Modelling collective learning in design

In this paper, a model of collective learning in design is developed in the context of team design. It explains that a team design activity uses input knowledge, environmental information, and design goals to produce output knowledge. A collective learning activity uses input knowledge from different agents and produces learned knowledge with the process of knowledge acquisition and transformation between different agents, which may be triggered by learning goals and rationale triggers. Different forms of collective learning were observed with respect to agent interactions, goal(s) of learning, and involvement of an agent. Three types of links between team design and collective learning were identified, namely teleological, rationale, and epistemic. Hypotheses of collective learning are made based upon existing theories and models in design and learning, which were tested using a protocol analysis approach. The model of collective learning in design is derived from the test results. The proposed model can be used as a basis to develop agent-based learning systems in design. In the future, collective learning between design teams, the links between collective learning and creativity, and computational support for collective learning can be investigated

The Effect of the Euro on Foreign Direct Investment

In this paper the recent effect of the European Monetary Union on inward FDI-flows is examined. We use a difference-in-differences approach and fixed effects with common time controls. The estimated results of the latter approach show that the introduction of the Euro raises inward FDI by 17 percent within the Euro-area and by 9 and 12 percent to and from non-member countries respectively. Moreover the geographical effects of the Euro are explored. The results show partial agglomeration tendencies for the euro area. There are also some indications of increased importance of vertical specialization in the sample.Foreign Direct Investment; EMU; Panel Data

Tipping the scales: ambidexterity practices on e-HRM projects

Purpose: We examine and conceptualise the ways in which a balance can be achieved between optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of electronic HRM (e-HRM) systems for human resource management (HRM) and enabling innovation to occur during the system implementation. Design/methodology/approach: An intepretive case study of a UK local authority e-HRM system implementation is examined using the notion of ambidexterity as an analytical device. Ambidexterity relates to how an organisation develops the ability to operate efficiently in the now, while at the same time being able to adapt to environmental changes around and ahead of them in order to grow into the future. Findings: As an intra-organisational capability, ambidexterity is found to derive from the simultaneous interplay and balancing of dual capabilities: exploitation and exploration.. E-HRM exploitation concerned the capability to generate new knowledge with innovatory effects, created through the everyday practices performed by practitioners at all levels in the organisation. E-HRM exploration, rather than being a purposeful act, was found to be an accidental consequence of engaging in exploitation to maintain the status quo. Originality/value: There is a lack of detailed investigation of how organisations actually achieve ambidexterity, particularly in three under-researched areas: ambidexterity in the public sector, at HR functional level and e-HRM systems implementation. Bundling these three areas into an integrated examination allows us to both identify how exploitation and exploration play out in the ambidextrous practices of an e-HRM project and also to identify the dimensions of ambidexterity in balancing e-HRM work

Towards a Theory of Practice: Critical Transdisciplinary Multiliteracies

About the book: Education institutions and organizations throughout the world are currently being held accountable for achieving and maintaining historically unmatched standards of academic quality and performance. Accreditation bodies; policy makers; boards of trustees; and teacher, parent, and student groups all place educational institutions and organizations under unprecedented accountability pressures. The aim of this volume is to explore and better understand how these pressures are impacting a broad range of social and cultural issues and, subsequently, how these issues impact student motivation and learnin

Building strategic enterprise context models with i*: a pattern-based approach

Modern enterprise engineering (EE) requires deep understanding of organizations and their interaction with their context. Because of this, in early phases of the EE process, enterprise context models are often built and used to reason about organizational needs with respects to actors in their context and vice versa. However, far from simple, this task is usually cumbersome because of knowledge and communication gaps among technical personnel performing EE activities and their administrative counterparts. In this paper, we propose the use of strategic patterns expressed with the i* language aimed to help bridging this gap. Patterns emerged from several industrial applications of our DHARMA method, and synthesize knowledge about common enterprise strategies, e.g. CRM. Patterns have been constructed based on the well-known Porter’s model of the 5 market forces and built upon i* strategic dependency models. In this way technical and administrative knowledge and skills are synthesized in a commonly agreeable framework. The use of patterns is illustrated with an industrial example in the telecom field.Postprint (author’s final draft

The Effect of the Euro on Foreign Direct Investment

In this paper the recent effect of the European Monetary Union on inward FDI-flows is examined. We use a difference-in-differences approach for both a gravity based- as well as a general equilibrium approach. The estimated results show that the introduction of the euro raises inward FDI by 14 to 16 percent within the euro area by 11 to 13 percent from non-member and weakly by 8 percent to non-member countries. Moreover the geographical effects of the euro are explored. The results show partial agglomeration tendencies for the euro area. There are also some indications of increased importance of vertical specialization in the sample.Foreign Direct Investment, EMU, Panel Data

Cooperation, Stability and Self-Enforcement in International Environmental Agreements: A Conceptual Discussion

In essence, any international environmental agreement (IEA) implies cooperation of a form or another. The paper seeks for logical foundations of this. It first deals with how the need for cooperation derives from the public good aspect of the externalities involved, as well as with where the source of cooperation lies in cooperative game theory. In either case, the quest for efficiency is claimed to be at the root of cooperation. Next, cooperation is considered from the point of view of stability. After recalling the two competing concepts of stability in use in the IEA literature, new insights on the nature of the gamma core in general are given as well as of the Chander-Tulkens solution within the gamma core. Free riding is also evaluated in relation with the alternative forms of stability under scrutiny. Finally, it is asked whether with the often mentioned virtue of “self enforcement” any conceptual gain is achieved, different from what is meant by efficiency and stability. A skeptical answer is offered, as a reply to Barrett’s (2003) attempt at giving the notion a specific content.International Environmental Agreements, Cooperation, Stability, Self-enforcement

i* in practice: identifying frequent problems in its application

Several notations have been proposed in the last decades to support information system architecting, design and implementation. Although some of them have been widely adopted, their practical application remains cumbersome. Reasons are manifold: ambiguous semantics, confusing graphical representation, lack of safe guidelines, etc. In this paper, we explored the use of the i* framework in industry for modeling organizational context. We review the models resulting from 36 industrial collaborations conducted in the last five years, where i* has been intensively used by novice modellers, without previous exposure to i*, acting as junior consultants in the organizations. We identify and categorize the main problems that they faced and as a result, we propose a set of guidelines to improve the adoption and practical application of the framework.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft