Ovsei Gelman

Toward an Integrated Conceptualization of the Service and Service System Concepts: A Systems Approach

Service and service systems concepts are fundamental constructs for the development of the emergent SSME, ITSM, and Service Oriented Software (SOS) knowledge streams. A diversified literature has provided a richness of findings, but at the same time, the lack of standardized conceptualizations is a source of confusion to IT practitioners and academics. Given this problematic situation, we pose that a systems approach is useful to address it. In this article, we review and synthesize key studies in these knowledge streams to design: (i) a framework to characterize both concepts under a system view and, (ii) harmonized definitions (e.g. identification of shared and essential properties) for such fundamental concepts. Our main contribution is scholastic, but we are confident that the posed conceptual artifacts can be further used to elaborate standardized definition for the IT service and IT service system constructs, as well as analysis tools for describe real service systems.

Integrating the Fragmented Pieces of IS research Paradigms and Frameworks: A systems Approach

A formal conceptualization of the original concept of system and related concepts-from the original systems approach movement-can facilitate the understanding of information systems IS. This paper develops a critique integrative of the main IS research paradigms and frameworks reported in the IS literature using a systems approach. The effort seeks to reduce or dissolve some current research conflicts on the foci and the underlying paradigms of the IS discipline.

Research Methodologies, Innovations and Philosophies in Software Systems Engineering and Information Systems

Philosophical paradigms, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies make up the answering and problem solving systems that define current research approaches. While there are multiple research method books, the subject lacks an update and integrated source of reference for graduate courses.Research Methodologies, Innovations and Philosophies in Software Systems Engineering and Information Systems aims to advance scientific knowledge on research approaches used in systems engineering, software engineering, and information systems and to update and integrate disperse and valuable knowledge on research approaches. This aims to be a collection of knowledge for PhD students, research-oriented faculty, and instructors of graduate courses.

Onto-ServSys: A Service System Ontology

In this chapter, we report the design of an ontology (called onto-ServSys) for the relevant service system construct used in the Service Science, Management and Engineering (SSME) arena. These conceptual artifacts have been used to establish a non-ambiguous and common set of basic constructs for supporting automated reasoning on a domain of interest in intelligent systems. While this reported ontology is initial, and still conceptual, we claim it is useful to advance on an integrated view of service systems, which at present, given the multiple and disparate literatures, is fragmented and disperse. Such integration is realized through a Systems Approach, and its design is guided by a conceptual design research method.

Toward a comprehensive framework for the design and evaluation of intelligent decision-making support systems (i-DMSS)

Design and evaluation frameworks for Decision-making Support Systems (DMSS) and Intelligent DMSS (i-DMSS) have been posed in last 20 years. Useful findings to match the required general system’s capabilities with decision phases and steps in several managerial levels have been also generated. However, current status of i-DMSS capabilities suggests that the full realization of them is still a long-term aim. This paper seeks to advance in it. By extending a previous work and integrating the Chandrasekaran’s task-structure concept from Artificial Intelligence (AI) discipline, an updated framework based on the Decision Making (DM) and Computational Mechanism (CM) views is reported. Its theoretical and practical benefits and other implications for a better design and evaluation process of i-DMSS are also discussed. Finally, limitations of current study and recommendations for further research are reported.

An IT Service Engineering and Management Framework (ITS-EMF)

There is a rich amount of literature on services from Information Technology (IT) (Management view) and IT System Engineering (ITSE) (Engineering view) domains. However, such a variety has produced disparate views. Furthermore, given that IT and ITSE service-based systems must be linked to business services (the User view), conceptual interrelationships are increased, causing yet more diversity. This paper identifies that this generates a lack of theoretical conceptual cohesion and leads to multiple practical confusions. To address these issues and to reduce such conceptual gaps, an IT Service Engineering and Management Framework (ITS-EMF) is proposed. ITS-EMF is generated by careful review and examination of the main conceptualizations on IT, ITSE and business services. The paper claims that ITS-EMF is useful for: (1) mapping services concepts from disparate IT literature, (2) reducing service conceptual confusion from the multiple available sources, and (3) providing conceptual links between service constructs used in business services and IT and ITSE services layers. It concludes with the implications, both academic and practical, for engineering and managing IT services in business organizations.

A Framework to Assess Intelligent Decision-Making Support Systems

A new framework to identify and classify the support capabilities provided by the full range of Decision-Making Support Systems is posed. This framework extends a previously reported framework by the same authors. The new framework adds a dimension of user interface support capabilities to the data, information and knowledge representation and processing capabilities dimensions of the previous framework. With this conceptual tool, an analysis of the achievements realized and a research agenda for the next generation of Intelligent DMSS is developed.

Toward an Interdisciplinary Engineering and Management of Complex IT-Intensive Organizational Systems: A Systems View

An accelerated scientific, engineering, and industrial progress in information technologies has fostered the deployment of Complex Information Technology (highly dependent) Organizational Systems (CITOS). The benefits have been so strong that CITOS have proliferated in a variety of large and midsized organizations to support various generic intra-organizational processes and inter-organizational activities. But their systems engineering, management, and research complexity have been substantially raised in the last decade, and the CITOS realization is presenting new technical, organizational, management, and research challenges. In this article, we use a conceptual research method to review the engineering, management, and research complexity issues raised for CITOS, and develop the rationality of the following propositions: P1: a plausible response to cope with CITOS is an interdisciplinary engineering and management body of knowledge; and P2: such a realization is plausible through the incorporation of foundations, principles, methods, tools, and best practices from the systems approach by way of systems engineering and software engineering disciplines. Discussion of first benefits, critical barriers, and effectiveness measures to reach this academic proposal are presented.

An Extensive Review of IT Service Design in Seven International ITSM Processes Frameworks: Part II

The main international IT Service Management processes frameworks ITIL v2, ISO/IEC 20000, COBIT 4.0, CMMI-SVC, MOF 4.0, and ITUP include the design of IT services as part of their main best practices. However, despite having a common purpose and conceptual structure, they are organized differently. Hence, ITSM academic researchers and practitioners need to integrate a broad and diverse literature in relation to these frameworks. In Part I of this research, the authors pursued the goal of a descriptive-comparative analysis of fundamental concepts and IT service architecture design models used in the seven ITSM frameworks. In this paper Part II we complete this systemic analysis by using the ISO/IEC 15288 systems engineering standard and focusing on the IT design processes and practices reported in the aforementioned ITSM frameworks. Specifically, CMMI-SVC and ITUP are assessed in overall as the strongest frameworks from an engineering view, MOF 4.0 and ITIL v3 as moderate, and ISO/IEC 20000, ITIL v2 and COBIT as the weakest. ITSM academicians and in particular practitioners thus will need to distinguish their utilization according to the level of required detail of the IT service design process. This paper aims to advance our comprehension and understanding on the state of the art regarding what are IT services and how they can be designed. Thus it is of broad significance to ITSM researchers and practitioners.

A Strategic Descriptive Review of the Intelligent Decision-making Support Systems Research: the 1980–2004 Period

About 25 years ago, the Nobel laureate Herbert A. Simon and other top Management Science/Operations Research (MS/OR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) researchers, suggested that an integration of the two disciplines would improve the design of decision-making support tools in organizations. The suggested integrated system has been called an intelligent decision-making support system (i-DMSS). In this chapter, we use an existing conceptual framework posed to assess the capabilities and limitations of the i-DMSS concept, and through a conceptual metaanalysis research of the Decision Support System (DSS) and AI literature from 1980 to 2004, we develop a strategic assessment of the initial proposal. Such an analysis reveals support gaps that suggest further development of the initial i-DMSS concept is needed. We offer recommendations for making the indicated improvements in i-DMSS design, development, and application.