Some Sources of the Unity in Plurality of Scandinavian Research on Information Systems Development

livari and Lyytinen propose some cultural and demographic reasons for the diverse yet unified pattern of Scandinavian research on information systems development. This short comment recounts my own experience with Scandinavia and Scandinavian researchers and proposes three factors indicative of the social and cognitive environment that might also explain the distinctive unity in plurality

How You Question is What You Get: Collective Inquiry Dialogues in Online Forums

In today’s networked environment, online forums emerge as a popular form of social structures that provides greater opportunities for learning from external resources without pre-established knowledge network. However, our inquiries in online forums do not always generate knowledge desideratum satisfactorily. A few recent studies noticed that communication practices become a means to characterize online forums and influences on effectiveness of collaborative learning. Our preliminary case study in an enduring online forum showed that how dialogue unfolds, i.e., asking questions and suggesting hypothetical solutions, shapes different dynamisms of collaborative learning; some dialogues are highly generative, drawing broad attention, surfacing multiple voices, and producing new knowledge through active reflection, refinement, and exploration; but some fail to be generative and display narrow, inadequate inquiry. Given the importance of dialogue and structures of interaction for learning, we propose to study how different dialogue practices in online forums are related to different levels of generative inquiry

The Dynamics of Boundary Objects, Social Infastructures and Social Identities

This paper takes a dynamic approach to understanding the nature and role of boundary objects by examining them in relation to the social infrastructures within which they are embedded and to the social identities of the groups that share them. We present a case study that describes the introduction of 3D modelling technologies into the AEC industry and the changes that consequently occurred. Based on the case study we suggest that boundary objects are used not only as a translation device, but also as a resource to form and express social identities. We further suggest the occurrence of a dynamic process whereby changes in boundary objects enable changes in social infrastructures and social identities in one group. These changes, in turn, create the conditions for change in bordering groups through shared boundary objects and boundary practices

Shaping Problems, Not Decisions:When Decision Makers Leverage Visual Analytics

Just as modern software development strategies have introduced agile methods and rapid prototyping to organizations. Visual analytic tools now bring the same spirit of prototyping and iteration directly into the decision-making process. Yet decision makers and analysts may not yet be as “agile” as the tools they are using and instead tend to remain in their traditional roles during analytic tasks. _x000D_ _x000D_ The emerging analytic leaders are managers who do not merely act on the findings of others but rather find and shape problems by constantly interacting with data and scrutinizing and adjusting to changes in real-time data. Our research found that: 1) managers need to develop new competencies to cognitively adapt to visual decision making; 2) managers need to become more humble and share data widely across their organizations in order to facilitate a comprehensive analytic culture; and 3) roles and responsibilities of analysts and managers need to be reconsidered

A Design Study of an Animated System for Representing Financial Ratios

Computer visualizations are all around us. In this paper we describe a design process in which we explore the development of a new visualization to aid managerial decision making. The ultimate goal of our design effort is to develop a visualization that allows for presenting most of the critical financial ratios used to describe a firm’s activity on a single computer display and dynamically. In doing so, we hope to enable managers to develop holistic and intuitive appreciations of such matters as how a business changes through time, how the flows of resources in healthy businesses differ from those in trouble, and how decisions about one aspect of a business affect others

An Empirical Comparison of Accounting Information Representations (Research-in-Progress)

Information is often multidimensional, dynamic, and difficult to communicate using traditional representations such as verbal descriptions or even graphics. Taking a distributed cognition perspective and integrating several theories of visualization, this study formulates a theoretical model to examine the effects of information representation on a classic business decision-making task: bankruptcy prediction. The preliminary results from a laboratory experiment show that animated representations lead more accurate decisions than static graphs. The findings indicate that animation facilitates identification of the flows and problems in operating and financing processes, thereby improving subjects’ assessment of firm health

