Val Hooper

Knowledge and information sharing in a closed information environment

Purpose – The objectives of this research are to ascertain the current status of, and barriers to, knowledge and information sharing; to elicit suggestions for improvement; and to determine whether the situation is different from that experienced by organizations operating in an average business environment.Design/methodology/approach – The approach adopted was a survey conducted within the New Zealand Defence Force, for the purpose of obtaining a deeper understanding.Findings – It was found that much similarity existed between the two types of organizations except that the organization operating in a closed information environment presented as an extreme example of an average organization. In particular, the requirement to maintain high security yet encourage the free flow of knowledge and information presents a considerable challenge.Originality/value – The paper presents some insights into an area about which very little is known and which is, by its nature, difficult to research. It shows how closed i...

To Txt or Not to Txt: That's the Puzzle

Introduction Promoting classroom interaction has been shown to enhance learning (Anderson, 2002; Markett, Sanchez, Weber, & Tangney, 2006). However, encouraging participation and deploying learning activities in large classes that range in size from 100 to 200 students can be very challenging. One way in which the problem can be overcome is by the use of information and communications technology (ICT). An emerging ICT that can be deployed to engage students is the audience response system (ARS), or personal response system (PRS). Positive learning experience has been reported through the use of ARSs (Eggert, West & Thomas, 2004). The ARS uses wireless keypad technology, also known as clicker technology, for real-time communication with a server. However, one issue with wireless keypad, or clicker, technology is that it may have a restricted duration license. Often the license to use the system is limited to a single semester (Purdue, 2006) and a new license must be purchased for use to continue. Updating the license is normally done through the purchase of a new code. Frequently this is also tied to textbook purchase (OSU, 2006). Another limitation of clicker technology is that it has restricted functionality; it cannot provide responses that require text entry. Normally an ARS only uses multiple choice questions with a projector screen. The adoption of clicker technology as an ARS for classroom interaction, though very useful, is thus not ideal. There is consequently a need to look beyond clicker technology to achieve classroom interaction. The solution should provide an interesting and motivational medium to promote learning and interaction, while at the same time it should minimize the need for students to purchase hardware. One of the most omnipresent gadgets carried by university students nowadays is the mobile phone. Mobile phones seem to have become the most popular communication devices for the current Y generation, irrespective of country or culture. For example, in China the latest statistics from the Ministry of Information Industry (MII) show that the short message service (SMS) of mobile phones in China hit an historical record in the first quarter of 2006 with the daily average number of SMS messages sent reaching 1.098 billion (China SMS, 2006). Therefore, the idea of adopting the use of the mobile phone with SMS capability as a PRS presented an appealing and practical option to be explored. Objectives of the Study With this in mind, the objectives of this study were, firstly, to explore the feasibility of using the SMS facility of mobile phones to promote learning through the use of an SMS crossword puzzle activity in a classroom environment. The second objective was to examine the motivational capacity of using a mobile phone--specifically for an SMS crossword puzzle--for learning purposes. The third objective, which is related to the second objective, was to explore the potential adoption of such a system as an educational tool by students. Simply, the objectives aim to understand whether, if a system is developed, users (students) will use it and what factors will motivate them to do so. This paper thus initially provides an overview of the relevant literature. Firstly, the use of SMS in education is explored, then the motivation aspect of games in the context of learning, and finally, the SMS technology. The next section describes an SMS crossword system that was based on the literature and was developed to promote learning activity in the classroom. The last two sections provide more detail of the implementation and evaluation of the SMS crossword system with respect to the stated objectives. Background Literature SMS in Education The adoption of SMS as an educational tool has recently become popular in education. For example, Lian (2003) developed an innovative teaching strategy that effectively integrates SMS technology into the teaching and learning process. …

A dialogical framing of AIS–SEA design

Previous literature has proposed dialogical accounting as a means wherein accounting information systems can support competing, and potentially incompatible, information needs of various interested constituencies (Dillard and Yuthas, 2013). Here we extend that work by focusing on the design of social and environmental accounting (SEA) information systems that take pluralism seriously. We theorize the challenges of designing such systems wherein they are expected to address the needs of multiple users with different interests that may emerge from different economic, social, political and/or cultural perspectives, as they relate, for example, to sustainability reporting, ethical investment, participatory development studies and indigenous resource management. Using dialogic engagement, we attempt to move beyond traditional, and often highly constrained, conceptualizations of “stakeholder engagement” and propose a framework for undertaking systems design that can facilitate high quality and relevant SEA information systems that meet the needs of a wide range of actual and/or potential users. We provide an example of how the framework might be enacted using a framing methodology.

