Related Information Technology Research Articles

Information technology resource, knowledge management capability, and competitive advantage: The moderating role of resource commitment

The role of information technology (IT) in knowledge management has always been a debatable topic in literature and practice. Despite existing documentation regarding the relationship between IT resource and knowledge management, limited information is available on the different types of IT resources describing this relationship. We integrate two research streams emerging in knowledge management and extend the literature on IT–knowledge management linkage by investigating the moderating role of resource commitment to invoke a contingent resource perspective. Data from 168 organizations in China provide empirical evidence that three types of IT resources (i.e., IT infrastructure, IT human, and IT relationship) positively affect knowledge management capability (KMC), which is positively related to competitive advantage. Furthermore, this study identifies two positive quasi-moderating effects of resource commitment on the IT resource–KMC relationship. Specifically, resource commitment directly and positively enhances KMC, and strengthens the effects of IT human and IT relationship resources on KMC. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the results.

The diffusion of civic technology and open government in the United States

Civic technology is a nascent force in the relationship between governments and communities. Elements of the civic technology ecosystem include open data, related information and communications technology (ICT) innovations and the organizational boundary-spanning practices of civic technology. This paper reports the results of an exploratory study of civic technology adoption by local governments in the United States. The research compares the 113 U.S. city governments recognized for their exemplary fiscal year 2012 popular annual financial reports (PAFRs) with the 49 municipalities in the U.S. state of Delaware that operate websites. Results suggest that a long term commitment to citizen involvement in government data and the size of the community are important predictors of adoption.

A methodology for modeling and measuring interdependencies of information and communications systems used for public administration and eGovernment services

eGovernment services rely on information and communications critical infrastructures. The management of an information and communications critical infrastructure involves activities aimed at ensuring the availability, efficacy and efficiency of a given physical and human system and its related information technology facilities, networks and assets. This requires a deep understanding of the behavior of the complex system, which is, in general, a hard task. A promising approach is to create models of the complex system by analyzing its structural and functional characteristics, and proceed to identify the parameters for assessing and measuring the dependencies between the various components. This paper proposes a methodology for conducting a quantitative analysis of the underlying dependencies based on disturbances during fully operational conditions. Unlike other work in the field, the metrics used in the methodology do not rely on expert interviews or judgments. The utility of the proposed methodology is demonstrated through its application to the Italian System for Public Connectivity, a complex information and communications system that supports Italian eGovernment services. As a case study, the Italian System for Public Connectivity is an excellent exemplar of complex web-based systems that are used to provide public administration and other services in countries around the world.

Descoberta de Padrões em Ordens de Serviço de Tecnologia da Informação em Hospital

The article presents a case study about KDD (Knowledge Discovery in Databases) application in IT (information technology) Service Orders (OS) in a hospital in the State of Parana, aiming to identify new practices to be applied in IT management. The research arose from the need to identify relationship patterns between hospital departments and IT, based on their IT problem demands. From these patterns it could be possible to assess the effective performance of the sector and identify any deviations or non-conformities. The experiment used classification and evaluated three methods, which made it possible to obtain rules capable of expert validation. The results produced in this study demonstrated the KDD applicability to obtain relevant knowledge to aid decision-making for investment in the betterment of IT services. Among them: the development of action plans for adjustment of inconsistencies in IT-managed OS requests; the establishment of new prioritization standards for emergency requests; the improvement, implementation and dissemination of new OS work procedures; and, as a consequence, a increase in agility and service quality and an improvement th IT relationship with other hospital sectors.

Virtual Courtrooms: Concept & Overview

A virtual courtroom is one which need not exist anywhere but electronically. Using internet technology, a courtroom can be configured without requiring parties to spend a fortune on additional hardware and software. Professor Frederick I Lederer wrote in 1997, 'The Courtroom is a place of adjudication, but it is also an information hub. Outside information is assembled, sorted and brought into the courtroom for presentation. Once presented, various theories of interpretation are argued to the fact finder who then analyses the data according to prescribed rules (determined by the Judge through research, analysis and interpretation) and determines a verdict and result. That result, often with collateral consequences is then transmitted throughout the legal system as necessary. The courtroom is thus the center of a complex system of information exchange and management. Ultimately, because lawyers and judges deal continuously with 'data', high technology courtrooms exist and virtual courtrooms are possible.'(1) We are living in a technological age that is increasingly dependent upon computers and related information technology. The legal system is changing. Most of the nation's lawyers, judges, legal administrators, and support personnel long ago adopted word processing, electronic legal research, time and billing programs, and, increasingly, varying forms of case management software. Electronic filing, already in use in a number of courts, is a topic of discussion in many jurisdictions. We are on the road to the virtual courtroom. Unless we take an intentional early exit elsewhere, our final destination is clear. The virtual courtroom is unlikely to replace our traditional courts and tribunals buildings in the near future, but even those traditional places of law and judgment will see increasing amounts of virtual evidence and adjudication. However, we have the opportunity, as we travel, to build some high-technology side roads leading to specialized virtual hearing rooms and courtrooms.

