Managing Diverse Stakeholders in Enterprise Systems Projects: A Control Portfolio Approach

While substantial research has examined the control of Information systems (IS) projects, most studies In this area have only examined how one controller manages a single group of controllees. However, many IS projects, especially enterprise systems projects (often initiated by an organization\u27s corporate headquarters, and involving business unit users and consultants), have multiple stakeholders. The corporate headquarters (the project\u27s principal controller) must simultaneously ensure that the various stakeholders are aligned with the project\u27s goals despite their diverse motivations, and that the stakeholders collaborate with each other to achieve project success. Behavior control theory argues that the controller enacts a control portfolio of formal and Informal controls. However, the presence of multiple controllee groups increases the complexity of vertical controller- controllee relationships, the salience of controllee-controllee relationships, and the interaction between these vertical and horizontal relationships. We therefore examined the creation and evolution of the control portfolio In a multi-stakeholder project over a period of 14 months. We found that (1) the principal controller did enact separate controls for the user and consultant groups; (2) there was more than one controller - the principal controller co-existed with subordinate controllers; and (3) controls enacted by the subordinate controllers and other controllees that cut across stakeholder groups required the support of the principal controller

How Do You Perpetuate IT-Enabled Change When Top Management Participation and Involvement Diminish?

Background: Research has demonstrated that sustained top management participation and involvement are important for IT-enabled change. However, this is not always possible. How IT-enabled change can succeed when top management participation and involvement diminish is an unsolved, but important research question. Method: We perform a 5-year exploratory longitudinal case study. Results: Our data is presented in two parts. We first present the contextual elements (goals, people, structures/processes, and artifacts) during the two years top management was actively participating and involved. For the three-year period where top management participation and involvement diminished, we present the contextual elements, and middle management’s enactment of traditional middle management roles (information broker, mediator, facilitator, change agent) on three kinds of threats to the change (deviations from change vision, emergent issues, involving new stakeholders). Conclusions: We find IT-enabled change can succeed when top management participation and involvement diminish if middle management engages in joint action, i.e., intentional collective activity where members consciously choose to coordinate to achieve a goal. We identify three kinds of joint action: Constraining, where actions of the group limit the ability of individual middle managers to deviate from shared goals, Enabling, whereby a group of middle managers adapt the project to changing circumstances, and Extending, where groups of middle managers engage with others not in their functional areas. Joint action emerges when top management embeds, in the project context, (1) key influential stakeholders who are involved in the change, (2) a common goal, (3) structures and processes that promote collective work, and (4) artifacts inscribed with the common goal and collective work. Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/pajais/vol11/iss4/2

Threat-Balancing in Vendor Transition

While many outsourcing contracts are expiring, and vendor transition is becoming an increasing concern, little research helps organizations manage vendor transition. This paper explores vendor transition across two case sites. In one case, the outgoing vendor cooperated with the client which resulted in the client distancing itself from interactions between vendors. In the second case, the outgoing vendor was openly hostile, with the result that the client allied with the incoming vendor to manage vendor transition. These findings mirror expectations from balance of threat theory, a political science theory about interactions between nations. Balance of threat theory predicts that outgoing vendor hostility and the capability of the client to mitigate hostility determine whether a client takes a hard or soft balancing strategy during vendor transition

Investigating the structural relationships between food image, food satisfaction, culinary quality, and behavioral intentions : the case of Malaysia

This study was designed to test a theoretical model determining the relationships among tourists' perceived food image, food satisfaction, culinary quality, and behavioral intentions. The structural relationships between the variables were examined by adopting a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, and the empirical data was collected in Malaysia. Analysis of findings revealed that (a) tourists' perceived food image played a role in directly influencing food satisfaction and quality of culinary experience (culinary quality); (b) food image influenced tourists' behavioral intentions through culinary quality; (c) tourist satisfaction with their food experience directly affected perceived quality of their culinary experience and behavioral intentions; and (d) tourists' behavioral intentions were directly affected by their evaluation of culinary quality. This study concluded that food was an imperative contributor in destination tourism due to its capability in influencing tourists' perceived image, food satisfaction, culinary quality, and consequently impacting tourists' behaviors in the selection of a travel destination

Development of a healthy ageing index in Latin American countries - a 10/66 dementia research group population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Our population is ageing and in 2050 more than one out of five people will be 60 years or older; 80% of whom will be living in a low-and-middle income country. Living longer does not entail living healthier; however, there is not a widely accepted measure of healthy ageing hampering policy and research. The World Health Organization defines healthy ageing as the process of developing and maintaining functional ability that will enable well-being in older age. We aimed to create a healthy ageing index (HAI) in a subset of six low-and-middle income countries, part of the 10/66 study, by using items of functional ability and intrinsic capacity. METHODS: The study sample included residents 65-years old and over (n = 12,865) from catchment area sites in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Items were collected by interviewing participants or key informants between 2003 and 2010. Two-stage factor analysis was employed and we compared one-factor, second-order and bifactor models. The psychometric properties of the index, including reliability, replicability, unidimensionality and concurrent convergent validity as well as measurement invariance per ethnic group and gender were further examined in the best fit model. RESULTS: The bifactor model displayed superior model fit statistics supporting that a general factor underlies the various items but other subdomain factors are also needed. The HAI indicated excellent reliability (ω = 0.96, ωΗ = 0.84), replicability (H = 0.96), some support for unidimensionality (Explained Common Variance = 0.65) and some concurrent convergent validity with self-rated health. Scalar measurement invariance per ethnic group and gender was supported. CONCLUSIONS: A HAI with excellent psychometric properties was created by using items of functional ability and intrinsic capacity in a subset of six low-and-middle income countries. Further research is needed to explore sub-population differences and to validate this index to other cultural settings

