62 research outputs found

    Computer Software Patents: a Dilemma in Competitive Advantage IT Research

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    A significant amount of information technology (IT) research centers on the attainment of competitive advantage through the use of IT. In many cases, the use of patents to protect that IT does not receive much attention. Often studies conclude that patent protection cannot help IT to achieve such an advantage. Our research finds that many IT researchers based these conclusions predominately on two studies that are no longer relevant. This paper reviews some of that IT research and then links that research to these two dated studies. A number of reasons why researchers may continue to use the research for support of their conclusions are put forth, including lack of knowledge, research as a lagging indicator, pressure to complete research The paper offers recommendations for improving the research efforts such as using law as a reference discipline, considering the law in the reviewing process, and including legal considerations in doctoral training. We conclude with lessons learned

    Relevance in MIS Research: The Need for the Laws as a Reference Discipline

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    Recently, IS research has been criticized for lacking in rigor and relevance. One reason for this is that IS researchers have a limited exposure to relevant contexts where IT use and behavior of management are involved. Another consideration is the multiplicity of theoretical frameworks and reference disciplines that exist. This paper suggests that considering the law as a much needed reference discipline for IS research can advance rigor and relevance. The body of law that is suggested includes contract, tort, and intellectual property. Some areas of IS research that would be lacking in rigor and relevance should the law not be considered are also identified and discussed

    Business Method Patents: Do Owners Gain/Sustain Competitive Advantage?

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    The importance of information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) as strategic business tools has been widely acknowledged by both practitioners and academics. Hence, researchers have long been interested in the business value of IT and its influence on gaining and sustaining competitive advantage. Many claim that IT is subject to easy duplication and lack of protection and therefore sustained competitive advantage from IT is not a reality. However, other researchers have been able to show that the strategic use of IT applications can lead to longer term superior performance. Business method patents could be the missing link between the strategic use of IT and sustained competitive advantage. These patents have become much more valuable and enforceable in recent years providing protection for the patent owner that has not been considered by academicians. In this study, 40 patenting firms were matched with 40 nonpatenting competitors and their performance was compared in order to explore patent- protected IT-enabled sustained competitive advantage. The ownership of business method patents was not found to be a significant contributor to competitive advantage. However, patent-owning firms that were able to gain an initial performance improvement were more likely to maintain that advantage over time

    Decision Factors for the Adoption of E-Finance and other E-Commerce Systems

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    The development of e-commerce relies upon customer usage intentions, and IS researchers have examined usage intentions toward various online e-commerce systems. However, these systems have been studied in prior works independently rather than comprehensively. In order to pursue better measures for predicting and explaining B2C e-finance and some other major e-commerce adoptions for customers, we conducted a comparison analysis across different online systems to advance the understanding of the adoption factors and their linkage to customer behavior. Refining from Perceived Risk Theory and existing studies, specific risk facets, customer characteristics and system characteristics were operationalized and integrated within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) resulting in a proposed e-finance and other e-commerce system adoption model

    Risky Group Decision Making: A Comparative Analysis of FTF and CMC Teams in Stock-Trak Investment Simulations

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    Few studies have explicitly focused on risky group decision making in information sharing or examined the manifestation of communication differences in face-to-face (FTF) and computer-mediated communication (CMC) teams. Hypothesizing that information-sharing behaviors could be influenced not only by contextual forces but also by personality and trust, we integrate communication mode, trust and personality into a theoretical framework, and also examine the possible impact of these constructs on risky group decision-making outcomes. Our interdisciplinary study integrates the fields of information system management, investment analysis and financial education by examining both FTF and CMC teamwork in a Stock-Trak portfolio simulation. We find that contrary to the common wisdom, even though FTF team members tend to feel greater levels of trust, affiliation and satisfaction in their team collaboration process, CMC teams eventually outperform their FTF counterparts by having greater portfolio returns and investor utilities

    A Role for Alstrƶm Syndrome Protein, Alms1, in Kidney Ciliogenesis and Cellular Quiescence

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    Premature truncation alleles in the ALMS1 gene are a frequent cause of human Alstrƶm syndrome. Alstrƶm syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by early obesity and sensory impairment, symptoms shared with other genetic diseases affecting proteins of the primary cilium. ALMS1 localizes to centrosomes and ciliary basal bodies, but truncation mutations in Alms1/ALMS1 do not preclude formation of cilia. Here, we show that in vitro knockdown of Alms1 in mice causes stunted cilia on kidney epithelial cells and prevents these cells from increasing calcium influx in response to mechanical stimuli. The stunted-cilium phenotype can be rescued with a 5ā€² fragment of the Alms1 cDNA, which resembles disease-associated alleles. In a mouse model of Alstrƶm syndrome, Alms1 protein can be stably expressed from the mutant allele and is required for cilia formation in primary cells. Aged mice developed specific loss of cilia from the kidney proximal tubules, which is associated with foci of apoptosis or proliferation. As renal failure is a common cause of mortality in Alstrƶm syndrome patients, we conclude that this disease should be considered as a further example of the class of renal ciliopathies: wild-type or mutant alleles of the Alstrƶm syndrome gene can support normal kidney ciliogenesis in vitro and in vivo, but mutant alleles are associated with age-dependent loss of kidney primary cilia

    The Role for HNF-1Ī²-Targeted Collectrin in Maintenance of Primary Cilia and Cell Polarity in Collecting Duct Cells

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    Collectrin, a homologue of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), is a type I transmembrane protein, and we originally reported its localization to the cytoplasm and apical membrane of collecting duct cells. Recently, two independent studies of targeted disruption of collectrin in mice resulted in severe and general defects in renal amino acid uptake. Collectrin has been reported to be under the transcriptional regulation by HNF-1Ī±, which is exclusively expressed in proximal tubules and localized at the luminal side of brush border membranes. The deficiency of collectrin was associated with reduction of multiple amino acid transporters on luminal membranes. In the current study, we describe that collectrin is a target of HNF-1Ī² and heavily expressed in the primary cilium of renal collecting duct cells. Collectrin is also localized in the vesicles near the peri-basal body region and binds to Ī³-actin-myosin II-A, SNARE, and polycystin-2-polaris complexes, and all of these are involved in intracellular and ciliary movement of vesicles and membrane proteins. Treatment of mIMCD3 cells with collectrin siRNA resulted in defective cilium formation, increased cell proliferation and apoptosis, and disappearance of polycystin-2 in the primary cilium. Suppression of collectrin mRNA in metanephric culture resulted in the formation of multiple longitudinal cysts in ureteric bud branches. Taken together, the cystic change and formation of defective cilium with the interference in the collectrin functions would suggest that it is necessary for recycling of the primary cilia-specific membrane proteins, the maintenance of the primary cilia and cell polarity of collecting duct cells. The transcriptional hierarchy between HNF-1Ī² and PKD (polycystic kidney disease) genes expressed in the primary cilia of collecting duct cells has been suggested, and collectrin is one of such HNF-1Ī² regulated genes
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