Use and Uptake of eHealth in General Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey and Focus Group Study Among Health Care Users and General Practitioners

BackgroundPolicy makers promote the use of eHealth to widen access to health care services and to improve the quality and safety of care. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm among policy makers for eHealth does not match its uptake and use. eHealth is defined in this study as “health services delivered or enhanced through the Internet and related information and communication technologies.”ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate (1) the current use of eHealth in the Netherlands by general practitioners (GPs) and health care users, (2) the future plans of GPs to provide eHealth and the willingness of health care users to use eHealth services, and (3) the perceived positive effects and barriers from the perspective of GPs and health care users.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of a sample of Dutch GPs and members of the Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel was conducted in April 2014. A pre-structured questionnaire was completed by 171 GPs (12% response) and by 754 health care users (50% response). In addition, two focus groups were conducted in June 2014: one group with GPs (8 participants) and one with health care users (10 participants).ResultsThree-quarters of Dutch GPs that responded to the questionnaire (67.3%, 115/171) offered patients the possibility of requesting a prescription via the Internet, and half of them offered patients the possibility of asking a question via the Internet (49.1%, 84/171). In general, they did intend to provide future eHealth services. Nonetheless, many of the GPs perceived barriers, especially concerning its innovation (eg, insufficient reliable, secure systems) and the sociopolitical context (eg, lack of financial compensation for the time spent on implementation). By contrast, health care users were generally not aware of existing eHealth services offered by their GPs. Nevertheless, half of them were willing to use eHealth services when offered by their GP. In general, health care users have positive attitudes regarding eHealth. One in five (20.6%, 148/718) health care users perceived barriers to the use of eHealth. These included concerns about the safety of health information obtained via the Internet (66.7%, 96/144) and privacy aspects (55.6%, 80/144).ConclusionsGPs and health care users have generally positive attitudes towards eHealth, which is a prerequisite for the uptake of eHealth. But, general practitioners in particular perceive barriers to using eHealth and consider the implementation of eHealth to be complex. This study shows that there is room for improving awareness of eHealth services in primary care. It will take some time before these issues are resolved and eHealth can be fully adopted.

Geospatial analysis of change in net primary productivity, 1998-2013, Inner Mongolian Desert steppe region, China

Net primary productivity (NPP) is a quantitative measure of the carbon absorption by plants per unit time and space. The NPP is a key indicator to evaluate the productivity of vegetation communities in the natural environment. Consistent data on terrestrial NPP are urgently needed to constrain model estimates of carbon fluxes and hence to refine our understanding of ecosystem responses to climate change. It could also be an indicator to represent certain land cover characteristics. This study analyzed NPP changes from 1998 to 2013 in the Inner Mongolian Desert Steppe region of China through estimation of annual NPP using multiyear 10-day SPOT VEGETATION NDVI data and meteorological observation data from 1998 to 2013 by using a modified Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model. ArcGIS and ENVI software was used for spatial data processing; NPP inversion was performed and an integrated program was used for the modified CASA model. We also used related spatial information technologies, such as geographic information system, global navigation satellite system and remote sensing technology, to determine some 1 km2 random sampling pixels and regularly selected four 1m2 quadrats in each pixel, and we measured aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) for accuracy assessment of modelled NPP. The final results show that the NPP had many obvious geospatial changes during the period from 1998 to 2013 in the Inner Mongolian Desert Steppe region.

Development of union level digital databases and maps of maize growing areas at pirgonj in Thakurgaon District

A study was conducted during 2012-13 to build union level digital databases and maps of maize growing areas using both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected from maize growing areas of the upazilla namely Pirgonj of Thakurgaon district. For summer and winter maize; union, upazila, district and country level digitized maps were used in the study. Geographical Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS) and Management Information System (MIS) related Information Technology (IT) were also applied. Total cultivable land 28138 ha in Pirgonj upazila and area and production of maize were 5100 ha and 34508.75 t respectively. Sixteen (16) varieties were cultivated in the study areas and maximum area (74.09%) of maize was cultivated by the executive varieties NK40, Pacific 984, 900M Gold, 900M, 3396, and Supergold. Average maize yield of the study areas was 6.77 t/ha during 2012-13. A web site was developed for variety wise area coverage data collection of maize as well as for other crops. This web site can also be used in mobile phone.Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 40(4): 693-702, December 2015

The New Cybersecurity Agenda: Economic and Social Challenges to a Secure Internet

This paper focuses on key economic and social factors underpinning worldwide issues aroundcybersecurity and, identifies a new agenda for addressing these issues that is being shaped by theInternet and related information and communication technologies, such as social media. All actorsin the widening ecology of the Internet require a better social and cultural understanding ofcybersecurity issues in order to effectively engage all relevant stakeholders in processes aimed atenhancing cybersecurity. The problems tied to cybersecurity are not new, but as the Internetbecomes ever more essential to everyday life and work, and empowers users as never before, thereare new social and economic aspects of the challenges to achieving a secure, open and globalInternet that require much more focused attention. For years, computer scientists and engineershave recognized that cybersecurity is not merely an engineering and computer science problem,but also an economic and behavioral challenge. But recognition of the fact that cybersecuritycannot be successfully addressed with technical solutions alone, is not sufficient. It is critical that economists and other social and behavioral scientists engage in this area and address the practices of a wider range of actors in local and global arenas who need strategies that provide feasible and practical steps for securing the Internet and the incentives and mindsets to take them.

The individual in an ICT world

This article explores contemporary engagement with social media and other forms of information and communications technology in relation to identity formation and the individual. It is argued that in an information and communications technology world, the materialization as well as the materiality of identity is of a performative nature and it is subject to a negotiation of being both online and offline. This negotiation is associated with being recognized as having established a presence online. In the web of connected knowledge, exchange of information and multiple identifications, the individual comes into being through its participation in a complex system of watching and being watched. With a primary focus on what has come to be termed as participatory culture – a term which has also been criticized for masking its ambivalent nature behind the celebration of the birth of the ‘prosumer’ – often exemplified in the use of or participation in social media (an aspect of being online), the article tries to elucidate the darker sides of ‘being’ on social media through an examination of surveillance and sousveillance as they contribute to the (de)construction of the individual in an information and communications technology world.

System-Level Optimization of Accelerator Local Memory for Heterogeneous Systems-on-Chip

In modern system-on-chip architectures, specialized accelerators are increasingly used to improve performance and energy efficiency. The growing complexity of these systems requires the use of system-level design methodologies featuring high-level synthesis (HLS) for generating these components efficiently. Existing HLS tools, however, have limited support for the system-level optimization of memory elements, which typically occupy most of the accelerator area. We present a complete methodology for designing the private local memories (PLMs) of multiple accelerators. Based on the memory requirements of each accelerator, our methodology automatically determines an area-efficient architecture for the PLMs to guarantee performance and reduce the memory cost based on technology-related information. We implemented a prototype tool, called Mnemosyne, that embodies our methodology within a commercial HLS flow. We designed 13 complex accelerators for selected applications from two recently-released benchmark suites (Perfect and CortexSuite). With our approach we are able to reduce the memory cost of single accelerators by up to 45%. Moreover, when reusing memory IPs across accelerators, we achieve area savings that range between 17% and 55% compared to the case where the PLMs are designed separately.

Measuring Information Technology Capability of Small and Medium Enterprises in Rajasthan

Use of Information Technology (IT) at the functional level by the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is a recent phenomenon. Moreover, IT adaptation by the SMEs in India is at an emerging phase. As investments in IT continue to grow, SMEs managers’ awareness of the need to derive the value of IT is also increasing. Research has shown that SME managers are increasingly adopting new IT technologies in all aspects of business activities. On the backdrop, this research intends to measure information technology capability (ITC) in SMEs in Rajasthan state. ITC is a firm’s ability to acquire, deploy, and leverage its IT related resources in combination with other resources in order to achieve business objectives through IT implementation. The paper identifies four dimensions, viz. IT infrastructure, IT architecture, IT human resource, and IT relationship resource, in an effort to measure the ITC construct. To accomplish the above objective a sample of 193 SMEs have been surveyed through a pre-tested questionnaire. Results suggest that model fit statistics are reasonably acceptable and IT human resource as a significant contributor to the ITC construct followed by IT architecture. The study may help the firms to leverage technology to differentiate them from competition. SME managers and entrepreneurs will be able to develop a clear understanding of the critical components of ITC and their role in supporting and shaping business strategy.

The Perception of Iranian EFL Teachers towards the Application of Computer Assisted Language Learning

There is no doubt in the influential role of Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in language learning in new ages of technology. And in line with this, the people’ perceptions and acceptance of the information and computer technology (Rogers, 1983) is regarded as the most essential matter according to the theories that consider human agency, for this reason, upcoming study considers teachers’ perceptions on the widely or constantly flourishing teaching techniques and language learning approaches utilizing the current practical kinds of learning as computer-assisted language learning in the specific English language institutes in Kurdistan. Iran. The reason for which this study is done was to investigate the usage and perception of Iranian English Language teachers of English language institutes in Kurdistan towards the application and more demand for using computer technology in EFL courses. In line with this subject as the main purpose, the study also discussed in detail Iranian teachers’ perceptions towards computer and related information technology and factors and circumstances that plays a part in their perceptions in order to get some utilizable findings and constructive suggestions for the undertaking and application of the experiences in using computer-assisted language learning to their language teaching. To achieve this aim, 96 EFL teachers in Kurdistan province, Iran (male & female) participated in this study. They were selected based on randomly selection to participate in this study. First of all, as the main instrument of research an open-ended questionnaire was given to participants in the study in order to check their views about current state of computer assisted language learning and their views on how they prefer using technology in their teaching. The study provided good contribution to define the essence of issue and a body of knowledge concerning the extent of using computer and also, with regard to the significance of teachers' perceptions for the use of CALL in educational direction. After this stage all the data were collected and analyzed and the relationship between variables presented. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5s1p228

The Technology-Enabled Patient Advocate: A Valuable Emerging Healthcare Partner.

The U.S. healthcare system is changing and is becoming more patient-centered and technology-supported, with greater emphasis on population health outcomes and team-based care. The roles of healthcare providers are changing, and new healthcare roles are developing such as that of the patient advocate. This article reviews the history of this type of role, the changes that have taken place over time, the technological innovations in service delivery that further enable the role, and how the role could increasingly be developed in the future. Logical future extensions of the current typical patient advocate are the appearance of a virtual or avatar-driven care navigator, using telemedicine and related information technologies, as healthcare provision moves increasingly in a hybrid direction, with care being given both in-person and online.

Undergraduates’ Needs and Seeking Behaviour: A Preliminary Study

Information seeking behaviour refers to the process of how individual identify their information needs, search and use the information identified to support their work. Understanding the needs and seeking for information from different types of information sources is very important to student in completing their research activities. This paper presents findings from a preliminary study of undergraduate students’ information seeking behaviour and their need of information for their research project. The aim of this study is to identify their information seeking behaviour in finding the required information that meet their information needs. A survey was carried out and thirty nine final year students from two related Information Technology (IT) programs in a Higher Learning Institution in Malaysia returns the questionnaires. Findings indicate that information about development tools was the most important information needed by the students for finishing research project. In searching for required information, Google search engine was found to be the most widely used by the students. Furthermore, most students preferred to use the electronic information sources to search information due to the variety of information available on the Web.

Impact of Organizational Competence on Supply Chain Performance through Supply Chain Collaboration

In modern business, most firms are confronted with the need to manage increasingly supply chain activities with the trading partners. Organizational competences, such as relational competence and Information Technology (IT) competence, have been recognized as critical factors to promote supply chain collaboration for obtaining supply chain competitive advantage. In this paper, we intend to extend the stream of research in Supply Chain Management (SCM) by systematically identifying the antecedents and consequences of information sharing and supply chain collaboration between supply chain partners. We empirically tested the research model using data collected from senior managers of 122 manufacturing firms in South Korea. This study found that relational competence and IT competence in supply chain were positively related to information sharing and supply chain collaboration, and information sharing was not directly related to supply chain performance, but indirectly related to supply chain performance through supply chain collaboration. Results suggest that supply chain collaboration has a greater effect on supply chain performance than information sharing.

The Internet for Urban Revitalization: Opening and Connecting Distributed Problem-Solving for Detroit

The Internet and related communication and information technologies are becoming a new focus of efforts to support urban decision-making and development, such as around the innovative use of big data analytics. While Detroit has been among the most prominent illustrations of efforts to revitalize major US central cities, far less attention has been focused on the use of the Internet to support its development.This paper reports on a case study of the role of innovative Internet initiatives to support the revitalization of the city’s social, political and economic development. While much of the progress to date in Detroit reflects on-the-ground interactions of dedicated citizens working in brick & mortar organizations, our research focused on the degree that initiatives were being pursued through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), including the Internet, mobile communication, and collaborative data collection and decision-making. Given that ICT-based initiatives could face major challenges in Detroit — including over half of households without Internet access — they could nevertheless be playing valuable roles if individuals, organizations and data distributed across the city were networked to solve problems.This study is based on early exploratory research that relies on three cumulative methodological approaches. First, we conducted desk and online research for Internet and related ICT projects that have sought to support the revitalization of Detroit. We then examined the Web-based links across these projects, using Webometric techniques, to assess the degree that these initiatives are isolated or linked with complementary projects. This yielded a second set of findings on the networks of projects within this space, including the relative centrality of projects within these networks. Based on these two foundations, we then conducted a set of qualitative interviews with individuals tied to key projects, such as by championing, leading or otherwise being knowledgeable about particular projects. These interviews enabled us to discuss the projects as a whole and provide more in-depth assessments of several embedded case studies of projects that appeared most exemplary of the potential for the Internet to support distributed problem-solving in Detroit.Our findings illuminate specific ways ICTs have been used to promote Detroit’s community redevelopment goals, such as in civic engagement as well as in technology startups, and the role of such usage in achieving these goals, generally and in relation to specific types of projects, goals and management structures. This work also identifies the key obstacles to the more effective use of ICT-based initiatives, critically reviewing common assumptions about the impacts of a lack of connectivity, affordability, and digital literacy, for example. In conclusion, these case study findings are used to outline further research required in Detroit, and to identify emerging patterns and themes that might transfer to case studies of other cities in the US and globally that seek to use the Internet to support urban decision-making and development.

Domestic Violence Service Providers’ Technology Readiness and Information Needs

Technology-based applications hold promise as effective, efficient means of disseminating research- and practice-based information to professionals whose work relates to domestic violence. Other related uses of technology in the field have grown, including safety planning to address technology-related risks to victims and software programs being integrated into domestic violence agencies. However, to date, the levels of technology readiness and technology-related information needs of these professionals have received minimal research attention. This study involved a national survey of 471 professionals whose work addresses domestic violence. The findings demonstrate differences in professionals’ technology readiness based on key demographic and professional characteristics. They also reveal the most frequently noted information needs within this professional field. Implications for future research and practice are provided.

Transformation of rigid metal–organic frameworks into flexible gel networks and vice versa

Understanding and controlling phase transformations is a timely subject of investigation because they are essential for the fabrication of high-performance materials with applications in energy, sensors, biomedical, and information-related technologies. Such transformations at the nanoscale arise from both diffusion kinetics and surface thermodynamics, whose reasoning represents a major intellectual challenge in multicomponent systems. In particular, the study of interconversion routes between stable and metastable states provides a useful foundation for the rational design of hard and soft materials. Here, we highlight some recent studies that have demonstrated the possibility of transforming rigid (hard) MOFs into flexible (soft) gel materials in quantitative (or nearly quantitative) yields, and vice versa albeit involving different mechanisms and starting materials. These works represent a new paradigm in the growing areas of crystal engineering and stimuli-responsive gels by building new bridges between advanced functional materials that have been traditionally studied in very different research fields.

Using E-Learning and ICT Courses in Educational Environment: A Review

With the quick emergence of computers and related technology, Electronic-learning (E-learning) and Information Communication and Technology (ICT) have been extensively utilized in the education and training field. Miscellaneous methods of integrating computer technology and the context in which computers are used have affected student learning in many different ways. Integration of technology can help to create courses that are easier and more effective for learners, especially if ICT and E-learning are integrated into the educational process. ICT, when used in a sufficient and suitable manner, can help learners to understand IT better. Moreover, it can help learners to use the absolutely necessary skills which can guarantee success in empowering the learners with IT awareness and skills which are essential for success in today’s knowledge economy. This study aims to conduct a survey on the role of E-learning and ICT courses in educational environment. By having ICT courses available online via E-learning, every learner will adapt and be comfortable with the continuous upcoming technologies and innovations.