Evaluating a mobile crisis response system for the management of disaster volunteers

As part of an ongoing research project, we have designed and implemented a mobile crisis response system (MCRS), which creates a nexus between relief organizations and unaffiliated disaster volunteers. We developed the MCRS using a design science approach and address information management, coordination, and motivation challenges in the context of managing unaffiliated disaster volunteers in crisis response and disaster relief activities. In this researchin- progress paper, we propose a design for the evaluation of the MCRS prototype based on a field experiment, which will be conducted during a joint mission exercise performed by three major German relief organizations. We adapt the enterprise systems success model and suggest evaluating the system quality, information quality, individual impact, and organizational impact of the prototype

Agent-Based Modeling in Social Science, History, and Philosophy: An Introduction

Agent-based modeling has become a common and well-established tool in the social sciences and certain of the humanities. Here, we aim to provide an overview of the different modeling approaches in current use. Our discussion unfolds in two parts: we first classify different aspects of the model-building process and identify a number of characteristics shared by most agent-based models in the humanities and social sciences; then we map relevant differences between the various modeling approaches. We classify these into different dimensions including the type of target systems addressed, the intended modeling goals, and the models’ degree of abstraction. Along the way, we provide reference to related debates in contemporary philosophy of science

An Exploration of Enterprise Architecture Research

Management of the enterprise architecture has become increasingly recognized as a crucial part of both business and IT management. Still, a common understanding and methodological consistency seems far from being developed. Acknowledging the significant role of research in moving the development process along, this article employs different bibliometric methods, complemented by an extensive qualitative interpretation of the research field, to provide a unique overview of the enterprise architecture literature. After answering our research questions about the collaboration via co-authorships, the intellectual structure of the research field and its most influential works, and the principal themes of research, we propose an agenda for future research based on the findings from the above analyses and their comparison to empirical insights from the literature. In particular, our study finds a considerable degree of co-authorship clustering and a positive impact of the extent of co-authorship on the diffusion of works on enterprise architecture. In addition, this article identifies three major research streams and shows that research to date has revolved around specific themes, while some of high practical relevance receive minor attention. Hence, the contribution of our study is manifold and offers support for researchers and practitioners alike

Valuation of online social networks - An economic model and its application using the case of Xing.com

Ubiquitous information technologies like RFID allow for immediate, extensive and fine-grained capture of real world information. Scalable and efficient networks for exchange of this vast amount of information amongst companies are crucial for the economic exploitation of benefits of ubiquitous information technologies. Existing networks bear several limitations like risks of single-point-offailures or bottlenecks, unequally distributed power and burdens as well as inflexibility through stringent structures and formats. In particular there is a need for improving the scalability of solutions and ensuring autonomy of network participants. In this paper we introduce a Peer-to-Peer-based architecture for exchanging distributed information, which are shared among participants of a supply chain facilitated with ubiquitous information technologies. This architecture builds on the wellestablished EPCglobal standards, but can be implemented as an autonomous network. Unlike other architectures it does not need central coordination mechanisms, because it is based on self-organizing Peer-to-Peer protocols. We argue that our architecture supports business processes especially of small and medium-sized enterprises better than other architectures. We provide a discussion about requirements for solutions and a simulation-based analysis of the proposed architecture

Application Portfolio Management—An Integrated Framework and a Software Tool Evaluation Approach

Despite the growing number of organizations that have lost track of their application landscape and have suffered from a sharp increase in application portfolio complexity, a comprehensive and systematic approach to Application Portfolio Management (APM) still appears far from being adopted. To move the adoption process along, this paper develops a comprehensive framework assimilating and extending previous research and presents an APM process comprising data collection, analysis, decision-making, and optimization phases. This paper also presents an approach for evaluating software tools for APM and identifies which software tool families are best able to provide support for specific purposes. With this integrated conceptual guideline for APM and its translation into a model for measuring appropriate practical support, this paper not only allows for a move more deeply into the research area but also offers advice for both researchers and practitioners

Power Structure and the Evolution of Social Networks in Massively Multiplayer Online Games

This paper examines the evolution of a social network in a Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) by modeling the players’ interaction network as a continuous-time markov chain. Results indicate that social hierarchy emerges out of an anarchical situation in which social actors participate voluntarily, have equal access to virtual resources from the beginning, cannot show their physical superiority and cannot show physical gestures during their communication / interaction. Our study findings hence contribute to the current interdisciplinary debate whether hierarchy is an emergent phenomenon that can be attributed to variations in individual qualities or whether hierarchy is an artificial outcome that is enacted on societies by parties that are privileged from birth

Software Ecosystem Orchestration: The Perspective of Complementors

Software ecosystems (SECOs) driven by platform business models have changed how consumer software is produced and marketed. Also in the enterprise software segment, value networks in the form of SECOs are replacing traditional business models and linear value chains. These SECOs involve three main types of actors: platform sponsor, complementors, and customers. Platform sponsor strategies have been researched broadly, but not the view of complementors. Further, there are few studies of real-world SECOs. In our research, we have investigated the complementor’s perspective on SECOs and their partnership with the platform sponsor. Through exploratory qualitative research using a practical case from the enterprise software industry, we have developed a partner management framework comprising the complementors ’ value creation process, goals, enablers, and instruments. The model can be used generally to gain a better understanding of complementors, and by platform sponsors to improve their partner management processes

Decision Making in Emergency Management: The Role of Social Media

Researchers and practitioners alike recognise the importance of emergency management (EM) in limiting the adverse impacts of crisis events, as well as the promise of social media to support these efforts. Decision making, which is crucial to ensure the effective management of immediate, emerging, and sustained crises, is one facet of EM potentially affected by social media. While much research has investigated social media in a crisis context more generally, little is known thus far about what it means for EM decision making. In this paper, we investigate the current knowledge base of this phenomenon and infer from it factors that are crucial for its understanding. To this end, we propose an analytical framework of EM decision making based on previous work on complex problem solving and social media networks. We then systematically review and rethink existing research from a decision-centred point of view to identify and synthesise key findings that are relevant to the role of social media in the EM decision-making process. Finally, we outline the research gaps that need to be closed to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of social media for EM decision support and to begin moving towards theoretically grounded explanations of the phenomenon

Social Information Systems: Review, Framework, and Research Agenda

In this research-in-progress, we review the literature on an emerging new type of information systems: social information systems. Social information systems are information systems based on social technologies and open collaboration. The paper provides categories defining social information systems and a framework for existing and future research in this field of study