Investments In Information Systems Research Articles

Evaluation of Real-Time Transit Information Systems: An information demand and supply approach

Abstract This study assesses current needs in the implementation of Real-Time Transit Information Systems. Web surveys are used to better understand information supply and demand, defined as the attitudes and experiences with real-time information of transit passengers and agencies, respectively. The most valued types of information demanded were found to be related to vehicle location while the least valued information relates to vehicle characteristics, like seating availability. Smartphone applications were found to be the preferred medium for receiving information followed by Internet/websites and dynamic message signs. The surveys also revealed that demographic and socioeconomic status influence preferences for real-time information. The information supply survey found that approximately 70 percent of surveyed agencies currently offer real-time information. The largest constraint to providing or improving Real-Time Transit Information Systems (RTTISs) was found to be funding, followed by staffing needs. A comparison between the survey results found that the information currently being provided by transit agencies is mostly in line with the information most valued by transit passengers. The few differences that exist are generally because agencies do not provide information on the media preferred most by passengers. To address these differences, several suggestions are made to improve the implementation of real-time information. This information can be used to better develop and prioritize investment in real-time information systems.

Risk–reward optimization, within a value assurance framework, for improving return on investment in enterprise information system engineering

Gaining an “information edge” over the competition can be a powerful catalyst for enterprise transformation. However, projects for fielding enterprise information systems too often fail, especially...

Green IT/IS investments evaluation within the aviation industry

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to utilize the existing theories and knowledge surrounding information systems (IS) evaluation and Green information technology (IT)/IS investments to develop a conceptual model for helping decision makers to overcome and reduce the impacts from Green IT/IS investment related to cost overruns or under-optimized budgets.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is discursive, based on the analysis and synthesis of literature pertaining to IS evaluation, Green IT/IS adoption and Sustainable/Green/CSR within an aviation context. Gaps in the preceding research have been identified, and a conceptual model is proposed. Additionally, further research and a methodology are suggested.FindingsThe paper proposes a conceptual model that can identify factors including external factors derived from institutional theory, internal organizational factors, and a list of indirect costs associated with Green IT/IS investments for an aviation organization.Research limitations/implicationsAs a conceptual paper, the study is limited to literature, identifying gaps, and proposing a model. The paper recommends further empirical validation of the proposed conceptual model.Practical implicationsThe conceptual model is helpful for decision makers within the aviation industry to enhance their understanding of the identification and management of indirect costs within the aviation context, which results in effective management of Green IT/IS indirect costs.Originality/valueThe paper fills gaps in the knowledge of IS evaluation, Green IT/IS adoption/evaluation within aviation context through helping decision makers to understand, identify, and manage the associated indirect costs.

A targeted approach toward more accurate assessment of hypertension

There is neither a unifying concept nor a sufficient multivariable approach to apply the use of laboratory markers to clinical practice with respect to the metabolic syndrome. The relationship of metabolic syndrome to the development of hypertension and the concurrent development of chronic renal disease has become evident. We have shown biomarkers to have significant value in combination for assessing heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. The pathogenesis of hypertension and cardiovascular and renal diseases is tightly linked to increased oxidative stress and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability. This review addresses the mathematical foundation for such an evaluation of the biological markers and the computational tools and the interest in outcomes research for improved healthcare practice. The review also addresses the heavy investment in health information systems intended to improve a rapidly consolidating patient health network. This has become important to enable a suitable method of assessing drug efficacy and of lifestyle changes to improve the population health, the pharmaceutical industry, and allied health sciences.

АНАЛИЗ СУЩЕСТВУЮЩИХ МЕТОДОВ ОЦЕНКИ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ ИНВЕСТИЦИЙ ПРИМЕНИТЕЛЬНО К ИНВЕСТИЦИЯМ В ИНФОРМАЦИОННЫЕ СИСТЕМЫ НА ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНОЙ СТАДИИ

The paper justifies a need for updating the existing methods of preliminary appraisal of investments in information systems. Also, the classification of existing methods is given and their assessment criteria are specified. The article presents the analysis of available methods and their disadvantages are emphasized. The way of their elimination is suggested.

ESIP-Saúde: Mozambique's novel approach for a sustainable human resources for health information system.

