Space exploration: The interstellar goal and Titan demonstration

Automated interstellar space exploration is reviewed. The Titan demonstration mission is discussed. Remote sensing and automated modeling are considered. Nuclear electric propulsion, main orbiting spacecraft, lander/rover, subsatellites, atmospheric probes, powered air vehicles, and a surface science network comprise mission component concepts. Machine, intelligence in space exploration is discussed

Information systems as an academic discipline : Looking back, looking forward, and ensuring the future

In an organization of any size, there is an organization function responsible for the technology, activities and personnel to support its technology-enabled work systems and the information and communication needs of the organization. There is an academic discipline that teaches those who build, acquire, operate and maintain the systems and those who use the systems. Both the organization function and the academic discipline have developed over a period of 55 years (but primarily in the last 40 years). There have been two fundamental forces driving the formation of a new organization function and the new technology-enabled systems in organizations. One is the availability of powerful computer and communications technology; the other is the desire of organizations to use the capabilities in organization work. The result has been revolutionary as new capabilities and new affordances have been applied to the activities of organizations. A new academic discipline has emerged. This period of rapid innovation in organizations has resulted in successes, challenges, failures, and surprises. I have been a participant and an observer of this period of change. The paper will survey key developments (from my perspective) that have brought us to the present conditions in use of information and communications technology in organizations and the current status of the academic discipline. I will note the role of IFIP TC8 (Information Systems). It has been important in several key developments, but not in all of them. I will identify some of my observations about the value added by TC8.The past and the future of information systems: 1976-2006 and beyondRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

A Model for patient engagement integration in perinatal eHealth development and quality assurance

The aim of this study was to construct a model for patient engagement integration in perinatal eHealth development and quality assurance. The model was developed in four phases. The first three phases produced evidence for the development of a model. In the final phase, a qualitative interpretive synthesis was conducted using grounded theory to articulate a patient engagement model composed of three steps. The first phase was a scoping review aimed at describing the nature and range of patient engagement from the perspective of access, personalization, commitment, and therapeutic alliance within perinatal eHealth. A narrative synthesis was used to describe findings. Phase two consisted of two studies exploring engagement practices of pregnant users during their use of a self-monitoring health promotion eHealth system. A descriptive comparative analysis was completed to understand user engagement patterns based on physical use of the wearable device. A mixed-methods convergence evaluation was conducted to understand the process of accessing the health promotion eHealth system. In phase three a process evaluation tool for parent participation and collaboration (in the neonatal intensive care unit) was developed and psychometrically tested. For the interpretive synthesis, articles from the first three phases of this study were purposively sampled. A deductive codebook was developed using Donabedian’s model, and an adapted version of Lewin’s Action Research Cycle. Donabedian’s model consists of quality assurance through the examination of structure, process, and outcomes. Lewin’s Action Research Cycle informs iterative steps in development and implementation of health systems. Phase four resulted in a model for patient engagement integration in perinatal eHealth development and quality assurance. Three steps of the model were identified as being: Person-centered Perinatal eHealth program mapping; Process evaluation through monitoring of patient engagement processes; and Co-creation of perinatal eHealth programs through real-life testing of perinatal eHealth systems.Malli potilaan osallistumisesta perinataaliajan sähköisen terveydenhuollon kehittämiseen ja laadunvarmistukseen Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli kehittää malli ohjaamaan potilaan osallistumista perinataaliajan sähköisen terveydenhuollon kehittämiseen ja laadunvarmistukseen. Malli kehitettiin neljässä vaiheessa. Kolmessa ensimmäisessä vaiheessa tuotettiin tutkimusnäyttöä kehittämisen tueksi. Viimeisessä vaiheessa laadullisen tulkitsevan synteesin avulla muodostettiin potilaan sitoutumisen malli. Ensimmäisessä vaiheessa tehtiin kartoittava kirjallisuuskatsaus, joka kuvasi potilaiden sähköiseen terveydenhuoltoon osallistumisen tavat ja laajuuden saatavuuden, yksilöllisyyden, sitoutumisen ja terapeuttisen hoitosuhteen näkökulmasta. Aineisto analysoitiin teorialähtöisellä sisällönanalyysillä ja tulokset kuvattiin narratiivisen synteesin avulla. Toinen vaihe muodostui kahdesta tutkimuksesta, jotka tarkastelivat itsemonitorointisysteemin avulla raskaana olevien henkilöiden osallistumistapoja terveydenedistämiseen. Tutkimuksissa odottajat käyttivät itsemonitorointisysteemiä. Osallistumistapoja analysoitiin puettavan laitteen käyttöajan pohjalta tehtyjen vertailevien analyysien avulla. Monimenetelmällisessä tutkimuksessa muodostettiin analyysin pohjalta ymmärrys itsemonitorointisysteemin saatavuuteen liittyvästä prosessista. Kolmannessa vaiheessa kehitettiin ja psykometrisesti testattiin prosessievaluaatiomittari arvioimaan vanhempien osallistumista ja yhteistyötä henkilökunnan kanssa vastasyntyneiden teho-osastolla. Viimeisen vaiheen tulkitsevaa synteesiä varten valittiin tarkoituksenmukaisia artikkeleita. Donabedianin terveydenhuollon laadunvarmistuksen malli ja Lewinin muokatun toimintatutkimuksen syklin pohjalta muodostettiin teorialähtöinen analyysirunko. Neljännen vaiheen tuloksena muodostettiin malli potilaan osallistumisesta perinataaliajan sähköisen terveydenhuollon kehittämiseen ja laadunvarmistukseen. Malli kostuu kolmesta askeleesta: Yksilökeskeisen sähköisen terveydenhuollon kartoitus, potilaan osallistumisprosessin monitorointiin perustuva prosessievaluaatio ja perinataaliajan sähköisen terveydenhuollon yhteiskehittäminen kliinisessä todellisuudessa

Language Proficiency: Perceptions and Mediated Actions of a Kentucky World Language Educator

Since the inception of the Kentucky Educational Reform Act in 1990, Kentucky has undergone numerous educational changes. Regarding world languages, recent changes include a new state World Language Standard, a K-12 world language program review, and university language proficiency entrance requirements. These changes create an interesting context in which world language educators negotiate their perceptions and pedagogical choices. This study explored the perceptions, influences, and pedagogical choices of one Kentucky world language educator regarding language proficiency and cultural tools of context, standards and assessments. A constructivist framework guided the case study design. Data collection included interviews, observations, and artifact collection and data analyses followed the comparative analysis process (Yin, 1994; Merriam, 1998). Findings suggest that the participant\u27s perceptions of language proficiency reflect characteristics of the communicative competence language proficiency model of Uso-Juan and Martinez-Flor (2008). In addition, the participant\u27s pedagogical choices regarding context, standards and assessments reflect organizational, policy, and personal influences (Grant, 2003) and characteristics of mediated action (Wertsch, 1998). This study highlights the importance of understanding world language educators\u27 perceptions during a time of contextual change and the need for professional development supporting educators’ pedagogical choices

Business Process Innovation using the Process Innovation Laboratory

Most organizations today are required not only to establish effective business processes but they are required to accommodate for changing business conditions at an increasing rate. Many business processes extend beyond the boundary of the enterprise into the supply chain and the information infrastructure therefore is critical. Today nearly every business relies on their Enterprise System (ES) for process integration and the future generations of enterprise systems will increasingly be driven by business process models. Consequently process modeling and improvement will become vital for business process innovation (BPI) in future organizations. There is a significant body of knowledge on various aspect of process innovation, e.g. on conceptual modeling, business processes, supply chains and enterprise systems. Still an overall comprehensive and consistent theoretical framework with guidelines for practical applications has not been identified. The aim of this paper is to establish a conceptual framework for business process innovation in the supply chain based on advanced enterprise systems. The main approach to business process innovation in this context is to create a new methodology for exploring process models and patterns of applications. The paper thus presents a new concept for business process innovation called the process innovation laboratory a.k.a. the Ð-Lab. The Ð-Lab is a comprehensive framework for BPI using advanced enterprise systems. The Ð-Lab is a collaborative workspace for experimenting with process models and an explorative approach to study integrated modeling in a controlled environment. The Ð-Lab facilitates innovation by using an integrated action learning approach to process modeling including contemporary technological, organizational and business perspectivesNo; keywords

Dynamic Capabilities and their Indirect Impact on Firm Performance

This paper investigates the relationship between dynamic capabilities and firm performance. In particular it addresses the question of whether dynamic capabilities impact directly or indirectly on performance. Using data from manufacturing firms, the paper articulates and measures dynamic capabilities as a multi-dimensional construct with three underlying factors: coordination, learning and strategic competitive response. Then, structural equation modelling is employed to explore the relationships among dynamic capabilities, functional competences and firm performance. Empirical findings suggest that dynamic capabilities are antecedents to functional competences which in turn have a significant effect on performance. Direct effects on performance are found to be insignificant. Furthermore, similar effects seem to hold for both higher and lower levels of environmental dynamism. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.Dynamic capabilities; functional competences; firm performance; indirect impact

Data and Predictive Analytics Use for Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the social process of Big Data and predictive analytics (BDPA) use for logistics and supply chain management (LSCM), focusing on interactions among technology, human behavior and organizational context that occur at the technology’s post-adoption phases in retail supply chain (RSC) organizations. Design/methodology/approach The authors follow a grounded theory approach for theory building based on interviews with senior managers of 15 organizations positioned across multiple echelons in the RSC. Findings Findings reveal how user involvement shapes BDPA to fit organizational structures and how changes made to the technology retroactively affect its design and institutional properties. Findings also reveal previously unreported aspects of BDPA use for LSCM. These include the presence of temporal and spatial discontinuities in the technology use across RSC organizations. Practical implications This study unveils that it is impossible to design a BDPA technology ready for immediate use. The emergent process framework shows that institutional and social factors require BDPA use specific to the organization, as the technology comes to reflect the properties of the organization and the wider social environment for which its designers originally intended. BDPA is, thus, not easily transferrable among collaborating RSC organizations and requires managerial attention to the institutional context within which its usage takes place. Originality/value The literature describes why organizations will use BDPA but fails to provide adequate insight into how BDPA use occurs. The authors address the “how” and bring a social perspective into a technology-centric area

Seeking Middle-Range Theories in Information Systems Research

The information systems (IS) research community continues to raise questions about the characteristics and role of theory in IS. Some suggest the preeminence and misplaced emphasis on theory distorts and limits IS research, while others suggest the manner in which theory is borrowed and adapted impedes creative and innovative theorizing. This essay describes an established mode of theorizing that produces middle-range theories, abstract enough to allow for generalizations and useful conclusions, but close enough to observed data to be empirically validated. Theorizing in this manner holds the potential to produce novel and exciting theories, far removed from the formulaic, endless rearrangement of variables that are typically derived from grand theories. After elaborating on the differences between grand theories and middle-range theories, this essay suggests several guidelines on how to build middle-range theories