Introduction to Communication and Information Systems Technology for Crisis and Disaster Management Minitrack

N/

An improved multi-agent simulation methodology for modelling and evaluating wireless communication systems resource allocation algorithms

Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) constitute a well known approach in modelling dynamical real world systems. Recently, this technology has been applied to Wireless Communication Systems (WCS), where efficient resource allocation is a primary goal, for modelling the physical entities involved, like Base Stations (BS), service providers and network operators. This paper presents a novel approach in applying MAS methodology to WCS resource allocation by modelling more abstract entities involved in WCS operation, and especially the concurrent network procedures (services). Due to the concurrent nature of a WCS, MAS technology presents a suitable modelling solution. Services such as new call admission, handoff, user movement and call termination are independent to one another and may occur at the same time for many different users in the network. Thus, the required network procedures for supporting the above services act autonomously, interact with the network environment (gather information such as interference conditions), take decisions (e.g. call establishment), etc, and can be modelled as agents. Based on this novel simulation approach, the agent cooperation in terms of negotiation and agreement becomes a critical issue. To this end, two negotiation strategies are presented and evaluated in this research effort and among them the distributed negotiation and communication scheme between network agents is presented to be highly efficient in terms of network performance. The multi-agent concept adapted to the concurrent nature of large scale WCS is, also, discussed in this paper

Fall 2003 Vol. 6 No. 2

https://surface.syr.edu/ischool_news/1014/thumbnail.jp

Open Data Diffusion for Service Innovation: An Inductive Case Study on Cultural Open Data Services

Information Systems research on Open Data has been primarily focused on its contribution to e-government inquiries, government transparency, and open government. Recently, Open Data has been explored as a catalyser for service innovation as a consequence of big claims around the potential of such initiatives in terms of additional value that can be injected into the worldwide economy. Subsequently, the Open Data Services academic conversation was structured (Lindman et al. 2013a). The research project presented in this paper is an interpretive case study that was carried out to explore the factors that influence the diffusion of Open Data for new service development. This paper contributes to this debate by providing an interpretive inductive case study (Walsham 1995) of a tourism company that successfully turned several city authorities’ raw open datasets into a set of valuable services. Results demonstrate that 16 factors and 68 related variables are the most relevant in the process of diffusion of open data for new service development. Furthermore, this paper demonstrates the suitability of Social Constructionism and interpretive case study research to inductively generate knowledge in this field

Upgrading IT101 With Handheld Computers

This study examines the impact of handheld computers on students in a first year Information Technology course (IT101), measuring IT attitudes, skills, and performance. Students in standard sections used their laptop computers and traditional textbooks. Students in intensive sections used both handheld computers and laptop computers, that is, multiple platforms. Both standard and intensive sections covered the same topics. Although students in both standard and intensive sections became more skilled during the semester, students in the intensive sections improved more in programming and Microsoft Excel skills. Students in intensive sections also scored significantly better than students in the standard sections on the common portion of the final exam. Finally, according to anecdotal evidence, students in the intensive sections gained significantly more skill-based confidence in IT unrelated to handheld computers compared to students in the standard sections. Seven of our ten expectations were supported. While students benefited from the intensive version of IT101, several factors could account for the improvements: a self-selection factor, an active learning vs. textbook learning factor, and possibly an instructor factor. Future research should shed light on the relative weights of these factors

The relationship between IT infrastructure leveraging, talent management and operational sustainability, and their effects on the business value of the operations strategy

The purpose of this research is to examine the role of information technology (IT) in the adoption of human resources (HR) and environmental management activities, a research topic that has not received much attention in prior literature. Drawing on the theory of operational and dynamic capabilities, we propose a model in which IT infrastructure leveraging enables the firm to create value from its operations management both directly and indirectly through talent management and operational sustainability. We test the model using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique with an innovative secondary data set collected for a sample of 63 large firms. The empirical analysis suggests that IT infrastructure leveraging enables the firm’s proficiency to manage talent, which in turn facilitates execution of a more sustainable operations strategy to increase firm performance. The analysis also shows that IT infrastructure leveraging impacts firm performance directly in the long-term

Collaborative knowledge creation in electronic mail

With organisational work increasingly performed by the collaboration of distributed groups, an improved understanding is needed of the co-creation of knowledge in emerging virtual structures. We explore the potential of the ubiquitous organisational tool, electronic mail (e-mail), for supporting collaborative knowledge creation in such settings. This research draws on a case study of knowledge creation occurring in e-mail conversations in a large Australian university and adopts a discourse analysis research approach. We describe a model of collaborative knowledge creation derived from the study and identify a preliminary set of key factors for organisational knowledge tools and their use by groups to support collaborative knowledge creation. The paper also provides insights into the role of e-mail in collaborative knowledge creation, not only in facilitating this process, but in shaping a participatory, multi-perspective, team-based approach to knowledge building. Organisational implications arising from this type of knowledge creation are also discussed in the paper.<br /

Critical Issues in Enterprise Architecting – A Literature Review

Enterprise Architecture (EA) has been identified as a means to Business-/IT-Alignment, cost reduction or to facilitate change. Research has been focusing on the effectiveness of EA management while the enterprise architecting process is the process of developing, managing, utilizing and maintaining architectural descriptions (ADs) for EA. In this paper we present the results of a literature review on the process of enterprise architecting. Our research contribution is a consolidated view on the challenges and issues arising throughout the architecting process

Perspectives of agility in the corporate environment: a view under the context of the use of Mobile Technologies

The impact and importance of the use of mobile technologies in personal and professional lives of individuals is increasing in Latin America. One of the major impacts of such use in the organizational context concerns the agility gain. However, the concept of agility is still not robust, since there is no clear and precise definition with respect to the theoretical model. The purpose of this research is therefore to deepen the concept of agility in the dimensions concerning the use of mobile technologies. To do so, we related the constructs identified in the literature review to the agility characteristics in respect of use of mobile technologies through a card sorting tool. The results indicate three major perspectives of agility from the use of mobile technologies are time, access to information and communication. Keywords: use of mobile technologies, enterprise mobility, agility El impacto y la importancia del uso de tecnologías móviles en la vida personal y profesional de las personas está aumentando en America Latina. Uno de los mayores impactos de este uso en el contexto organizacional se refiere al aumento de la agilidad. Sin embargo, el concepto de agilidad aún no es muy robusto, dado que no existe una definición clara y precisa con respecto al modelo teórico. El objetivo de esta investigación es, por tanto, profundizar el concepto de agilidad en las dimensiones relacionadas con el uso de tecnologías móviles, relacionando los constructos identificados en la revisión de la literatura con las características de agilidad en el contexto del uso de tecnologías móviles, a través de una herramienta de clasificación de cartas. Los resultados indican tres grandes perspectivas de agilidad debido a la adopción de tecnologías móviles, a saber, el tiempo, el acceso a la información y la comunicación. Palabras clave: uso de tecnologías móviles, movilidad empresarial, agilidad O impacto e a importância da utilização das tecnologias móveis e sem fio na vida pessoal e profissional dos indivíduos está aumentando na América Latina. Um dos grandes impactos dessa utilização no contexto organizacional diz respeito ao ganho de agilidade. Contudo, o conceito de agilidade ainda é pouco robusto, dado que não há uma definição clara e precisa com relação ao modelo teórico. O objetivo desta investigação é, portanto o de aprofundar o conceito de agilidade nas dimensões relativas à utilização das tecnologias móveis e sem fio, relacionando construtos identificados na revisão de literatura às características da agilidade no contexto da utilização das TIMS através de uma ferramenta de card sorting. Os resultados indicam três grandes perspectivas da agilidade em decorrência da adoção das TIMS, sendo elas tempo, acesso à informação e comunicação