IntroductionOver the past decade, governments and international partners have responded to calls for health workforce data with ambitious investments in human resources information systems (HRIS). However, documentation of country experiences in the use of HRIS to improve strategic planning and management has been lacking. The purpose of this case presentation is to document for the first time Mozambique’s novel approach to HRIS, sharing key success factors and contributing to the scant global knowledge base on HRIS.Case presentationCore components of the system are a Government of Mozambique (GOM) registry covering all workers in the GOM payroll and a “health extension” which adds health-sector-specific data to the GOM registry. Separate databases for pre-service and in-service training are integrated through a business intelligence tool. The first aim of the HRIS was to identify the following: who and where are Mozambique’s health workers? As of July 2015, 95 % of countrywide health workforce deployment information was populated in the HRIS, allowing the identification of health professionals’ physical working location and their pay point.HRIS data are also used to quantify chronic issues affecting the Ministry of Health (MOH) health workforce. Examples include the following:HRIS information was used to examine the deployment of nurses trained in antiretroviral therapy (ART) vis-à-vis the health facilities where ART is being provided. Such results help the MOH align specialized skill sets with service provision.Twenty-five percent of the MOH health workforce had passed the 2-year probation period but had not been updated in the MOH information systems. For future monitoring of employee status, the MOH established a system of alerts in semi-monthly reports.As of August 2014, 1046 health workers were receiving their full salary but no longer working at the facilities. The MOH is now analyzing this situation to improve the retirement process and coordination with Social Security. ConclusionThe Mozambican system is an important example of an HRIS built on a local platform with local staff. Notable models of strategic data use demonstrate that the system is empowering the MOH to improve health services delivery, health workforce allocation, and management. Combined with committed country leadership and ownership of the program, this suggests strong chances of sustainability and real impact on public health equity and quality.

Investments in information systems and technology in the healthcare: Project management mediation

Healthcare organisations must improve their business practices and internal procedures in order to answer the increasing demand of health professionals and the general public for more and better information. Hospitals invest massively in information systems and technology (IS/IT) in the hope that these investments will improve healthcare and meet patients’ demands. The main objective of our research is to study how organisational maturity, enhanced by investments in IS/IT, project management and best practices, leads to successful projects in public healthcare organisations. The rational of our model is that organisational maturity has a positive effect on IS/IT project success, and that this success is also positively enhanced by the use of project management practices. We emphasise that this combination of approaches can increase the effectiveness of projects. Furthermore, it can also improve the confidence that the results of investments will meet stakeholders’ expectations.

A Review on Methods for the Assessment of Information System Projects

Recently, it is inevitable that businesses invest in many information system (IS) projects in order to gain a competitive advantage within the internal industry and global environment. The important point is the selection of the appropriate IS environment, hence the optimal IS investment methods with respect to changing technological needs. In this respect, both empirical and conceptual studies are reviewed to identify the relevant IS/IT investment methods. After an extensive literature review, 51 relevant articles are identified. The IS/IT investment methods studied in these articles are classified and examined within the three categories: financial, non-financial, and hybrid. The results reveal that most of studies focus on a mixed usage of financial and non-financial methods called hybrid methods, whereas financial methods are used more frequently when compared to non-financial methods during the selected research period. On the other hand, the usage of pure financial methods decreases in recent years, while the usage of hybrid and non-financial methods increases in the same period.

Sucesso de Sistemas de Informações na Administração Pública: Proposta de Um Modelo Exploratório

Os investimentos em Sistemas de Informação (SI) estão aumentando cada vez mais, e consequentemente, persiste a relevância dos estudos sobre sucesso de SI. Delone e Mclean (2003) elaboraram um modelo de sucesso de SI, e esse modelo é referência para as pesquisas da área, porém, na perspectiva do setor público, ainda são raros os estudos. Nesta pesquisa buscou-se propor um modelo exploratório de sucesso de SI na Administração Pública, a partir da identificação de itens em cada construto do modelo original de Delone e McLean (2003), por meio de estudos de casos múltiplos em três prefeituras e uma câmara municipal do Cone Sul do estado de Rondônia. Com base na pesquisa empírica, constatou-se que os fatores de sucesso de SI na Administração Pública Municipal se aproximam daqueles apontados na literatura revisada, porém, com algumas particularidades do setor público. Um modelo de fatores e itens de sucesso de SI, do confronto entre literatura e os dados empíricos, é apresentado ao final.

Sucesso de Sistemas de Informações na Administração Pública: Proposta de Um Modelo Exploratório

Investments in Information Systems (IS) have been significantly increasing and hence the relevance of the studies on the IS success is persistent. Delone and Mclean (2003) developed an IS successful model which is a benchmark for researches in the area, however, in the perspective of the public sector, studies are still rare. In this research it was sought to propose an exploratory model of successful IS in public administration, from the identification of each construct items of the Delone and McLean (2003) original model, through multiple case studies in three Municipalities and a Town Hall of the Southern Cone of Rondonia state, in Brazil. Based on the empirical research, it was found that the IS success factors in municipal public administration are close to those factors indicated in the reviewed literature, however, showing some particularities of the public sector. A model of successful factors and items of IS, from the confrontation between literature and empirical data, is presented in the end of this work.

