Information security management and virtual collaboration: A Western Australian perspective

This paper presents an ongoing case study into stakeholder perceptions regarding information security management systems in emergent organisations operating in Western Australia. It takes a socio-political perspective on the problem of how to manage simultaneously virtual collaboration and information security management. A literature review introduces the context and history of the research. In light of this, it is proposed that social and political issues need to be researched and addressed before many of the existing technological strategies for information security will succeed. The research project is then outlined and the design and preliminary results presented. The results point to a lack of clarity and cohesion amongst stakeholders about how their information security management systems operate and who has ownership of the security function. This emerging trend is discussed and the plans for future research explained

Improving groupware design for loosely coupled groups

Loosely coupled workgroups are common in the real world, and workers in these groups are autonomous and weakly interdependent. They have patterns of work and collaboration that distinguish them from other types of groups, and groupware systems that are designed to support loose coupling must address these differences. However, they have not been studied in detail in Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), and the design process for these groups is currently underspecified. This forces designers to start from scratch each time they develop a system for loosely coupled groups, and they must approach new work settings with little information about how work practices are organized. In this dissertation, I present a design framework to improve the groupware design process for loosely coupled workgroups. The framework has three main parts that add a new layer of support to each of the three stages in the general groupware design process: data collection about the target work setting, analysis of the data, and system design based on the analysis results. The framework was developed to provide designers with support during each of these stages so that they can consider important characteristics of loosely coupled work practice while carrying out design for the target group. The design framework is based on information from CSCW and organizational research, and on real-world design experiences with one type of loosely coupled workgroup—home care treatment teams. The framework was evaluated using observations, interviews, and field trials that were carried out with multidisciplinary home care treatment teams in Saskatoon Health Region. A series of field observations and interviews were carried out with team members from each of the home care disciplines. The framework was then used to develop Mohoc, a groupware system that supports work in home care. Two field trials were carried out where the system was used by teams to support their daily activities. Results were analyzed to determine how well each part of the design framework performed in the design process. The results suggest that the framework was able to fill its role in specializing the general CSCW design process for loosely coupled groups by adding consideration for work and collaboration patterns that are seen in loosely coupled settings. However, further research is needed to determine whether these findings generalize to other loosely coupled workgroups

Do faultlines hurt or help? exploring distance, identity, task conflict, and individual performance in diverse groups

We introduce the concept of faultline distance that reflects the extent to which subgroups formed by faultlines diverge as a result of accumulated differences across them (e.g., two members of age 20 are closer in age to two members of an opposing faultline of age 25 than of two members of age 50). We further extend faultline theory by showing how different faultline bases (information-based and social category faultlines) have differential effects on outcomes. Using a sample of 76 workgroups from a Fortune 500 information processing company, we examine the relationships between group faultlines, shared identity, work-related conflict, and multiple individual performance indicators. The results reveal that members of groups with strong information-based faultlines had high levels of performance ratings, while members of groups with strong social category faultlines had low levels of bonuses. Faultline distance further exacerbated the negative effects in groups with strong social category faultlines and reversed the positive effects in groups with information-based faultlines. A sense of strong superordinate identity among group members enhanced members\u27 performance. Finally, mediated moderation was confirmed for the groups with strong social category faultlines; such groups had low levels of conflict which then resulted in low levels of bonuses

Developing Trust in a Cross-Functional Workgroup: Assessing the Effectiveness of a Communication Intervention

Business organizations increasingly understand the benefits of forming cross-functional teams, which include collaborative efforts on new initiatives and solving for current issues in the organization. Putting together a group of people from different disciplines, however, is not enough to obtain the results businesses are looking to achieve. To be effective, groups must form into a team. There are two distinct differences between a group and a team. To build a team, a group must coalesce around a unifying mission, understanding, and agreement on the purpose of the team and what they need to accomplish to be successful. The second qualifying factor in the formation of a team is members of the group must trust each other. I created an intervention based on developing communication techniques in a small group to build trust in a cross-functional workgroup. The purpose of this study was to (a) examine the potential effectiveness of an intervention I created using specifically designed communication techniques to build trust in a cross-functional workgroup, (b) determine which techniques were useful, and (c) assess where improvements could be made. What the study revealed is that a cross-functional workgroup can increase the level of trust group members have with each other and the group by enhanced communication training, including empathic listening and sharing experiences

