PHILOSOPHY AND INDUSTRIALIZED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

In this paper I will give a contribution to the creative conversation on future development and use of computer technology which Bo Dahlbom and Lars-Erik Janlert invited to in their paper published in the previous volume of SJIS.They argued that as software development now becomes industrialized, the need for organizational competence in this task will disappear. My position is rather the direct opposite: Software development will to a larger extent be taken over by industry. This implies, however, that the software systems being developed have to satisfy the requirements of several organizations, not only one as is the case in in-house development. And further, the software has to be integrated with several existing systems and components. Accordingly, future software development will demand more competent and more interdisciplinary development teams. I will argue that there will, in the future, be a huge demand for computer scientists with a thorough knowledge about organizations. Knowledge from both philosophy and the social sciences will be important. Industrialization of software development, more strategic use of software, and more integrated information systems are important trends causing this demand. Accordingly, I find the systems development educations in Scandinavia, criticized by Dahlbom and Janlert, highly relevant

Policies with Respect to Foreign Investors in the New Member States of the European Union and in the Developing Countries of Asia: A Comparative Aspects

The purpose of this article is to provide a comparative analysis of policies aimed at foreign investors in the new member states of the European Union as well as in the developing countries of Asia. The policies demonstrate certain similarities in spite of the fact that the analyzed world economic regions are subject to different conditions. A common feature is the opening up of economies to foreign investors, coupled with the application of certain incentives intended to increase the attractiveness of the country to foreign investors. Countries strive to modernize their economies with the help of foreign capital. The developing countries of Asia, in contrast to the new member states of the European Union, are not restricted in their policies with respect to foreign investors by the requirements of regional economic integration

Russian Regions on the Route From Industrial to Network (Russian Realities and Experience of the EU Regions)

This work reflects the results from the cycle of research done in 2001-2004 for 20 Russian regions. At the end of it it was possible to generalize the regularities of the initial stage of transition which were characteristic for the Russian regions on their move from industrial to network model of economic development; compare Russian experience with EU core regions experience (the latter has started this way 20-25 years earlier, in mid-seventies). Typical features of this period are the increasing economic role of support sector and knowledge economy in the regional development, the increasing role of the mobile assets and footloose firms, gradual transformation of the industrial complexes into economic clusters, changes in typology of infrastructural networks (from vertical hierarchy to horizontal grid), etc. Regional authorities in every region abandon previous style of administrative commands and shift to economic coordination with the actors of the regional economy. There are expectations in the Russian regions that this transition will help to overcome economic and environmental limitations of the industrial paradygm which are evident in late Soviet period. The speed, intensity, and vulnerability of these transition are different among northern, central, and southern regions of Russia. Old economic ranks of the Russian regions of the industrial period has changed essentially. Cities-service centers have increased their importance; on the other side, role of big and small industrial cities and settlements have universally decreased. The most painful transformation is characteristic for the big industrial regions like Kuzbass (analogue of the German Ruhr). On the other side oil and gas regions of Russia are passing this transformation in easier way. But each Russian region has its own peculiarities in economy and social sphere which determine the trajectory and speed of transition.

THE TROUBLED AMERICAN ECONOMY: AN INSTITUTIONAL POLICY ANALYSIS

Institutional and Behavioral Economics,

Why anthropocentric organization models don't succeed in Portugal? A cultural perspective using Hofstede's cultural dimensions

In Europe, anthropocentric organization models – an updated version of the sociotechnique approach – had their maximum expression in the Swedish model, which came to be known as “uddevalism” or “volvoism”. Several factors were presented as conditioners of this success [1], and some critical factors to the success of that organization models were pointed out for the special case of LIMS (Less Industrialized Member States), such as Portugal. Furthermore, there is some evidence that stress the lack of success of anthropocentric models in Portugal. However, in any case, it wasn’t paid much attention to the importance of culture as a booster of the introduction of new organization models. The purpose of this paper is to assess the viability of the general and exploratory hypothesis that national culture is an important factor to consider in the success of new organization models. Considering that the example which best expresses the anthropocentric approach came from Sweden, this assessment will be based on the confrontation of Portuguese and Swedish cultural characteristics using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions

CONSUMERS OF THE WORLD EXCLAIM:"WE WANT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, PUBLIC POLICY AND CORPORATE ETHICS!"

