thought

The “Psychology of Human Thought” is an “open access” collection of peer-reviewed chapters from all areas of higher cognitive processes. The book is intended to be used as a textbook in courses on higher process, complex cognition, human thought, and related courses. Chapters include concept acquisition, knowledge representation, inductive and deductive reasoning, problem solving, metacognition, language, expertise, intelligence, creativity, wisdom, development of thought, affect and thought, and sections about history and about methods. The chapters are written by distinguished scholarly experts in their respective fields, coming from such diverse regions as North America, Great Britain, France, Germany, Norway, Israel, and Australia. The level of the chapters is addressed to advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students.„Psychology of Human Thought“ ist eine Sammlung frei zugänglicher, qualitätsgeprüfter Kapitel aus allen Gebieten höherer Kognition. Sie ist gedacht als Lesebuch zum Studium komplexer Kognition und des menschlichen Denkens. Die Kapitel umfassen die Themen Begriffserwerb, Wissensrepräsentation, induktives und deduktives Schließen, Problemlösen, Metakognition, Sprache, Kultur, Expertise, Intelligenz, Kreativität, Weisheit, Denkentwicklung, Denken und Gefühle. Auch Kapitel zur Geschichte und zu Methoden sind dabei. Die Kapitel sind von weltweit führenden Experten aus den USA, Großbritannien, Frankreich, Norwegen, Israel, Australien und Deutschland verfasst. Das Niveau ist ausgerichtet auf fortgeschrittene Studierende