Diverse workgroup functioning and transformational leadership

Two theoretical perspectives guide workgroup diversity research: information processing and social identity. The information processing perspective suggests that cognitively diverse groups benefit from increased task-related knowledge, skills and abilities of members with diversified information sources, positively affecting group performance. The social identity perspective suggests that homogeneous groups are more productive as their members are mutually attracted by similar attributes, resulting in efficient group processes and performance. Contrastingly, it is argued that heterogeneity undermines communications and cohesion within groups, resulting in conflicts; and homogeneity offers limited potential for learning and problem-solving, hampering the development of creative ideas and innovative solutions. Despite the appeal of these theoretical perspectives, meta-analyses examining main effects relationships between diversity and group effectiveness have reported inconsistent findings. Research also offered mixed results over the influence of intragroup conflicts and the dysfunctional effects of their inevitable co-occurrence on workgroup functioning. Furthermore, although the literature points to the potential of transformational leadership in limiting dysfunctional conflicts and enhancing diversity’s positive impact on group effectiveness, this field remains under-researched. This study aims to develop a conceptualisation that addresses the associations between diversity and group effectiveness, the effects of intragroup conflicts and their co-occurrence on this association, and the potential influence of transformational leadership in decreasing this effect. By doing so, the researcher hopes to provide an explanation for the reported inconsistencies and fill a gap in the literature. To achieve this aim, the literature was analysed, and a model of relationships derived. A concurrent mixed methodological approach was used. and questionnaire data was collected from 56 academic workgroups in three private universities in the Middle East, a total of 354 questionnaires were returned. Twenty interviews were also iii conducted. Results from hierarchical regression confirmed the model, displaying linear and non-linear relationships, with the co-occurrence of task and relational conflicts mediating the relationship between diversity and group effectiveness, and transformational leadership moderating these relationships. Findings from thematic analysis of the interviews offered insights which supported the model and triangulated with the results from the questionnaire. The findings add to the literature by explaining the inconsistencies of previous research. Implications of the findings were discussed, and limitations of the study highlighted which offered potential opportunities for further research

A competency model for dispersed military team and role of competencies on work engagement and career competencies

Human assets are important resources available to any organization, being essential for performance. Therefore, the demand for effective workforce, who are competent, engaged, and proactive, increases in nonmilitary and military organizations. This thesis focuses on leadership competencies required to command a dispersed military team (DMT) and role of leadership competencies on work engagement and career competencies. We conducted two studies. In the first study, we developed a DMT competency model, consisting of ten core, five leadership and five membership competencies. In the second study, we investigated the role of competencies on work engagement and on career competencies by using Job Demands-Resources model and career competencies model as theoretical framework. We focused on leadership competencies defined in our prior study. Firstly, we investigated the relationship between these competencies, and work charactersitics - job demands and resources - and work engagement. Secondly, we investigated the effect of leadership competencies on career competencies. Results showed that competencies displayed a significant positive relationship with role clarity, positive relationship with possibilities for development and negative relationship with social support; a negative relationship with role conflict and work overload; and a significant positive relationship with work engagement, in addition, role clarity mediated the relationship between competencies and work engagement. Regarding the role of competencies on career competencies, we observerved a significant positive relationship between competencies and career competencies. Overall, our results indicated that mastering on competencies affects the perception of work conditions, contributes for higher levels of engagement through perception of role clarity and leads to development of career competencies.O capital humano constitui um recurso muito importante disponível para qualquer organização, sendo fundamental para o seu desempenho. Por este motivo, a necessidade de uma força de trabalho eficaz, competente, envolvida e proactiva, tem aumentado em organizações não militares e militares. Esta tese foca as competências de liderança necessárias para comandar uma equipa militar dispersa (EMD) e o papel das competências de liderança no engagement no trabalho e competências de carreira. Nesse sentido foram realizados dois estudos. No primeiro estudo, desenvolvemos um modelo de competências EMD, constituído por dez competências principais, 5 de liderança e 5 de pertença a equipas. No segundo estudo, investigámos o papel das competências no engagement no trabalho e nas competências de carreira utilizando o modelo das Exigências-Recursos e o modelo das Competências de Carreira como enquadramento teórico. Neste estudo considerámos as competências de liderança definidas no primeiro estudo e investigámos a relação entre estas competências e as características do trabalho – exigências e recursos- e o engagement no trabalho. Posteriormente investigámos a relação entre as competências de liderança e as competências de carreira. Os resultados obtidos revelam que as competências apresentam: uma relação positiva significativa com a clareza de papel, possibilidades de desenvolvimento e uma relação negativa com o apoio social; uma relação negativa com o conflito no papel e a sobrecarga de trabalho; e uma relação positiva significativa com o engagement no trabalho, além disso, a clareza do papel revelou ser mediadora da relação entre as competências e o engagement no trabalho. Em relação ao papel das competências nas competências de carreira, verificámos uma relação positiva significativa entre as mesmas. Globalmente, os nossos resultados sugerem que o domínio das competências afeta a perceção das condições de trabalho, contribui para maiores níveis de engagement pela sua influência na clareza de papel, e contribui para o desenvolvimento de competências de carreira

A framework for social media use in project management

There has been rapid adoption of social media (SM) in business functions such as marketing and advertising. This being primarily due to its capability to communicate information. There has been less widespread adoption of SM for other business functions and the potential of SM is not comprehensively understood. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the potential of SM for project management and to understand some of the difficulties that arise from SM use. The research specifically investigated how SM is being used for project activities and the maturity of the management processes that govern SM use. Implications for underlying theories such as virtual team, social capital and process maturity have also been analysed. An expert panel of project management practitioners from various geographic regions were invited to participate in this research. To facilitate the investigation, the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) from Project Management Institute (PMI) was used as the term of reference comprising forty seven project management activities. The research utilised two methods, firstly a Delphi Study of three rounds was used to identify the fundamentals of the phenomenon and attempt to align the expert views, and secondly, Structured Case Study interviews took place to explore the rationale and motivation of responses given by selected panellists. It further investigates the impact on project team performance and the robustness of processes that supports SM use by assessing the contribution to relationship building, trusts, coordination, cohesion and team virtuality. Key findings from the Delphi Study indicate that not all SM categories offer benefit for project activities. A list of SM categories that are most and least useful for all forty seven PMBOK process activities (across the project lifecycle) was identified. The two knowledge areas that are significantly benefitted are communication and stakeholder management while procurement management had limited use for SM. The findings also led to factors that could enable and inhibit the use of SM. Structured Case study confirmed that project team performance is enhanced through the use of SM as it improves social capital factors of relationship building, coordination and cohesion, however, trust development is not easily achieved. SM tools support mobility, facilitate effective and efficient information sharing, provide a single information repository and offer wider stakeholder reach surpassing geographic limitations constrained only by internet connectivity which in composite results in cost savings for project team communication. These factors increase team virtuality but the perception that SM use is free or of minimal costs, may encourage circumvention of control mechanisms such as senior management reviews and approvals. Findings indicate that lack of formulated business processes to manage SM use will lead to poor governance. Therefore, a Social Media Maturity Model (SM Cube hereafter) was propagated. SM Cube will help project professionals evaluate the robustness of SM enabling processes. This research proffers a mechanism to determine maturity of support processes for SM use thereby adding originality to the body of knowledge. Project professional can use this research as a guideline or framework to introduce SM for their project management. It extends the process maturity, virtual team and social capital theories

