Floors Concept For Studying e-commerce Development: Pertinence With Reference To Tunisian Context

E-commerce development is described in literature with reference to divergent points of views having many insufficiencies. In order to palliate these limits, this paper proposes a new construct, namely floors, corresponding to growing development levels. This construct permits e-commerce development influencing factors analysis. This paper proposes a model specifying factors influencing e-commerce development in Tunisian hospitality sector. A technology-organization-environment model was adopted to model the variables shaping development. Variables maintained in the model are affected to development floors

Information Systems Outsourcing In Spain: Reflections From The Practitioners

The widespread growth of Information Systems outsourcing on an international scale contrasts sharply with the somewhat limited development of this practice in Spain. That is why the present paper deals with the situation of Information Systems outsourcing in this country. For this purpose, we have used the opinions and comments of those in charge of Information Systems departments at the largest Spanish firms through a normative Delphi study. Outsourcing makes it possible to achieve strategic as well as economic advantages and managers propose a number of ways to reduce the risks associated with this practice. Provider specialisation and permanent client-provider contact are key aspects in order to ensure outsourcing success and development. This paper is basically descriptive though it uses quantitative information. Furthermore, it refers exclusively to the context of large Spanish firms. Despite the limitations mentioned above, the paper has the advantage that in the panellists’ words we interpret the results obtained, which means that we can largely ratify the results of the first questionnaire elaborated. Moreover, it is worth studying the Spanish outsourcing model, which is less developed and has not received as much attention from researchers as that of other Western countries

Apprendimento a distanza e sincronicità: come progettare un mondo virtuale

L’apprendimento tramite i mezzi di comunicazione telematici è un argomento molto attuale. Strumenti utilizzati per questo tipo di apprendimento sono diventati molto popolari, basti pensare agli ambienti Computer Mediated Communication, agli strumenti del web 2.0, agli ambienti virtuali 3D (come ad esempio Second Life). Nel considerare questi strumenti, è necessario però notare che questi ultimi presentano sia punti di forza (es. fare cose che non sarebbero possibili nella realtà) che di debolezza. Un problema collegato con l’apprendimento a distanza, esige alcune considerazioni: la “sincronicità”. La sincronicità nei mondi virtuali infatti limita la flessibilità che altre modalità di comunicazione a distanza permettono. In questo lavoro viene presentato, con l’approccio della “design theory” uno studio su come sviluppare piattaforme per i mondi virtuali 3D che affronta la problematica della sincronicità utilizzando la teoria della “Media Synchronicity”.L’apprendimento tramite i mezzi di comunicazione telematici è un argomento molto attuale. Strumenti utilizzati per questo tipo di apprendimento sono diventati molto popolari, basti pensare agli ambienti Computer Mediated Communication, agli strumenti del web 2.0, agli ambienti virtuali 3D (come ad esempio Second Life). Nel considerare questi strumenti, è necessario però notare che questi ultimi presentano sia punti di forza (es. fare cose che non sarebbero possibili nella realtà) che di debolezza. Un problema collegato con l’apprendimento a distanza, esige alcune considerazioni: la “sincronicità”. La sincronicità nei mondi virtuali infatti limita la flessibilità che altre modalità di comunicazione a distanza permettono. In questo lavoro viene presentato, con l’approccio della “design theory” uno studio su come sviluppare piattaforme per i mondi virtuali 3D che affronta la problematica della sincronicità utilizzando la teoria della “Media Synchronicity”.Uninvited Submission

Technology and Organization: a Case of Mutual Adaptation in the Arhcaeological Sector

