Call for Abstracts and Papers

Conference topics include but are not limited to: Cybersecurity, Medical Informatics, Smart Systems, E-learning, Library Science, IT for Economic Development, E-Government, Technological Innovations, Digital Marketing, Business Analytics, Cloud Computing, E-business/commerce, Emerging Trends, Digital Accounting, Healthcare IT, IT Auditing/Forensics, Mobile Computing, Organizational Culture & Technology, Social Networking, and Big Data

Simulating inter-organizational collaboration network: a multi- relational and event-based approach

Abstract In this research, we study inter-organizational collaboration from the perspective of multi-relational networks. We develop an agent-based model to simulate how a collaboration network among organizations emerges from organizations' interactions through another network: the inter-organizational communication network. Our model adds links (or edges) into the collaboration network on the basis of events, which correspond to organizations' formation of collaborative teams for joint projects. The proposed approach also models the competitive yet non-exclusive dissemination of information among organizations, organizations' dynamic prioritization of candidate projects, and network-based influence. Applying the model to a case study of the humanitarian sector, we configure and validate the agent-based simulation, and use it to analyze how to promote inter-organizational humanitarian collaboration by encouraging communication. The simulation results suggest that encouraging communication between peripheral organizations can better promote collaboration than other strategies

Exploring Motives for Collaboration within a Humanitarian Inter-Organizational Network

While in recent years research has highlighted the rise of inter-organizational collaboration among humanitarian organizations/agencies in the nonprofit sector and has documented issues related to the forming and maintaining of these relationships, there is little known about their motives of collaboration. In this paper, we examine collaboration relationships among organizations/agencies member of a community of interest in humanitarian information exchange. The social network block-model method was used to analyze collaboration network data. Six strongly connected clusters were identified in the community. Evaluating reported reasons for these collaborations, it was found that the two main motivations are relational characteristics, which interestingly are the most and least reported reasons in two of the most densely connected clusters of relationships. These findings suggest that it is important to determine the different reasons for humanitarian - inter-organizational relationships if one is to understand the various patterns of collaboration within inter-organizational networks

Coordinating humanitarian information: The problem of organizational and technical trajectories

This paper seeks to examine two humanitarian information coordination bodies. The goals of both coordination bodies are the same, to find mechanisms for multiple organizations, engaged in humanitarian relief, to coordinate efforts around information technology and management. Despite the similarity in goals, each coordination body has taken a different path, one toward defining the problem and solution in a more technical sense and the other as defining the problem and solution as more organizational in nature. The paper develops case studies of two coordinating bodies using qualitative methodologies. The data suggest that coordination bodies which pursue problems requiring low levels of organizational change are more likely to have visible successes. Coordination bodies that pursue a more challenging agenda, one that aims for information management or management of information technology in ways that require organizational change, are likely to face greater challenges and experience more failures. The paper only examines two coordination bodies at one point in time thus claims can not be made about all coordination bodies and all information coordination efforts. In a time where coordination bodies are seen as an answer to the problem of information sharing during disasters, it is essential to gain understanding concerning the success of these efforts. © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited