IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE COORDINATION IN EARLY STAGES OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT USING GAMIFICATION

Research on software development teams, both co-located and virtual, reveals that additional focus is necessary to improve coordination. This research-in-progress explores one element of gamification for improvingthe initial stages of software team coordination. We develop a model to empirically test the effects of gamification during software requirements elicitation on both co-located and virtual teams based on a controlled 2 x 3 experiment

The Impact of Influence Tactics in Information System Development Projects: A Control-Loss Perspective

Information systems development (ISD) projects are prone to high levels of failure. One of the major reasons attributed to these failures is the inability to harmonize values held by a diverse set of participants in an environment that is characterized by uncertainty due to changing requirements. In this paper, we focus on a relational approach to achieve congruence between a project manager and a team member with respect to influence tactics. Constructs of perceptual congruence and communication congruence that reflect a level of agreement and degree of shared understanding between the project manager and team members are described. A congruence model is constructed and tied to an intermediate outcome variable of control loss. One hundred and thirteen dyadic pairs of project managers and team members are surveyed in order to test the model. The results indicate that having strong relational equity and common understanding can minimize control loss. It is important to consider the perspectives of both the project manager and a team member while formulating and assessing monitoring strategies to promote the success of an ISD project. Especially, encouraging team members to discuss disagreements constructively can motivate them to perform better and keep things under control. Finally, it is critical to address the performance problems as they occur rather than wait until the completion of the project

The Impact of Influence Tactics in Information System Development Projects: A Control-Loss Perspective

Information systems development (ISD) projects are prone to high levels of failure. One of the major reasons attributed to these failures is the inability to harmonize values held by a diverse set of participants in an environment that is characterized by uncertainty due to changing requirements. In this paper, we focus on a relational approach to achieve congruence between a project manager and a team member with respect to influence tactics. Constructs of perceptual congruence and communication congruence that reflect a level of agreement and degree of shared understanding between the project manager and team members are described. A congruence model is constructed and tied to an intermediate outcome variable of control loss. One hundred and thirteen dyadic pairs of project managers and team members are surveyed in order to test the model. The results indicate that having strong relational equity and common understanding can minimize control loss. It is important to consider the perspectives of both the project manager and a team member while formulating and assessing monitoring strategies to promote the success of an ISD project. Especially, encouraging team members to discuss disagreements constructively can motivate them to perform better and keep things under control. Finally, it is critical to address the performance problems as they occur rather than wait until the completion of the project

Buyer Perceptions of Supply Disruption Risk: A Behavioral View and Empirical Assessment

As supply chains become more complex, firms face increasing risks of supply disruptions. The process through which buyers make decisions in the face of these risks, however, has not been explored. Despite research highlighting the importance of behavioral approaches to risk, there is limited research that applies these views of risk in the supply chain literature. This paper addresses this gap by drawing on behavioral risk theory to investigate the causal relationships amongst situation, representations of risk, and decision-making within the purchasing domain. We operationalize and explore the relationship between three representations of supply disruption risk: magnitude of supply disruption, probability of supply disruption, and overall supply disruption risk. Additionally, we draw on exchange theories to identify product and market factors that impact buyers’ perceptions of the probability and magnitude of supply disruption. Finally, we look at how representations of risk affect the decision to seek alternative sources of supply. We test our model using data collected from 223 purchasing managers and buyers of direct materials. Our results show that both the probability and the magnitude of supply disruption are important to buyers’ overall perceptions of supply disruption risk. We also find that product and market situational factors impact perceptions of risk, but they are best understood through their impact on perceptions of probability and magnitude. Finally, we find that decisions are based on assessments of overall risk. These findings provide insight into the decision-making process and show that all three representations of risk are necessary for fully understanding risky decision-making with respect to supply disruptions

Making Sense Of Supply Disruption Risk Research: A Conceptual Framework Grounded In Enactment Theory

The rich stream of supply disruption risk (SDR) literature incorporates several different theories and constructs across studies, but lacks a unifying decision-making framework. We review 79 SDR studies and advance a comprehensive framework, grounded in enactment theory, which integrates the disparate elements of SDR research and offers new insights into the SDR decision-making process. Enactment theory posits a three-stage, closed-loop process, consisting of enactment, selection and retention, through which individuals process and make sense of equivocal environments. We suggest that this sense-making process also underlies SDR decision-making, and provides the theoretical underpinnings for the environmental, organizational and individual factors that affect the formation of buyers\u27 perceptions of SDR and the actions they take to mitigate such risks. In accordance with our conceptual framework, we develop seven propositions that advance the social and psychological factors that drive the idiosyncratic nature of SDR decision-making