The impact of IS-marketing alignment on marketing performance and business performance

The importance of the alignment between information systems (IS) and the business has been emphasized for over a decade. To date, no empirical study has explored the impact of the alignment of IS and marketing, despite initial indications that such an alignment could impact favorably upon business performance. This study reports on a new conceptualization of alignment, together with the development and testing of a parsimonious model which addresses this issue. Data from a survey of 415 respondents from medium-large New Zealand companies were used to test the model. It was found that IS-marketing alignment had a positive impact on both business performance and marketing performance, and that marketing performance in turn had a modest but positive impact on business performance.

Inter-organisational knowledge transfer in social networks: A definition of intermediate ties

A social network perspective helps identify and analyse informal knowledge transfer among people and organisations with the aim to recommend organisational interventions and improvements, for example in the form of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) support. This paper particularly focuses on a key concept of social network analysis (SNA), the concept of tie strength, in an inter-organisational knowledge transfer context. Tie strength describes the strength of a social relationship. In the past, SNA literature with a knowledge management context has often emphasized the importance of strong and/or weak ties rather than of intermediate (medium strong) ties in a social network. Nevertheless, in this study, intermediate ties are identified as the dominant links among key groups of organisation in a social network. Intermediate ties also help connect otherwise weakly linked organisations. Moreover, a definition of intermediate ties in the context of knowledge management is introduced. With the help of cluster analysis and an investigation into the levels of reciprocity, intermediate ties can be clearly defined in a social network. Due to their importance for knowledge transfer in a social network, intermediate ties should be primarily supported, for example by appropriate ICT.

Revisiting the role of communication quality in ERP project success

Purpose - Communication quality is repeatedly listed among the top success factors to consider when implementing an ERP system. Analysis shows its role is more complex. It helps some aspect of success but has no influence on others. The aim of this paper is to conduct a case study to determine the role of communication quality in the success of an ERP project implementation. Design/methodology/approach - A case study was conducted to determine the role of communication quality in the success of an ERP project implementation. Findings - Results suggest that different aspects of communication quality impact different dimensions of project success. Some dimensions of project success did not seem influenced by communication quality. Results also show that, for the dimensions of project success that are influenced by communication quality, the form might be as important as the content of communication. Research limitations/implications - The literature may be repeating an “accepted truth” without actually testing it. The evaluation of the regularity of the patterns observed will require additional observations. Also, the reasons behind the association between the communication quality attributes and the different components of success will need to be further investigated. Practical implications - For managers, the findings highlight that communication is not a silver bullet when conducting ERP projects. Managers should also be aware that the form of the communication efforts will likely have as much impact as the content of the communication process. The results specially emphasized the importance of openness in communication. Originality/value - The study considers nine dimensions of communication quality. By examining the separate effects of the communication content and form on the components of ERP project success, the paper provides a deeper understanding of the role of communication in the implementation of ERP systems.

The Rugby Player and the Handbag: Extending a Model of the Factors of Influence in Online Auctions

Research into the determinants of online auction prices has tended to group them into buyer factors, seller factors and site factors. A case is presented which records how a

Stakeholder engagement in corporate reporting: towards building a strong reputation

30 handbag was sold for

THE ROLE OF MOBILE PHONES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AMONG REFUGEES IN SOUTH AFRICA

22,750 in an online auction shortly after a national sport final. Analysis of the case indicates additional factors which can exert a considerable influence on the final auction price. A model is proposed which depicts five groups of factors impacting the final price: buyer factors, seller factors, site factors which are expanded to include timing of the “action†, and site brand strength; product factors which include product features, brand strength, and brand extension/association; and promotion, which includes media publicity. While not all factors will impact on every auction, due consideration should be accorded each of them.

eDiscovery in South Africa and the challenges it faces

The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which organisations engage with stakeholders about social and environmental issues. The authors establish where the designers of these reports source the information reported.,This was an exploratory study that employed a qualitative research design. Interviews with 24 individuals from 15 organisations in New Zealand that are involved with the writing of sustainability reports were conducted. In addition documents were analysed from a number of organisations to allow for triangulation.,Findings indicate that engagement with stakeholders was important and one of the main purposes was to have a licence to stay in business. It was also found that managers do prioritise the saliency of issues. Generally, stakeholders do not get involved in the decision making pertaining to environmental issues in organisations.,The sample investigated in this study was relatively small so generalisation of the results would be difficult. However, these in depth interviews did provide insights that can be used in further study using large samples and in different countries.,This is the first time that the designers of annual reports were interviewed. They have knowledge of the extent of stakeholder engagement with firms.