Computer supported IT training for managers

It is widely acknowledged that communications and information technologies (C&IT) have revolutionised organisational life. However, although C&I technologies have extensively entered the workplace, in many organisations they seem to be making very little contribution to the achievement of the goals of the organisation. The research that has been focused in this area has suggested that potential users in the organisations are perceived (and often perceive themselves) to have inadequate knowledge and skill to utilise the technologies effectively. It also indicates that the users frequently lack motivation to use the technologies because they feel that the technologies are insufficiently supportive of tasks, which they need to perform. This latter observation appears to be particularly important where the users have the choice as to whether and when they will use the technologies (i. e. they are 'discretionary' users) as is often the case with managers in a non-C&IT focused organisation. Service and an interest in the role of training in this process. As a starting point, a study of previous research work was undertaken which indicated that conventional training was likely to be of limited usefulness in this environment. It also indicated that C&IT based support systems in the workplace were being suggested as a possible The research presented in this thesis started from a perceived need to improve the effective utilisation of the new technologies by managers in the Malaysian Civil supplement to existing conventional training methods. These results were field tested by undertaking a survey of a sample of managers in the Malaysian Civil Service to determine their perception of existing training and to assess the potential acceptability of C&IT based support for their work. The results of the survey confirmed the other research studies by indicating that the existing training, while satisfactory in itself, did not seem particularly relevant to the workplace tasks that the managers needed to carry out. The results also indicated that the knowledge and skill gained through training had frequently been forgotten or lost by the time it was needed in the workplace. Finally, a significant number of the managers who were surveyed indicated that they were interested in `point of need' support and that, although they would prefer that support to come from people, they would be interested in trying a C&IT based system, if one were provided. An examination of the requirements for point of need support indicated that any system must include both information about the usage of the C&I technologies and equipment themselves and about the application of the technologies to the tasks which needed to be performed in the workplace. Given the spatial distribution of the managers and the relatively rapid evolution of the applications that the managers would be expected to use, it was postulated that a fully distributed system with `learning' capabilities would require. To test the principles involved a prototype Web based system was developed and released. Initial feedback has been collected and analysed and suggestions are made for the application of the findings to improving the effectiveness with which managers use communications and information technologies in the workplace

An empirical examination of interdisciplinary collaboration within the practice of localisation and development of international software

Acceptance on international markets is an important selling proposition for software products and a key to new markets. The adaptation of software products for specific markets is called software localisation. Practitioner reports and research suggests that activities of developers and translators do not mesh seamlessly, leading to problems such as disproportionate cost, lack of quality, and delayed product release. Yet, there is little research on localisation as a comprehensive activity and its human factors. This thesis examines how software localisation is handled in practice, how the localisation process is integrated into development, and how software developers and localisers work individually and collaboratively on international software. The research aims to understand how localisation issues around the above-mentioned classifications of cost, quality and time issues are caused. Qualitative and quantitative data is gathered through semi-structured interviews and an online survey. The interviews focused on the individual experiences of localisation and development professionals in a range of relevant roles. The online survey measured cultural competence, attitude towards and self-efficacy in localisation, and properties of localisation projects. Interviews were conducted and analysed following Straussian Grounded Theory. The survey was statistically analysed to test a number of hypotheses regarding differences between localisers and developers, as well as relationships between project properties and software quality. Results suggest gaps in knowledge, procedure and motivation between developers and translators, as well as a lack of cross-disciplinary knowledge and coordination. Further, a grounded theory of interdisciplinary collaboration in software localisation explains how collaboration strategies and conflicts reciprocally affect each other and are affected by external influences. A number of statistically significant differences between developers and localisers and the relevance of certain project properties to localisation were confirmed. The findings give new insights into interdisciplinary issues in the development of international software and suggest new ways to handle interdisciplinary collaboration in general

Communication technologies at work : organizational cultures and employee narratives

This thesis provides an extensive analysis of new communication technologies (NCTs), which includes email technology, the Internet, intranets, NetMeeting, video-conferencing and audio-conferencing, within an organisational context. These technologies have become ubiquitous in organisational life and work. The implementation, integration and application of NCTs in this setting have both innovative possibilities and negative consequences. Consequently, we need to understand the implications of these technologies on organisational cultures and structures. This is achieved throughout this thesis by focusing upon the context of technology implementation, the transformation of communication and information lines through and within the organisation, and the changing social networks and interactions. 'Communication Technologies at Work' will explain and critically explore the effects of NCTs whilst developing an understanding of the implications for its employment in the work and the training settings of an organisation. It is based upon the ethnographic study of a hi-tech organisation and draws upon the narratives of the organisational members collected through in-depth interviewing. Further data was collected utilising observational and survey methods. The research methodology of this study is distinctive because NCTs were used as methodological tools for carrying out the observations and distributing the surveys. Although a traditional methodological stance was adopted the study will further develop this tradition. It will analyse the relationship between NCTs and organisational cultural responses, by studying and interpreting the personal narratives of organisational employees. This study offers an original understanding of NCTs through the narratives of the organisational members and this forms the basis for its substantive contribution to existing research in this subject area. The importance of the narrated experiences of organisational employees negotiating the introduction of NCTs will be emphasised throughout and will be used to create the framework for the analysis. This thesis will conclude that organisational cultures have been 'technologised' through the application of NCTs. This is characterised by 'the ethos of technology enthusiasts' and 'the ethos of technology sceptics'. These positive and sceptical subcultures are embedded in the dominant organisational culture. Furthermore, this study will demonstrate that organisational communication and information flows have been altered, extended and interrupted with the advent of NCTs in the work setting. Finally, the discussion of the role of these technologies in the work and training settings of the case study organisation suggest that the consequences of their implementation and use vary in these different contexts