Technologies and Practices to Promote Collaboration in a Nonprofit Network

44 PagesNonprofit organizations form networks with other nonprofits and relevant stakeholders that are categorized by regular communication, resource sharing, and aligned goals. Collaborative technologies provide these networks with systems for streamlining work processes, collecting information, and making knowledge more accessible. Collaborative technologies can be further utilized to provide project management and web-communication tools that facilitate collaboration and camaraderie amongst users. This research study notes best practices including knowledge of system features and considerations, implementation techniques, and user engagement

Perceived Overqualification at Work: Implications for Extra-Role Behaviors and Advice Network Centrality

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Sage Publications via the DOI in this record. In this study, we hypothesized that perceived overqualification would interact with person-organization fit (P-O fit) to predict extra-role behaviors toward coworkers (organizational citizenship behaviors targeting others [OCBI] and voice) and indirectly relate to advice network centrality. We collected data from 332 municipality services employees reporting to 41 supervisors in Istanbul, Turkey, across three timepoints and from three different sources. Tests of our model provided partial support for our predictions. Results revealed that perceived overqualification had negative main effects on OCBI and interacted with P-O fit to affect voice. Further, P-O fit moderated the indirect effects of perceived overqualification on advice network centrality such that there were significant negative indirect effects via OCBI only when P-O fit is low. Implications for the overqualification, perceptions of fit, and social network literatures are discussed

Overview and Guidance on Agile Development in Large Organizations

A continual debate surrounds the effectiveness of agile software development practices. Some organizations adopt agile practices to become more competitive, improve processes, and reduce costs. Other organizations are skeptical about whether agile development is beneficial. Large organizations face an additional challenge in integrating agile practices with existing standards and business processes. To examine the effects of agile development practices in large organizations, we review and integrate scientific literature and theory on agile software development. We further organize our theory and observations into a framework with guidelines for large organizations considering agile methodologies. Based on this framework, we present recommendations that suggest ways large organizations with established processes can successfully implement agile practices. Our analysis of the literature and theory provides new insight for researchers of agile software development and assists practitioners in determining how to adopt agile development in their organizations

Overview and Guidance on Agile Development in Large Organizations

A continual debate surrounds the effectiveness of agile software development practices. Some organizations adopt agile practices to become more competitive, improve processes, and reduce costs. Other organizations are skeptical about whether agile development is beneficial. Large organizations face an additional challenge in integrating agile practices with existing standards and business processes. To examine the effects of agile development practices in large organizations, we review and integrate scientific literature and theory on agile software development. We further organize our theory and observations into a framework with guidelines for large organizations considering agile methodologies. Based on this framework, we present recommendations that suggest ways large organizations with established processes can successfully implement agile practices. Our analysis of the literature and theory provides new insight for researchers of agile software development and assists practitioners in determining how to adopt agile development in their organizations

Team Video Gaming for Team Building: Effects on Team Performance

Teams rapidly form and dissolve in organizations to solve specific problems that require diverse skills and experience. For example, in the information systems context, cross-functional and project-based teams that comprise a mix of personnel who temporarily work away from their usual functional groups (best perform agile software development (Barlow et al., 2011; Keith, Demirkan, & Goul, 2013). These newly formed work teams need to become productive as quickly as possible. Team video gaming (TVG) has emerged as a potential team-building activity. When new teammates play a collaborative video game, they engage in cooperative and challenging goals while they enjoy the games. Although research has shown that video games can promote learning and recreation, it has not investigated the effects of commercial video games on subsequent work-team performance. Better understanding this issue will provide insights into how to rapidly develop cohesion among newly formed work teams and, thus, lead to greater team performance. We examined this issue through a laboratory experiment. We found that teams in the TVG treatment demonstrated a 20 percent productivity improvement in subsequent tasks (in our case, a team-based geocaching scavenger hunt) over teams that participated in traditional team-building activities