CDC's vision for public health surveillance in the 21st century

"This MMWR supplement summarizes the deliberations of CDC/ATSDR scientists and managers who met in September 2009 in Atlanta as part of the 2009 Consultation on CDC/ ATSDR's Vision for Public Health Surveillance in the 21st Century. The meeting was convened to reflect on domestic and global public health surveillance practice and to recommend a strategic framework to advance public health surveillance to meet continuing and new challenges. The first report is an adaptation of the keynote address for the meeting, which summarized the history of public health surveillance, the need to reassess its usefulness, the rationale for topics selected for discussion, and the charge to participants. Subsequent reports summarize the discussions of workgroups that addressed specific topics in surveillance science and practices. Each CDC Center/Institute/Office (CIO) identified five public health surveillance scientists or senior scientists to participate in the meeting. Other participants included the planning committee members and invited workgroup leads, including representatives from the CDC's Surveillance Science Advisory Group (SurvSAG) - a CDC/ATSDR employee organization dedicated to advancing surveillance practice. Although representatives from organizations representing state and local health departments were invited as observers and reviewed drafts of the papers in this MMWR supplement, the meeting was intended to generate ideas from within CDC/ ATSDR and to stimulate further discussion with partners. Participation in the meeting was constrained in part because it occurred during the midst of the fall 2009 upswing in cases of H1N1 pandemic influenza, and several persons from both CDC/ATSDR and health departments were unable to attend because of their involvement in the response to the pandemic. Altogether, approximately 100 surveillance specialists from across CDC/ATSDR participated in the one and a half day meeting. Participants were divided into six workgroups that were charged to describe challenges and opportunities for each of the topic areas identified above and to propose a vision for addressing those challenges and opportunities." -p. 1Introduction / James W. Buehler -- Public health surveillance in the United States: evolution and challenges / Stephen B. Thacker, Judith R. Qualters, Lisa M. Lee -- Lexicon, definitions, and conceptual framework for public health surveillance / H. Irene Hall, Adolfo Correa, Paula W. Yoon, Christopher R. Braden -- Global health surveillance / Michael St. Louis -- The role of public health informatics in enhancing public health surveillance / Thomas G. Savel, Seth Foldy -- Public health surveillance workforce of the future / Patricia A. Drehobl, Sandra W. Roush, Beth H. Stover, Denise Koo -- Public health surveillance data: legal, policy, ethical, regulatory, and practical issues / Amy B. Bernstein, Marie Haring Sweeney -- Analytical challenges for emerging public health surveillance / Henry Rolka, David W. Walker, Roseanne English, Myron J. Katzoff, Gail Scogin, Elizabeth Neuhaus -- Workgroup participants in the 2009 consultation on CDC's vision for public health surveillance in the 21st century"July 27, 2012."Also available via the World Wide Web as an Acrobat .pdf file (872.86 KB, 44 p.).Includes bibliographical references

Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia Management Plan: 2022-2027

Established through the Coastal Zone Management Act, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) represents a partnership program between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the coastal states to promote informed management of the Nation’s estuaries and habitats. Designated in 1991, and administered by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) of William & Mary, the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR-VA or Reserve) is one of 30 protected areas, which encompass over 1.3 million acres and make up the NERRS. As the nation\u27s largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay contains a diverse collection of habitats and salinity regimes. In order to incorporate the diversity of habitats in the lower Bay subregion, CBNERR-VA incorporates a multi-component network along the salinity gradient of the York River estuary (YRE). The Reserve’s four components are: (1) Goodwin Islands (148 ha; 366 ac), an archipelago of polyhaline saltmarsh islands surrounded by inter-tidal flats, extensive submerged aquatic vegetation beds, and shallow open estuarine waters near the mouth of the YRE; (2) Catlett Islands (220 ha; 542 ac), consisting of multiple parallel ridges of forested wetland hammocks, maritime-forest uplands, and emergent mesohaline salt marshes; (3) Taskinas Creek (433 ha; 1070 ac), containing non-tidal feeder streams that drain oak-hickory forests, maple-gum-ash swamps and freshwater marshes which transition into tidal oligo and mesohaline salt marshes; and (4) Sweet Hall Marsh (443 ha; 1094 ac), an extensive tidal freshwater-oligohaline marsh ecosystem located in the Pamunkey River, one of two major tributaries of the York River. This plan aligns with and complements the NERRS 2017-2022 Strategic Plan and VIMS\u27s 2015-2020 Strategic Plan while building upon previous accomplishments and the desire to address current priority issues and meet future challenges. Its intent is to provide a vision and framework to guide Reserve activities for program undertakings over the five-year period from 2022-2027