Contingent Information Systems Development

Situated approaches based on project contingencies are becoming more and more an important research topic for information systems development organizations. The Information Services Organization, which was investigated, has recognized that it should tune its systems development approaches to the specific situation. A model has been developed, dealing with the matching between prevailing contingency factors and the preconditions of already existing situated approaches. Furthermore, a generic process model for systems development, including the information systems operations stage, is proposed. This model makes it possible to derive from it specific systems development strategies. A number of basic development strategies, specific for the Information Services Organization, are described. Preconditions, specific for this organization, are added to the standard situated approaches

Implementing ERP Information Systems using SAP

Lucent Technologies (LT) faces competitive threats more than ever before and is hampered by inefficient and costly internal systems and processes. To streamline operations and to create a high performance operating environment, LT is planning to support all its business functions worldwide with SAP. The objectives of this research project are to provide a better understanding of SAP’s proposed implementation method for its integrated software package, and to assure an effective support of the business processes at LT

Appropriate Delivery of Advice and Guidance on Method Adaptation

One can find enough evidence in the IS development (ISD) literature supporting the significance of method adaptation for the realization of an effective ISD. Method adaptation involves a decision making process through which the agent(s) modifies the project situation, including the method and the project context, at hand. This paper aims at exploring how a better delivery of guidance and advice (decision support) on method adaptation, i.e. the degree of which the decision support to be provided is employed successfully, can be achieved. To do this we study several stages in which a set of advice and guidance with some decision support tools on method adaptation realized in a large-scale IT department. Each stage is distinguished with respect to the underlying discourses proposed in the decision support literature and elaborated in terms of the method used, the involved parties concerning method adaptation, and the means used in a ten-year timeline in the department. This study shows that agility of the method used, the degree of sharedness of the meaning of method adaptation held by involved parties, the decision support approach (top-down, bottom-up, or middle-out approaches reflecting the degree of dominations of involved parties) to method adaptation, and the combination of human- and technology-driven guidance are essential to an appropriate delivery of decision support for method adaptation

On the Adaptation of an Agile Information Systems Development Method

Little specific research has been conducted to date on the adaptation of agile information systems development (ISD) methods. This article presents the work practice in dealing with the adaptation of such a method in the ISD department of one of the leading financial institutes in Europe. Two forms of method adaptation, static adaptation and dynamic adaptation, are introduced and discussed in detail. We provide some insights plus an instrument that the ISD department studied uses to deal with the dynamic method adaptation. To enhance our understanding of the observed practice, we take into account two complementary perspectives: the engineering perspective and the socio-organizational perspective. Practical and theoretical implications of this study are discussed.Keywords: agile method; information systems development; method adaptation; method engineerin

Pharmacokinetic drug interactions of antimicrobial drugs:a systematic review on oxazolidinones, rifamycines, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and Beta-lactams

Like any other drug, antimicrobial drugs are prone to pharmacokinetic drug interactions. These drug interactions are a major concern in clinical practice as they may have an effect on efficacy and toxicity. This article provides an overview of all published pharmacokinetic studies on drug interactions of the commonly prescribed antimicrobial drugs oxazolidinones, rifamycines, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and beta-lactams, focusing on systematic research. We describe drug-food and drug-drug interaction studies in humans, affecting antimicrobial drugs as well as concomitantly administered drugs. Since knowledge about mechanisms is of paramount importance for adequate management of drug interactions, the most plausible underlying mechanism of the drug interaction is provided when available. This overview can be used in daily practice to support the management of pharmacokinetic drug interactions of antimicrobial drugs