Culture dimensions in software development industry: The effects of mentoring

Software development is a human centric and sociotechnical activity and like all human activities is influenced by cultural factors. However, software engineering is being further affected because of the globalization in software development. As a result, cultural diversity is influencing software development and its outcomes. The software engineering industry, a very intensive industry regarding human capital, is facing a new era in which software development personnel must adapt to multicultural work environments. Today, many organizations present a multicultural workforce which needs to be managed. This paper analyzes the influence of culture on mentoring relationships within the software engineering industry. Two interesting findings can be concluded from our study: (1) cultural differences affect both formal and informal mentoring, and (2) technical competences are not improved when implementing mentoring relationships

NASA Space Human Factors Program

This booklet briefly and succinctly treats 23 topics of particular interest to the NASA Space Human Factors Program. Most articles are by different authors who are mainly NASA Johnson or NASA Ames personnel. Representative topics covered include mental workload and performance in space, light effects on Circadian rhythms, human sleep, human reasoning, microgravity effects and automation and crew performance

An Integrated Assessment Framework for Water Resources Management: A DSS Tool and a Pilot Study Application

Decision making for the management of water resources is a complex and difficult task. This is due to the complex socio-economic system that involves a large number of interest groups pursuing multiple and conflicting objectives, within an often intricate legislative framework. Several Decision Support Systems have been developed but very few have indeed proved to be effective and truly operational. MULINO (Multisectoral, Integrated and Operational Decision Support System for Sustainable Use of Water Resources at the Catchment Scale) is a project funded under the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Research and the key action line dedicated to operational management schemes and decision support system for sustainable use of water resources. The MULINO DSS (mDSS) integrates hydrological models with multi-criteria decision methods and adopts the DPSIR (Driving Force – Pressure – State – Impact – Response) framework developed by the European Environment Agency. The DPSIR was converted from a static reporting scheme into a dynamic framework for integrated assessment modelling (IAM) and multi-criteria evaluation procedures. This paper presents the methodological framework and the intermediate results of the mDSS tool through its application in a pilot study area located in the Watershed of the Lagoon of Venice.Integrated water resources management, Spatial decision-making, Decision support system, Catchment, Environmental modelling

The future of management: The NASA paradigm

Prototypes of 21st century management, especially for large scale enterprises, may well be found within the aerospace industry. The space era inaugurated a number of projects of such scope and magnitude that another type of management had to be created to ensure successful achievement. The challenges will be not just in terms of technology and its management, but also human and cultural in dimension. Futurists, students of management, and those concerned with technological administration would do well to review the literature of emerging space management for its wider implications. NASA offers a paradigm, or demonstrated model, of future trends in the field of management at large. More research is needed on issues of leadership for Earth based project in space and space based programs with managers there. It is needed to realize that large scale technical enterprises, such as are undertaken in space, require a new form of management. NASA and other responsible agencies are urged to study excellence in space macromanagement, including the necessary multidisciplinary skills. Two recommended targets are the application of general living systems theory and macromanagement concepts for space stations in the 1990s

What is a Good Plan? Cultural Variations in Expert Planners’ Concepts of Plan Quality

This article presents the results of a field research study examining commonalities and differences between American and British operational planners’ mental models of planning. We conducted Cultural Network Analysis (CNA) interviews with 14 experienced operational planners in the US and UK. Our results demonstrate the existence of fundamental differences between the way American and British expert planners conceive of a high quality plan. Our results revealed that the American planners’ model focused on specification of action to achieve synchronization, providing little autonomy at the level of execution, and included the belief that increasing contingencies reduces risk. The British planners’ model stressed the internal coherence of the plan, to support shared situational awareness and thereby flexibility at the level of execution. The British model also emphasized the belief that reducing the number of assumptions decreases risk. Overall, the American ideal plan serves a controlling function, whereas the British ideal plan supports an enabling function. Interestingly, both the US and UK would view the other’s ideal plan as riskier than their own. The implications of cultural models of plans and planning are described for establishing performance measures and designing systems to support multinational planning teams

INTERKULTURALNI SOFTVERSKI INŽENJERING

One of the leading trends in software development is globalization. This trend can be seen from two different viewpoints: the software development in distributed cross-cultural organizations and the products distributed in the global market. The latter aspect means that developers must recognize the cultural differences of the users and produce adaptable, culturally sensitive products. This aspect will be left outside the scope of this paper. Instead, we will concentrate on analyzing the complexity caused by the globalization of software engineering work. Globalization is mostly motivated by economic reasons – a cheaper workforce is expected to reduce the costs of the work. However, in practice, it is not only a question of economics. Globalization has consequences in management culture, in distribution of the work, in ways of communication, and in many other aspects. In our paper we will open the discussion on the problems of the globalization of software development work. In spite of the importance of the topic only a few public studies on it are available. The paper analyzes the different organizational aspects of globalization and reviews experiences based on practical studies of the topic. The goal is to recognize the right kind of globalization path and also to point out the key issues worth recognizing when making the decision whether to globalize.Jedan od vodećih trendova u razvoju softvera je globalizacija. Na ovaj trend možemo gledati s dva stajališta: razvoja softvera u distribuiranim interkulturalnim organizacijama i proizvoda distribuiranih na globalnom tržištu. Potonje gledište znači da sudionici u razvoju istih moraju prepoznati kulturološke razlike korisnika i razvititi kulturno prilagodljive proizvode. To gledište, međutim, neće biti područjem ovog rada. Umjesto toga, usredotočit ćemo se na analizu složenosti uzrokovanu globalizacijom razvoja softvera. Globalozaciju uglavnom motivira ekonomizacija – očekuje se da jeftinija radna snaga snizi cijenu proizvodnje. Međutim, u praksi ovo nije samo pitanje ekonomiziranja. Globalizacija ima svoje posljedice u kulturi upravljanja, u raspodjeli rada, načinu komuniciranja i mnogim drugim aspektima. U svom uradku otvorit ćemo raspravu o problemima globalizacije razvoja softvera. Unatoč njenoj važnosti, postoji samo nekoliko dostupnih studija objavljenih o toj temi. Uradak analizira različite organizacijske aspekte globalizacije i osvrće se na iskustva temeljena na prektičnom proučavanju teme. Cilj je prepoznati pravu vrstu puta u globalizaciju kao i ukazati na važne probleme koje valja prepoznati pri donošenju odluke o globalizaciji