Case report: Paralytic shellfish poisoning in Sabah, Malaysia

During the months of January–February and May–June 2013 coinciding with the red tide occurrence in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, six episodes involving 58 cases of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) or saxitoxin (STX) poisoning and resulting in four deaths were reported. Many of them were intoxicated from consuming shellfish purchased from the markets, whereas others were intoxicated from eating shellfish collected from the beach. Levels of STX in shellfish collected from the affected areas were high (mean 2,920 ± 780 and 360 ± 140 mg STX equivalents/100 g shellfish meat respectively for the two periods). The count of toxic dinoflagellates (Pyrodinium bahamense var compressum) of the sea water sampled around the coast was also high (mean 34,200 ± 10,300 cells/L). Species of shellfish containing high levels of STX were Atrina fragilis, Perna viridis, and Crassostrea belcheri. The age of victims varied from 9 to 67 years. Symptoms presented were typical of PSP, such as dizziness, numbness, vomiting, and difficulty in breathing. Recommended steps to prevent or reduce PSP in future red tide season include better monitoring of red tide occurrence, regular sampling of shellfish for determination of STX level, wider dissemination of information on the danger of eating contaminated shellfish among the communities, fishermen, and fishmongers

Human bone marrow mononuclear cells do not improve limb perfusion in the hindlimb ischemia model

Effective treatments for chronic limb-threatening ischemia are lacking. (Pre)clinical studies on administration of bone marrow (BM) mononuclear cells (MNCs) and BM-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown variable results and no studies have directly compared administration of human BM MNCs and BM MSCs in in vivo models. We studied the effect of intramuscular administration of human BM-derived MNCs and MSCs on limb perfusion in the murine hindlimb ischemia (HLI) model. Human BM MNCs and MSCs were obtained from healthy consenting donors. Both cell types were cryopreserved before use. Twenty-four hours after induction of HLI, nude NMRI mice were randomized to receive intramuscular administration of human BM MNCs ( n  = 13), or BM MSCs ( n  = 14), or vehicle control ( n  = 19) in various doses. Limb perfusion was measured using laser Doppler imaging on day 0, 1, 4, 7, 10, and 14. Intramuscular injection of human BM MNCs did not improve limb perfusion as compared with vehicle over the 2 weeks after cell administration ( P  = 0.88, mean relative perfusion for vehicle 0.56 ± 0.04 and 0.53 ± 0.04 for BM MNCs at day 14). Administration of human BM MSCs significantly improved limb perfusion as compared with both BM MNCs and vehicle ( P  ≤ 0.001, mean relative perfusion at day 14 0.79 ± 0.06). Our data suggest that BM MNCs are less suitable than BM MSCs for cell-based therapy that aims to restore perfusion

Neonatal melioidosis case report - lessons learned

In endemic regions, include melioidosis in the routine differential diagnosis of neonates with respiratory distress, and consider early empirical ceftazidime treatment for neonates with worsening respiratory distres

Chemsex among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Singapore and the challenges ahead: a qualitative study

Background: Sexualised substance use, or 'chemsex' has been shown to be a major factor driving the syndemic of HIV/AIDS in communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) around the world. However, there is a paucity of research on chemsex among GBMSM in Singapore due to punitive drug laws and the criminalisation of sexual behaviour between men. This qualitative descriptive study is the first to explore perceptions towards, motivators to engaging in, and the barriers to addressing the harms associated with chemsex among GBMSM in Singapore. Methods: We conducted 30 semi-structured in-depth interviews with self-identifying GBMSM between the ages of 18–39 in Singapore following a purposive sampling strategy. Interview topics included participants' perceptions of drug use among GBMSM in Singapore, perceptions towards chemsex, reasons for drug use and chemsex, and recommendations to address the harms associated with chemsex in Singapore. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants reported that it was common to encounter chemsex among GBMSM in Singapore as it could be easily accessed or initiated using social networking phone apps. Enhancement and prolongation of sexual experiences, fear of rejection from sexual partners and peers, and its use as a means of coping with societal rejection were three main reasons cited for engaging in chemsex. The impact of punitive drug laws on disclosure and stigmatisation of GBMSM who use drugs were reported to be key barriers towards addressing chemsex. Participants suggested using gay-specific commercial venues as avenues for awareness and educational campaigns, and social media to reach out to younger GBMSM. Conclusions: This study highlights the complexities behind chemsex use among GBMSM in Singapore, and the range of individual to institutional factors to be addressed. We recommend that community-based organisations and policy-makers find ways to destigmatise discussion of chemsex and provide safe spaces to seek help for drug use