Modelo para el diseño de sistemas gestores de workflows con funcionalidades colaborativas, cloud y móviles

This research was developed in the context of WFMS (Workflow Management Systems), mobile applications, cloud computing, and collaborative systems. Currently the design of WFMS is based on the reference model proposed by the WfMC (Workflow Management Coalition). The problem that exists today in the design and development of WfMS is that the reference model proposed by the WfMC was designed many years before the rise of mobile technologies, cloud computing and collaborative systems. It is important to create a new model for the design of WfMS taking in to account the new technological features and functionalities offered by mobile devices, collaborative and cloud computing services along with new paradigms of collaboration that can occur when using these technological solutions. This research has the general objective of obtain a model for the design of WfMS with Collaborative, Cloud and Mobile functionalities. For the development of this research we use the design - science research paradigm used in the research field of information systems. Is fully oriented to the solution of problems and has as a main goal the development and evaluation of artifacts that serve for a practical purpose, these artifacts must be completely relevant and novel in its application environment. The steps that were undertaken in order to carry out this research with the design - science methodology were: 1) A problem in the field of WfMS was identified. 2) The features the artifact should have in order to solve the problem were proposed, and also how the artifact would be represented in this case as a model. 3) The design processes that should be used to build the device were identified and proposed. 4) The artifact and the design process were theoretically justified with methodologies and models widely accepted in the field of information systems. 5) During the design cycle a model for evaluating software architectures was applied. 6) In order to introduce the artifact in the field of application we have carried out an implementation of the model resulting in a WfMS mobile application with collaborative, cloud and mobile functionalities. We have conducted a Delphi study in order to assess the functionalities of the new artifact and demonstrate its utility in its field of application. 7) The result of this research adds to the knowledge base a new model for the design and development of WfMS with collaborative, cloud and mobile functionalities. An article with the results of this research was published and presented to the scientific community. 8) The main objective and all the objectives in this research have been satisfactorily completed, this research has proved that the designed artifact solves the problem proposed in this research and that the artifact provides utility in the field of WfMS. This research propose a new methodology for conducting a Delphi study using the WfMS mobile application that was developed in this research. Each one of the Delphi questionnaires are made through a Wokflow and the use of cloud collaborative tools in order to store both the questionnaires as well as the results of the evaluation of the questionnaires. This research makes the following contributions: a model for the design of WfMS with collaborative, cloud and mobile functionalities. A Concrete Architecture as a result of implementing the new model. A Software Architecture for the development of WfMS as a result of implementing the Concrete Architecture. A WfMS mobile application for the iOS platform as a result of the implementation of the software architecture. A methodology for conducting a Delphi study using a WfMS mobile application with cloud collaborative tools.Este trabajo de investigación se desarrolla en el contexto de WfMS (Workflow Management Systems), aplicaciones móviles, cloud computing y sistemas colaborativos. Actualmente el diseño de WfMS está basado en el modelo de referencia propuesto por la WfMC (Workflow Management Coalition). Actualmente el diseño y desarrollo de WfMS sigue el modelo de referencia propuesto por la WfMC, que fue diseñado con anterioridad a que surgierán las tecnologías móviles, cloud computing y los sistemas colaborativos. Es importante crear un nuevo modelo para el diseño de WfMS que tenga en cuenta las nuevas características y funcionalidades tecnológicas que ofrecen los dispositivos móviles, los servicios colaborativos y de cloud computing, junto con los nuevos paradigmas de colaboración que se pueden dar al utilizar estas soluciones tecnológicas. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo principal el proponer un modelo para el diseño de WfMS con funcionalidades Colaborativas, Cloud y Móviles. Para el desarrollo de esta investigación utilizamos el paradigma de investigación Diseño-Ciencia utilizado en el campo de investigación de los sistemas de información. Los pasos que se llevaron a cabo para realizar la investigación con la metodología diseño-ciencia, fueron los siguientes: 1) Se identifica un problema en el ámbito de los WfMS. 2) Se propusieron las características que debía tener el artefacto que se necesitaba para solucionar el problema y se seleccionó la forma en que iba a ser representado el artefacto, en este caso un modelo. 3) Se identificaron y propusieron los procesos de diseño que deberían ser utilizados para construir el artefacto. 4) Se justificó teóricamente, con metodologías y modelos ampliamente aceptados en el campo de sistemas de información, el artefacto y el proceso de diseño. 5) Durante el ciclo de diseño hemos utilizado un modelo de evaluación de arquitecturas de software. 6) Con la finalidad de introducir el artefacto dentro del campo de aplicación hemos realizado una implementación del modelo dando como resultado final una aplicación móvil de WfMS con funcionalidades colaborativas, cloud y móviles. Hemos llevado a cabo un estudio Delphi para evaluar las funcionalidades del nuevo artefacto y demostrar su utilidad en su campo de aplicación. 7) El resultado de esta investigación añade a la base de conocimiento un nuevo modelo que sirve para el diseño y desarrollo de WfMS con funcionalidades colaborativas, cloud y móviles. Se ha escrito un artículo para la comunidad científica donde se publican los resultados de esta investigación. 8) El objetivo principal y todos los objetivos propuestos en esta investigación se han cumplido satisfactoriamente, hemos logrado demostrar que el artefacto diseñado resuelve el problema planteado en esta investigación y que este artefacto provee utilidad en el campo de los WfMS. En esta investigación se presenta una nueva metodología para realizar un estudio Delphi mediante el uso de la aplicación móvil de WfMS que fue desarrollada en esta investigación. Cada uno de los cuestionarios del estudio Delphi se hicieron a través de un Wokflow y se hizo uso de herramientas colaborativas en la nube para almacenar tanto los cuestionarios así como también los resultados de la evaluación de los cuestionarios. Esta investigación hace las siguientes aportaciones: un modelo para el diseño de WfMS con funcionalidades colaborativas, cloud y móviles. Una Arquitectura Concreta resultado de la implementación del nuevo modelo. Una Arquitectura de Software para el desarrollo de WfMS resultado de la implementación de la Arquitectura Concreta. Una aplicación móvil de WfMS para la plataforma iOS y dispositivos iPad resultado de la implementación de la arquitectura de software. Una metodología para realizar un estudio Delphi utilizando una aplicación móvil de WfMS con herramientas colaborativas en la nube

