Recruitment Methodology based on a "Reskilling" and "Upskilling" Strategy

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies ManagementIn the era of “Digital Transformation”, new technologies have emerged in recent years, which have provided organizations with the opportunity to efficiently evolve their operations, transform their business models or even create new ones. The possibilities are enormous, but for this digital transformation process to happen, digital skills are essential, particularly highly qualified ICT professionals capable of implementing new technologies. The demand for these professionals is high, especially in Europe, and the scarcity is increasing. To face this shortage and respond to organisations’ needs, a reskilling and upskilling strategy can be a solution to bring more qualified professionals to the ICT labour market with these new technologies. However, hiring professionals to be trained in new technologies is challenging and risky to succeed. Therefore, the recruitment process needs to be more precise to select and validate candidates who can quickly and successfully acquire new technological skills. This research intends to create a method that can help in this process, applying a systematic approach to selecting and validating candidates with the most adequate technical and interpersonal skills for their requalification in new technologies. With the application of this method, a competency model is created for the target job, candidates are evaluated, and gaps are identified. In case of the feasibility of requalifying the candidate, a training plan is developed to acquire new technological skills

Robust, Resilient Networked Communication in Challenged Environments

In challenged environments, digital communication infrastructure may be difficult or even impossible to access. This is especially true in rural and developing regions, as well as in any region during a time of political or environmental crisis. We advance the state of the art in wireless networking and security to design networks and applications that rapidly assess changing networking conditions to restore communication and provide local situational awareness. This dissertation examines new systems for responding to current and emerging needs for wireless networks. This work looks across the wireless ecosystem of widely deployed standards. We develop new tools to improve network assessment and to provide robust and reliable network communication. By incorporating new technological breakthroughs, such as the wide commercial success of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), we introduce novel methods and systems for existing wireless standards for these challenged networks. We assess how existing technologies and standards function in difficult environments: lacking end-end Internet connectivity, experiencing overload or other resource constraints, and operating in three dimensional space. Through this lens, we demonstrate how to optimize networks to serve marginalized communities outside of first world urban cities and make our networks resilient to natural and political crisis that threaten communication

Examining Successful Management Practices Among Senior Women Using AI Technology

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology innovations are envisioned to intensify the digital ecosystem affecting management practices and the quality of life for female senior business leaders in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenology study was to examine the lived experiences that some female senior business leaders, ages 55 - 95, face using AI technology in decision making. The conceptual framework included the technology acceptance model and the mindspace model. Data was collected through semistructured interviews with 12 successful female senior business leaders from nine different industries in the United States. The Van Kaam method, as supported by Moustakas\u27 theoretical process, was used to analyze the data. Descriptive and inductive coding was used to uncover and categorize the found themes: (a) AI technology is beneficial, (b) leadership and change management, (c) technology adaptation and acceptance, (d) decision making and communication, and (e) information sharing and privacy. This study may contribute to positive social change as a benefit to other seniors by strengthening their AI technology decision making experiences, leadership, and supporting community awareness in addition to influencing positive social change across management and business platforms

Emerging Technologies

This monograph investigates a multitude of emerging technologies including 3D printing, 5G, blockchain, and many more to assess their potential for use to further humanity’s shared goal of sustainable development. Through case studies detailing how these technologies are already being used at companies worldwide, author Sinan Küfeoğlu explores how emerging technologies can be used to enhance progress toward each of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to guarantee economic growth even in the face of challenges such as climate change. To assemble this book, the author explored the business models of 650 companies in order to demonstrate how innovations can be converted into value to support sustainable development. To ensure practical application, only technologies currently on the market and in use actual companies were investigated. This volume will be of great use to academics, policymakers, innovators at the forefront of green business, and anyone else who is interested in novel and innovative business models and how they could help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This is an open access book

How technology boosts strategic decision-making. From the origins to the COVID 19 resiliency test

openAl giorno d'oggi, il mondo è in continua evoluzione dal punto di vista tecnologico. Le aziende cercano costantemente di essere un passo avanti rispetto ai loro concorrenti ma, in generale, lo sviluppo di abilità e competenze interne non è sufficiente. Molte aziende hanno iniziato a digitalizzare i propri processi, sviluppando una "conoscenza digitale interna" che potrebbe essere la base per costruire un vantaggio competitivo duraturo. Inoltre, la pandemia di COVID-19 ha costretto molte aziende ad accelerare il processo di adozione digitale per rimanere operative nella nuova realtà: questa accelerazione ha coinvolto sia i processi produttivi delle aziende che l'ambiente esterno in cui operano. Oggi più che mai, viviamo in un mondo VUCA (Volatile, Incertezza, Complessità e Ambiguità), quindi le aziende devono essere adattabili e flessibili per adattare le loro decisioni alle dinamiche del mercato. L'obbiettivo della tesi è verificare se le aziende che già prima della pandemia utilizzavano le tecnologie digitali sono state in grado di affrontare con maggiore efficienza condizioni di mercato tanto ostiche, sfruttando le loro conoscenze e competenze digitali interne e creando un gap competitivo tra loro ed i propri competitors.Nowadays, the world is constantly evolving from a technological point of view. Companies are constantly trying to be one step ahead of their competitors but, in general, the development of internal skills and competences is not enough. Many companies have begun to digitize their processes, developing an "internal digital knowledge" that could be the basis for building a lasting competitive advantage. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many companies to accelerate the digital adoption process to remain operational in the new reality: this acceleration has involved both the production processes of companies and the external environment in which they operate. Today more than ever, we live in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) world, so companies must be adaptable and flexible to adapt their decisions to market dynamics. The aim of the thesis is to verify whether companies that already before the pandemic used digital technologies have been able to face such difficult market conditions with greater efficiency, exploiting their internal digital knowledge and skills and creating a competitive gap between them and their competitors

