The Red Supergiant Content of M31

We investigate the red supergiant (RSG) population of M31, obtaining radial velocities of 255 stars. These data substantiate membership of our photometrically-selected sample, demonstrating that Galactic foreground stars and extragalactic RSGs can be distinguished on the basis of B-V, V-R two-color diagrams. In addition, we use these spectra to measure effective temperatures and assign spectral types, deriving physical properties for 192 RSGs. Comparison with the solar-metallicity Geneva evolutionary tracks indicates astonishingly good agreement. The most luminous RSGs in M31 are likely evolved from 25-30 Mo stars, while the vast majority evolved from stars with initial masses of 20 Mo or less. There is an interesting bifurcation in the distribution of RSGs with effective temperatures that increases with higher luminosities, with one sequence consisting of early K-type supergiants, and with the other consisting of M-type supergiants that become later (cooler) with increasing luminosities. This separation is only partially reflected in the evolutionary tracks, although that might be due to the mis-match in metallicities between the solar Geneva models and the higher-than-solar metallicity of M31. As the luminosities increase the median spectral type also increases; i.e., the higher mass RSGs spend more time at cooler temperatures than do those of lower luminosities, a result which is new to this study. Finally we discuss what would be needed observationally to successfully build a luminosity function that could be used to constrain the mass-loss rates of RSGs as our Geneva colleagues have suggested.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journa

Predicting Group Output: Assessing the Relative Impacts of Task-Related Input and GSS Use

Although GSS researchers recognize the importance of communication within the group in determining the final group output, little attention has been given to the information that the individual group members possess prior to the group activity as a basis for this communication. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to characterize the pre-group, task-related information that individuals possessed, and to (2) to examine the impact of a GSS, as a transformer, on the sampling of these inputs during the process of generating group outputs. Our results provide strong evidence for the importance of pre-group information in determiifing the group output. For the idea generating task used in this study, the effect of using a GSS was overwhelmed by the impact of the task-related information that group members possessed prior to the group activity

A Runaway Red Supergiant in M31

A significant percentage of OB stars are runaways, so we can expect a similar percentage of their evolved descendants to also be runaways. However, recognizing such stars presents its own set of challenges, as these older, more evolved stars will have drifted farther from their birthplace, and thus their velocities might not be obviously peculiar. Several Galactic red supergiants (RSGs) have been described as likely runaways based on the existence of bow shocks, including Betelgeuse. Here we announce the discovery of a runaway RSG in M31 based on a 300 km s^(−1) discrepancy with M31's kinematics. The star is found about 21' (4.6 kpc) from the plane of the disk, but this separation is consistent with its velocity and likely age (~10 Myr). The star, J004330.06+405258.4, is an M2 I, with M_V = −5.7, logL/L_☉ = 4.76, an effective temperature of 3700 K, and an inferred mass of 12–15M_⊙. The star may be a high-mass analog of the hypervelocity stars, given that its peculiar space velocity is probably 400–450 km s^(−1), comparable to the escape speed from M31's disk

Kowledge Management and Organizational Learning: An Overview of the Mini Track

This paper provides an introduction to the knowledge management and organizational learning mini track. We begin with a discussion of how the mini track has evolved over time, which is followed by an overview of knowledge management and organizational learning. This is followed by a discussion of some of the pressing research issues in the area. This overview concludes with a discussion of the journals and conferences associated with knowledge management and organizational learning

Supporting A Strategic Business Process Via An IT Service Innovation

To date, there has been limited research on the role of an internal IT service innovation in a strategic business process. An IT service innovation supports organizational business processes and is designed, developed and deployed following the notion of service logic characterized by intangible resources, the co-creation of value, and relationships. We examine the influence of an IT service innovation – an IT-enabled collaboration platform – on collaboration outcomes in the product development process. We develop and test a model that posits that the use of the platform will lead to positive service quality conceptualized as collaboration quality that in turn influences collaboration satisfaction. We conducted a study of a collaboration platform implementation by a major pharmaceutical company (N = 1,746) and found support for our model. Our findings contribute to the literature by providing insights on how employees utilize the capabilities of an IT service innovation in their work processes to achieve desired outcomes

Social Media in the Workplace: Influence on Employee Agility and Innovative Behavior

Despite the increasing adoption of enterprise social media (ESM), little research has examined the link between ESM use and job outcomes. We examine this link, highlighting the role of agility at an individual level. We adopt two measures of use – deep structure use (view, create, and respond) and cognitive absorption use. We develop and operationalize work agility and communication agility as primary benefits of ESM use, which are hypothesized to affect employees\u27 innovative behavior outcomes. Using two waves of surveys from a Fortune 500 company, we found that create and respond were significant for work agility, while create and view were significant for communication agility. Cognitive absorption use influences both work and communication agility. Counter-intuitively, we found a negative effect of communication agility on innovative behavior, while work agility was positive as expected. This research sheds light on the underlying influence mechanism of ESM use from the dual perspective of system use

Cyber Bullying Among Female College Students: An Exploratory Study

Background and Purpose: Cyber bullying is often assumed to only occur in grades K-12, yet reports of such behaviors on college campuses and in the workplace are increasing. The U.S. Federal Government has recently called for policy development regarding cyber bullying to occur in higher education. This study explored perceptions of frequency and severity of cyber bullying among college students. Consequences of cyber bullying and the need for resources on college campuses were also explored. Methods: In 2011, a total of 18 undergraduate women participated in three focus groups, each lasting approximately 75 minutes. Results: Emergent themes revealed participants do not consider cyber bullying to be a significant issue currently, but likely will increase in prevalence among the college population. Many participants were familiar with the cyber bullying term but were unaware of its definition, nor could they provide examples. Further, the majority of participants were unaware of resources for victims of cyber bullying. Implications: Findings from this study reveal the need for educational programs geared toward college students about the meaning and consequences of cyber bullying. Further, resources for victims of cyber bullying should be made available on college campuses

Securing the Future of Information Systems as an Academic Discipline

There are reasons to be concerned about the future of the academic discipline (or field) of Information Systems. Enrollments have dropped, survey courses are questioned, some writers have suggested that the IS function will soon disappear, and some well-known schools have yet to acknowledge the existence of a new academic discipline. These events are enough to create uncertainty in a relatively young field less than 40 years old. Is there a real crisis, or is the current situation temporary? The paper evaluates six pessimistic arguments about the field. Overall, while problems exist, we believe the prognosis is good. The need for and the value of the IS function and systems continue to be high. Investment continues to be strong. The preconditions are in place for con- tinued strength for the IS academic discipline. Are there things the field needs to do right in order to secure the future of the field? Perhaps muddling along will work, but proactive actions are more likely to be success- ful. This paper makes five recommendations for proactively making sure the field prospers and makes real contributions through our research, our teaching, and our relationships with other academic fields and practitioners