The Millenium Problem as a Form of Information Systems Failure

In this paper we wish to examine the phenomenon of Y2K as an instance of information systems failure. Taking this particular stance on the issue leads we feel to a number of interesting areas that demand further investigation. We first review the current phenomenon of Y2K and discuss some of the relevant work in the area of IS failure. The topic of IS failure has tended to concentrate on issues of success or failure in relation to one specific IS project. We highlight a number of ways in which Y2K can be characterised as a particularly unique and interesting instance of IS failure. In one sense Y2K can be characterised merely as a technological failure and the responses to it merely of a technical kind. However Y2K, and the responses taken to it are of interest also on the organisational, societal, and economic level. It is therefore a phenomenon of primary concern to the IS academic. We raise a number of issues posed by our examination of Y2K that demand further investigation by IS academics. Y2K and the panic that it has generated can be seen as a clear demonstration of the degree to which IS/IT is closely embedded within modern organisations. However, there is preliminary evidence that Y2K has had an effect on the relationship between the IS/IT function and organisations. We particularly raise questions of its effect on IS strategy and planning, outsourcing and the IS development portfolio of organisations

Semi-Annual Report to Congress for the Period of April 1, 1998 to September 30, 1998

[Excerpt] This semiannual report of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) details some of our most significant accomplishments for the period April 1 - September 30, 1998. During this period, the OIG focused its audit and investigative resources on activities that support accomplishment of the goals established in our strategic plan. These goals reflect the OIG vision to provide the Department of Labor (DOL) and Congress with quality information, recommendations, and technical assistance. Particularly noteworthy during this reporting period have been our accomplishments in: identifying and effecting the return to the Government of $6.1 million in employment and training funds improperly held by a grantee; identifying an effective mechanism to increase the distribution of millions of dollars in back wages owed to workers that are held in trust by the Department; identifying ways to enhance the Mine Safety and Health Administration\u27s regional coal mine safety and health inspections program; identifying and calling attention to the problems faced early next year by the Unemployment Insurance System as a result of the Year 2000 problem; providing consultation assistance to DOL agencies in their implementation of the Government Performance and Results Act and the Information Technology Management and Reform Act; uncovering fraud against DOL’s unemployment and disability compensation programs; combating labor racketeering in unions and the workplace through successful indictments and convictions in the areas of employee benefit plans, labor-management relations, and internal union affairs; and calling attention to legislative changes needed to improve aspects of the Department’s pension, workers’ compensation, and program evaluation functions. My staff and I are committed to effecting positive change, reducing vulnerabilities, and contributing to the Department’s achievement of its own strategic goals. I look forward to continuing to work effectively with the Secretary and DOL staff at all levels in our common goal of ensuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity of the programs that serve and protect American workers and retirees

Semi-Annual Report to Congress for the Period of October 1, 1998 to March 31, 1999

This Semiannual Report of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) details some of our most significant accomplishments for the period October 1, 1998, through March 31, 1999. During this period, the OIG focused its audit and investigative resources on activities that support accomplishment of the goals established in our strategic plan. The OIG goals reflect my vision to provide the Department of Labor (DOL) and Congress with quality information, recommendations, and technical assistance. Particularly noteworthy during this reporting period have been our accomplishments in: Calling attention to weaknesses involving the administration of 35 Welfare-to-Work grants totaling $147 million that could potentially undermine the success of the program in helping welfare recipients obtain employment and self-sufficiency; Identifying opportunities for savings and questioning over$5 million in inappropriate grant costs charged to the Department by an Older Workers Program grantee; Identifying best practices used by States in conducting field audits to improve the collection of Unemployment Insurance (UI) tax contributions from employers and ways to improve the detection of UI overpayments through cross matches with employer records; Collaborating with the Department to address remaining Y2K compliance issues affecting DOL operations, and helping DOL to assist States and business partners to ensure their own compliance; Providing consultation assistance to DOL agencies in their implementation of the Government Performance and Results Act; • Uncovering complex fraud schemes against DOL unemployment and disability compensation programs; Combating labor racketeering in unions and the workplace through successful indictments and convictions in the areas of employee benefit plans, labor-management relations, and internal union affairs, as well as utilizing Civil RICO actions to establish long-term stability in unions; and Calling attention to legislative changes needed to improve aspects of pension, workers’ compensation, and program evaluation functions of the Department. My staff and I are committed to effecting positive change, reducing vulnerabilities, and contributing to the achievement of DOL strategic goals. I look forward to continuing to work effectively with the Secretary, management, and departmental staff at all levels in our common goal of ensuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity of the programs that serve and protect American workers and retirees

Transaminases for the synthesis of enantiopure beta-amino acids

Optically pure β-amino acids constitute interesting building blocks for peptidomimetics and a great variety of pharmaceutically important compounds. Their efficient synthesis still poses a major challenge. Transaminases (also known as aminotransferases) possess a great potential for the synthesis of optically pure β-amino acids. These pyridoxal 5'-dependent enzymes catalyze the transfer of an amino group from a donor substrate to an acceptor, thus enabling the synthesis of a wide variety of chiral amines and amino acids. Transaminases can be applied either for the kinetic resolution of racemic compounds or the asymmetric synthesis starting from a prochiral substrate. This review gives an overview over microbial transaminases with activity towards β-amino acids and their substrate spectra. It also outlines current strategies for the screening of new biocatalysts. Particular emphasis is placed on activity assays which are applicable to high-throughput screening

Y2K Serendipity: Benefits and Spinoffs

The primary purpose of the researcher this study was to determine what, if any, unexpected benefits, spin-offs, and other serendipitous events occurred as a result of the year 2000 remediation process undertaken by businesses, industry, and other organizations. This was measured through the use of an online survey instrument comprised of a series of questions designed to measure and discover those benefits. The survey was sent to approximately 50 different businesses/organizations during the pilot stage of this study and 250 during the main stage of this study. These businesses/organizations were randomly selected from the sampling frame using random sampling techniques. The random samples that were used included the areas of financial services, health care, non-computer manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, and utilities. The survey responses were analyzed in an effort to determine what benefits were common to these businesses as well as to discover possible unique benefits some business may have experienced. Of particular interest were any benefits that companies indicate were totally unexpected or serendipitous. Final analysis of the data was accomplished through the use of canonical correlation. This statistical procedure was chosen because of its usefulness in determining correlations between a set of independent variables and a set of dependent variables. The findings of the pilot study were, for the most part, inconclusive due to the small number of responses. The analysis of the data from the main study resulted in one significant canonical function. The canonical correlation between the computer generated variates created by this function was reported at approximately .86. This indicates a high degree of correlation between criterion variate I that represented the independent variables, and is the predictor variate I that represented the dependent variables. The variables PCSYS, NTSYS, MFSYS had the highest correlation with the Predictor I variate. The variables ITISS, A W AREMIA, and A WAREBF had the highest correlation with the Criterion I variate. Therefore, the independent variables PCSYS, NTSYS, and MFSYS were most predictive of the dependent variables ITISS, AWAREMIA, and AWAREBF. To determine if there were unexpected benefits in those companies surveyed, a multiple regression was performed using the measured variable SEREDIP as the dependent variable and the measured variables Y2KEFFORT, ORGSP, and ORGHM as the independent variables. The null hypothesis was not rejected indicating that among the companies surveyed, the occurrences of serendipitous events were not statistically significant. However, the literature indicated that serendipitous events have occurred, although these occurrences were not universal

Montana Kaimin, November 18, 1999

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/studentnewspaper/10292/thumbnail.jp

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and E-Commerce

Technology has drastically changed how businesses operate. Internet and the subsequent “E-Commerce,” have granted customers more bargaining power than ever. Thus, Continuous Customer Relationship and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) become the goal for customer retention. CRM, if performed correctly, allows creative marketing people to gain insights from information for new product ideas or new promotional campaigns and turn them into profits. CRM has extended beyond sales and marketing to include functions such as finance, R&D, channel partners, and even customers. This paper discusses the concept of customer-centric approach in CRM and its components. The current CRM market, key players, and trends are also reviewed

Maturing International Cooperation to Address the Cyberspace Attack Attribution Problem

One of the most significant challenges to deterring attacks in cyberspace is the difficulty of identifying and attributing attacks to specific state or non-state actors. The lack of technical detection capability moves the problem into the legal realm; however, the lack of domestic and international cyberspace legislation makes the problem one of international cooperation. Past assessments have led to collective paralysis pending improved technical and legal advancements. This paper demonstrates, however, that any plausible path to meaningful defense in cyberspace must include a significant element of international cooperation and regime formation. The analytical approach diverges from past utilitarian-based assessments to understand the emerging regime, or implicit and explicit principles, norms, rules, and decision-making procedures, around which actor expectations are beginning to converge in the area of cyberspace attack attribution. The analysis applies a social-practice perspective of regime formation to identify meaningful normative and political recommendations. Various hypotheses of regime formation further tailor the recommendations to the current maturity level of international cooperation in this issue area. Examining international cooperation in cyberspace and methods for maturing international cooperation to establish attribution in other domains inform political mitigations to the problem of cyberspace attack attribution. Potential solutions are analyzed with respect to four recent cyberspace attacks to illustrate how improved international cooperation might address the problem. Finally, a counterfactual analysis, or thought experiment, of how these recommendations might have been applied in the case of rampant Chinese cyber espionage inform specific current and future opportunities for implementation. Although timing is difficult to predict, the growing frequency and scope of cyber attacks indicate the window of opportunity to address the problem before some form of cataclysmic event is closing