Microsourcing - Using Information Technology to Create Unexpected Work Relationships and Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Offshore outsourcing has increased to the point where it is now part of the mainstream consciousness. The same tools that enable remote work sharing in corporations also allow individuals to outsource their own work (microsourcing)—either with company approval or covertly. As an innovative work practice, microsourcing can bring greater flexibility to the workforce. It also has the potential to undermine control of the work process as well as introducing new risks and ethical issues to the workplace. The appearance of brokers to facilitate microsourcing suggests that entrepreneurs perceive there is a demand for these arrangements. Due to the potential threats to intellectual property, even employers and managers who do not use or approve of the practice should take some steps to educate themselves about microsourcing. This research is the first known attempt to use a theoretical framework to understand microsourcing as an individual level work strategy as well as its context and drivers. This study uses Structuration Theory as a guideline in the investigation of different microsourcing implementations

A Framework for Healthcare Information Systems: Exploring a Large System of Systems Using System Dynamics

Government and private health agencies are being compelled by internal and external forces to integrate their electronic records and resources. Many medical systems consist of isolated, disparate implementations that are now being required to interoperate with other systems. This study reviewed the literature on healthcare and other large systems of systems (SOS) implementations and frameworks to determine common problem themes. Reports on large government systems revealed that planning frameworks had difficulty accounting for unexpected aspects of system behavior when a systems\u27 whole exceeds the sum of its parts. System Dynamics modeling, first developed at MIT, was examined as a possible answer to comprehending large system behaviors without being overcome by implementation details

UNDERSTANDING METHODS TO REDUCING REDUNDANT MEDICAL LAB TEST ORDERING ? A CASE STUDY ON VISTA/CPRS AND THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

Reducing redundant medical lab tests has been discussed in the literature as a cost saving benefit of Electronic Health Record (EHR) adoption; however the literature does not provide a great deal of information on the mechanics of achieving this goal. Laboratory ordering using an EHR occurs within a complex socio-technical context that can be difficult to understand. A case study was performed on an EHR that provided insight into the interplay of these elements as well as the current state of laboratory ordering guidelines. A theoretical framework, using Strong Structuration Theory was used to guide the research. The result was improved insight into required technological capabilities to support clinical care and the environmental contexts that shape them

Stakeholder Analysis Framework for IT Enabled Healthcare Outsourcing: Critical Success Factors

In the past decade, we have seen that information technology (IT) played an important role as an enabler for healthcare outsourcing. Healthcare services at various levels (support, clinical, etc.) are now being outsourced to countries such as India, Philippines and China. While IT outsourcing is at an all time high, healthcare outsourcing has been slowly and steadily increasing. However, there is no clear document in the literature that actually explains what is really going on in healthcare outsourcing. The purpose of this paper is to provide a current picture of healthcare outsourcing while focusing on the role of IT as an enabler. We develop and present a framework that helps stakeholders to understand the opportunities, critical success factors (CSFs), threats, and weaknesses of the business model that drives IT-based healthcare services offshore

Reluctant Software Developers - Tactical Software Management Issues for Developing Software Outside the Software Industry

The issue of strategic software development management generally assumes the organization is in the software industry. However, there are cases of non-software vendors who have successfully built from within and even disseminated the results within their industry. These organizations must also grapple with strategic and tactical software management issues. Case studies and comparisons of such organizations may provide information for software organizations as well as unique perspectives on tactical management issues. Two cases, one a private sector company and the other a government agency will be examined to illuminate issues for building from within or insourcing. A government created, public architecture for Open Source Electronic Healthcare Records (EHR) systems is examined for potential leveraged development through an SPL approach