This study is related to public policy issues, such as the ethics of marketing practices and the dynamics of popular culture. Although textbooks often present the consumer as a rational decision maker, often harmful for consumer activities of the individual or society. Often, the consumer's worst enemy is himself. Growth is still important, even morally required, if individuals and society towards improving the living standards of the peoples of the world. Socio-philosophical concept of social justice is an attribute that you should hold shares or individual therapy or groups in society, within the existing social order and moral or desirable. Values govern our actions and personality. Knowledge and understanding of business values gives the company the ability to control and manage in a sustainable manner, its future. Managers should sacrifice their own needs in favor of employee needs, and the last would have to give up their ambitions and needs, to eliminate customer sacrifice. Equality and freedom are two forms of the same fundamental values. Current marketing is a factor of democratization. Companies traded on the market, falling into one of two dichotomous situation: the mission and their action in the service of others, the community, its employees and the environment, or choose the dishonor, deceiving their confidence. Marketing itself is a subject of intense dispute. Today, competitiveness is the productivity growth in the use of resources. All forms of pollution are manifestations of economic waste. Companies that take a code of honor are reciving medals. Lack of Ethics is charged!marketing ethics, corporate social responsibility, consumer behavior, morality, role of marketing

Product Information Quality : A sustainability challenge in design and construction

The adverse consequences of building product performance pose sustainability problems for the built environment. Effective approaches to these problems require a clear understanding of building product information and its provision by manufacturers. This is an essential need for sustainable growth in industrialized construction, a system characterized by the expanded role of the manufacturing sector. Furthermore, a sustainable transition to digitalization in the construction industry needs digital interfaces capable of providing the information required for sustainable design and construction. The aim of this research is to contribute to an increased understanding of how building product information can support sustainability in the built environment. To this end, two fundamental aspects have been examined: the quality of information on the sustainability performance of building products and the usability of the digital interfaces providing such information. This research relies on critical realism and adopts a qualitative methodology to analyze and explain the mechanisms of creating and providing product information in four sequential case studies. Systems thinking and process tracing method have been applied to analyze the flow of product information in the construction industry, the operative processes that can support sustainability, and the stakeholders involved. In the first three case studies, the operative process is the diffusion of innovative ventilation products with superior indoor environmental performance. The first case study identifies the problems affecting this process. The second and third case studies, respectively, explore how product information and information exchange on building information modeling (BIM) library platforms can support the process. Influenced by the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017, the fourth case identifies the product information problems that can contribute to harmful facade fires threatening sustainability in the built environment. The study examines the capabilities for avoiding the identified problems and explores how an operative process of design, manufacturing, and construction of fire-safe facades can be supported. The findings reveal problems concerning the quality of information on the sustainability performance of products and the methods used by manufacturers for presenting such information. These problems have limited the availability and usability of the information in product databases and BIM object libraries. This defective flow of information affects the design process and can lead to unacceptable consequences such as facade fires. In addition, the inefficient methods of supplying product information have impeded the adoption of innovative products with improved sustainability performance. To address these issues, this research proposes the standardization of product information in collaboration with effective legislation and establishes a framework for evaluating the provision of information on the sustainability performance of building products. The theoretical contributions of this work include five tools: (1) a model for applied critical realism towards sustainability, (2) a matrix for the qualitative analysis of BIM object library platforms, (3) a matrix for evaluating the quality of information and digital interfaces, (4) a model of the functions of the standards on product information, and (5) a conceptual model of product information for sustainable design and construction

U.S. Software Protection: Problems of Trade Secret Estoppel under International and Brazilian Technology Transfer Regimes Note

This note describes the fundamental aspects of software protection and applies the requisites of U.S. trade secret protection to software. After explaining how the UNCTAD and Brazilian transfer of technology regimes apply to software licensing arrangements, this note argues that software distribution under these regimes estops U.S. trade secret protection by defeating the requisites of secrecy and competitive advantage. Specifically, the effects of the UNCTAD Draft International Code of Conduct on the Transfer of Technology (UNCTAD Code) and the Brazilian technology transfer regulations are analyzed to demonstrate the difficulties posed by legal regimes being considered and already in force in a number of developing countries. This note concludes with an analysis of some of the possibilities for protection of trade secrets with international softward distribution