Communicating energy vulnerability : an exploration of energy advice within and beyond formal settings

The purpose of this study is to generate a better understanding of the role of energy-related advice and support – an area that has been regarded as underexplored and undervalued, yet a critical part of the package of efforts to tackle fuel poverty. The study examines the experiences of energy vulnerability and related advice and support within and beyond formal energy advice services focusing on lived experience, the role of social relations, framings and factors involved in determining effectiveness, and the distinct and interrelated role of informal sources, settings and styles of advice. Theorising energy-related advice and support through the lens of Goldsmith’s (2004) Communication Model of Advice, it argues for this mechanism of tackling fuel poverty to be regarded as essential, not complementary. Further, it calls for energy advice and support to be characterised less by definable inputs and measurable outputs, instead viewing it as a social process, where contexts, perceptions of self, and relations with others play critical roles. Adopting a qualitative methodology rooted in phenomenological psychology, the study explores lived experience through a narrative-thematic analysis of twenty-four in-depth semi-structured interviews with energy advisors and households. The analysis, structured around three overarching themes, presents a bottom-up framing for how effective energy-related advice can be characterised. It argues that effectiveness is understood in practical, informational and emotional terms, and can be located at the intersection of three areas – problems, people, and process - which should be given greater prominence in research, policy and practice where effective provision is a central aim. Keywords: energy advice, energy vulnerability, fuel poverty, lived experience, phenomenology, psychology, social policy