The Impact of Information Systems Investment on Bank Performance in Ghana

The advancement of technology is a necessity of the current era. Businesses need to adopt and embrace new technologies to provide excellent business operations and services to their customers. This study looks at the impact of information systems investment on bank performance in Ghana. The major objectives are; (1) to determine the types of technology that the banks invest in (2) to find out the level of IS investment in the banks and (3) to determine the relationship between IS investments and bank’s performance. The following hypothesis was proposed and tested statistically “Information systems investment has a positive relationship with bank performance”. This study adopted the survey methodology. Taking into account the purpose of the study and the research hypothesis, this study is comfortably placed within a scientific epistemology of logical positivism. The cases investigated were local banks and foreign banks. The six banks used were named Bank A, Bank B, Bank C, Bank D, Bank E and Bank F respectively for the sake of anonymity. The population for the study was the strategic staff from the six banks all selected at their Head Offices in Greater Accra Region. The findings revealed that, there has been a high rate of investment in the past three years made by the various banks. The findings also revealed that both the foreign banks and the local banks asserted to the fact that, market share, profitability and ROA increases as IS investments are employed in the industry. Subjecting the hypothesis to statistical test also showed that, information systems investment has a positive relationship with bank performance. This study would help bank managers to recognize the importance of information systems investment and its use to gain competitive advantage and increase profit margins.

Aid, Growth and Employment in Africa

Aid, Growth and Employment in Africa

Evaluation of Information System Investments: A Value Dials approach to closing the theory-practice gap

Failed or partially failed information systems (IS) investments continue to be a problem in both public and private sectors. Although there are many causes of such failure, lack of clarity about the goals and benefits expected and how they are to be realized is one of the major contributors. This is particularly so in the public sector where the purpose of IS investment is not to increase profits, but to accomplish social and political goals. One way of reducing failure and wastage rates is to have ex-ante evaluation. Over the past three decades IS research has proposed a plethora of new theoretical approaches to improving ex-ante evaluation, but with a few exceptions, these have had little impact on practice. This paper presents a way to address this gap between theory and practice. It proposes a way in which managers can improve IS investment evaluation by changing perspective from a focus on traditional analytic tools towards a design attitude that seeks to develop multi-criteria IS evaluation approach based on contextual experience and prior knowledge. The proposed approach enables organizations to design and develop a value case using value dials as a common language that defines what constitutes the value of particular IS investments for a specific context. To assess its effectiveness, this approach was applied using a multilevel dialogical action research project within a Swedish public organization. The findings show that managers in this organization significantly improved the effectiveness of their evaluation of IS investments.

Understanding and valuing the broader health system benefits of Uganda's national Human Resources for Health Information System investment.

BackgroundTo address the need for timely and comprehensive human resources for health (HRH) information, governments and organizations have been actively investing in electronic health information interventions, including in low-resource settings. The economics of human resources information systems (HRISs) in low-resource settings are not well understood, however, and warrant investigation and validation.Case descriptionThis case study describes Uganda’s Human Resources for Health Information System (HRHIS), implemented with support from the US Agency for International Development, and documents perceptions of its impact on the health labour market against the backdrop of the costs of implementation. Through interviews with end users and implementers in six different settings, we document pre-implementation data challenges and consider how the HRHIS has been perceived to affect human resources decision-making and the healthcare employment environment.Discussion and evaluationThis multisite case study documented a range of perceived benefits of Uganda’s HRHIS through interviews with end users that sought to capture the baseline (or pre-implementation) state of affairs, the perceived impact of the HRHIS and the monetary value associated with each benefit. In general, the system appears to be strengthening both demand for health workers (through improved awareness of staffing patterns) and supply (by improving licensing, recruitment and competency of the health workforce). This heightened ability to identify high-value employees makes the health sector more competitive for high-quality workers, and this elevation of the health workforce also has broader implications for health system performance and population health.ConclusionsOverall, it is clear that HRHIS end users in Uganda perceived the system to have significantly improved day-to-day operations as well as longer term institutional mandates. A more efficient and responsive approach to HRH allows the health sector to recruit the best candidates, train employees in needed skills and deploy trained personnel to facilities where there is real demand. This cascade of benefits can extend the impact and rewards of working in the health sector, which elevates the health system as a whole.

Achieving universal health coverage.

Achieving universal health coverage.

