Applying Business Analytic Methods To Improve Organizational Performance In The Public School System

This work applies business analytics techniques to the setting of the public school system to improve educational attainment in both junior high and high school in the United States. In particular, this paper reviews common factors identified in the literature as influencing a student’s success in secondary school, discusses how those factors could be digitized and collected through information systems and theorizes how big data and analytics could be further applied to these organization to manage their performance. We then look at the uses of analytics in schools to see how well they match and identify areas for improvement. This work hopes to show that there has been a large effort to digitize some of the prediction factors; however, a large number of the more readily influenced factors have yet to be digitized and used to make evidence based decisions to improve student outcomes in the public school system

Are online auction markets efficient? An empirical study of market liquidity and abnormal returns

Technological advances have facilitated investment in collectibles through online auction markets, where information regarding product characteristics, current and historical prices, and product availability is available to millions of market participants. However, market inefficiencies may still exist, where prices do not reflect market information and where savvy speculators can profit. Using unit root and variance ratio tests, we examine 8538 rare stamp and 56,997 rare coin auctions to evaluate the efficiency of online markets. In particular, we study market liquidity, abnormal returns and weak-form efficiency. We find an inverse relationship between market efficiency and liquidity. Bidder competition intrinsic to liquidity increases the chances that uninformed bidders drive up item prices, leading to the observed market inefficiencies

Event sequence modeling of IT adoption in healthcare

Information systems research is replete with examples of the importance of business processes defining IT adoption. Business processes are influenced by both organizational and operational concerns. We evaluate the comparative importance of operational and organizational influences for complementary IT systems. In the context of acute-care hospitals the analysis shows that an organizational approach to automating a process is related to different financial outcomes than an operational approach. Six complementary systems supporting a three-stage medication management process are studied: prescribing, dispensing, and administration. The analysis uses firm-level, panel data extracted from the HIMSS Analytics database spanning ten years of IT adoption for 140 hospitals. We have augmented the HIMSS dataset with matching demographic and financial details from the American Hospital Association and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Using event sequence analysis we explore whether organizations are more likely to adopt organization boundary spanning systems and if the sequence of adoption follows the temporal ordering of the business process steps. The research also investigates if there is a relationship between the paths to IT adoption and financial performance. Comparison of the two measures suggests that the organizational model of adoption is observed more often in the data. Following the organizational model of adoption is associated with approximately $155 dollar increase in net income per patient day; whereas the operational model of adoption is associated with approximately$225 dollars decrease in net income per patient day. However, this effect diminishes with the adoption of each additional system thus demonstrating that the adoption path effects may only be relevant in the short-term

How can virtual communities create value for business?

Virtual communities include everything from discussion boards to massive multiplayer online role-playing games and virtual realities such as Second Life. The business world has assumed that virtual communities can be leveraged to provide access to consumers and consumer data. The benefits of this assumption have not always been realized. The purpose of this article is to understand why some business ventures into virtual communities fail and others succeed. Why do virtual communities support certain types of business activities and not others? Which firm activities are the best candidates to benefit from being positioned in virtual communities? The theories of social contracts and trust explain how firms can successfully participate in virtual communities. The theories have implications in the context of transaction-oriented, interest-oriented, relationship-oriented, and fantasy-oriented communities. The value chain provides an instructive background to understand which firm activities are candidates for being included in virtual communities. Success in virtual communities depends on an attitude of contribution, dedication of resources, building a critical mass, and matching community and business needs. Because many social technologies are in the disillusionment stage of the hype cycle, further research in the business use of virtual communities is needed to guide business practices as we move to full adoption

AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OFTHE FACTORS THAT AFFECT NURSE RETENTION

Investigate the effects of stress, economic factors, altruism and value congruence on intentions to leave the profession in nursing. As the demand for nurses increases retaining nurses will be critical for healthcare organizations and the healthcare industry. We draw from a mature body of research on nurse retention to build the research model. We analyze data from a survey of 861 registered nurses in the southeastern United States. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the survey. Results confirm the importance of stress and salaries. Strong evidence supports the importance of the fit between employer and nurse values. Finally, the analysis provides unexpected evidence of the reduction of opportunities nurses have to fulfill altruistic desires at work

Nursing Home COVID-19 Impact Analysis Dashboard: A Prototype

The interactive dashboard developed in this study serves to better understand the impact of COVID-19 within nursing homes across the USA. It allows stakeholders to make informed decisions related to the spread of COVID-19 over a 14-month period starting May 2020. Analytics techniques are used to customize the dashboard and enhance its visualization and interactive capabilities. The design science research method was used to create the interactive dashboard as a design artifact to help stakeholders get answers to improve the livelihood conditions for residents in nursing homes. Use of this artifact improves access to information for policy makers and other stakeholders that could not have been possible without an integrated view. The information can inspire new policies for nursing home facilities to improve their situation in light of the pandemic

Data competence maturity: developing data-driven decision making

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to lay out the data competence maturity model (DCMM) and discuss how the application of the model can serve as a foundation for a measured and deliberate use of data in secondary education. Design/methodology/approach - Although the model is new, its implications, and its application are derived from key findings and best practices from the software development, data analytics and secondary education performance literature. These principles can guide educators to better manage student and operational outcomes. This work builds and applies the DCMM model to secondary education. Findings - The conceptual model reveals significant opportunities to improve data-driven decision making in schools and local education agencies (LEAs). Moving past the first and second stages of the data competency maturity model should allow educators to better incorporate data into the regular decision-making process. Practical implications - Moving up the DCMM to better integrate data into their decision-making process has the potential to produce profound improvements for schools and LEAs. Data science is about making better decisions. Understanding the path laid out in the DCMM to helping an organization move to a more mature data-driven decision-making process will help improve both student and operational outcomes. Originality/value - This paper brings a new concept, the DCMM, to the educational literature and discusses how these principles can be applied to improve decision making by integrating them into their decision-making process and trying to help the organization mature within this framework

A DASHBOARD FOR NURSING HOME COVID-19 IMPACT: A DESIGN SCIENCE APPROACH

Using a design science approach, we developed a dashboard prototype (artifact) to better understand the factors related to the impact of COVID-19 within nursing homes (NHs). The artifact will allow stakeholders to make informed decisions related to potential spread of the coronavirus in NHs. Data integrated from disparate sources was used for building the design artifact. We used analytics techniques to customize the dashboard and enhance its visualization and interactive capabilities to help stakeholders get answers related to nursing home factors that impact the spread of COVID-19 in NHs. The viability of the dashboard will depend on the attributes possessed, such as the type of information conveyed, the level of detail, and reusability potential. The dashboard can inspire new policies to be developed for nursing home facilities across the country which will ultimately improve their situations in light of the pandemic