In Extremis Leadership: A Study of the Effects in Different Contexts

When lives are at stake, astutely reading a situation (situation awareness) and belief in one’s ability to manage it (self-efficacy) are crucial leadership skills. Fire fighters, law enforcement officers and military leaders routinely enter dangerous, in extremis, situations. Data from these environments is difficult to capture, so there is a gap in the literature looking at the distinctness of these professions. We report on a survey of 514 military, firefighting, and law enforcement leaders examining their experiences during in extremis conditions. This study examines the moderating effect of four human qualities identified in that study (self-esteem, self-sacrifice, mental flexibility and altruism) on situation awareness and self-efficacy as they relate to performance in life threatening situations. We theorize and show in our research that differing priorities among the organizational missions give rise to disparities among the groups. Instead of routinely looking at all in extremis occupations as one population with identical roles, research into these differences should be explored further. Results thus seem relevant to most organizations facing lifethreatening situations, and each distinct group may benefit from different criteria for hiring, recruiting and training of personnel. The results may also be of interest to individuals facing tense, ambiguous, albeit less acute, circumstances

Out of the Box and Onto the Stage: Enacting Information Systems Research through Theatre

The quest for digital innovation leads to consideration of new ways to infuse creativity into research and practice. One approach is to import techniques from artistic disciplines such as theatre. This panel explores the benefits and pitfalls of importing theatrical techniques into IS research. The nonlinear and holistic approach of the artistic fields facilitates incorporation of the emotional, subtle and implicit aspects of IS research. Theatre can also serve as a generative research method that can facilitate the reframing of the way the world is seen and understood. But skeptics argue that the use of theatre might lead to the blurring of the lines between “fact and fiction” to the detriment of the scientific research tradition. This panel presents four different ways to increase IS research creativity by incorporating theatrical techniques into the process. The audience is invited to join the dialogue in search of productive creativity

Mutations in TGFbeta-RII and BAX mediate tumor progression in the later stages of colorectal cancer with microsatellite instability

Abstract Background Microsatellite instability (MSI) occurs in 15% of colorectal cancers (CRC). The genetic targets for mutation in the MSI phenotype include somatic mutations in the transforming growth factor beta receptor typeII (TGFbetaRII), BAX, hMSH3 and hMSH6. It is not clear how mutations of these genes mediate tumor progression in the MSI pathway, and the temporal sequence of these mutations remains uncertain. In this study, early stage CRCs were examined for frameshift mutations in these target genes, and compared with late stage tumors and CRC cell lines. Methods We investigated 6 CRC cell lines and 71 sporadic CRCs, including 61 early stage cancers and 10 late stage cancers. Mutations of repetitive mononucleotide tracts in the coding regions of TGFbetaRII, BAX, hMSH3, hMSH6, IGFIIR and Fas antigen were identified by direct sequencing. Results Thirteen (18.3%) of 71 CRC, including 9/61 (14.7%) early stage cancers and 4/10 (40%) late stage cancers, were identified as MSI and analyzed for frameshift mutations. No mutation in the target genes was observed in any of the 9 early stage MSI CRCs. In contrast, frameshift mutations of TGFbetaRII, BAX, hMSH3 and hMSH6 were present in 3/4 late stage MSI tumors. There is a statistical association (p = 0.014) between mutation in any one gene and tumor stage. Conclusions TGFbetaRII, BAX, hMSH3 and hMSH6 mutations are relatively late events in the genesis of MSI CRCs. The frameshift mutations in these target genes might mediate progression from early to late stage cancer, rather than mediating the adenoma to carcinoma transition.</p

Communications Biophysics

Contains research objectives and summary of research on five research projects, with ten sub-topics.National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS10916-01)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS11000-03)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS11153-01)Harvard-M.I.T. Rehabilitation Engineering CenterU. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (Grant 23-P-55854)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS11680-01)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 ROI NS11080-02)M.I.T. Health Sciences FundNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NSG-2032)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 TO1 GM01555-09)Massachusetts General Hospital Purchase Order F63853Boston City Hospital Purchase Order 4338-7543