Towards a More Mobile KMS

Present knowledge management systems (KMS) hardly leverage the advances in technology in their designs. The effect of this cannot be positive because it creates avenues for dissipation and leaks in the knowledge acquisition and dissemination cycle. In this work we propose a development model that looks at KMS from the mobility angle enhancing previous designs of mobile KMS (mKMS) and KMS. We used a SOA based Smart Client Architecture to provide a new view of KMS with capabilities to actually manage knowledge. The model was implemented and tested as a small scale prototype to show its practicability. This model will serve as a framework and a guide for future designs

Towards a Functional Architecture for Mobile Knowledge Management - The Example of a University Portal

This paper discusses the use of mobile applications in knowledge management (mobile KM). Today more and more people leave (or have to leave) their fixed working environment in order to conduct their work at changing locations or while they are on the move. At the same time mobile work is getting more and more knowledge-intensive. However the issue of mobile work and knowledge management is an aspect which has largely been overlooked so far. Based on requirements for mobile applications in KM an example for the implementation of a mobile KM portal at a German university is described. The presented solution offers various services for university staff (information access, colleague finder, campus navigator, collaboration support). The paper is concluded by outlining an important future issue in mobile KM: The consideration of location-based information in mobile KM portals

Enterprise Systems Adoption and Firm Performance in Europe: The Role of Innovation

Despite the ubiquitous proliferation and importance of Enterprise Systems (ES), little research exists on their post-implementation impact on firm performance, especially in Europe. This paper provides representative, large-sample evidence on the differential effects of different ES types on performance of European enterprises. It also highlights the mediating role of innovation in the process of value creation from ES investments. Empirical data on the adoption of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Knowledge Management System (KMS), and Document Management System (DMS) is used to investigate the effects on product and process innovation, revenue, productivity and market share growth, and profitability. The data covers 29 sectors in 29 countries over a 5-year period. The results show that all ES categories significantly increase the likelihood of product and process innovation. Most of ES categories affect revenue, productivity and market share growth positively. Particularly, more domainspecific and simpler system types lead to stronger positive effects. ERP systems decrease the profitability likelihood of the firm, whereas other ES categories do not show any significant effect. The findings also imply that innovation acts as a full or partial mediator in the process of value creation of ES implementations. The direct effect of enterprise software on firm performance disappears or significantly diminishes when the indirect effects through product and process innovation are explicitly accounted for. The paper highlights future areas of research.Enterprise Systems; ERP; SCM; CRM; KMS; DMS; IT Adoption; Post-implementation Phase; IT Business Value; Innovation; Firm Performance; Europe

MODELLING USER NEEDS: STUDENTS AS ENTERPRISE ANALYSTS

We illustrate a case study, where students designed enterprise architectures, that were not only welcome but successfully implemented. The success key was threefold. First the analysis framework, that integrates all the aspects of the systems that are relevant to users, namely user interface, rules, and information. Second, the analysis approach, that guides, trough confirmatory sessions, to elicit real requirements from users. Third, the model-to-model transformation, that assures consistency from the highest aggregate abstraction down to an executable model

Analysing business processes to manage and resolve strategic issues in a manufacturing business

This paper demonstrates the value of applying heuristics to knowledge systems of business processes in a manufacturing company to resolve strategic issues and enable the attainment of strategic business goals. The manufacturing company was losing market share through not being able to get its new products to market quickly enough. The research illustrates the &lsquo;location&rsquo; and use of information systems in a manufacturing context. The researchers collected the specific business process knowledge in the company and developed a knowledge management system and then applied heuristics to the &lsquo;AS IS&rsquo; manufacturing process to determine better models of manufacturing that would enable faster to market product development and thus enable better strategic alignment between company expectations and realisation of market share. The paper highlights the strategic use of information systems as a means of directly solving business problems.<br /