In the archaeological sector, information about finds and related documents is highly relevant, but no information system (IS) is available to manage it. Professionals working in the field are often not used to managing information by means of technology and, moreover, work practices are not standardized. The in-troduction of a new IS to track events and record information in such an environ-ment is therefore a big challenge. An adaptation between technology and organi-zation is then to be expected, in order to find an appropriate form of integration. By adopting a structuration theory perspective, this work analyses the case of a project in which an IS to manage finds was designed, experimented with, dis-cussed, and then developed.In the archaeological sector, information about finds and related documents is highly relevant, but no information system (IS) is available to manage it. Professionals working in the field are often not used to managing information by means of technology and, moreover, work practices are not standardized. The in-troduction of a new IS to track events and record information in such an environ-ment is therefore a big challenge. An adaptation between technology and organi-zation is then to be expected, in order to find an appropriate form of integration. By adopting a structuration theory perspective, this work analyses the case of a project in which an IS to manage finds was designed, experimented with, dis-cussed, and then developed.Uninvited Submission

Technology and Organisation: a Case of Mutual Adaptation in the Archaeological Sector

In the archaeological sector, information about finds and related documents is highly relevant, but no information system (IS) is available to manage it. Professionals working in the field are often not used to managing information by means of technology and, moreover, work practices are not standardized. The in-troduction of a new IS to track events and record information in such an environ-ment is therefore a big challenge. An adaptation between technology and organi-zation is then to be expected, in order to find an appropriate form of integration. By adopting a structuration theory perspective, this work analyses the case of a project in which an IS to manage finds was designed, experimented with, dis-cussed, and then developed

Exploring Practitioner Perspectives of Sourcing Risks: Towards the Development of an Integrated Risk and Control Framework

Outsourcing of information and communication technologies (ICT) and related services is an established and growing industry. Recent trends, such as the move toward multi-sourcing have increased the complexity and risk of these outsourcing arrangements. There is a critical research need to identify the risks faced by both the organisations that outsource ICT and the vendors that provide it in this changing landscape. To address growing concerns regarding the best way to deal with risk and control in this environment, our research focuses on establishing a Sourcing Risk and Control Framework to assist organisations identify these risks and develop effective mitigation strategies. In this paper we report on the first stage of our research that sought to document how sourcing risk is represented and considered in practice. To date, limited empirical research has been conducted in an Australian context. Using a series of workshops involving client and vendor representatives, we identified a broad range of risks and developed a cohesive categorisation scheme that incorporates functional and multi-stakeholder perspectives

Distributed team cohesion – not an oxymoron. The impact of information and communications technologies on teamness in globally distributed IT projects

Globally distributed IT projects are common practice in today’s globalized world. Typically, project team members’ work on interdependent tasks, with a common goal to be achieved as one team. However, being split between multiple locations impedes communication among team members and hampers the development of trust. Information and communications media enable communication between geographically distributed project team members and help to create and maintain trust within project units. Communication and trust are particularly significant for fostering a feeling of oneness among project team members. Oneness, also referred to as “teamness”, is repeatedly mentioned as one of the challenges facing global project teams. However, prior literature on teamness is very scarce and its importance is underrepresented. This research contributes to the field in two ways. First, the theoretical study based on a systematic literature review examines available evidence of teamness in globally distributed projects. Secondly, an empirical study based on interviews conducted with global project managers fills the current gap in literature on the link between use of ICT and establishing a sense of team unity. This paper draws practitioners’ attention to the importance of striving for teamness in spite of the geographical distance that exists between project team members

CONCEPTUALIZING THE COMMONS-BASED PEERPRODUCTION OF SOFTWARE: AN ACTIVITY THEORETIC ANALYSIS

Commons-based peer-production (CBPP), as exemplified by community-based open source software (OSS) development, has been posited by Yochai Benkler as an alternative to hierarchies and markets for organizing the production of information goods. This study seeks to conceptualize viable CBPP through an Activity Theoretic analysis of 524 peer-reviewed OSS research artifacts. The analysis reveals the reliance of peer-production communities on complex systems of interrelated tools, rules, and roles as mediating components enabling communities to (i) exploit the two theorized advantages of CBPP (resource allocation and information processing) and (ii) overcome the two theorized challenges associated with this mode of production (motivation and organization). The study clarifies and extends extant understanding of CBPP in several significant ways, and concludes that in order for CBPP to be viable, participants must operate in a sustainable fashion that both enhances the commons and leaves the community intact

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

Evaluación de la calidad de gobierno de tecnologías y sistemas de información basada en valor

