Emerging Capabilities of Information Technology Governance: Exploring Stakeholder Perspective in Financial Services

Information technology governance is generally defined as the locus of IT decision-making authority. This paper argues that IT governance also includes the capability to integrate IT decision-making between key stakeholders. Exploratory case studies are conducted in Financial Services to develop a richer understanding of what the emerging capabilities are of IT governance. Findings indicate that IT governance capabilities -while necessary, though not sufficient-, go beyond formal-hierarchical modes, and include important lateral and socialisation mechanisms. In particular, the role of competency, credibility and coalition building are essential to IT governance. Directions for future research are discussed

Chautauqua in Devils Lake, North Dakota: An Historical Study of the Organization, the Facilities, and Programs

Chautauqua, a totally American institution which impacted nearly forty million people in its approximately fifty-year existence from 1874 to 1930, was a place to enrich lives through education, inspiration, and recreation. Devils Lake, North Dakota, a small, isolated town on the Midwestern plains, located on the shores of a large, salt-water lake, became the site of the nation\u27s third largest independent Chautauqua in the nation, operating from 1893 to 1929. This thesis is a study of the history of the Devils Lake Chautauqua, its organization, and development. Included in the research is a study of the national Chautauqua and Lyceum Movements, how those movements became intertwined, and how the two movements impacted the Chautauqua in Devils Lake. The history of the Chautauqua includes a discussion of the facilities and activities at the Devils Lake site, includ ing the Chautauqua Railroad and Captain S. E. Heerman and his steamship, the Minnie H, two activities that made the Devils Lake Chautauqua unique. An analysis of the programming, the themes and quality, is also provided. The demise of the Devils Lake Chautauqua and the subsequent revival in 1976 are also discussed. Two tables list and categorize the programs by type: religious, political, educational/inspirational, musical, elocution and drama, and other miscellaneous types. One of the two tables covers the first five years of programming; the second covers the last four years for which complete programming information is available. Maps of the Chautauqua grounds are included, as is a copy of the speech given by William Jennings Bryan on July 6, 1918, the most famous speaker ever booked at the Devils Lake Chautauqua. Two typical stories used by teachers at the Kindergarten are also provided, as well as several illustrations of the facilities and typical activities

What Should the Business Know About Information Systems?

This paper presents an exploratory study of Information Systems (IS) competencies of business managers in Europe. Following resource-based theory and a knowledge-based view of IS competencies, an extensive review of the literature is conducted to identify a comprehensive list of IS competencies of business managers. In order to validate the business IS competence model, a Delphi study is conducted using two panels consisting of general managers and IS managers. The results indicate that IS competencies of business managers involve a fluid mix of both explicit and tacit knowledge components, and suggest that ‘core’ IS competencies of business managers involve knowledge and experience in the strategic management of IS. Core business IS competencies involve having knowledge about IS strategy, IS investment management, IS resource allocation, IS sourcing options, IS relationship management and IS change management, and professional experience in IS projects and managing IS. This paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings and provides several directions for future research

Exploring IT Enabled Networked Organizations in Health Care: Emerging Practices and Phrases of Development

This paper describes an exploratory study of networked organisations in the health care sector. Based on a review of literature on networked organisations, a theoretical framework is developed and applied to three case studies. The results indicate that networked organisations in health care services are mainly driven by socio-economic and organisational conditions, in which information and communication technology plays an increasingly important facilitative role. Furthermore, the case findings indicate that networked organisations in health care develop through different phases: from pilot practices to institutionalisation. Lessons are drawn from the case studies for practice and the applicability of the theoretical framework

Characterizing Viscoelastic Properties of Polyacrylamide Gels

Despite its common use in cell culture studies, polyacrylamide gel\u27s mechanical properties remain unclear. To characterize this gel fully, atomic force microscopy, uniaxial testing, rheology, and ball indentation were used. The range of the elastic moduli was 1.9-7.5 kPa and 18.1-39.4 kPa, for 5%/0.025% and 8%/0.08% gel concentrations, respectively, and a Poisson\u27s ratio of 0.45 was found. Future research utilizing polyacrylamide as a cell culture substrate should indicate how the gel was characterized and acknowledge the uncertainty in stiffness values

Geographic potential for outbreaks of Marburg hemorrhagic fever

Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 75(1), 2006, pp. 9–15 Copyright © 2006 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 9 http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/content/abstract/75/1/9Marburg virus represents one of the least well-known of the hemorrhagic fever-causing viruses worldwide; in particular, its geographic potential in Africa remains quite mysterious. Ecologic niche modeling was used to explore the geographic and ecologic potential of Marburg virus in Africa. Model results permitted a reinterpretation of the geographic point of infection in the initiation of the 1975 cases in Zimbabwe, and also anticipated the potential for cases in Angola, where a large outbreak recently (2004–2005) occurred. The geographic potential for additional outbreaks is outlined, including in several countries in which the virus is not known. Overall, results demonstrate that ecologic niche modeling can be a powerful tool in understanding geographic distributions of species and other biologic phenomena such as zoonotic disease transmission from natural reservoir populations

Multicultural and Colorblind Ideology, Stereotypes, and Ethnocentrism among Black and White Americans

We examined Blacks’ and Whites’ perceptions of group variability and positivity as well as their beliefs about the extent to which multiculturalism and colorblindness would improve intergroup relations. In two studies, responses to questionnaires indicated that the tendency to endorse multiculturalism more than colorblindness was greater among Blacks than Whites; Blacks consistently endorsed multiculturalism more than colorblindness and Whites endorsed colorblindness more than did Blacks. Both studies also revealed evidence of out-group homogeneity and ethnocentrism. Stronger endorsement of multiculturalism relative to colorblindness predicted stronger stereotypes among Blacks, whereas stronger endorsement of colorblindness relative to multiculturalism predicted stronger stereotypes among Whites. In Study 2, stronger endorsement of multiculturalism relative to colorblindness predicted less ethnocentrism; this relationship did not depend on ethnicity

Multicultural and Colorblind Ideology, Stereotypes, and Ethnocentrism among Black and White Americans

We examined Blacks' and Whites' perceptions of group variability and positivity as well as their beliefs about the extent to which multiculturalism and colorblindness would improve intergroup relations. In two studies, responses to questionnaires indicated that the tendency to endorse multiculturalism more than colorblindness was greater among Blacks than Whites; Blacks consistently endorsed multiculturalism more than colorblindness and Whites endorsed colorblindness more than did Blacks. Both studies also revealed evidence of out-group homogeneity and ethnocentrism. Stronger endorsement of multiculturalism relative to colorblindness predicted stronger stereotypes among Blacks, whereas stronger endorsement of colorblindness relative to multiculturalism predicted stronger stereotypes among Whites. In Study 2, stronger endorsement of multiculturalism relative to colorblindness predicted less ethnocentrism; this relationship did not depend on ethnicity

Enantioselective Hydroxylation of Benzylic C(sp; 3; )-H Bonds by an Artificial Iron Hydroxylase Based on the Biotin-Streptavidin Technology

The selective hydroxylation of C-H bonds is of great interest to the synthetic community. Both homogeneous catalysts and enzymes offer complementary means to tackle this challenge. Herein, we show that biotinylated Fe(TAML)-complexes (TAML = Tetra Amido Macrocyclic Ligand) can be used as cofactors for incorporation into streptavidin to assemble artificial hydroxylases. Chemo-genetic optimization of both cofactor and streptavidin allowed optimizing the performance of the hydroxylase. Using H; 2; O; 2; as oxidant, up to ∼300 turnovers for the oxidation of benzylic C-H bonds were obtained. Upgrading the ee was achieved by kinetic resolution of the resulting benzylic alcohol to afford up to >98% ee for (; R; )-tetralol. X-ray analysis of artificial hydroxylases highlights critical details of the second coordination sphere around the Fe(TAML) cofactor

Recombinant Incretin-Secreting Microbe Improves Metabolic Dysfunction in High-Fat Diet Fed Rodents

peer-reviewedThe gut hormone glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and its analogues represent a new generation of anti-diabetic drugs, which have also demonstrated propensity to modulate host lipid metabolism. Despite this, drugs of this nature are currently limited to intramuscular administration routes due to intestinal degradation. The aim of this study was to design a recombinant microbial delivery vector for a GLP-1 analogue and assess the efficacy of the therapeutic in improving host glucose, lipid and cholesterol metabolism in diet induced obese rodents. Diet-induced obese animals received either Lactobacillus paracasei NFBC 338 transformed to express a long-acting analogue of GLP-1 or the isogenic control microbe which solely harbored the pNZ44 plasmid. Short-term GLP-1 microbe intervention in rats reduced serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and triglyceride-rich lipoprotein cholesterol substantially. Conversely, extended GLP-1 microbe intervention improved glucose-dependent insulin secretion, glucose metabolism and cholesterol metabolism, compared to the high-fat control group. Interestingly, the microbe significantly attenuated the adiposity associated with the model and altered the serum lipidome, independently of GLP-1 secretion. These data indicate that recombinant incretin-secreting microbes may offer a novel and safe means of managing cholesterol metabolism and diet induced dyslipidaemia, as well as insulin sensitivity in metabolic dysfunction