Discovering Business Models for Software Process Management - An Approach for Integrating Time and Resource Perspectives from Legacy Information Systems

Business Process Management (BPM) is becoming the modern core to support business in all type of organizations and software business is not an exception. Software companies are often involved in important and complex collaborative projects carried out by many stakeholders. Each actor (customers, suppliers or government instances, among others) works with individual and shared processes. Everyone needs dynamic and evolving approaches for managing their software projects lifecycle. Nevertheless, many companies still use systems that are out of the scope of BPM for planning and control projects and managing enterprise content (Enterprise Content Management, ECM) as well as all kinds of resources (ERP). Somehow systems include scattered artifacts that are related to BPM perspectives: control and data flow, time, resource and case, for example. It is aimed to get interoperable BPM models from these classical Legacy Information Systems (LIS). Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) allows going from application code to higher-level of abstraction models. Particularly, there are standards and proposals for reverse engineering LIS. This paper illustrates LIS cases for software project planning and ECM, looking at time and resource perspectives. To conclude, we will propose a MDE-based approach for taking out business models in the context of software process management.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2013-46928-C3-3-

Risk management in enterprise resource planning projects

In recent years Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have received much attention. ERP are extremely complex information systems, whose implementation is often a complex adventure for business enterprises. The organizational relevance and risk of ERP projects make it important for organizations to focus on ways to make ERP implementation successful. However, dealing with risk management in ERP project introduction is an ambitious task. Numerous risk factors have to be taken into account which include technological and managerial aspects, both psychological and sociological; moreover they can be deeply interconnected and have indirect e ects on the project. Therefore, the risk management process is highly difficult and uncertain. The general purpose of this study is to develop an innovative risk management methodology supporting the formulation of risk treatment strategies and actions during ERP introduction projects in order to nally improve the success rate. In this thesis, the research context, framework and methodology are presented; then main phases are introduced and results discussed

Evaluation of an Australian Solar Community : Implications for Education and Training

1.1 Background What is renewable energy education and training? A cursory exploration of the International Solar Energy Society website (www.ises.org) reveals numerous references to education and training, referring collectively to concepts of the transfer and exchange of information and good practices, awareness raising and skills development. The purposes of such education and training relate to changing policy, stimulating industry, improving quality control and promoting the wider use of renewable energy sources. The primary objective appears to be to accelerate a transition to a better world for everyone (ISEE), as the greater use of renewable energy is seen as key to climate recovery; world poverty alleviation; advances in energy security, access and equality; improved human and environmental health; and a stabilized society. The Solar Cities project – Habitats of Tomorrow – aims at promoting the greater use of renewable energy within the context of long term planning for sustainable urban development. The focus is on cities or communities as complete systems; each one a unique laboratory allowing for the study of urban sustainability within the context of a low carbon lifestyle. The purpose of this paper is to report on an evaluation of a Solar Community in Australia, focusing specifically on the implications (i) for our understandings and practices in renewable energy education and training and (ii) for sustainability outcomes. 1.2 Methodology The physical context is a residential Ecovillage (a Solar Community) in sub-tropical Queensland, Australia (latitude 28o south). An extensive Architectural and Landscape Code (A&LC) ‘premised on the interconnectedness of all things’ and embracing ‘both local and global concerns’ governs the design and construction of housing in the estate: all houses are constructed off-ground (i.e. on stumps or stilts) and incorporate a hybrid approach to the building envelope (mixed use of thermal mass and light-weight materials). Passive solar design, gas boosted solar water heaters and a minimum 1kWp photovoltaic system (grid connected) are all mandatory, whilst high energy use appliances such as air conditioners and clothes driers are not permitted. Eight families participated in an extended case study that encompassed both quantitative and qualitative approaches to better understand sustainable housing (perceived as a single complex technology) through its phases of design, construction and occupation. 1.3 Results The results revealed that the level of sustainability (i.e. the performance outcomes in terms of a low-carbon lifestyle) was impacted on by numerous ‘players’ in the supply chain, such as architects, engineers and subcontractors, the housing market, the developer, product manufacturers / suppliers / installers and regulators. Three key factors were complicit in the level of success: (i) systems thinking; (ii) informed decision making; and (iii) environmental ethics and business practices. 1.4 Discussion The experiences of these families bring into question our understandings and practices with regard to education and training. Whilst increasing and transferring knowledge and skills is essential, the results appear to indicate that there is a strong need for expanding our education efforts to incorporate foundational skills in complex systems and decision making processes, combined with an understanding of how our individual and collective values and beliefs impact on these systems and processes

Characteristics of the Multiple Attribute Decision Making Methodology in Enterprise Resource Planning Software Decisions

Realising information technology (IT) decisions and implementations are consistently seen as major challenges of business management faced with increasingly complex IT environments. This article seeks to increase the awareness of the multiple attributive decision making methodology (MADM) in the context of enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects and provides empirical insights based on 209 datasets originating from a primary, national and industry independent survey. The given MADM topics comprise strategic alignment, attributes with associated importance weightings, considered and chosen systems, methodical utilisation, follow-up controlling, andfinally MADM relevance in terms of a possible connection between MADM and ERP success. The results in particular show that while the ERP decision problem seems to be structured based on the MADM principle, the minority of decision makers rely on a formal MADM method. The empirically tested measurement model indicates that success according to expectations was achieved at a greater level of magnitude in firms supported by a formal MADM method, especially in terms offinancial firm level impact and service quality