La calidad es una aspiración y al mismo tiempo una preocupación constante, más aún cuando de por medio se encuentra la procura de la satisfacción y la entrega de valor. Es una aspiración, un reconocimiento, un objetivo muy complejo y al mismo instante muy sencillo de cumplir. Pues, ¿A quién no le gusta que le cumplan los compromisos?. La calidad es un grado de excelencia, y lo excelente es eternamente nuevo. Para un gobierno corporativo, en sentido general, sus objetivos de calidad siempre estarán enfocados en alcanzar eficiencia y eficacia en todos sus niveles de administración y áreas funcionales. Lograr la calidad para un gobierno que se enfoca en las Tecnologías y los Sistemas de Información (TSI) es un reto, porque los líderes organizacionales cada vez más esperan que los líderes de TSI innoven y entreguen valor en toda la organización y, al mismo tiempo, apoyen con la operación al máximo nivel; es decir, buscando el balance perfecto. La calidad se ha constituido en una meta de muchos países. En Ecuador, la Constitución establece que la administración pública se rige por principios, entre otros: el de calidad. Esto involucra la participación conjunta de las personas que aseguren el accionar en el contexto organizacional. La calidad incide sobre las personas, las actividades, los procesos y los resultados; todo orientado hacia la excelencia. Tomando en cuenta que las TSI se han constituido en el aliado estratégico de las instituciones públicas, entonces es vital propiciar que el equipo que las gobierna actúe con calidad. Al respecto el estándar ISO/IEC 38500 de Gobierno de la Tecnología de la Información propone un conjunto de principios orientadores para los administradores de las organizaciones en cuanto al uso eficiente y eficaz de la tecnología en sus organizaciones, pero entendiéndose como un aporte a la mejora de la calidad. Por ello es oportuno identificar con adecuado criterio las relaciones entre estándares de gobierno y modelos de excelencia, los criterios y sub-criterios que derivarían y como formarían parte de un modelo de calidad. La presente tesis doctoral aborda la calidad como un medio de investigación en el contexto del Gobierno de Tecnologías y Sistemas de Información (GoTSI) basada en valor, desde un punto de vista específico y exhaustivo, con perspectiva de dirección estratégica organizacional. Este abordaje se siente corroborado por un estudio comparativo y una revisión sistemática de la literatura llevados a cabo al inicio de la investigación doctoral. Entonces se propone un Modelo de Calidad de GoTSI Basada en Valor, denominado por sus siglas en inglés VBISTGQM (Valued-Based Information System Technology Governance Quality Model). El modelo incluye contenidos de trabajos previos, del modelo iberoamericano de excelencia y el estándar ISO/IEC 38500. Este modelo puede ser utilizado como un instrumento de medición y valoración de uso flexible y adaptable a los nuevos criterios que emergen de la dinámica del entorno, de igual manera adaptable a cada organización de TSI. El modelo define seis criterios, nueve sub-criterios y treinta y cuatro dimensiones; estas se valoran mediante cinco componentes catalogados como evidencias en la era del conocimiento, los mismos que en su conjunto inciden en la toma de decisiones de un Gobierno de Valor de TSI. Luego, cada uno de los sub-criterios y criterios de evaluación son analizados mediante tres niveles jerárquicos ponderados que permiten cuantificar la medida de sub-criterio, criterio y del GoTSI. En líneas generales se acompaña al modelo varias fases para realizar la autoevaluación, en donde el producto final es un informe que reporta los aspectos fuertes y débiles, así como, los aspectos que necesitan mejorar. Para la operacionalización y afianzamiento del modelo, se llevaron a cabo varios análisis estadísticos que han permitido contrastar hipótesis, verificar errores y la consistencia de las respuestas que expresaron 62 líderes y directivos ecuatorianos con experiencia en el desarrollo de estrategias relacionadas con el uso de las TSI. Los resultados demuestran un modelo conceptual confiable. Finalmente, con diez supuestos participantes se presenta la funcionalidad del modelo de calidad.Facultad de Informátic