Inelastic neutron scattering studies of the quantum frustrated magnet clinoatacamite, γ\gamma-Cu2(OD)3Cl, a proposed valence bond solid (VBS)

The frustrated magnet clinoatacamite, $\gamma$-Cu$_2$(OH)$_3$Cl, is attracting a lot of interest after suggestions that at low temperature it forms an exotic quantum state termed a Valence Bond Solid (VBS) made from dimerised Cu$^{2+}$ ($S=1/2$) spins.\cite{Lee_clinoatacamite} Key to the arguments surrounding this proposal were suggestions that the kagom\'e planes in the magnetic pyrochlore lattice of clinoatacamite are only weakly coupled, causing the system to behave as a quasi-2-dimensional magnet. This was reasoned from the near 95$^\circ$ angles made at the bridging oxygens that mediate exchange between the Cu ions that link the kagom\'e planes. Recent work pointed out that this exchange model is inappropriate for $\gamma$-Cu$_2$(OH)$_3$Cl, where the oxygen is present as a $\mu_3$-OH.\cite{Wills_JPC} Further, it used symmetry calculations and neutron powder diffraction to show that the low temperature magnetic structure ($T<6$ K) was canted and involved significant spin ordering on all the Cu$^{2+}$ spins, which is incompatible with the interpretation of simultaneous VBS and N\'eel ordering. Correspondingly, clinoatacamite is best considered a distorted pyrochlore magnet. In this report we show detailed inelastic neutron scattering spectra and revisit the responses of this frustrated quantum magnet.Comment: Proceedings of The International Conference on Highly Frustrated Magnetism 2008 (HFM2008

Factors influencing swift and effective resolution of supplier problems

Purpose – How might an organization swiftly resolve supplier problems such that the issue does not reoccur? The purpose of this study seeks to understand the impact of different knowledge-sharing routines on measures of effective problem resolution. Design/methodology/approach – Data are collected from an automotive manufacturer’s (buyer) database. A hierarchical linear model analyzes dyadic data collected from 155 problems across 24 suppliers. Findings – This study reveals that different ways of communicating have differing impact on measures of effective problem-solving. Communication involving face-to-face interaction slows the process, whereas frequent communication can lead to swift resolution. Furthermore, management teams are more likely to lead to a “better” fix in that these teams are more likely to implement changes in the process or product. Research limitations/implications – The data are for a tier-one automotive supplier. Hence, the findings are limited by the extent to which other organizations may differ. Practical implications – The results provide insights for managers experiencing supply issues. Some forms of communication should be encouraged as they enhance the process. Moreover, the findings suggest there are consequences to pressuring a supplier to resolve a complaint quickly. Originality/value – Very few researchers can claim to have investigated observed collaborative mechanisms that occur between a buyer and its suppliers when resolving a problem. This research adds to the literature on the relational view theory as it applies to supply chain management and problem resolution

Toward detection of terrestrial planets in the habitable zone of our closest neighbor: Proxima Centauri

The precision of radial velocity (RV) measurements to detect indirectly planetary companions of nearby stars has improved to enable the discovery of extrasolar planets in the Neptune and Super-Earth mass range. Discoveries of Earth-like planets by means of ground-based RV programs will help to determine the parameter Eta_Earth, the frequency of potentially habitable planets around other stars. In search of low-mass planetary companions we monitored Proxima Centauri (M5V) as part of our M dwarf program. In the absence of a significant detection, we use these data to demonstrate the general capability of the RV method in finding terrestrial planets. For late M dwarfs the classic liquid surface water habitable zone (HZ) is located close to the star, in which circumstances the RV method is most effective. We want to demonstrate that late M dwarfs are ideal targets for the search of terrestrial planets with the RV technique. We obtained differential RV measurements of Proxima Cen over a time span of 7 years with the UVES spectrograph at the ESO VLT. We determine upper limits to the masses of companions in circular orbits by means of numerical simulations. The RV data of Proxima Cen have a total rms scatter of 3.1 m/s and a period search does not reveal any significant signals. As a result of our companion limit calculations, we find that we successfully recover all test signals with RV amplitudes corresponding to planets with m sin i > 2 - 3 M_Earth residing inside the HZ of Proxima Cen with a statistical significance of >99%. Over the same period range, we can recover 50% of the test planets with masses of m sin i > 1.5 - 2.5 M_Earth. Based on our simulations, we exclude the presence of any planet in a circular orbit with m sin i > 1 M_Neptune at separations of a < 1 AU.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic