A framework of practices influencing IS/Business alignment and IT governance

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 21/01/2011.The alignment of information systems (IS) strategies with business strategies has been a managerial priority in modern organisations. Information Technology (IT) governance is an alternative perspective that has recently been used as a management solution that can drive to desired levels of IS/business alignment. From a pragmatic perspective, both IS/business alignment and IT governance appear to be managerial solutions that corporations desire to implement in order to get the most of the business and IT relationship. Empirical research has addressed the idea that effective designs of IT governance enable IS/business alignment, however, the extent of such impact and related interactions are still unclear. This research is focused on those claims to contribute with pragmatic solutions towards IS/business alignment and IT governance by means of collective management practices. This research explored challenges, assumptions and conceptualisations around IS/business alignment and focused on the assessment process of IS-business alignment to identify management practices for both IS/business alignment and IT governance. First, a quantitative analysis from data collected of an international survey was performed. This survey was conducted to identify extreme outcomes of relevant management practices in the IS/business alignment dynamics and links with IT governance. Second, a qualitative analysis from data collected of two leading large companies, one in the manufacturing and other in the financial sector, was performed by using a three-level (strategic, tactical and operational) assessment method. This case research aimed to identify how common relevant management practices interact across strategic, tactical and operational organisational levels. Results of both analyses were integrated to elaborate the constructors of the framework derived from this research, namely ALIS-G. The results from this research can be summarised as follows: First, ALIS-G exhibits four core management practices (IT investment management, budgetary control, strategic and tactical program management, strategic and tactical understanding of IT-business) and four supportive (IT-business planning, IT projects prioritisation, sponsorship & championship and change readiness) to show collective and compelling influence over the IS-business alignment dynamics and the effectiveness of IT governance arrangements. Second, a well-established IT investment management process holds the most substantial positive impact in the IS-business alignment dynamics and design of IT governance arrangements. Finally, results highlights the fact, perhaps obvious, that the arrangement of IT governance and the dynamics of IS/business alignment are very much conditioned by the resilient assignment, allocation and administration of budget

A framework of practices influencing IS/business alignment and IT governance

The alignment of information systems (IS) strategies with business strategies has been a managerial priority in modern organisations. Information Technology (IT) governance is an alternative perspective that has recently been used as a management solution that can drive to desired levels of IS/business alignment. From a pragmatic perspective, both IS/business alignment and IT governance appear to be managerial solutions that corporations desire to implement in order to get the most of the business and IT relationship. Empirical research has addressed the idea that effective designs of IT governance enable IS/business alignment, however, the extent of such impact and related interactions are still unclear. This research is focused on those claims to contribute with pragmatic solutions towards IS/business alignment and IT governance by means of collective management practices. This research explored challenges, assumptions and conceptualisations around IS/business alignment and focused on the assessment process of IS-business alignment to identify management practices for both IS/business alignment and IT governance. First, a quantitative analysis from data collected of an international survey was performed. This survey was conducted to identify extreme outcomes of relevant management practices in the IS/business alignment dynamics and links with IT governance. Second, a qualitative analysis from data collected of two leading large companies, one in the manufacturing and other in the financial sector, was performed by using a three-level (strategic, tactical and operational) assessment method. This case research aimed to identify how common relevant management practices interact across strategic, tactical and operational organisational levels. Results of both analyses were integrated to elaborate the constructors of the framework derived from this research, namely ALIS-G. The results from this research can be summarised as follows: First, ALIS-G exhibits four core management practices (IT investment management, budgetary control, strategic and tactical program management, strategic and tactical understanding of IT-business) and four supportive (IT-business planning, IT projects prioritisation, sponsorship & championship and change readiness) to show collective and compelling influence over the IS-business alignment dynamics and the effectiveness of IT governance arrangements. Second, a well-established IT investment management process holds the most substantial positive impact in the IS-business alignment dynamics and design of IT governance arrangements. Finally, results highlights the fact, perhaps obvious, that the arrangement of IT governance and the dynamics of IS/business alignment are very much conditioned by the resilient assignment, allocation and administration of budgetsEThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Quantitative analysis on the geomorphology influence in slope stability

La ocurrencia de deslizamientos está relacionada con unos factores que condicionan y otros que detonan los procesos de remoción en masa. Este trabajo contribuye a cuantificar la influencia de la geomorfología en la estabilidad de taludes como factor condicionante por medio de un análisis basado en el método de elementos finitos con un modelo constitutivo elastoplástico. Los análisis se realizaron a través de la simulación numérica de 9 modelos de taludes en tres dimensiones. Se obtuvo la variación espacial del tensor de esfuerzos y sus componentes por medio de las invariantes donde se refleja la influencia de la geoforma y el régimen de flujo en la estabilidad. Finalmente se calcula un indicador de falla potencial que cuantifica de manera unificada la influencia del esfuerzo de confinamiento y los esfuerzos de corte en el talud para determinar zonas de mayor susceptibilidad a la falla.Landslide occurrence is associated with some conditioning factors and triggering landslide processes. This research contributes to quantify the influence of geomorphology as a conditioning factor in slope stability, via analysis based on a finite element method with an elastoplastic constitutive model. The analysis performs through a numerical simulation with nine three-dimensional slope models. The spatial variation of the stress tensor and its components were obtained by the invariants that reflect the influence of the geoform and flow regime in slope stability. Finally, the authors calculated an index potential failure that quantifies, in a unified manner, the influence of the confinement pressure and shear stress in the slope to determine a susceptibilty failure area

A Critical Analysis of Scenarios for Small and Medium Enterprisee in NAFTA renegotiations

The aim of this paper is to set some scenarios for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from a critical analysis of the provisions in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation, its challenges and opportunities. The critical analysis departs from the questionable position of the withdrawal from NAFTA and their consequences for SMEs of not giving continuity through a process of renegotiation among the three partners. The method used is the critical analysis based mainly in some sources of information, analysis of results of NAFTA, and the strategic examination of its challenges and opportunities for SMEs. Finally, the analysis establish some possible scenarios post-NAFTA renegotiation and some strategic proposals for the SME

Vulnerabilidad sísmica de viviendas unifamiliares existentes de una Zona Urbano – Residencial en Anconcito, Ecuador

The lack of planning is very evident in the urban environment of our country, which has caused the residents to build their homes in unsuitable places. Considering these variables and the application of the criteria of the Ecuadorian Construction Standard NEC-2015, it is determined that the zones of our Litoral are in a very high risk of seismic hazard. The population of study is is focused on Zone 3 of Anconcito - Ecuador, where the inhabitants have houses with more than three decades of useful life and which are structurally not well defined, increasing the situation of vulnerability and danger. The methodology to determine the current situation of housing in the area is carried out by means of the visual inspection method of FEMA-P154, which represents a vulnerability index by means of forms required for the area.La falta de planificación es muy evidente en el entorno urbano de nuestro país, lo que ha provocado que los pobladores implanten sus viviendas en lugares no idóneos. Considerando esta variable y la aplicación de los criterios de la Norma Ecuatoriana de Construcción NEC-2015, se determinó que las zonas de nuestro litoral se encuentran en una situación de muy alta peligrosidad sísmica. La población de estudio está definida espacialmente en el contexto de la Zona 3 de Anconcito-Ecuador, donde los pobladores tienen viviendas con más de tres décadas de existencia según las encuestas formuladas in situ y que estructuralmente no están bien definidas, aumentando la situación de vulnerabilidad y peligro. La metodología para determinar la situación actual de las viviendas del sector se realiza mediante el método de inspección visual del FEMA-P154 que representa un índice de vulnerabilidad mediante formularios requeridos para la zona

A Bioinformatics-Assisted Review on Iron Metabolism and Immune System to Identify Potential Biomarkers of Exercise Stress-Induced Immunosuppression

The immune function is closely related to iron (Fe) homeostasis and allostasis. The aim of this bioinformatics-assisted review was twofold; (i) to update the current knowledge of Fe metabolism and its relationship to the immune system, and (ii) to perform a prediction analysis of regulatory network hubs that might serve as potential biomarkers during stress-induced immunosuppression. Several literature and bioinformatics databases/repositories were utilized to review Fe metabolism and complement the molecular description of prioritized proteins. The Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) was used to build a protein-protein interactions network for subsequent network topology analysis. Importantly, Fe is a sensitive double-edged sword where two extremes of its nutritional status may have harmful effects on innate and adaptive immunity. We identified clearly connected important hubs that belong to two clusters: (i) presentation of peptide antigens to the immune system with the involvement of redox reactions of Fe, heme, and Fe trafficking/transport; and (ii) ubiquitination, endocytosis, and degradation processes of proteins related to Fe metabolism in immune cells (e.g., macrophages). The identified potential biomarkers were in agreement with the current experimental evidence, are included in several immunological/biomarkers databases, and/or are emerging genetic markers for different stressful conditions. Although further validation is warranted, this hybrid method (human-machine collaboration) to extract meaningful biological applications using available data in literature and bioinformatics tools should be highlighted.The ‘Bioinformatics-assisted Review’ is a project developed and supported by the Research Division at the Dynamical Business and Science Society—DBSS International SAS. The APC was funded by the Exercise & Sport Nutrition Laboratory (ESNL) at Texas A&M University, the POWER LAB at University of Central Florida and the Sport Genomics Research Group at University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU

Propuesta de supply chain management y logística para la empresa Carlos Pollo

El Supply Chain Management es uno de los procesos fundamentales para la optimización de la gestión de un negocio en toda la cadena de distribución, busca sacar la mejor rentabilidad y el máximo partido a la organización a través de la integración con todos los actores involucrados en el mercado, permitiendo tener una sostenibilidad, crecimiento y mejoras continua de cada uno de sus procesos. Esta propuesta de Supply Chain Management fue desarrollada por el Grupo 2107115_12 del curso diplomado en SCM y Logística O.G. 1605 del 2021. es a la empresa de Distribución de productos congelados Carlos Pollo, que satisface con elementos de primera necesidad a la población de los corregimiento y veredas de la ciudad Cartagena, la empresa nos brinda toda la información necesaria para identificar su estado actual y desarrollar propuesta de mejoras para fortalecer sus niveles de competitividad. La empresa Carlos Pollo nos permite de manera práctica la implementación de estrategias en SCM, y del conocimiento de los diferentes procesos logísticos como el aprovisionamiento, el transporte, la distribución y la gestión de almacenes e inventarios, como soporte a la gestión de la red de valor de la compañía para que pueda responder a las exigencias actuales de los mercados.Supply Chain Management is one of the fundamental processes for optimization of managing a business throughout the distribution chain, seeks to obtain the best profitability and get the most out of the organization through integration with all the actors involved in the market, allowing for sustainability, growth and continuous improvement of each of its processes. This Supply Chain Management proposal was developed by the Group 2107115_12 of the diploma course in SCM and Logistics O.G. 1605 of 2021. is to the distribution company of frozen products Carlos Pollo, which satisfies with basic necessities to the population of the townships and villages of the city of Cartagena, the company provides us with all the information necessary to identify its current state and develop proposals for improvements to strengthen their levels of competitiveness. The company Carlos Pollo allows us in a practical way the implementation of strategies in SCM, and knowledge of the different logistics processes such as procurement, transportation, distribution, and warehouse and inventory management, such as support for the management of the company's value network so that it can respond to the demands current markets

Rutas del Valle, rodadas para el desarrollo del turismo

Un equipo multidisciplinario de distintas carreras del ITESO comenzaron el semestre con la intención de crear un proyecto con el fin de mejorar el turismo en el Valle de Mazatepec. Una vez que los estudiantes tuvieron una idea clara del proyecto, se realizaron encuestas en la comunidad de ahuisculco con el fin de saber si la gente estaba de acuerdo con la idea proporcionada por los alumnos y a su vez, saber cuáles eran las preferencias de la gente. Con la información recabada, el equipo decidió darle forma a dos rodadas que consistirán de aproximadamente 15 kilómetros cada una, saliendo de la plaza de san Isidro Mazatepec con el fin de llegar a la presa de San Pedro de Valencia y regresar al punto inicial. A continuación en el reporte se explica la forma en la que se realizó el proyecto, desde los antecedentes, análisis y conclusiones por parte del equipo sobre el proyecto realizado.ITESO, A.C

Rutas del Valle rodadas para el desarrollo del turismo

Un equipo multidisciplinario ideó un proyecto con el fin de mejorar el turismo en el Valle de Mazatepec. Una vez que los estudiantes tuvieron una idea clara del proyecto, se realizaron encuestas en la comunidad de ahuisculco con el fin de saber si la gente estaba de acuerdo con la idea proporcionada por los alumnos y a su vez, saber cuáles eran las preferencias de la gente Con la información recabada, el equipo decidió darle forma a dos rodadas que consistirán de aproximadamente 15 kilómetros cada una, saliendo de la plaza de san Isidro Mazatepec con el fin de llegar a la presa de San Pedro de Valencia y regresar al punto inicial. A continuación en el reporte se explica la forma en la que se realizó el proyecto, desde los antecedentes, análisis y conclusiones por parte del equipo sobre el proyecto realizado.ITESO, A.C