A Memory Game to Demonstrate the Power of Collaborative Efforts to Improve Team Performance

Collaboration is an important aspect of information systems (IS) education since work is typically performed in teams. However, IS students often do not fully appreciate the value of group work in their business courses. This teaching tip describes an activity that will objectively demonstrate the value of collaboration and diversity of perspectives, while simultaneously satisfying the preferences of visual and experiential learning styles. Knowledge gained through collaborative and cooperative learning tends to be retained for an extended period of time. The author includes discussion prompts to help guide students as they identify the value of diverse perspectives in team settings, but instructors are encouraged to follow the interests of their students and allow rich discussion to emerge naturally

University Wide Emergency Notification Systems: Measuring Effectiveness

The objective of this research-in-progress is to investigate the overall effectiveness of university wide emergency notification systems. In response to the massacre at Virginia Tech University in 2007, one of the key findings by the investigative panel was that the administration failed to notify students in a timely manner. Many universities implemented campus wide notification systems following the release of this crucial document. A theory of task-technology fit is used to identify four distinct measures of effectiveness: timeliness, event identification, directed actions, and diversity of communication media. This research-in-progress includes a discussion of results from a pilot survey conducted on a single campus. This document outlines the research design, survey development, and data analysis. Implications and contributions are discussed

MIS Vision 2015

Enrollment for Management Information Systems (MIS) majors has been declining since shortly after the turn of the century. The purpose of this document is to identify the indisputable benefits of maintaining a strong MIS degree program in the School of Business & Economics at Michigan Tech. We begin by clarifying what is meant by MIS and defining the discipline, reviewing the history of MIS in the SBE (e.g. average nearly 20% female majors in this particular STEM field), summarizing an analysis of our degree program (i.e. SWOT analysis), and outlining a plan to improve the number of MIS majors within the next five years

Micro-Firm IT Shops: Update on Unique Challenges and Opportunities

Information Technology (IT) departments within Small- and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face challenges that are significantly different from larger corporations with greater resources and higher levels of IT staffing. From resource constraints to nonexistent training budgets, IT personnel are constantly striving to do more with less. This Research-in-Progress investigates the challenges and opportunities of IT specialists working in micro-firms, the lowest end of SMEs. Interviews will be used to explore this topic, developing a framework of salient factors and key indicators. Although this general topic has been studied for nearly three decades, rapid advancements in technologies and corporate pressures have created radical changes that directly impact this sub-strata of the IT world. A survey will be developed and distributed using a social networking method; results of analysis will be used to evaluate the research propositions and to assess the primary antecedents contributing to IT success and job satisfaction in micro-firms. The research contributions will increase theoretical knowledge and provide insights for both IT specialists and executives in these business settings

Memory game to demonstrate the power of collaborative efforts to improve team performance

Collaboration is an important aspect of information systems (IS) education since work is typically performed in teams. However, IS students often do not fully appreciate the value of group work in their business courses. This teaching tip describes an activity that will objectively demonstrate the value of collaboration and diversity of perspectives, while simultaneously satisfying the preferences of visual and experiential learning styles. Knowledge gained through collaborative and cooperative learning tends to be retained for an extended period of time. The author includes discussion prompts to help guide students as they identify the value of diverse perspectives in team settings, but instructors are encouraged to follow the interests of their students and allow rich discussion to emerge naturally

Inter-sourcing: IT Solutions With University Partners

Managers are currently dealing with a variety of sourcing decisions regarding information technology (IT) projects. Reduction in labor costs is the primary driver for outsourcing and offshoring initiatives (e.g. Klaas, McClendon and Gainey, 1999; Lacity, Willcocks, and Feeny, 1996). However, the challenges posed by these solutions can be reduced, or possibly eliminated, through a novel and innovative collaboration approach called ‘inter-sourcing’. This paper defines what is meant by inter-sourcing, and identifies benefits and challenges associated with this new approach. This “work in progress” outlines the preliminary development of this exploratory project and the qualitative methodology that will be used to investigate the topic in depth. If accepted for the MWAIS program, the authors will share updated findings from interviews and anecdotal evidence of successful projects resulting from inter-sourcing alliances

The Influence of Outcome-Oriented Security Policy on Security Perceptions and Intentions

With security breaches occurring regularly, organizations must employ strong security countermeasures to protect private, valuable information. Organizational insiders pose a major threat to the security of organizations by direct and intentional misuse of information assets and by the careless and negligent use of information. Developing strong information security policy (ISP) is important to thwarting insider security threats. To date, behavioral information security research has primarily examined ISP from a procedural viewpoint. Outcome-oriented security policy is understudied. This research-in-progress proposes a study of security policy to determine how the inclusion of outcome-oriented security policy influences insiders’ attitudes toward and intentions to follow procedural security policy. An experiment is proposed to test the hypotheses

To Fear or Not to Fear? A Critical Review and Analysis of Fear Appeals in the Information Security Context

Controlling organizational insiders’ security behaviors is an important management concern. Research presents fear appeals as a viable security control to promote protective security behaviors. To date, research has proven security-related fear appeals have to effectively control insiders’ security behaviors. However, from critically examining fear appeals, we find a different story. Specifically, we critically analyze security-related fear appeal research from two ontological positions: critical realism and critical constructivism. The critical realist analysis identifies several issues with existing fear appeal research, which particular research traditions may cause. We explicate these traditions and issues in the paper. The critical constructivist analysis draws on critical management studies of control and Foucault’s work to identify the identities, beliefs, and values that fear appeals promote and the ways in which fear appeals create discursive closures that limit the consideration and discussion of other positions. Based on the two analyses, we provide important directions for future fear appeal research

A Longitudinal Investigation of the Effects of Computer Anxiety on Performance in a Computing-Intensive Environment

Computers are pervasive in business and education, and it would be easy to asswne that all individuals embrace technology. However, evidence shows that roughly 30 to 40 percent of individuals experience some level of computer anxiety. Many academic programs involve computing-intensive courses, but the actual effects of this exposure on computer anxiety are unknown. This study contributes to the literature as follows. First, direct evidence of a relationship between longitudinal changes in individuals\u27 computer anxiety and performance are reported. Second, the effects of changes in computer anxiety are shown to be dependent on individuals\u27 initial level of anxiety. Third, some evidence is provided that changes in computer anxiety from exposure to a computing-intensive environment are not uniform across individuals. Lastly, the subjects in this study appear to be more representative of contemporary students and workers than those used in prior studies. Implications for research and practice are presented

A Longitudinal Investigation of the Effects of Computer Anxiety on Performance in a Computing-Intensive Environment

Computers are pervasive in business and education, and it would be easy to assume that all individuals embrace technology. However, evidence shows that roughly 30 to 40 percent of individuals experience some level of computer anxiety. Many academic programs involve computing-intensive courses, but the actual effects of this exposure on computer anxiety are unknown. This study contributes to the literature as follows. First, direct evidence of a relationship between longitudinal changes in individuals\u27 computer anxiety and performance are reported. Second, the effects of changes in computer anxiety are shown to be dependent on individuals\u27 initial level of anxiety. Third, some evidence is provided that changes in computer anxiety from exposure to a computing-intensive environment are not uniform across individuals. Lastly, the subjects in this study appear to be more representative of contemporary students and workers than those used in prior studies. Implications for research and practice are presented