Absorptive, adopted and agile: A study of the digital transformation of Africa carriers

My thesis explores the cultural, social and management context of digital transformation for African carriers, and discusses the elements of social-cultural barriers, obstacles of digital adoption, innovation, organisation change, ecosystem and their influences. Existing studies are mainly based on the presumed conditions in developed markets, including the free market, rule by law, human capital without considering the social and historical obstacles, absorptive capacities of organisations and the influences of foreign ICT enablers. Using a qualitative research paradigm privileges the insiders’ perspective. I have examined the different backgrounds of digital transformation in Africa. Path dependence is a significant negative consequence of post-colonial social net and western knowledge dominant environment. Vested interest plus corruption slowed down the process of digital adoption while arbitrary administration causes unnecessary concerns for participants. Traditionalism of Africa is a trade-off between customs of tribes and influence of colonial power. The priority for carriers is reshaping the organisation to take advantage of existing strategic assets, while the improvement of value creation efficiency is carried out by activating the ability of individuals. The new value net breaks the previous development model of low interdependence, maximising the use of external resources based on complementary advantages and sharing. The value net inherits the advantages of flexibility, innovation, quick response, and risk reduction advantages of organisations. Meanwhile, it has 4 following unique characteristics in Africa: Extremely Various Needs of Customers, Cross-industry, Locally Adopted Business Model and High Sensitivity in Costs. Four aspects are examined in value proposition, core competence, incubation and co-value creation to enable value net synergies. My research contributes to the theory of the digital transformation in undeveloped countries, in particular how social relationships and cultural norms are inextricably linked with insiders’ understandings of digital transformation. It also contributes to emerging debate about digital maturity research paradigms and methodologies

“Be a Pattern for the World”: The Development of a Dark Patterns Detection Tool to Prevent Online User Loss

Dark Patterns are designed to trick users into sharing more information or spending more money than they had intended to do, by configuring online interactions to confuse or add pressure to the users. They are highly varied in their form, and are therefore difficult to classify and detect. Therefore, this research is designed to develop a framework for the automated detection of potential instances of web-based dark patterns, and from there to develop a software tool that will provide a highly useful defensive tool that helps detect and highlight these patterns

An empirical study on robotic process automation implementation: A case study on MetLife Investment Management Client Services Group

Purpose and Objectives: This research is designed to establish a best practice model in implementing Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for client services group (CSG) of a large investment management firm operating in the UK financial services industry. The objectives are to systematically review the existing best practice schools of thought highlighting factors that aid to mitigate challenges in RPA implementation and for the researcher to adapt a unique model that incorporates benefits, limitations, challenges and best practice (BLCP) framework specific to CSG through conducting a field survey, including a series of interviews and a case study. Research Methodology: The empirical part of this qualitative research has been conducted over a period of three years. The researcher examined RPA implementation elements through a systematic literature review combined with semistructured interviews involving key members that would be involved in RPA implementation within the investment management firm as well as RPA experts worldwide. Throughout this study, the researcher has been employed in an institutional investment management firm’s client service group (MIM CSG) which provided her with the appropriate platform to investigate the potential uses of RPA as they relate to processes within CSG, to determine if RPA is a viable automation solution aligned with the digital transformation strategy of her employer. Key Findings: Based on the evidence presented in this research, it is the researcher’s finding that RPA is the right automation tool for MIM CSG, and it is in fact in alignment with the overall digital transformation journey of MIM. Furthermore, the BLCP framework is versatile tool and can be used to establish an overall best practise framework in digital transformation journeys. Key Contributions: RPA is a new technology that is fast evolving, this research significantly contributes to academic research in this field from investment management sector point of view. Additionally, from practitioners’ perspective, the findings represent a major contribution on how to approach RPA implementation in the client service team of complex and global investment management firms by establishing the researcher’s own unique BLCP framework

Minding the Gap: Computing Ethics and the Political Economy of Big Tech

In 1988 Michael Mahoney wrote that “[w]hat is truly revolutionary about the computer will become clear only when computing acquires a proper history, one that ties it to other technologies and thus uncovers the precedents that make its innovations significant” (Mahoney, 1988). Today, over thirty years after this quote was written, we are living right in the middle of the information age and computing technology is constantly transforming modern living in revolutionary ways and in such a high degree that is giving rise to many ethical considerations, dilemmas, and social disruption. To explore the myriad of issues associated with the ethical challenges of computers using the lens of political economy it is important to explore the history and development of computer technology