A Dialectical Methodology For Decision Support Systems Design

As organizations continue to grow in size, reaching global proportions, they have ever increasing impacts on their environments. Some believe that a much broader array of concerns should be brought into organizational decision-making processes, including greater consideration of social, political, ethical and aesthetic factors (Mitroff and Linstone, 1993; Courtney, 2001). Decision environments such as these are decidedly wicked (Rittel and Webber, 1973). Designing decision support systems in such environments where there is a high level of interconnectedness, issues are overlapping and a multiplicity of stakeholders is involved, is a very complex task. In this dissertation a methodology for the development of a DSS for wicked situations is proposed using the design theory building process suggested by Walls et al. (1992). This proposed theory is based on dialectic theory and the multiple perspective approach suggested by Linstone and Mitroff (1993). The design process consists of identifying relevant stakeholders, their respective worldviews, and conflicts in these worldviews. A design (thesis) and counter design (antithesis) are created, and a prototype systems based on these designs are developed. These prototypes are then presented to the different stakeholder groups who engage in a dialogue which leads to the development of a synthesized design. The process is repeated until all conflicts are resolved or resources are exhausted, and a final system is produced. Using action research and system development research methodologies, the proposed design theory was applied to zoning decision process in Orange County, Florida. The results of this study led to the following: 1. It is feasible to implement the MPDP methodology proposed in this dissertation. 2. The MPDP methodology resulted in a synthesized design that accommodates the different views of the stakeholders. 3. The MPDP methodology is suitable for contentious situations and may not be feasible for structured decisions. 4. Most of the subjects did achieve a more understanding of the decision process. These results suggest that the MPDP design theory can be effective in developing decision support systems in contentious situations

Effect of ERP Usage on Transparency, Ethical Work Climate and Organizational Performance

this research in progress we investigate the impact of ERP usage on perceived transparency, ethical work climate and perceived organizational performance. The goal is to shed light on ERP usage outcomes using organizational variables measured at the individual level. Data will be collected using an online survey from ERP users in different organizations in an emerging economy

Adoption of Biometric Technology: Information Privacy in TAM

This paper (work in progress) investigates how the individual’s concern for information privacy affects the adoption of biometric technologies. Biometrics refers to the automated authentication of an individual based on his/her distinguishing characteristics (Bolle et al. 2004). Given the very personal nature of biometric technologies, their adoption may be inhibited by individual’s concern for information privacy. This research develops a model of biometrics adoption that integrates information privacy and TAM. This model aims to assist researchers and practitioners in understanding the factors that affect biometrics adoption. To examine the effects of TAM and privacy on intentions to use biometric technology, a pretested instrument will be administered to medical personnel who use finger scanning equipment to retrieve drugs in a hospital

The Role of National Culture Differences in User Adoption of Social Netowrking

Social networking sites are extremely popular around the world with millions of users logging in daily to reconnect with their friends or find new ones. Using Hofstede’s dimensions of national culture and diffusion of innovation as theoretical basis this paper investigates whether users of social networking websites perceive and adopt online social networking differently across different cultures, specifically focusing on Morocco and the United States. Most studies of social networking websites have focused on the users in the United States. This research proposes a unique cross cultural comparison of social networking and its diffusion in different countries

Internship in the Time of COVID-19

Several companies have canceled their internship programs amid the coronavirus disease of 2018 (COVID-19) pandemic. Higher education institutions that require internships for graduation face the challenge of finding alternative solutions to their students so as not to delay their graduation. In this practice paper, we present a solution that the school of business administration in a liberal art university in a developing country adopted to address the issue and highlight lessons learned

Information Communication Technology Adoption in Moroccan Small and Medium Enterprises

Information Technology plays an important role in improving organizational competitiveness and as a result the economicgrowth of a country, particularly within the emerging context. This research in progress examines the extent of informationcommunication technology (ICT) skills, use and adoption among managers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) inMorocco. The framework for this analysis is the original Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with the inclusion of fouradditional variables namely: subjective norm, computer experience, perceived financial cost and personal innovativeness

ONLINE DISCLOSURE AND PRIVACY CONCERNS: A STUDY OF MOROCCAN AND AMERICAN FACEBOOK USERS

In using online social networks to connect and interact with people has become extremely popular all around the world. Thelargest Social Networking Site (SNS), Facebook, offers its services in over 70 languages and increasingly relies oninternational users to grow its membership. Aiming to understand the role of culture in SNS participation, this study adopts a‘privacy calculus’ perspective to examine the differences in participation patterns between American and MoroccanFacebook users. Survey results show that Moroccans users disclose less on Facebook than US users, yet perceive moredamage should their privacy on Facebook be violated. American users, on the other hand, have lower privacy concerns, trustfellow SNS members and legal system more, and disclose more in their profile. From a practical standpoint, the resultsindicate that SNS providers cannot rely on the same methods to encourage user participation and disclosure in differentcountries