Information Systems Research in the Nonprofit Context: Challenges and Opportunities

The nonprofit sector has become an important part of the U.S. economy, but Information Systems (IS) research in the sector has been limited. In this paper we attempt to motivate and organize IS research endeavors in the nonprofit context. We argue that the nonprofit sector presents not only new challenges but also numerous opportunities for IS research. We present a conceptual framework on the effectiveness of IS in nonprofits and illustrate how the framework can be used to identify the challenges and the opportunities. We also discuss how IS research in nonprofits can contribute to new understandings in IS in all organizations. Overall, we call for an increase in research efforts that will help better understand IS-related issues in the nonprofit sector

DIGITAL TRACE DATA RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Digital trace data research is an emerging paradigm in Information Systems (IS). Whether for theory development or theory testing, IS scholars increasingly draw on data that are generated as actors use information technology. Because they are ‘digital’ in nature, these data are particularly suitable for computational analysis, i.e. analysis with the aid of algorithms. In turn, this opens up new possibilities for data analysis, such as process mining, text mining, and network analysis. At the same time, the increasing use of digital trace data for research purposes also raises questions and potential issues that the research community needs to address. For example, one key question is what constitutes a valid contribution to the body of knowledge and how digital trace data research influences our collective identity as a field? In this panel, we will discuss opportunities and challenges associated with digital trace data research. Reflecting on the panelists’ and the audience’s experience, we will point to strategies to mitigate common pitfalls and outline promising research avenues

Peer to Peer Information Retrieval: An Overview

Peer-to-peer technology is widely used for file sharing. In the past decade a number of prototype peer-to-peer information retrieval systems have been developed. Unfortunately, none of these have seen widespread real- world adoption and thus, in contrast with file sharing, information retrieval is still dominated by centralised solutions. In this paper we provide an overview of the key challenges for peer-to-peer information retrieval and the work done so far. We want to stimulate and inspire further research to overcome these challenges. This will open the door to the development and large-scale deployment of real-world peer-to-peer information retrieval systems that rival existing centralised client-server solutions in terms of scalability, performance, user satisfaction and freedom

Measuring Organizational Performance in Strategic Human Resource Management: Problems and Prospects

A major challenge for Strategic Human Resource Management research in the next decade will be to establish a clear, coherent and consistent construct for organizational performance. This paper describes the variety of measures used in current empirical research linking human resource management and organizational performance. Implications for future research are discussed amidst the challenges of construct definition, divergent stakeholder criteria and the temporal dynamics of performance. The concept of performance information markets that addresses these challenges is proposed as a framework for the application of multi-dimensional weighted performance measurement systems

Role of Matrix Factorization Model in Collaborative Filtering Algorithm: A Survey

Recommendation Systems apply Information Retrieval techniques to select the online information relevant to a given user. Collaborative Filtering is currently most widely used approach to build Recommendation System. CF techniques uses the user behavior in form of user item ratings as their information source for prediction. There are major challenges like sparsity of rating matrix and growing nature of data which is faced by CF algorithms. These challenges are been well taken care by Matrix Factorization. In this paper we attempt to present an overview on the role of different MF model to address the challenges of CF algorithms, which can be served as a roadmap for research in this area.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure in IJAFRC, Vol.1, Issue 12, December 201

Human-Centric Process-Aware Information Systems (HC-PAIS)

Process-Aware Information Systems (PAIS) support organizations in managing and automating their processes. A full automation of processes is in particular industries, such as service-oriented markets, not practicable. The integration of humans in PAIS is necessary to manage and perform processes that require human capabilities, judgments and decisions. A challenge of interdisciplinary PAIS research is to provide concepts and solutions that support human integration in PAIS and human orientation of PAIS in a way that provably increase the PAIS users' satisfaction and motivation with working with the Human-Centric Process Aware Information System (HC-PAIS) and consequently influence users' performance of tasks. This work is an initial step of research that aims at providing a definition of Human-Centric Process Aware Information Systems (HC-PAIS) and future research challenges of HC-PAIS. Results of focus group research are presented.Comment: 8 page

The use of information systems for logistics and supply chain management in South East Europe: Current status and future direction

This research aims to investigate the current status and future direction of the use of information systems for logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) in South East Europe. The objectives are threefold: (1) to identify major challenges and developments on the use of information systems for LSCM by enterprises, (2) to examine the actual level of satisfaction of current policy on LSCM, and (3) to reveal the actual need of enterprises in South East Europe on effective use of information systems for LSCM. Mixed methodology of literature review and questionnaire survey is adopted in this research. Data collected from 79 enterprises are analysed using descriptive analysis in SPSS. The findings suggest that enterprises in Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro, face similar challenges but all are in different stages of developments of LSCM. Their use of information systems explains their heavy focus on supply chain partnership and weakness in demand chain partnership. Major findings suggest that companies and governments alike in that region do not seem to be ready for playing a significant and demanding role in global supply chains. Current deficiencies, including limited abilities in building valuable forward relations, weak strategic planning and organisation, and infrastructural problems, are major obstacles for fast development in LSCM. At the same time though, traces of changing mentalities do exist, setting the ground for improved performance and ultimately for a better position in global business

The Emergence of Enterprise Systems Management - A Challenge to the IS Curriculum

This paper proposes four cornerstones of a future Information Systems curriculum. It analyzes the challenges of the IS curriculum based on the development of enterprise systems, and further argues that the practice and the research into enterprise systems have progressed to a new stage resulting in the emergence of Enterprise Systems Management (ESM). Enterprise Systems Management calls for new competences and consequently represents new challenges to the IS curriculum. The paper outlines potential teaching issues and discusses the impact on the IS curriculum. Finally the paper suggests ways of approaching the challenges.No; keywords