BPM News - Folge 3

Die BPM-Kolumne des EMISA-Forums berichtet über aktuelle Themen, Projekte und Veranstaltungen aus dem BPM-Umfeld. Schwerpunkt der vorliegenden Kolumne bildet das Thema Standardisierung von Prozessbeschreibungssprachen und -notationen im Allgemeinen und BPEL4WS (Business Process Execution Language for Web Services) im Speziellen. Hierzu liefert Jan Mendling von der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien in aktuelles Schlagwort. Des weiteren erhalten Leser eine Zusammenfassung zweier im ersten Halbjahr 2006 veranstalteten Workshops zu den Themen „Flexibilität prozessorientierter Informationssysteme“ und „Kollaborative Prozesse“ sowie einen BPM Veranstaltungskalender für die 2. Jahreshälfte 2006

Guidance in the Network Jungle - A Typology of Inter-Company Innovation Networks

Inter-organizational networks are recognized as a collaborative means of enabling small and medium-sized enterprises to compete and innovate in a dynamic environment. Previous studies have analyzed network types and their characteristics, yet there is no empirically grounded network typology combining and integrating these lone-standing attributes from either an academic or a practitioner-oriented point of view. By applying an explorative, sequential, mixed methodology approach, we provide the first typology of innovation networks based on both previous theories and newly generated empirical data. We conduct a directed content analysis to compile a comprehensive data set and apply a hierarchical, agglomerative clustering approach using the Ward linking method. We contribute to existing academic network research by providing the first compelling, generic typology of inter-organizational innovation networks and thereby offer guidance to practitioners and policy makers in the jungle of word creations around innovation networks. We identify and describe 11 types of formal interorganizational innovation networks: Avid Persuaders, Value Chain Drivers, Collective Facilitators, Niche Specialists, Lateral Thinkers, Transnational Opportunity Seekers, Financially Resilient Connectors, Local Trend Sponsors, Regional Activists, Associated Industry Supporters, and Dynamic Research Groups

ONE SIZE FITS ALL? THE CONTINGENT ROLE OF CENTRALITY IN IT NETWORK GOVERNANCE

Inter-organizational collaboration in terms of co-creation, co-development, and co-innovation relies heavily on integrated information systems that support reciprocal relations among member organizations. Ensuring desirable behavior in the use of these inter-organizational IT resources is subject to the emerging research on IT network governance. While past studies have concentrated on singular governance arrangements, there is no study that examines the fit of governance choice and internal and external network factors on governance effectiveness. This paper contributes with a characterization of IT network governance arrangements along the degree of centralization of IT-related decision making. Three archetypes are distinguished: a decentralized mode, a hybrid mode, and a centralized mode. Moreover, a contingency model is developed proposing effective governance arrangements according to six contingency variables. A multiple case study methodology is applied with five case sides for validation. Our data indicate support for both the theoretical archetypes and the contingency model. The results suggest that network size, network structure centralization, functional diversity, network trust, IT infusion, and IT competence are important contingencies for the understanding of effective IT network governance arrangements. This research is a first step into a contingent perspective on inter-organizational IT governance arrangements

Creep behaviour of densified wood

Due to the reproducibility, good workability, suitable mechanical properties, and attractive aesthetic appearance, timber is widely used in the building industry. Among those properties, mechanical properties are important for the useability of timber in construction applications. It is well known that there is a positive relationship between wood density and its mechanical properties. That means the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) densification, i.e. transverse compression of the wood cells only by using additional temperature, moisture and mechanical action to increase its density without structural fracturing is a practicable method to increase the performance of low-density species and thereby improve its mechanical properties. The previous studies on wood densification mainly focused on the influence of process parameters on wood physical and mechanical properties and how to use post-treatment to reduce the set recovery. This study is in the field of increasing the use of densified timber in construction applications and thereby strengthen the competitiveness of wood as a construction material. In construction, however, densified timber normally needs to be exposed to long-term loading which may lead to creep deformation and reduction of load-bearing capacity. There is an obvious risk of reduced serviceability and safety of constructions containing densified wood. Studies of creep characteristics of densified wood are rare, and therefore the purpose of this study was to fill the gap in knowledge if the field of densified under bending load. Scots pine specimens subjected to THM densification, THM densification with a post-heat treatment, and THM densification combined with phenol resin impregnation were loaded under 3-point bending under the 35% of maximum stress level at 20℃ and 65% RH. Results from these tests will be presented.Finansiär: Republic of Slovenia</p