Distributed Information Technology Research Articles

Projectized Community of Practice: A Case Study of Globally Distributed Information Technology Organization

The execution of globally distributed information technology service projects (GDITP) by globally distributed teams, while inherently complex, offers the advantages of swift implementation and seamless service delivery to global clients. The numerous challenges including the intangibility of customer specifications, the iterative nature of information technology (IT) activities and coordination difficulties arising from diverse teams contribute to complexity in managing these projects. Moreover, the organizational complexity is compounded by competing power centres, turning project delivery into a politically contested process. In traditional projects such as construction or customized manufacturing, overcoming aforementioned challenges through strong top-down leadership is typical in many time-bound projects. However, in the realm of IT projects, which are inherently people-centric, enforcing a command-and-control environment is challenging. Communities-of-practice (CoP) offer an alternative structure that engages highly skilled employees in a collaborative community, navigating the challenges posed by IT projects. Our study explores this innovative approach, focusing on a product firm effectively leveraging CoPs to successfully execute global service projects. Delving into the functioning of CoPs, our research illustrates how they scale up using both formal and informal networks to meet diverse global customer requirements. Despite operating globally, CoPs exhibit emergent collective mindfulness, adapting tools, processes and products to the demands of the projects. The study also details how the organization manages complexity while adhering to product architecture and a uniform project framework.

First step into automation of security assessment of critical infrastructures

Critical infrastructures have been undergoing significant developments resulting from new economy and society driven trends and demands. In the energy supply, decentralization and digitalization are the key processes that push a significant amount of innovation and movement into the networking of many distributed information and operational technology based energy systems. These advancements bring substantial benefits, but expose the underlying systems to a number of risks at the same time. In response, governments and sector-specific organizations have published a series of regulatory requirements and guidelines on cybersecurity for the industry and especially for critical infrastructures. This article describes a practical approach to conducting cybersecurity assessments for critical infrastructures in the form of an extended gap analysis. The goal is to develop a technique for analyzing gaps between the security measures already implemented, and the recommendations formulated in the legal acts and standards for different critical infrastructure sectors. The methodology includes several assessment steps and layers to address a wide range of security controls of existing standards, taking into account the limitations of conducting such security analyses in the operational environment, especially of power supply systems. In addition, a possible automation strategy for the initial phase of the security assessment is presented, in which information about the assets under investigation is collected and the appropriate security measures are identified. The presented approach has been developed and practically tested for a digital substation of a local German energy grid operator.

Blockchain-Based Security Configuration Management for ICT Systems

The world has become increasingly dependent on large-scale and distributed information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructures and systems in sectors such as energy, transport, banking, healthcare, water supply, and digital services, while their protection is considered of paramount importance and has already drawn remarkable attention from governments and key industry players. Establishing common approaches by leveraging existing frameworks and cyber security practices for improving the security postures of those systems is one of the major objectives for ensuring an adequate level of protection and avoiding the detrimental effects of disruptions on society and citizens. Configuration management (CM) is one of those common practices for establishing and maintaining the integrity and consistency of a system and its elements with regard to the function, performance, and status of technical and physical attributes, and it contributes to a desirable security posture throughout the lifecycle of a system. This study addresses the importance of CM, and while considering the corresponding frameworks, standards, and best practices, it proposes a permissioned blockchain-based approach, that inherits the benefits of the blockchain technology and ensures the integrity of the systems’ configuration across the complete lifecycle management of its products and services as an underlying model for mapping and integrating CM functions. Furthermore, this study briefly presents the benefits and challenges of the application of permissioned blockchain models and proposes a smart-contract-based role-based access control mechanism, in addition to presenting an operating concept based on brief but real-life lifecycle requirements of organizational configuration management.

The Importance of Security Is in the Eye of the Beholder: Cultural, Organizational, and Personal Factors Affecting the Implementation of Security by Design

Security by design is a recommended approach, addressing end-to-end security and privacy in the design of software systems. To realize this approach, proactive security behavior is required from software developers. This research follows results from previous studies that suggest that personal and organizational characteristics influence security-related behaviors during the software design process. The research is aimed at gaining an in-depth understanding of proactive security behavior and the factors affecting it. Leveraging organization climate theory from organizational psychology, we propose a theoretical model, detailing different factors and their relations with proactive security behavior and test it in empirical settings. The empirical study was conducted in collaboration with an internationally distributed information technology enterprise and included a survey questionnaire completed by 499 software developers working in seven countries. The results of the survey confirm the moderation-mediation relations in the proposed model, revealing that organizational security climate and security self-efficacy are both positively associated with proactive security behavior, organizational security climate is positively associated with security self-efficacy, and cultures promoting individualism moderate the relationship between organizational security climate and security self-efficacy, thus impeding proactive security behavior. The body of knowledge of organizational psychology points to directions that can effectively be activated for improvement.

