Bob Wood

A theoretical review of management and information systems using a critical communications theory

This paper reflects on the managerialistic orthodoxy of knowledge management in order to show that a critical communications theory is required for addressing real political and ethical shortcomings. This produces an alternative methodological perspective through an intentional synthesis of established methodological views. The papers allies in this critical quest include Jürgen Habermas, Werner Ulrich, Stanley Deetz, Geoffrey Vickers, Peter Checkland and their mentors. Information systems and knowledge systems architects and engineers and their manager clients conveniently ignore fundamental issues, including politics, power, knowledge and communication. Yet, today the more substantive issues are not technical but ethical. In raising questions about the rhetoric of knowledge management reflections on the instrumentality of much of what is said and done about management and information systems are outlined. The departure point is critical scepticism. This is motivated by concerns for the ethical status of the commercially valuable outcome of (at least) two conjoined simplistic and fundamentally dominatory conventional wisdoms. These stem from two fields that are managerialistically biased and which share a common basis in a false rationality.

Degenerative structures that inhibit the emergence of communities of practice: a case study of knowledge management in the British Council

Abstract.  This paper presents the British Council’s knowledge management strategy. It outlines how, as part of this strategy, the organization attempted to engender communities of practice among a strategically significant group spread across the 110 countries in which the organization operates. Using a case study of this group, the paper explores ‘degenerative structures’ that impact on the ability to engender communities of practice and, through consideration of issues of individualization and risk, highlights a series of paradoxes that inhibited this organization’s attempt to move from a ‘hub‐and‐spoke’ structure to become a networked organization in which communities of practice flourish.

Dynamic negotiation of cloud computing services in market-oriented environments

An aspiring vision of cloud computing is that it will facilitate the realisation of computing as a fifth utility. Previous research has shown that inadequate support for dynamic negotiation of SLAs is a major obstacle preventing the continued growth and ubiquity of cloud computing frameworks. This paper proposes adoption of an agent-based communication protocol to coordinate a dynamic negotiation process between trading parties within a cloud computing market-oriented environment. The motivation of this research proposal is that adoption of such a technique would have profound implications for the pay-for-use model encapsulated within cloud computing service provision. The paper additionally proposes the realisation of agent-based virtual communities of practice amongst consumers, enabling them to become better informed regarding the service quality of cloud computing providers. The paper appraises the benefits and repercussions of the proposed strategy for both service providers and end users through the construction of a simulation test bed.

Socio-Technical Design of the 21st Century

The norm of the 21st century has been decentralization as competition in the marketplace has increased significantly. Organizations commonly freelance or outsource work to other professionals or manufacturers where it can be performed at lower cost. Thus, due to the changing nature of work, there is a need to reconsider the ETHICS of the past. Based upon the new work order, changes in ETHICS are proposed and will be discussed in this paper.

Reviews section February 2012—Part III

e A U i ( otential to expand the market for publishers making new content vailable. In education, students are more interested in core reading. The hapters present two case studies. The first based at City of Bristol ollege and Yeovil College and the second at Portsmouth Uniersity. Engaging the academics is key to getting students to use -books. Generally the most popular textbooks are not available as ublishers worry that they will lose revenue if students no longer uy reading list books however an increasing amount of enriching aterial is available. In the Kingston University survey we found hat if a book was available in both electronic and print form 60% of tudents prefer the print format and only 16% e-books. Portsmouth sked the same question of their students and had the same result. -books are mainly used by students when all print copies are on oan. The main deterrents for both FE and HE students were the echnical issues and that the books they most wanted were not vailable. An interesting feature of this book is that the editors have llowed space for the contributors ato look in the crystal bala and redict the future in 10 years’ time. There are also appendices which nclude some top tips from the contributors together with a glosary and a list of suppliers. I think this book is a very welcome ddition. Librarians involved in e-book purchase or even just intersted in their use would find this invaluable. It is highly readable nd because of the layout can equally be dippaed into or read from over-to-cover.

Every Innovation is a New Thing but not Every New Thing is an Innovation

Le mot innovation est un terme tres utilise de nos jours. Les defis concernant la fabrication, la production, la logistique et les services ont ete resolus dans les dernieres decennies. Cela a permis aux compagnies occidentales d’externaliser ces activites vers des pays ou les couts sont faibles, specialement le tiers monde. Ces compagnies concoivent aujourd’hui leur role comme etant les createurs d’une nouvelle generation de produits et services susceptibles d’etre mis au point et commercialises par d’autres compagnies situees dans les regions du village planetaire qui en termes d’efficience seront le mieux a meme de le faire. Pour les cadres de ces compagnies, le defi revet un aspect plus intellectuel que physique.D’aucuns pensent que l’innovation se resume a l’invention de quelque chose de nouveau ou consiste a agir de facon differente. D’autres pensent qu’il s’agit d’un autre terme pour designer la creativite. Beaucoup de ces notions meritent d’etre discutees. Qu’est donc l’innovation ? Comment savons-nous que quelque chose releve de l’innovation et non pas d’une simple amelioration ?Y-a-t-il un lien entre innovation et creativite ? A partir de quand l’innovation cesse-t-elle d’etre une innovation ? Comment pouvons-nous agir afin d’impulser des modes de pensee innovants chez les personnes et dans les equipes ? Quelles sont les mesures que devrait prendre un manager afin de creer des environnements favorisant l’innovation ? Ce sont quelques-unes des questions qui seront abordees dans cet article, l’idee que sous-tend cet article etant de lancer un debat et de soulever des questions, qui sont des prealables a toute innovation.