Information Technology Personnel Research Articles

Do major public emergencies affect audit quality? —Evidence from China

ABSTRACT Taking Chinese listed firms from 2019 to 2021 as research samples, we examine the impact of major public emergencies on audit quality using COVID-19 as exogenous shock. Distinguishing the location of audit clients and that of auditors, we find that if major public emergency occurs in the city of audit clients during the period of annual report audit, audit quality will be significantly reduced. If emergency occurs in auditor’s city, audit quality has improved instead of declining. Through the heterogeneity test, we find that the information level of audit clients has a double effect. When public emergencies in audit clients’ locality have a negative impact on audit quality, the information level of clients can alleviate the negative impact. However, when emergencies occur in auditor’s locality, the higher information level of the client may lower audit quality. However, whether public emergence occurs in the city of clients or auditors, auditing firms’ information technology level and more information technology personnel in auditors’ team are conducive to improve audit quality. The research has enriched the relevant research on audit quality in the context of public emergencies, and provided a theoretical basis for the urgency of digital transformation of accounting and auditing industry.

Predicting the number of IT staff needed in hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences based on modeling in 2023: A descriptive-analytical study.

Considering the increasing use of information technology (IT) and the need of the implementation of related projects, the lack of IT specialists in the health system is one of the major challenges that require planning and foreseeing. This study was conducted with the aim of predicting the number of required IT personnel in hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences based on the modeling of identified and weighed influential factors in 2023. First, Delphi method and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) using the Expository Posthaste Effective Resemblant Tool (ExPERT) were conducted to identify and weigh the components that affect IT staff's workload in hospitals. Then, the model for predicting the required number of IT personnel for the involved hospitals was developed. In all stages, the obtained information and results were checked and confirmed using experts' opinions in Focus Group Discussions. Twenty-one hospitals (57%) out of 37 hospitals are facing a shortage of IT personnel. This varies from 0.5 to 1.6 personnel in different hospitals. Thirteen hospitals (35%) were reported to have adequate IT staffing and three hospitals (8%) had excess IT staffing. This study provided a predictive model for required IT staff in hospitals using MCDM through ExPERT which can be used in cases where the use of workload-based methods such as Workload Indicators of Staffing Need is complex or time-consuming.

Examines the value of cloud computing adoption as a proxy for IT flexibility and effectiveness

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the value of cloud computing adoption (CCA) as a proxy for information technology (IT) flexibility (ITF) and IT effectiveness (ITE) among Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Jordan.Design/methodology/approachA research framework with five hypotheses has been developed based on the results of previous studies. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling has been used for data analysis.FindingsThe results revealed that elements of ITF in two domains, IT technical resource (connectivity, modularityand compatibility) and IT human resource (IT personnel skills) specific to CCA, were significantly correlated with ITE.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings have crucial implications: they contribute to the research community, administrators and cloud computing providers (CSPs) concerning the framework-improved procedure for CCA. The proposed model can enhance the awareness of service providers about why some SMEs accept cloud computing services, whereas actually the same ones having the same type of business do not. In addition, the above providers should enhance their interaction with the SMEs that contributed to the cloud computing knowledge to make a well-organized setting for the CCA, specifically, SMEs need that adopt an on-premise private cloud architecture. Moreover, necessary to determine the challenges in deploying solutions from the perspective of CSPs. The sample has been limited to Jordan respondents.Practical implicationsThe research studies about the usage of cloud computing have shown its effects on SMEs today. Also, the different impacts of cloud computing on other sectors are at the center of attention. SMEs could get significant advantages by carefully considering and managing CCA from the ITF and ITE perspective.Originality/valueTo the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to develop a framework for CCA based on the standpoint of ITF in two domains, IT technical resources (connectivity, modularity and compatibility) and IT human resources (IT personnel skills) and effectiveness.

An Examination of Occupational Fraud Committed by Information Technology Professionals

ABSTRACT To keep up with the demands from increasingly complex systems, information technology (IT) departments have sought IT professionals and frequently provided these individuals with privileged access to organizational systems early in their tenure. This study uses survey data obtained from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Research Institute, to examine occupational frauds committed by IT professionals versus frauds committed by non-IT personnel. The differences between IT and non-IT personnel can have an impact on organizational fraud. Findings show that IT perpetrators engage in fraud earlier in their tenure and generate similar losses to their non-IT counterparts but in shorter time frames. Organizational managers and forensic accountants should be aware of these important differences and consider the use of monitoring controls, such as management reviews of access and user activity, to detect fraud committed by IT perpetrators. This study provides several suggestions for future research in this vein. Data Availability: Data are available from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). JEL Classifications: M480; L860; L250.

Grasping for Intraorganizational Power: A Multi-Case Study Analysis of Dysfunctional Functional Behaviours by Information Technology Personnel

Power plays an important role in organizations. It helps to explain why certain decisions are made and how those decisions are executed. While intraorganizational power is critical in facilitating the execution of the activities by information technology (IT) departments, it can be expected that some self-interested individuals will act in bad faith in its pursuit. Using resource dependency theory for guidance, a multi-case study of three mid-western universities was carried out to identify dysfunctional behaviours by IT personnel aimed at gaining intraorganizational power or avoiding its erosion. These behaviours are compared to the literature and strategies for mitigating these activities are offered to practitioners.

Information technology personnel competency towards organizational agility: study at Malaysia automotive

<span>Information technology and agility is a core item for organizations. With recent technology and digital transformation in Malaysia’s automotive industry, the need to understand how human competencies influence organizational agility is critical. This paper discusses the antecedent factor of information technology personnel competency toward organizational agility. Literature was reviewed and further examined upon two information systems theories, the dynamic capabilities view (DCV) and people capability model maturity (P-CMM). This study was conducted at Malaysia automotive organizations, auto A and auto B, with 151 participants. Data was collected and analyzed with SPSS and SmartPLS with the utilization of partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings highlighted that human factor significantly influence how organizations respond to internal and external parties. These findings offer insights into empowering the IT workforce towards industrial revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0).</span>

The Relationship between Discrepancies in Career Anchors of Information Technology Personnel and Career Satisfaction.

The career anchors of information technology personnel (ITP) are critical factors influencing their career satisfaction (CS), and these factors are also influenced by national culture. Although a number of scholars have studied the internal CS of employees, these scholars have not explained how to increase the CS of ITP from both individual and organizational perspectives and to further improve the success rate of IS projects. Thus, this study adopts the goal-achievement gap (discrepancy) theory to explore the gap between the "internal career desires (career wants, CW)" and "external career opportunities (career have, CH)" of ITP in two different cultural societies, namely mainland China and the United Arab Emirates, and whether the gap impacts their CS. The data in this study were collected from the Internet. A survey was posted on Internet discussion forums for full-time ITP participants within organizations in China and the United Arab Emirates; thus, the results of this study are possibly only generalizable to these two countries. Finally, the results of this study provide the following contributions: (1) There are 13 career anchors (technical competence, managerial competence, autonomy, organizational stability, challenge, lifestyle, identity, creativity, variety, service, entrepreneurship, geographic security, and learning motivation) of ITP in China, which can be divided into three categories, and these are totally different from the four categories identified by ITP in the United Arab Emirates. (2) The surface analysis approach (RSA) to test the curvilinear relationship between the CW, CH, and CS of ITP indeed can explain more than the linear SEM (structural equation modeling) test between the CW and CS, CH, and CS separately, both tests are in two different cultural societies, China and the United Arab Emirates.

Application Of Customer Service Enterprise Architecture In The Transportation Industry

In an era of globalization and rapid technological advancements, the transportation industry is under increasing pressure to provide services that are efficient, integrated, and accommodating to the diverse requirements of customers. Enterprise Architecture is a holistic approach that can assist organizations in planning, managing, and integrating crucial elements such as business processes, information technology, data, and people. Using a qualitative approach and case studies in the transportation industry, this study investigates how the application of Enterprise Architecture can provide substantial benefits for enhancing customer service. Data was gathered by conducting in-depth interviews with various transportation organization stakeholders, including senior management, information technology personnel, and customer service teams. In the context of the transportation industry, this study seeks to analyze and describe the application of Enterprise Architecture with a concentration on customer service. The study results indicate that implementing Enterprise Architecture to customer service in the transportation industry can provide several significant benefits. Firstly, an Enterprise Architecture framework facilitates a greater comprehension of business processes and consumer interactions. This enables more effective process redesign and enhancements to customer service delivery. The author emphasizes the significance of Enterprise Architecture implementation in enhancing customer service in the transportation industry. This holistic approach can assist organizations in addressing complex challenges in a dynamic environment and provides a firm basis for customer-focused strategic decision-making. The findings of this study will likely provide valuable insights for the transportation industry and other organizations considering Enterprise Architecture implementation.

EVALUATING INTERVENTIONS AND COPING MECHANISMS FOR ALLEVIATING OCCUPATIONAL STRESS IN THE IT INDUSTRY AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON JOB PERFORMANCE

Occupational stress is a growing problem in todays businesses of all sizes. Companies dependent on IT are not exempt from this rule. The Information Technology (IT) industry in Bangalore, India main IT city, is one of the top ten most stressful workplaces in the country. Although the IT industry has embraced new technologies and innovation, workers are overburdened with tasks and experiencing high levels of stress. Stress is on the rise among IT workers because of the industrys rapid pace of change. This research aimed to determine what factors in the IT industry contribute to employees stress levels. The effects of stress on the health of IT workers are highlighted in this research. This research also makes an effort to zero in on the stress management initiatives undertaken by several IT companies. Despite efforts to lessen occupational stress among IT personnel, the studys findings reveal that many different factors contribute to mental health problems in the industry. According to the results of this survey, the majority of workers experienced both mental and physical stress as a result of their workloads. KEYWORDS: Occupational Stress, IT Industry, Job performance, Evaluation, Intervention

Challenges in the use Electronic Medical Records in Middle Eastern Countries: A Narrative Review

Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) have great value in healthcare, as they enhance healthcare quality, decrease costs, optimize patient safety and health care research. Worldwide and particularly in the Middle Eastern countries have pushed for usage and implement EMR systems. However, there were some obstacles and challenges toward implementation of the EMR system. This review aims to look at the challenges and constraints of using and adopting EMR in Middle Eastern countries. Electronic databases of PubMed, country reports, newspaper, magazine articles, and hospital reports between 2008 to 2021 were used. Most common challenges highlighted were high cost of EMR implementation, lack of training, insufficient information technology personnel support, poor acceptance of new technology, confidentiality, and privacy concerns. Understanding the hurdles of using EMR technology in health care setting is essential for decision makers to focus on economic and human factors challenges to enhance the use and acceptance of EMR systems.

Influence of IT Literacy on Lecturer performance

One of the factors that influence the success of an organization's business is the management of information technology (IT) infrastructure that is run well, the Information Technology Literacy as a provider of IS/IT products and services must have the ability to do so. This research consists of two types of research, namely correlation research which will examine the relationship between internal customer satisfaction and seven independent variables. Results of correlation analysis showed that there was a significant effect positive between internal customer satisfaction with seven variable quality of the products and services of IS/IT (reject H 0 hypothesis 1) and there is significant influence positively the quality of the products and services of IS / IT to the perception of improved performance internal customers (reject H 0 in hypothesis 2). The average value of the satisfaction dependent variable is 3.326 and the dependent variable is the perception of increased internal customer performance: 3,430 which means that internal customers currently feel quite satisfied and feel a sufficient increase in their performance after receiving and using the IS/IT products and services provided. by the Information System Service Bureau at STT-PLN . The results of the Mann-Whitney analysis reject H 0 in hypothesis 3, in other words there are significant differences in the assessment of performance aspects between internal customers and IT personnel on the performance of the IT Literacy. Aspects that include: response to problems, development of IS and viruses.

Using information technology to integrate tobacco use treatment in routine oncology care: Lessons learned from the U.S. Cancer Center Cessation Initiative Cancer Centers.

Cancer patients who receive evidence-based tobacco-dependence treatment are more likely to quit and remain abstinent, but tobacco treatment programs (TTPs) are not consistently offered. In 2017, the U.S. National Cancer Institute, through the Cancer Moonshot, funded the Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I). C3I supports 52 cancer centers to implement and expand evidence-based tobacco treatment in routine oncology care. Integration into routine care involves the use of health information technology (IT), including modifying electronic health records and clinical workflows. Here, we examine C3I cancer centers' IT leadership involvement and experiences in tobacco-dependence treatment implementation. This qualitative study of C3I-funded cancer centers integrated data from online surveys and in-person, semistructured interviews with IT leaders. We calculated descriptive statistics of survey data and applied content analysis to interview transcripts. Themes regarding IT personnel included suggestions to involve IT early, communicate regularly, understand the roles and influence of the IT team, and match program design with IT funding and resources. Themes regarding electronic health record (EHR) modifications included beginning modifications early to account for long lead time to make changes, working with IT to identify and adapt existing EHR tools for TTP or designing tools that will support a desired workflow developed with end-users, and working with IT personnel to make sure TTPs comply with system and state policies (e.g., privacy laws). The experiences of C3I cancer centers regarding the use of health IT to enhance tobacco-dependence treatment program implementation can guide cancer centers and community oncology practices to potentially enhance TTP implementation and patient outcomes.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a mobile application to improve the quality, collection, and usability of forensic documentation of sexual violence.

Survivors of sexual violence deserve timely and high-quality forensic examination, evidence collection, and documentation as part of comprehensive care. However, in many countries, the quality of medical-legal documentation is severely limited. MediCapt is an innovative digital application that enables clinicians to document forensic medical evidence as well as capture and securely store forensic photographs of injuries. This study evaluated the effectiveness and usability of MediCapt to document forensic medical evidence of sexual violence. This mixed-methods evaluation involved key-informant interviews, usability questionnaires, and forensic record reviews. Participants included clinicians, medical records personnel, information technology personnel, and health facility administrators, as well as law enforcement and legal professionals in Kenya. The Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) data quality checklist found that using MediCapt led to significantly higher data-quality scores compared to paper-based forms. MediCapt forms scored higher on 23 of 26 checklist items. While a wide difference in quality was seen among paper-based forms, MediCapt appeared to both standardize and improve quality of documentation across sites. MediCapt strengths included data security and confidentiality, accuracy and efficiency, and supplemental documentation with photography. Weaknesses included infrastructure challenges, required technological proficiencies, and time to learn the new system. Although it is early to assess the impact of MediCapt on prosecutions, providers and law and justice sector professionals were optimistic about its usefulness. They identified MediCapt as appropriate for use with survivors of sexual violence and reported MediCapt's legibility and photography features had already been commended by the court. MediCapt was well-received across all sectors, its use was perceived as feasible and sustainable, and it significantly improved the quality of collected forensic data. It is anticipated this improvement in forensic documentation will increase successful prosecutions, strengthen accountability for perpetrators, and improve justice for survivors.

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Is Guanxi critical to the job burnout of ITP and IS/IT users in Chinese society?

PurposeThe speedy development of information technology (IT) is indeed a significant issue to support the enterprises to spread their products and services to their customers. Although the adoption of IT in the enterprises can help employees' work, it will increase their work exhaustion and job burnout too.Design/methodology/approachThe survey data of this study was collected from Chinese IT personnel (ITP): 543 and Chinese information systems (IS)/IT users: 525, totaling 1,068 respondents.FindingsThe result shows that the influences of the organizational factors and guanxi on the work exhaustion are different between Chinese ITP and IS/IT users in the research model. Also the implications of the study are discussed and made some contribution to the research and management practice.Originality/valueBy comparison between the Chinese ITP and IS/IT users, this study shows that guanxi can be antecedent factor to some organizational factors, and the organizational factors guanxi have had a different effect on the work exhaustion of Chinese ITP and IS/IT users. Given that the critical successes to the organizations, management should focus on what direction to reduce Chinese ITP and IS/IT users work exhaustion.

Development Countermeasures of Business Management Informatization Based on Machine Learning Algorithm

Business management is an important part of social service and governance. With the development of economy and technology, the pressure on enterprises to participate in the market competition is gradually increasing. Therefore, it is particularly important to establish an information-based business management system. However, there are still many problems in the process of informatization development of enterprise business management, which seriously restricts the comprehensive development of enterprises. On the one hand, the existing business management information system lacks effective security and supervision links. On the other hand, there is a lack of professional information technology personnel within the enterprise. Machine learning is a discipline that specializes in how to simulate human learning behavior, and it can continuously learn new knowledge structures to make itself progress and develop. The development of enterprise business management informatization is consistent with the development direction of machine learning itself. Therefore, this paper proposes a business management informatization construction method based on a machine learning algorithm, which aims to further promote the development of enterprises in the direction of informatization and modernization and improve the informatization level of enterprises. Experiments show that with the support of machine learning technology, the level of enterprise business management informatization can reach 82.31%, fully indicating that machine learning can help enterprises innovate management models and improve the level of information management of enterprises.

A National Cyberattack Affecting Radiation Therapy: The Irish Experience

On Friday, May 14, 2021, the Health Service Executive, the organization providing public health services in the Republic of Ireland, was the victim of a significant cyberattack on its information technology systems. All systems were subsequently shut down to prevent further damage and to allow cybersecurity experts to investigate the attack. As a result, oncology services were severely disrupted, with the cessation of radiation therapy treatments in all public radiation therapy departments. Ireland has 5 large public and 6 smaller private radiation therapy centers in total. Because of the widespread adoption of electronic medical records in radiation therapy departments, it wasn't possible to retrieve patient details of those who were undergoing radiation therapy at the time of the cyberattack. In total, 513 patients nationally had their radiation therapy interrupted.A national radiation therapy cyberattack response team was formed immediately to oversee the response to the attack. The immediate concerns were radiation therapy emergencies and category 1 patients where gaps in treatment would have an adverse effect on outcome. Communication with patients and the public was also established as a priority and agreements were reached with the private sector for the treatment of patients affected by the cyberattack. The national media was used to alert patients of the need to communicate with their radiation therapy department. Dedicated phone lines were established. Locally, radiation therapy departments held daily crisis meetings with key staff members, including information technology personnel. Individual centers employed different technologies for treatment planning and data storage, so local solutions to the cyberattack to reestablish radiation therapy for patients were developed. In addition, national documentation on prioritization of patients to resume treatment was produced and a national approach was made to compensate for gaps in treatment caused by the attack. All 5 centers had reestablished radiation therapy by May 30, although there has been a long aftermath to the cyberattack. In this article, we provide an overview of the effects of the cyberattack on our national radiation therapy service and our strategy to resume patient treatment in a timely fashion.

An evaluation of institutional repository development in African universities

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the development of institutional repositories in university libraries in Africa. An online questionnaire and institutional repository site investigation methods were used to collect data from 134 university libraries in English-speaking countries in Africa. The study finds that there is an increasing wave of development of institutional repositories in English-speaking countries in Africa. The majority of the institutional repositories contain high numbers of theses and dissertations, followed by journal articles and conference and workshop papers. The challenges that are identified include inadequate facilities, unstable Internet connectivity, a lack of funds, an irregular power supply, collecting material for institutional repositories, a lack of skilled information and communications technology personnel, copyright issues and an absence of institutional repository policies. The results from the study provide important data and insight into the development of institutional repositories in university libraries in the context of developing countries, and offer suggestions for university librarians and management teams.

Barriers and facilitators to adoption of e-learning in higher education institutions of Pakistan during COVID-19: perspectives from an emerging economy

PurposeIntegrating e-learning into higher education institutions (HEIs) is a complex process. Several universities had tried to impart learning online, especially amid the spread of COVID-19. However, they failed miserably due to the many barriers to online learning platforms’ delivery and acceptance. This study aims to explore the barriers and facilitators in adopting e-learning in HEIs of Pakistan by taking the perspective of key stakeholders involved in the management and administration of HEIs.Design/methodology/approachThe authors recruited participants using purposive and snowball sampling. Interviews were conducted from a variety of participants, including academicians, administrators and information technology (IT) personnel. Data recorded was transcribed into verbatim and then analyzed using thematic analysis.FindingsThe analysis identified barriers and facilitators to the e-learning implementation. Barriers included lack of resources and training, lack of infrastructure, inadequate e-learning policies, absence of positive mindset among teachers and students and reservations and concerns about e-learning of parents and teachers. By contrast, facilitators included prior training and awareness (provided by HEIs regarding e-learning), the assistance of government and regulatory bodies (in terms of policy and training on e-learning), the role of IT (in development and implementation of online learning system) and good computer knowledge and skills of students and faculty. Moreover, respondents believed that teaching subjects online requires the availability of proper and complete gadgets, but these were hardly available due to high demand. Finally, the academicians and administrators believed that e-learning is indispensable in health emergencies such as COVID-19 and similar events ahead.Originality/valueFor the HEIs to sustain and grow, the adoption of e-learning is fundamental. Therefore, the government should provide the essential infrastructure for the HEIs to deploy e-learning modules, train faculty and ensure the availability of necessary equipment (e.g. network) and gadgets to faculty and students. From a theoretical perspective, the study provides a framework for similar future studies in other emerging markets, whereas practical implications of the study can assist the governments and HEIs of emerging markets in implementing the e-learning modes of education in times of health emergencies, such as COVID-19.

Defaecation disorders among information technology personnel: A cross-sectional study.

Background Individuals working in the information technology (IT) industry are likely to develop lifestyle disorders. We aimed to determine the presence of defaecation-related disorders in IT personnel in Chennai. Methods This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was done from June to December 2018. We included employees between 18 and 60 years of age and excluded those with <1 year stay in Chennai, pregnancy and those who sent incomplete responses. The cohort was classified as normal, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), faecal evacuation disorder (FED) and a combination of the latter two. Results The overall response rate was 95.6%. The study included 54.7% of men, and the median age was 31 years. The majority of respondents used an Indian toilet (554; 58%). Almost all (96.2%) passed stools daily, and stool consistency was soft in 59%. Based on the study criteria, 180 (18.8%) had FED, 56 (5.9%) had IBS and a small group had a combination of symptoms of IBS and FED (20; 2.1%). Respondents with symptoms of IBS had a higher proportion of comorbid states (p<0.0001), lesser stool frequency (p<0.0001) and required more toilet time (p<0.00001). Conclusion Over one-fourth (26.7%) of the respondents had defaecation-related issues, 18.8% had symptoms suggestive of FED and 5.6% that of IBS, often above 30 years of age.