Defining and Meeting the Demand for Agricultural Machinery in China: A Case Study of John Deere

China, Machinery markets, John Deere, Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, Marketing, Public Economics,

Information Security Policy Development Through the Lens of the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework

Organizations worldwide are increasing their information security initiatives to keep pace with the highly complex and dynamically changing operating environments. With mounting regulations, risk mitigation, and critical information protection pressures, they focus on IT governance. Using a case study methodology, this research in progress introduces an interdisciplinary common governance framework to information security policy, an important internal governance control. The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework is part of Nobel Prize-winning work in economics and is recognized as one of the most comprehensive tools for both design and analysis of policy interventions

EDSOA: An Event-Driven Service-Oriented Architecture Model For Enterprise Applications

Enterprise Applications are difficult to implement and maintain because they require a monolith of code to incorporate required business processes. Service-oriented architecture is one solution, but challenges of dependency and software complexity remain. We propose Event-Driven Service-Oriented Architecture, which combines the benefits of component-based software development, event-driven architecture, and SOA

Distance Matters, Except When It Doesn\u27t: Discontinuities in Virtual Work

Virtual work has become an increasingly common phenomenon in today\u27s organizations. Substantial and continuing changes in organizational processes and IT infrastructure have increased the pace and intensity of working across traditionally impermeable boundaries, enabling diverse forms of collaboration. However, our understanding of the consequences and implications of virtual work still lags and research results have been contradictory. We suggest that some of these inconsistencies have been because the boundaries that characterize virtual work-time, space, culture, organization, and so forth-are objective demarcations that are not uniformly problematic. It is only when those working in virtual settings perceive a boundary to be a discontinuity that it hinders work processes. We develop a model of virtual work that differentiates between boundaries and discontinuities, which helps account for contradictory findings. By examining the process of virtual work in more detail, we can uncover issues that are the underlying cause of problems, rather than deal with the more obvious symptoms that can mask underlying problem. Our model has implications both for research and for those working in virtual environments

MISPLACED RESOURCES? FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPUTER LITERACY AMONG END-USERS

Some organizations provide a support infrastructure (e.g., information centers, on-line help) and training (e.g., vendor-supplied, one-on-one) to assist end-users and boost the computer literacy of their workforce. In this paper, we explore the efficacy of a support infrastructure, training, and various computer configurations for enhancing the computer literacy of work groups. Data come from a multi-year (1987 to 1989) study of seventy-seven computer-using work groups in the southern California area, which included two interviews with managers and two questionnaires distributed to workers. Analyses showed that none of the measures of training were associated with computer literacy. Only one kind of infrastructure support, obtaining information from a resident expert in the work group, was related to computer literacy. In contrast, many aspects of the configuration of the computer systems were associated with computer literacy. Implications of these provocative findings for the management of end-user computing are discussed

IS Programs Responding to Industry Demands for Data Scientists: A Comparison Between 2011-2016

The term data scientist has only been in common use since 2008, but in 2016 it is considered one of the top careers in the United States. The purpose of this paper is to explore the growth of data science content areas such as analytics, business intelligence, and big data in AACSB Information Systems (IS) programs between 2011 and 2016. A secondary purpose is to analyze the effect of IS programs’ adherence to IS 2010 Model Curriculum Guidelines for undergraduate MIS programs, as well as the impact of IS programs offering an advanced database course in 2011 on data science course offerings in 2016. A majority (60%) of AACSB IS programs added data science-related courses between 2011 and 2016. Results indicate dramatic increases in courses offered in big data analytics (583%), visualization (300%), business data analysis (260%), and business intelligence (236%). ANOVA results also find a significant effect of departments offering advanced database courses in 2011 on new analytics course offerings in 2016. A Chi-Square analysis did not find an effect of IS 2010 Model Curriculum adherence on analytics course offerings in 2016. Implications of our findings for an MIS department’s ability to respond to changing needs of the marketplace and its students are discussed

Perceived discontinuities and continuities in transdisciplinary scientific working groups

We examine the DataONE (Data Observation Network for Earth) project, a transdisciplinary organization tasked with creating a cyberinfrastructure platform to ensure preservation of and access to environmental science and biological science data. Its objective was a difficult one to achieve, requiring innovative solutions. The DataONE project used a working group structure to organize its members. We use organizational discontinuity theory as our lens to understand the factors associated with success in such projects. Based on quantitative and qualitative data collected from DataONE members, we offer recommendations for the use of working groups in transdisciplinary synthesis. Recommendations include welcome diverse opinions and world views, establish shared communication practices, schedule periodic synchronous face-to-face meetings, and ensure the active participation of bridge builders or knowledge brokers such as librarians who know how to ask questions about disciplines not their own

Use of Social Media in the Workplace

As social media become more pervasive and widespread in the workplace, there is an increasing need to study and understand the factors driving working professionals to use social media for work related purposes. Yet, knowledge about the factors influencing the use of social media technologies at work remains limited. Drawing from the uses and gratifications (U&G) theory, the objective of this study is to uncover the motivational factors driving the use of social media in the workplace. The U&G framework can help to understand the needs and wants of working professionals with regards to the use of social media for work related purposes. In addition, this study also investigates the influence of prior social media experience to complement the U&G theory. A survey was designed and administered to 157 working professionals. Results from the hierarchical regression analysis revealed that respondents with prior social media experiences were more likely to use social media at work. In addition, we also found that factors such as gratifications obtained from socializing and tasks accomplishment were also significant in influencing the use social media for work related purposes. Implications and directions for future work are discussed

Identification technologies evaluation method: an application in cattle chain

The objective of this paper is to apply an identification technologies evaluation method in cattle chain in a sample in Brazil and in USA. These technologies are information and communication technologies, such as Radio Frequency Identification and barcode. The research methodology used was a qualitative study, with an extensive literature review on information technology, information systems, and Radiofrequency evaluation methods. A scale was created to decide what decision the case study has to take according to its technology. The method proposed can contribute to the theory of information technology evaluation and can offer practitioners an efficient and effective way to evaluate prospective information technology implementations. The rankings showed that American respondents evaluate RFID with a better performance in security variables. Brazilian agents evaluate Radiofrequency with a better performance in technical and organizational variable. The scale revealed that the Americans have more agents in Group B (8), which means reevaluation of the identification method, and just one in Group A, meaning that it has to change its information technology. Brazilian agents have more cases in Group B (6), than group C (3), and Group A (1). This means that the majority of the sample has to reevaluate their method to trace cattle