Basic principles of SSM modelling: an examination of CATWOE from a soft perspective

This paper examines the SSM technique CATWOE, which focuses on defining necessary elements that together constitute a human activity system from a certain perspective. Despite its recognition within the literature and its numerous uses, there are few studies on how the technique can be improved. This research reflects on each of the elements both from a theoretical and a practical perspective. Findings point to the fact that some of the terms have a meaning in everyday language that differs from its definition within CATWOE. Other concepts are not well-defined. This is unfortunate and may both lead to misunderstandings and limit analysis. The paper points to a number of ways in which the use of CATWOE can be developed in order to further support the process of eliciting novel ideas for future actions. Hence, the overall conclusion is that the elements need to be rethought and some of them renamed

Omnichannel Transition: A Panacea for Retail?

Digitalization has affected the status quo of every industry and retail is no exception. Omnichannel is the new norm in today’s retailing. The days of managing and highlighting ecommerce and digi-tal channels are over, now the time is for omnichannel. The shoppers are already omnichannel and this puts pressure on retailers to be omnichannel as soon as possible. In the last few years, acade-micians as well as practitioners have proposed omnichannel management as the future of retailing. However, the reality looks different; the knowledge about omnichannel management and the omni-channel transition is fragmented in the current literature. This research sheds light on the extant knowledge on omnichannel retail drivers and transition journey. The purpose of this study is to illuminate how the omnichannel concept is used and propose a model for outlining the transition from single channel to omnichannel. Moreover, contemporary research on omnichannel drivers and challenges are provided, as well as areas needed for further research

Towards Secure Data Flow Oriented Multi-Vendor ICT Governance Model

Today, still, ICT Governance is being regarded as a departmental concern, not an overall organizational concern. History has shown us that implementation strategies, which are based on departments, results in fractional implementations leading to ad hoc solutions with no central control and stagnation for the in-house ICT strategy. Further, this recently has created an opinion trend; many are talking about the ICT department as being redundant, a dying out breed, which should be replaced by on-demand specialized external services. Clearly, the evermore changing surroundings do force organizations to accelerate the pace of new adaptations within their ICT plans, more vivacious than most organizations currently is able to. This leads to that ICT departments tend to be reactive rather than acting proactively and take the lead in the increased transformation pace in which organizations find themselves. Simultaneously, the monolithic systems of the 1980ies/1990ies is often very dominating in an organization, consume too much of the yearly IT budget, leaving healthy system development behind. These systems were designed before data became an organizational all-encompassing resource; the systems were designed more or less in isolation in regards to the surrounding environment. These solutions make data sharing costly and not at all optimal. Additionally, in strives to adapt to the organization’s evolution, the initial architecture has become disrupted and built up in shreds. Adding to this, on May 25, 2018, an upgraded EU Privacy Regulation on General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be activated. This upgraded privacy regulation includes a substantial strengthening of 1994’s data privacy regulation, which will profoundly affect EU organizations. This regulation will, among other things, limit the right to collect and process personal data and will give the data subject all rights to his/her data sets, independentof where this data is/has been collected and by whom. Such regulation force data collecting and processingorganizations to have total control over any personal data collected and processed. This includes detailedunderstanding of data flows, including who did what and when and under who’s authorization, and how data istransported and stored. Concerning data/information flows, maps are a mandatory part of the system documentation. This encompasses all systems, including outsourced such as cloud services. Hence, individual departments cannot any longer claim they “own” data. Further, since mid-2000, we have seen aglobal inter-organizational data integration, independent of organizations, public or private. If this integration ceasesto exist, the result will be a threat to the survival of the organization. Additionally, if the organization fails to providea transparent documentation according to the GDPR, substantial economic risk is at stake. So, the discussion aboutthe ICT departments’ demise is inapt. Any organizational change will require costly and time-consuming ICTdevelopment efforts to adapt to the legislation of today’s situation. Further, since data nowadays is interconnectedand transformed at all levels, interacting at multiple intersections all over the organization, and becoming a unifiedbase of all operative decisions, an ICT governance model for the organization is required

People, Technology and Work Practices: Understanding the Processes of Sensemaking When Using IT in a Nursing Context

Information Technology (IT) usage is increasingly focused on interaction processes rather than data storage and transaction. This change fundamentally transforms work practices, and these practices in interplay with human agents and technology in turn affect the boundaries for scope of action. In this paper, we explore nurses’ use of Electronic Patient Records (EPRs) for sensemaking and other elucidating processes that support, co- create, and mediate collective learning and social practice, thereby contributing to individual and organizational knowledge

Towards Secure Data Flow Oriented Multi-Vendor ICT Governance Model

Today, still, ICT Governance is being regarded as a departmental concern, not an overall organizational concern. History has shown us that implementation strategies, which are based on departments, results in fractional implementations leading to ad hoc solutions with no central control and stagnation for the in-house ICT strategy. Further, this recently has created an opinion trend; many are talking about the ICT department as being redundant, a dying out breed, which should be replaced by on-demand specialized external services. Clearly, the evermore changing surroundings do force organizations to accelerate the pace of new adaptations within their ICT plans, more vivacious than most organizations currently is able to. This leads to that ICT departments tend to be reactive rather than acting proactively and take the lead in the increased transformation pace in which organizations find themselves. Simultaneously, the monolithic systems of the 1980ies/1990ies is often very dominating in an organization, consume too much of the yearly IT budget, leaving healthy system development behind. These systems were designed before data became an organizational all-encompassing resource; the systems were designed more or less in isolation in regards to the surrounding environment. These solutions make data sharing costly and not at all optimal. Additionally, in strives to adapt to the organization’s evolution, the initial architecture has become disrupted and built up in shreds. Adding to this, on May 25, 2018, an upgraded EU Privacy Regulation on General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be activated. This upgraded privacy regulation includes a substantial strengthening of 1994’s data privacy regulation, which will profoundly affect EU organizations. This regulation will, among other things, limit the right to collect and process personal data and will give the data subject all rights to his/her data sets, independentof where this data is/has been collected and by whom. Such regulation force data collecting and processingorganizations to have total control over any personal data collected and processed. This includes detailedunderstanding of data flows, including who did what and when and under who’s authorization, and how data istransported and stored. Concerning data/information flows, maps are a mandatory part of the system documentation. This encompasses all systems, including outsourced such as cloud services. Hence, individual departments cannot any longer claim they “own” data. Further, since mid-2000, we have seen aglobal inter-organizational data integration, independent of organizations, public or private. If this integration ceasesto exist, the result will be a threat to the survival of the organization. Additionally, if the organization fails to providea transparent documentation according to the GDPR, substantial economic risk is at stake. So, the discussion aboutthe ICT departments’ demise is inapt. Any organizational change will require costly and time-consuming ICTdevelopment efforts to adapt to the legislation of today’s situation. Further, since data nowadays is interconnectedand transformed at all levels, interacting at multiple intersections all over the organization, and becoming a unifiedbase of all operative decisions, an ICT governance model for the organization is required

The UBT Knowledge Center: A collaborative design approach

In setting the institutional vision for University for Business and Technology in 2001, founder Dr. Edmond Hajrizi sought to educate Kosovo students to become active contributors to the society and in the workplace, within the country, the Balkans region, and beyond. The UBT Knowledge Center initiative extends the founding vision of national development through higher education. Since local knowledge, identity, and learning are necessarily situated, Kosovar students, faculty, staff, and administrators serve as topical experts and international educators from Sweden and the United States serve as design facilitators for this collaborative project. This paper presents the vision for and concept of the Knowledge Center, followed by reflections on the process so far and anticipated future actions

Generalized Filtering Decomposition

Session 7International audienc

YELL/TELL: online community platform for teacher professional development

The community platform Young/Teen English Language Learners (YELL/TELL) was developed to respond to the needs of collaboration and sharing among trainee teachers, school teachers, teacher trainers and researchers in the field of language learning for English FL/SL. The current study focuses on ethnographic observation and data gathered during a workshop for professional development organized for experienced teachers. We compare the evidence of the teachers\u2019 actions, with the analysis of their perception about the professional use of the online environment and their critical reflection about the experience

Making Local Knowledge Visible: The case of the University for Business and Technology in Kosovo

A vision to further national development through higher education now informs planning for the University for Business and Technology Knowledge Center. At its essence, the Center aims to make local knowledge visible through furthering discovery of and access to research content produced by academic students and university professors on institutional, local and international levels. This paper reports on conceptual exploration of this institutional idea during spring semester 2017 in a graduate course on systems thinking and methodology. Using active learning pedagogy to improve local situations, an international teaching team facilitated student and stakeholder engagement in participatory design activities using soft systems methodology tools and techniques. Course evaluation outcomes revealed students\u27 improved levels of knowledge and development of insights. In addition, their course work demonstrated their advanced understanding of systems thinking and its application. Furthermore, students expressed high motivation to learn more about other human‐centred theories and participatory design tools. In considering the value of the University\u27s knowledge vision, they were especially enthusiastic about its implications for furthering national democratic development in Kosovo and regional economic growth in south‐eastern Europe