Peer Reviewer Non-performance: The Need to Replenish the “Commons”

Journal editors have observed a greater occurrence of reviewers agreeing to peer review but never completing reviews. It seems that the information systems (IS) field increasingly needs more reviewers. In this paper, I consider the reasons why researchers agree to peer review and the professional and ethical conduct of reviewers who agree to review but never do so. Finally, I make suggestions to motivate reviewers to replenish the “commons”

E-Government Website Awareness and Visitation Among the Techno-Disadvantaged

This study explores awareness and visitation of e-government websites among techno-disadvantaged citizens in the United States. Following up on on a community-based initiative, designed to stimulate computer literacy and access to information and communication technologies for residents and neighbors of an underserved public housing community, a survey of egovernment website awareness and visitation was undertaken. The results indicate that although nearly half of the respondents are neither aware of nor have visited e-government websites, the majority of respondents are partaking in egovernment services. The top categories of e-government website awareness and visitation are transportation, employment, recreation, and children’s services. The contribution of this research is to validate that benefits of e-government services can be brought to members and neighbors of a techno-disadvantaged community. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of the community-based initiative to foster awareness and visitation of e-government websites, thereby advancing egovernment inclusion

A Real-World ERP Pre-Implementation Case for the Classroom

This article presents the results of an empirical evaluation of the use of a real-world case study, based on an actual Big Four consulting engagement, to teach information systems and accounting courses. While alternative approaches for adopting the case are suggested, we used the case study in an undergraduate case competition judged by Big Four partners to enhance realism. Students, working in teams, assumed the role of consultants and defended their recommendations involving the assessment of key business process controls within the final phase of ERP implementation. In this process, students are expected to benefit by understanding the relationship between information systems and accounting in an ERP implementation project; learning to work more effectively in teams; and improving analytical, oral, and written communication skills. Evaluation of the use of the case study in an undergraduate case competition, judged by Big Four partners, shows that the students generally agreed that they had attained these benefits. The actual case materials, questions with suggested solutions, case competition rules and procedures, judges’ assessment form, and the winning team’s written report and PowerPoint presentation slides are provided

System Development from a Legal Perspective

This paper discusses the potential for legal liability when software malfunctions and causes financial loss or harm to the user. The focus is on the systems developer as opposed to the vendor, although the samelegal issues may apply to vendors as well. Various theories in the U.S. legal system may form the basis for legal action, on the part of the purchaser or ultimate user, based upon the characteristics of the individual case. The legal theories examined, for their application to malfunctioning software, are breach of contract and the tort theories of fraud and computer malpractice

AI Recruiting Tools at ShipIt2Me.com

In recent years, we have seen a dramatic increase in business interest in artificial intelligence (AI) and the number of companies that implement AI-related technologies. Thus, current and future employees need understand AI. In this paper, we present a teaching case based on a fictitious company for information systems or business courses at the undergraduate or graduate level. The case introduces students to ShipIt2Me.com (“ShipIt2Me”), a fictitious American e-commerce company that developed an AI human resources recruiting tool to help it hire cloud computing talent. The teaching case summarizes AI concepts and the opportunity for students to examine the advantages and disadvantages of using AI tools in human resources recruiting

The United States Responds to Spain

In the United States, spam, unsolicited bulk or commercial e-mail, is considered to be a significant problem for both consumers and Internet Service Providers. It is currently attracting a patchwork of state level legislative actions as well as proposed federal legislative initiatives. While spam engenders numerous policy concerns, two issues, the jurisdictional domain and the transfer of costs, appear to be unique to spam

An Initative to Narrow the Digital Divide: Preliminary Results

The Digital Divide has been defined as a gap between those with access to new information technologies and those without. The term is also used to characterize the disparity between those who can effectively use information technology and those who cannot. This paper first explores the digital divide within the United States (U.S.) and worldwide. Factors contributing to the widening of the gap are identified, including differences in income, age, education, race, household type, and geographic location. In an effort to reduce the Digital Divide, various initiatives have been undertaken. Preliminary results of an initiative designed to narrow the divide are presented

Privacy in Online Social Networking: Applying a Privacy Calculus Model

The penetration rate continues to grow for social networking sites where individuals join a virtual community to socialize, make connections, and share opinions with those who have similar interests, while revealing personal information. However, online social networking presents a unique context with distinct privacy challenges. To understand information disclosure behavior in this context, we apply the extended privacy calculus model, developed by Dinev and Hart (2006a), which addresses the trade-off between the expected costs of privacy risk beliefs and the benefits of confidence and placement beliefs on the willingness to provide personal information. We further extend this model to include specific types of personal information, based on our proposed taxonomy of information integral to social networking. To test our research model, a questionnaire will be administered to undergraduate students, drawn from the mid-Atlantic U.S. For hypothesis testing, structural equations modeling will be used. The completion of this research-in-progress study is expected to contribute to our understanding of the types of information revealed in online social networking

A Ransomware Case for Use in the Classroom

Given the global growth in ransomware attacks, employees need to understand the risks of ransomware and how to protect against it. This paper presents a teaching case based on an actual ransomware attack on a hospital that undergraduate or graduate course can use to teach students. The case introduces students to Wildcat Hospital, a fictitious 450-bed acute-care facility in a suburban location in the Northeastern United States. A ransomware attack hit Wildcat Hospital as the workday began. Malware infected the hospital\u27s computers and demanded one bitcoin, a virtual currency that affords anonymity, as ransom to restore functionality of the information systems. The chief executive officer and the chief information officer led the organizational response to the attack. We include links to two videos, a demo of a Locky ransomware attack in action, and a National Broadcasting Company (NBC) TV network news report about a similar ransomware incident at another hospital (Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in California) to engage students

IS 2009: Changing the Course for Undergraduate IS Model Curricula

In this panel, the joint AIS / ACM Information Systems undergraduate model curriculum task force members together with other curriculum experts will be presenting and discussing the IS 2009 Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems document and soliciting IS community feedback regarding ongoing IS curriculum development efforts. As such, the panel discussion will center on the significant components embedded in the newly revised curriculum document. This includes: 1) an introduction to the key principles that guided the development of the document, 2) a list of features incorporated into the new model curricula, 3) the future of curriculum development efforts, and 4) proposed mechanism to solicit feedback from the academy