Strategic Perspective on Challenges and Opportunities in Big Data Management

Big data has come to eminence in all spheres from politics to business and is seen as a resource to enhance business operations and a tool to work efficiently and streamline the collection and distribution of information technology. Virtually everyone, ranging from big web companies to traditional enterprisers, physical science researchers to social scientists, is already experiencing or anticipating unprecedented growth in the amount of data available in their world and seeing opportunities and untapped value. Yet the understanding of big data's role in this interconnected world is in the nascent stage. What has been studied and highlighted appears massive, but what is yet to be realized is the latent potential of big data from an organizational perspective. Hence, adopting a systematic literature review with content analysis, the core aim of this paper is to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities of big data management (BDM) from a strategic perspective. The paper also proposes a mechanism for strategic management of big data and provides case studies to reflect BDM application.

The Similarities and Differences between Edge Computing and IOT

Abstract : This study is based on differences and similarities between edge computing and IoT. Edge computing and IoT application in technological application; both can form specific processing in data transmission. Distribution of information technology can make nearer sources of business computation. Edge computing and IoT are highly related to each other which create an innumerable advantage in the data transaction process. Sensor connectivity is the major work of Internet of things (IoT) technology that is attached with computation to form active specification of network connectivity and transformation of raw data into final data for reliable result. Both of the technological aspects can make data transmission at a standard rate, though there is better specification in the IoT technology. In addition, IoT operates with sensors, helps in the connectivity of multi purposes of networks and big data analytics without any obstacles, though there are less effective chances in the edge computing technology. Edge computing technology is only specific in mobile phone connectivity and in the operating system which may not handle big data analytics within a confidential formation that can be done with the help of IoT. Keyword : Data, Edge Computing, Internet of Things, Sensor

Development of cyber-physical system security management process model

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) combine general-purpose information and telecommunication systems and industrial networks and devices (controllers), forming a heterogeneous hierarchical distributed information technology computing environment designed for control and monitoring of technological processes. FSCs are being actively implemented in the industrial, urban and household spheres, allowing for more efficient use of resources, as well as transferring management and feedback processes to a new level. CPS are formed as a result of the aggregation of several heterogeneous information and telecommunication systems, which makes them susceptible to the destructive factors of the digital environment – cyber attacks. The peculiarities of the construction and functioning of the CPS require a new approach to defining attack surfaces and modelling threats. This is due to the fact that the "traditional" goals of attackers - the availability, integrity and confidentiality of information processed in the system - are not the only ones. In addition, the value of the information itself can be extremely low. At the same time, control and feedback processes play a decisive role in a cyber-physical system. Their stability directly affects the ability of the FSC to perform target functions, as well as the physical safety of technological facilities, personnel and consumers. Depending on the degree of criticality of the technological processes of the real world, which are controlled by the cyber-physical system, the violation of these flows inside it can lead to serious consequences, such as large material damage or a threat to the life and health of people. The severity of the identified threats is confirmed by the constantly growing number of attacks on CPS and the consequences, including potential ones, to which these attacks lead. In addition, it should be noted that in the context of the rapid development and improvement of programmable control devices (Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)), making them more accessible in the mass market segment, as well as the proliferation of high-speed wireless data transmission networks, the concept of a smart home is gaining wider application. This approach implies the integration of PLCs that interact with each other and the control centre via multi-service broadband wireless networks into the domestic environment. Thus, the concept of a smart home is based on the implementation of FSCs in places of permanent residence of people with the transfer of automatic control functions of climatic equipment, lighting, household appliances, physical elements of protection against intrusions to them. At the same time, it is extremely important to ensure the information security of the CFS. To ensure the required level of their security, it is necessary to effectively solve the problems of managing the process of ensuring their information security. The article proposes an approach to the development of a model for the information security management process of a CFS operating in a smart home.

Using intelligent prediction machine and dynamic workflow for banking customer satisfaction in IoT environment

Performance of prediction and workflow is very important for enterprise process automation. It has advantages such as increasing the efficiency of banking operations, improving resource utilization and increasing banking flexibility for business execution. The retail banks’ branch offices distributed information technology system. Traditional operating systems have limitations which make it difficult for branch banking to support other new user services. Connecting with other bank systems or computer devices poses a difficulty. The method proposed in this paper is based on artificial intelligence and dynamic workflow technology. The method is implemented by an object-oriented and edge computing method, which could be used to create a flexible banking system in an IoT environment, allowing new transaction business processes to be added and modified, requiring real time in cloud computing in IoT. This makes banking user services flexible and more competitive in terms of achieving customer satisfaction. Through this study, we devised a unified process control module to help users implement flexible banking transaction processes, decreasing banking system development time and error rates during banking system development and maintenance. Our process can also increase the usability of banking computer servers and transaction system stability, giving banking services more flexibility and increased competitiveness.

Conversion and Display of the Calculated Data of Spectral Remote Sensing Data on the Basis of GeoServer Extensions and Distributed Storage Technologies

The article presents methods for caching and displaying data from spectral satellite images using libraries of distributed computing systems that are part of the Apache Hadoop ecosystem, and GeoServer extensions. The authors gave a brief overview of existing tools that provide the ability to present remote sensing data using distributed information technologies. A distinctive feature is the way to convert remote sensing data inside Apache Parquet files for further display. This approach allows you to interact with the distributed file system via the Kite SDK libraries and switch on additional data processors based on Apache Hadoop technology as external services. A comparative analysis of existing tools, such as: GeoMesa, GeoWawe, etc is performed. The following steps are described: extracting data from Apache Parquet via the Kite SDK, converting this data to GDAL Dataset, iterating the received data, and saving it inside the file system in BIL format. In this article, the BIL format is used for the GeoServer cache. The extension was implemented and published under the Apache License on the GitHub resource. In conclusion, you will find instructions for installing and using the created extension.

АНАЛІЗ СКЛАДНИКІВ МІЖНАРОДНИХ РЕЙТИНГІВ ОСВІТНЬО-НАУКОВИХ УСТАНОВ УКРАЇНИ

The practical application of the indicators used in the international expertise system is provided by the Law of Ukraine “On Scientific and Scientific-Technological Activity” of November 26, 2015. Since 2010, the government-approved Concepts for the Development of e-Government in Ukraine have had a significant impact on the digitalization of society, in particular on the digitalization of education and research programs and related institutions. Digitalization of program-target planning and management in efficient corporate information systems is becoming an important means of global competition, particularly competition in high technology industries. As of 2021, only a few percent of educational and research institutions (ERIs) in Ukraine are covered by well-known, verified global rankings, which reflects the current situation of the Ukrainian high technology industry. Working diligently with international science and engineering performance, based on modern information and communications technology (ICT), is an integral part of organizational efforts in a globally competitive environment. The use of modern ICTs, in particular, domestic distributed information technologies in scientific and organizational activity can be useful for improving the scientific and technical performance of domestic ERIs. The use of distributed information technologies in scientific and organizational activities should play the role of a decision support system to maximize the world rankings of ERIs of Ukraine under given resource constraints, as well as to plan an effective trajectory for improving these ratings in the dynamics. If such an application is successful, the positive effect will exceed the projected costs by orders of magnitude. The development of science and engineering indicators is similar to the development of financial and economic ratings, and therefore affects the global markets of educational and research services, as well as investments in high technology industries. Given the imperfections of domestic financial markets, these indicators play an important role for domestic ERIs.

Digitalised, decentralised power infrastructures challenge blockchains

Electricity generation is decentralising quickly. Simultaneously, final energy use for residential customers electrifies in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Together with ubiquitous digitalisation, this decentralisation and flexibility at the demand side paves the way towards local energy communities and – in its most distributed version – to peer-to-peer energy trading, where customers buy and sell electricity among each other. Although peer-to-peer energy trading is not yet legal everywhere, ‘citizen energy communities’ have been introduced as cornerstones of the energy transition by the European Commission in their ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’ programme. This paper firstly discusses this digitalisation and decentralisation of the power infrastructure. These trends are supported by distributed information technologies, including peer-to-peer control paradigms. Distributed ledger technologies, such as blockchains, might be one such piece of the puzzle. The second part of the paper investigates whether blockchain technologies, and their associated smart contracts, offer advantages for larger-scale peer-to-peer energy-trading applications over a classic, centralised approach. Different blockchain implementations are investigated and qualitatively evaluated from a scalability, efficiency and trust perspective. The conclusion indicates that in the current state of the art, a trade-off between decentralised and more classical (hierarchically centralised) solutions suits larger-scale peer-to-peer energy-trading applications best.

The power of a blockchain-based supply chain

A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer. It is designed to maintain the quality of sensitive goods during the whole shipment. Centralized supply chain management systems expose the supply chain to corruption, fraud, and tampering. Blockchain has emerged as a new distributed information technology; it represents a new approach in supply chain area, where visibility and transparency of product flows are the principal challenges. This paper describes how the blockchain can be integrated into the supply chain architecture to create a reliable, transparent, authentic and secure system. To reach this goal, we studied the benefits of introducing the blockchain to the supply chain and the challenges encountered in a blockchain-based supply chain management ecosystem. We combined theoretical and real-world application studies to build our theory about the requirements for an efficient blockchain-based supply chain.

About relevance of fundamentalisation of mathematical training of students of the pedagogical directions during the digital era

Introduction. The era of post-industrial society of knowledge differs from the previous socio-economic period in many important aspects: total digitalisation, automation and robotisation, and furthermore, cross-disciplinary integration of various scientific fields, among which mathematics is of particular relevance. Over the last decades, the language, tools and methods of the digital era have emerged as the basic universal research tools in physics, biology, chemistry, and engineering, organisation of production and in many other theoretical and applied spheres of activity. Against the background of progressively advanced mathematisation, which covers larger functional intellectual space, it is extremely important to provide the fundamental, advancing nature of mathematical training of students, including in the first place the students of the pedagogical directions. The graduates of pedagogical higher education institutions will have not only to convey certain academic educational information, but to coordinate educational trajectories according to a training maxim in their lifetime that is hardly possible without understanding of basic mathematics.The aim of the present publication is to discuss methodological, culturological and didactic aspects of mathematical training of students of the pedagogical directions.Methodology and research methods. In the course of the work, the authors used the provisions and requirements of the new Federal State Educational Standards (FSES). The psychological and pedagogical framework of the research is based on the concepts of developing learning and upbringing, vocational and pedagogical orientation of training of future teachers and the idea of lifelong education. The analytical review and synthesis of the content of philosophical, mathematical, pedagogical, methodological literature and normative documents was conducted. The state of mathematical components of pedagogical education and its ways of fundamentalisation were considered according to the theory of training, comparative, culturological and system-based types of analysis.Results and scientific novelty. The authors note the imbalance between the fundamental mathematical preparation, which is relevant for a modern person, and the competency-based approach, which currently dominates in education and constraints to students’ holistic understanding of mathematical area of knowledge, even within the boundaries of a particular discipline. The situation is exacerbated by an avalanche distribution of information technologies. One of the negative consequences of this situation is replacement of meaningful learning of mathematics with “coaching” of school students and university students for formal test performance. To address these challenges, culturological educational models, which form common cultural ideas of modern mathematics according to the principle of a cultural conformity, have to be the predominant in education, but not competency-based attitudes focused on narrow specialisation. Mathematical modelling, discrete mathematics and computation processes are identified as the most significant components of a new stage of universal mathematical culture evolution. As a result of a digital era, general-education concepts have already become the key concepts of various sections of mathematics, therefore, it is necessary to start a general introduction to the study of these concepts at the stages of school education.It is highlighted that fundamentalisation of mathematical preparation plays the leading role in the development of logical and professional innovative thinking of students through the understanding of multifunctional structures and schemes (as means and knowledge methods) similar to mathematical structures and schemes. It is appropriately useful to include special courses into a variable part of the master’s programmes (according to education directions), implying students’ research activities: “Mathematical Modelling in Professional Education”, “Bases of Modern Mathematical Culture”, “Discrete Mathematics”, “Mathematical Bases of the System Analysis”, etc.The authors are convinced that the introduction of the concept of mathematical preparation, based on the culturological and system-based approaches, will help to resolve an apparent contradiction between, on the one hand, the necessary integration and fundamentalisation of knowledge acquired by students, and, on the other hand, the disciplinary dissociations of educational material, shortcomings of competency-based training and formal use of information technologies.Practical significance. The materials of the publication can be useful for future and practicing teachers of mathematics, computer science and related academic disciplines. Moreover, the present publication can be used by education professionals interested in improving the education quality.

THE MODIFIED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCE TASKS FOR CLOUD COMPUTING SYSTEMS

The object of the research is the process of distribution a pool of input tasks for computing resources in hybrid cluster systems. The subject of the research is information technology of distribution tasks for computing resources of hybrid cluster systems. The goal is to develop and to implement a simulation stage in a modified information technology for distributing the incoming task pool to the computing power of hybrid cluster systems. Tasks: to modify the existing information technology of task distribution on the basis of mathematical models of tasks, computing resources and distribution methods; to develop an information system that will perform an automated process of collecting and processing the data; to form a series of experiments on the distribution of the input task pool, based on the distribution methods implemented in the simulation environment. Research methods are based on the use of the theory of sets, the general theory of systems and the theory of simulation modeling. The results received. The modified information technology of distribution of program tasks of big dimension for computing resources for the systems of cloud computing with the use of the simulation environment of modeling with the subsequent choice of the best dispersion plan on each pool of input tasks is offered. The proposed information technology has been introduced into a simulation environment that allows reproducing the process of functioning of elementary events occurring in the real hybrid cluster systems while preserving the logic of their interaction in a real time. Conclusions: The proposed information technology combines the processes of collecting, storing, processing and transmitting data using the offered distribution methods, means for further analyzing the results of modeling and deciding whether to perform a specific action (choosing the best distribution plan). The use of a set of distribution methods in the simulation environment allows to conduct a series of experiments and, based on the results obtained, select the best distribution plan for a particular input task pool (on the basis of the selected strategy of distribution).

A Framework for the Creation of Distributed Information Technology to Support the Scholarly Research аnd Organizational Activities of the NAS of Ukraine

A Framework for the Creation of Distributed Information Technology to Support the Scholarly Research аnd Organizational Activities of the NAS of Ukraine

From Data to Decisions: Helping Crop Producers Build Their Actionable Knowledge

ABSTRACTRecent advances in distributed information technologies are providing the means to capture and process abundant data, and to reveal associations between variables describing the crop-environment-management interaction. This review describes the determinants and moderating factors influencing how much value a crop producer and his or her advisor can derive from data, and information derived from data. We describe the social, technological, and entrepreneurial processes needed to progress the nonlinear pathway from data to an on-farm decision, and explore the meaning of actionable knowledge; that is, knowledge that can be acted upon and applied to solve a real-world problem. We argue that effective decision support is also a system that supports the learning needs of crop producers and their transactions with trusted advisors. Crop protection, the sub-set of crop management used to mitigate crop loss, is used to illustrate current approaches and technologies to support farmers' decisions. We describe how situational awareness and actionable knowledge could be improved through use of emerging platform technologies, advances in artificial intelligence, consideration of farmer decision style, knowledge capture and maintenance, and embedding technology in human-centered services. Implications for the conduct of research and development are discussed.

Development of information technology of tasks distribution for grid-systems using the grass simulation environment

An information distribution task technology for GRID-systems based on the use of simulation modeling GRASS environment was proposed. GRASS reproduces the process of functioning over time of elementary events that occur in the GRID-system with maintaining their interaction logic. This solution enables conducting of computational experiments that implement different methods of distribution, with a following selecting of the most effective solution on the basis of the collection, analysis and interpretation of simulation results. The proposed task of distribution technology using simulation modeling GRASS environment, enables implementing multiple distribution methods and selecting the best distribution environment that increases the efficiency of GRID-systems by reducing the time of the task performance and reducing the downtime of resources in highly related tasks. GRASS modeling environment has a modular structure, which consists of a core and dynamically loaded modules (plug-ins). Each module performs a highly specialized task, referring if necessary to the other modules of the system. The core provides means of inter-module interaction and provides boot and system configuration.

The Digital Divide

This essay examines the digital divide through the lens of integral human development and identifies strategies for erasing or, at best, mitigating, the chasm. It proceeds in four parts. First, I will introduce the digital divide, identifying critical demographic and sociological data, to demonstrate how more than half of the world is digitally handicapped. Second, I will offer a critical assessment of this inequality from the perspective of integral human development. Next, I will propose the virtue of solidarity as a concrete way to motivate the global community to resolve the digital divide and, in turn, bring access and distribution of information technology in line with the demands of solidarity. Finally, I will demonstrate solidarity in action for integral human development through various in-place practices and long-term proposals for rectifying the technological gap. Since its introduction into the public square thirty years ago, access to the World Wide Web (Web) through the Internet has transformed social communication, commerce, and politics in revolutionary ways. This explosive growth of information communication technology (ICT) is often celebrated as a democratic and participatory medium where everyone is ‘LinkedIn’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms. This popular sentiment, however, fails to acknowledge that the transformative impacts of communications technology have been limited in its reach. Such a claim of universal unfettered connectedness is based on an uninformed understanding or a lack of exposure to scientific data. A sizeable portion of the global village remains disconnected entirely from accessing the WEB and enjoying its “significant positive impacts.” While the “new velocity” of communications technology has enhanced the quality of social, economic, and political participation and increased exchanges in all these areas, there is a large portion of the world’s population which does not has or has limited access to the Internet. The socio-economic political construction of what has been termed the “digital divide” has marginalized an often already vulnerable segment of the global 1 This is not to ignore the ways that ICT has impacted cultures and peoples in a negative way. Pope Francis in Laudato Si offers an honest appraisal of ICT teaching that “The social dimensions of global change include the effects of technological innovations on employment, social exclusion, an inequitable distribution and consumption of energy and other services, social breakdown, increased violence and a rise in new forms of social aggression, drug trafficking, growing drug use by young people, and the loss of identity.” (Pope Francis, Laudato Si, retrieved June 23, 2015, http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papafrancesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html, no. 46). While this may be true and well-documented by scholars evaluating some of the significantly challenging imports of ICT on societies, I would argue that overall the positive advancements ICT offers outweigh the negative ones. (See: Carr, Nicholas. The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains. [WW Norton & Company, 2011]; Keen, Andrew. Digital Vertigo: How Today's Online Social Revolution is Dividing, Diminishing, and Disorienting Us. [Macmillan, 2012]; Schmidt, Eric, and Jared Cohen. The New Digital Age: Transforming Nations, Businesses, and Our Lives. [Vintage, 2013]; and, Powers, William. Hamlet's blackberry. [HarperCollins, 2010]). 2 Pontifical Council for Peace and Justice, Vocation of the Business Leader: A Reflection, retrieved June 23, 2015, http://Web.pcgp.it/dati/2012-05/04-999999/Vocation%20ENG2.pdf, nos. 11-12. 3 Vocation of the Business Leader: A Reflection, p. 2.

Surfing the third wave of computing: A framework for research into eObjects

During the last two decades, a “third wave of computing” has emerged: a move from a model of accessing the Internet and other internetworks almost exclusively via a desktop computer to alternative forms of distributed information technologies, such as smartphones, wearable computers, and sensors and microprocessors embedded in everyday objects. This paper undertakes a critical review of the literature that offers and discusses definitions of this “third wave”. Not surprisingly in an area of innovation, definitions are evolving, overlapping and inconsistent. This paper analyses and consolidates the literature in order to identify the key aspects of this new phenomenon. We have coined the term “eObjects”1 for the central element of the “third wave”. The paper presents a framework for research into the technologies and their implications, distinguishing core from common attributes, and identifying categories of inter-device interaction. A subsequent paper will apply the research framework to legal research, with the intention of understanding areas in which litigation can be anticipated, and uncovering areas where the law may not adequately deal with emergent social and business practices.

Strategic management of knowledge in globally distributed information technology firms: a case study

Knowledge management is being increasingly recognised as a strategic tool across organisational domains for employee involvement, engagement and for creating business-wide impact towards productivity and profitability. These organisations are increasingly using their acquired knowledge to optimise and increase their operational efficiency, drive down operational cost and solve their business pain points. This assumes criticality in information technology firms that operate on a truly global scale across cultures, economies and political systems. The present study probes into these aspects by presenting a case of a successful globally distributed international information technology major that has risen to great heights in the recent past. This case study reflects upon the innovative steps adopted by the IT major, Sapient Corporation, to enhance the knowledge management competencies of the enterprise and of the employees that are so essential for a company’s survival and growth in today’s turbulent times. The case refers to the steps taken by the company to develop knowledge generation and assimilation tools on its own as well as in partnership with other companies. The case details the evolution of the major components of this strategic initiative adopted by Sapient. The implications of the study results are discussed.