Managing mental health in the multicultural construction workforce

The purpose of this study is to improve the mental health of construction workers in multicultural construction workplaces. Specifically, the aim of this research is to (1) examine the effects of personal and environmental determinants on construction workers’ mental health outcomes, (2) develop a positive coping approach in multicultural construction workplaces, (3) investigate the effect of positive coping strategies on the relationships between environmental stressors and mental health outcomes in multicultural construction workforces and (4) develop a model for managing mental health of workers in multicultural construction workplaces. To achieve these research aims, a quantitative approach and a survey research design were employed. The key findings of this study are as follows. First, construction workers’ mental health is not only influenced by stressors related to work environment, but also individual traits. Second, this study developed a positive coping approach, namely, intercultural coping. The results of this study confirmed that there is a positive relationship between intercultural coping and mental health. Third, the results confirmed the effectiveness of different types of coping strategies in managing different types of stressors in multicultural construction workplaces. Fourth, the model developed in this study presents a detailed and comprehensive perspective on managing mental health in a multicultural construction context. Overall management of mental health can be achieved by (1) reducing the identified work and cultural stressors of mental ill health in the workplace, (2) modifying vulnerable personal traits and matching personal traits with job demands, (3) improving intercultural coping and (4) designing effective intercultural coping strategies for specific types of stressors. The findings of this study contribute to the knowledge of mental health management by identifying the direct and interactive effects of person–environment determinants on mental health outcomes. The development of a positive coping approach, namely, intercultural coping, provides a new perspective on managing mental health. This study also uncovered the moderating effect of intercultural coping strategies on the relationship between stressor and psychological outcome. Furthermore, a model for managing mental health of workers in multicultural construction workplaces was established, which may serve as a framework for construction organisations to devise effective mental health interventions

Process Models and Distribution of Work in Offshoring Application Software Development

Common process models for the development of application software (AS) are examined as to how well they are suited for offshoring projects. The need for communication and interaction among onsite and offshore project stakeholders is identified as a critical success factor. Process models used by organizations providing offshoring services are discussed, and a generalized offshoring life cycle model is developed. A specific focus is set on the distribution of work between the organization that outsources AS development and the offshore organization that carries out the major share of the development work. Problems and challenges that have to be faced, making offshoring a difficult task, are discussed. --

Identifying the Essential Aspects and Related Academic Concepts of an Engineering Design Curriculum in Secondary Technology Education

Technology education is a fi eld of study which seeks to promote technological literacy for all students. Some recent research in the fi eld has focused on integrating content and methodology from engineering design into technology education classes, particularly at the secondary level. This study contributes to the research base in technology education on the subject of incorporating the engineering design process into the technology education curriculum. It addressed the need for the development of a framework for understanding engineering design and the related academic concepts that can be used by professionals in the fi eld of technology education seeking to incorporate the engineering design process into the technology education curriculum. The purpose of this study was to address the question “What are the essential aspects and related academic concepts of an engineering design process in secondary technology education curriculum for the purpose of establishing technological literacy?” A four-round Delphi process was the research methodology employed in this study to give multiple opportunities for the group opinion to coalesce. The resulting data from the Delphi process was analyzed and categorized. Only those items that met strictest criteria for high median score, low interquartile range, and consensus were accepted as very important and considered in the conclusions and recommendations. Participants in this study identifi ed forty-eight items that met these strict requirements. The conclusions made from this study were related to the integration of engineering design into secondary technology education classes. The recommendations fell into three categories: future research, instructional delivery methods, and teacher preparation

In whom do we trust? Critical success factors impacting intercultural communication in multicultural project teams

Trust is a significant enabler for intercultural communication in project teams. Researchers and practitioners, therefore, need to know which factors might enhance trust in intercultural communication. Contributing to the yet limited number of studies in the field of intercultural communication for multicultural project teams, this research theoretically analyzes and empirically investigates the enablers of trust for intercultural communication focusing on emotional intelligence, empathy, interaction, and transparency. Using a field sample of 117 experienced project managers working in multicultural project teams, we find that interaction and transparency significantly and positively influence trust in intercultural communication; empathy marginally and positively influences trust. Emotional intelligence does not exert an effect on it. These results provide novel theoretical and empirical insights which have practical implications for project managers. The findings direct suggestions for additional theoretical work