State strategic information system plans

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine US state strategic plans for e-government (or information technology), identify their strengths and weaknesses, and presents best practices for both practitioners and scholars interested in improving state strategic plans for information technology. Design/methodology/approach – The research analyzes the e-government strategic plans, based on a content analysis using a rubric consisting of 15 questions. Findings – The findings suggest that of the state information system plans reviewed – Michigan, Virginia, and Massachusetts are the most comprehensive. Overall, the state plans were effective in developing strategies and core beliefs, and assessing their strengths and opportunities, while less successful in recognizing weakness and threats. Research limitations/implications – This study builds on existing research examining strategic information systems plans in US states and assesses the extent to which each plan addresses established criteria for developing strategic plans. This study also attempts to fill the need for more data and empirical evidence in the development of literature in strategic planning and performance measurement. Practical implications – The research employs a public sector approach to strategic planning, and while the process is not specific to information systems it is comprehensive in its approach, grounded in literature, and offers guidance to public sector leaders in planning for investments in information systems and technology. Originality/value – The conclusion offers suggestions for both public administration practitioners and scholars interested in improving state strategic plans for information technology.

Hospitality Management Information System Investment (Feasibility Study at PT ABC)

The Company’s information systems are expected to support the company’s business processes that provide competitive advantage in a competitive business. Before investing information system it is necessary to conduct a feasibility study on running information systems in order to obtain an overview of the support that can be provided by the old system. The method of this study was performed by conducting surveys and interviews for data collection and analysis methods with fit gap analysis, cost benefit analysis and information technology balanced scorecard. The results of this study by using a fit gap analysis showed that only 10% of the system running with fit criteria, so it is necessary to change the system. Proposed new system will provide a 3.9 year payback period of 5 years management estimates. Average achievement by using information technology balanced scorecard is 93.5%. The conclusion that can be drawn from this study is the firm should invest in hospitality management information system by looking at the aspects of operational and financial aspects.

CIO/CTO Job Roles: An Emerging Organizational Model

The position of Chief Information Systems Officer (CIO) has become a daunting job due to the myriad of business and technical responsibilities assigned to the organization’s top information systems (IS) executive. CIOs are being asked to successfully ensure the firm’s IS investments are continually aligned with its strategic business objectives, while also planning and maintaining an IT infrastructure that will meet the firm’s current and future information processing needs. Many CIOs are finding it extremely difficult to balance the two key roles of technician and businessperson successfully. Many business experts that have analyzed this problem have concluded that the tasks and responsibilities assigned to a typical CIO may be too overwhelming for a single person. This paper advances a formal organizational structure in which the typical responsibilities of the CIO position are “re-allocated” to two IS executives – the CIO and the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). This paper also describes which responsibilities should be retained by the CIO and which responsibilities should be delegated to the CTO. Finally, a discussion of the challenges and benefits associated with the implementation of CIO/CTO organizational leadership structure is presented.

Investing in Information Systems: On the Behavioral and Institutional Search Mechanisms Underpinning Hospitals' IS Investment Decisions

This study integrates tenets of the behavioral theory of the firm and neo-institutional theory to identify four recurring search mechanisms that are expected to influence hospital managers' information systems investment decisions. To account for the critical role of regulation in healthcare, senior managers' reliance on each of these four search mechanisms is hypothesized to be contingent upon their hospital's regulative legitimacy. Analyses of panel data from all 153 public nonspecialist hospital organizations in England reveal that hospital managers invest in IS not only to find solutions to performance shortfalls (problemistic search), but also to achieve continuity and predictability in resource allocation (institutionalized search) and signal conformity with external norms and expectations (mimetic search). We find that the desire to make adequate use of uncommitted financial resources (slack search) is salient only among hospitals with low levels of regulative legitimacy. These new insights into the motives that trigger--and constrain--senior managers' IS investment decisions will help IS managers to strengthen their case for IS investment and guide policy makers in how best to allocate resources to IS in healthcare and possibly beyond.

Patient Outcomes as Transformative Mechanisms to Bring Health Information Technology Industry and Research Informatics Closer Together.

Despite the fast pace of recent innovation within the health information technology and research informatics domains, there remains a large gap between research and academia, while interest in translating research innovations into implementations in the patient care settings is lacking. This is due to absence of common outcomes and performance measurement targets, with health information technology industry employing financial and operational measures and academia focusing on patient outcome concerns. The paper introduces methodology for and roadmap to introduction of common objectives as a way to encourage better collaboration between industry and academia using patient outcomes as a composite measure of demonstrated success from health information systems investments. Along the way, the concept of economics of health informatics, or "infonomics," is introduced to define a new way of mapping future technology investments in accordance with projected clinical impact.