Technology and Innovation Commons^™

Service System Fundamentals: Work System, Value Chain, And Life Cycle, Steven Alter

Steven Alter

Service systems produce all services of significance and scope, yet the concept of service system is not well articulated in the service literature. This paper presents three interrelated frameworks as a first cut at the fundamentals of service systems. These frameworks identify basic building blocks and organize important attributes and change processes that apply across all service systems. Although relevant regardless of whether a service system uses IT, the frameworks are also potentially useful in visualizing the realities of moving toward automated service architectures. This paper uses two examples, one largely manual and one highly automated, to illustrate the potential …

A Generic Design Environment For The Rural Industry Knowledge Acquisition (With Don Kerr And John Gammack), Shah Jahan Miah

Dr Shah Jahan Miah

This paper describes a new knowledge acquisition method using a generic design environment where context-sensitive knowledge is used to build specific DSS for rural business. Although standard knowledge acquisition methods have been applied in rural business applications, uptake remains low and familiar weaknesses such as obsolescence and brittleness apply. We describe a decision support system (DSS) building environment where contextual factors relevant to the end users are directly taken into consideration. This ‘‘end user enabled design environment” (EUEDE) engages both domain experts in creating an expert knowledge base and business operators/end users (such as farmers) in using this knowledge for …

Do R&D Programs Of Different Government Levels Overlap In The European Union?, Andrea Fernandez-Ribas, Isabel Busom

Andrea Fernandez-Ribas

Multiple levels of government currently design and implement research and innovation programs both in the US and in Europe. Empirical analysis of interdependencies among programs has not been fully explored, however. Our contribution is a first step in understanding potential complementarities across R&D programs. Using a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms, we study the determinants of firms’ participation in national and in European level research programs and test for differences across programs. Our results suggest that firms’ participation in European and national R&D programs is largely driven by different factors. We interpret these results as suggesting that, ex-post, there is …

Service And Document Based Interoperability For European Ecustoms Solutions, Tobias Vogel, Alexander Schmidt, Alexander Lemm, Hubert Oesterle

Hubert Oesterle

No abstract provided.

Global Data Synchronization – Lösungsansatz Für Das Überbetriebliche Produktstammdatenmanagement Zwischen Konsumgüterindustrie Und Handel?, Jan Schemm, Christine Legner, Hubert Oesterle

Hubert Oesterle

Abgestimmte Produktstammdaten bilden die Grundlage elektronischer Geschäftsbeziehungen zwischen Handels- und Industrieunternehmen. Obwohl Handel und Industrie sich schon vergleichsweise lange mit dem elektronischen Austausch von Produktdaten beschäftigen, konnten sich weder der EDI-basierte, bilaterale Stammdatenaustausch noch der multilaterale Ansatz über Datenpools durchsetzen. Seit Mitte 2004 verfolgt das Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) einen neuen Lösungsansatz, mit dem Ziel, einen m:n-fähigen elektronischen Produktstammdatenaustausch zu etablieren. Die Ankündigungen von führenden Handelsunternehmen wie WALMART, AHOLD oder TESCO sowie Konsumgüterherstellern wie NESTLÉ, PROCTER GAMBLE oder KRAFT FOODS schüren ebenso wiedie aktuelle Konsolidierung unter den Stammdatenpools die Erwartungen. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die Fragestellung,inwieweit GDSN die notwendigen …

On Building Clusters Versus Leveraging Synergies In The Design Of Innovation Policy For Developing Economies, Edward J. Feser

Edward J Feser

This paper argues there are two broad ways policymakers might use industry cluster concepts to inform the design of regional innovation policy. The first, and clearly dominant approach, is to view identified technology-based clusters as targets for growth strategies, i.e., to nurture the growth of selected groups of innovative industries and research strengths in a limited set of regions as a means of increasing levels of innovation economy-wide (termed the cluster building approach). The second is to use cluster ideas to reorient development strategies so that they leverage synergies among businesses and non-market institutions, thus improving innovation rates (termed the …

Little Johnny And The Wizard Of Os: The Pc User As A Fool Hero, Dariusz Jemielniak

Dariusz Jemielniak

This chapter is an attempt to analyze the social perception of a computer user as a fool in the eyes of IT support professionals. It relies on a storytelling analysis of anecdotes and horror stories of really stupid users, shared by IT support people on the Internet fora.

Praca Oparta Na Wiedzy. Praca W Przedsiębiorstwach Wiedzy Na Przykładzie Organizacji High-Tech, Dariusz Jemielniak

Dariusz Jemielniak

No abstract provided.

Software Engineers Or Artists? Programmers’ Identity Choices, Dariusz Jemielniak

Dariusz Jemielniak

This paper explores how assigning software developers the identity of “engineers” metes out specific assumptions about IT projects. To this end, the paper describes an alternative metaphor of programming as art, which is commonly used by the programmers interviewed. In addition, the discussion draws conclusions from the discrepancies between the two views as well as from the proposed metaphor, explaining organizational reluctance to aesthetical vocabulary. This paper discusses occupational identity—emphasizing the identity of programmers—using qualitative research methods. As such, it enriches the literature currently available on this profession.

Sources Of Uncertainty In Project Management: A “Real Life” Account, Dominika Latusek, Dariusz Jemielniak

Dariusz Jemielniak

Although the studies of IT project management abound, they rarely present in one study the perspective of both the customers and the providers. The very relation between customers and provides has been rather rarely explored (Latusek and Jemielniak, 2007). It may be partially due to the fact that usually neither clients, nor providers, are willing to let outsiders into the details of the project. Through this paper we want to take advantage of our unique research setting in which we were allowed to interview representatives of both parties. Through presenting their stories we wish to cast light on the actual …

Sources Of Wood & Wood Residues For Energy Production In Indiana, Isaac Slaven, Eva Haviarova, Klein Ileleji

Isaac Slaven

As energy prices rise and there is a push for energy to be produced from renewable resources, the contribution of Indiana’s corn and soybean industry often overshadows the impact that the State’s wood residues can have in response to these demands. Reports show that the wood products industry is the largest, by paid wages, of any agricultural industry in Indiana and employs 47,000 Indianans.1 In fact, Indiana has more than 4.5 million acres of forest land,2 compared to about 12.3 million acres of cropland.3 In addition to the millions of acres of forestland, Indiana has more than 1,600 wood products …

Recycling Copyright: Survival And Growth In The Remix Age, Michael Katz

Michael Katz

Current copyright law, both as written and as applied, is stifling the development of new content, limiting the use of creative work, and prohibiting uses which are reasonable and fair given the state of current technology. Copyright law should be amended to recognize profound change in publishing and editing created by the advent and growth of digital technology, and should allow for reference to and creative reuse and recycling of all digital media. If done correctly, the original goals of copyright - to encourage and reward the development of creative works for the betterment of society - will be served …

Clinician Assessments Of Workplace Security Training - An Informatics Perspective, Juanita Fernando, Linda Dawson

Associate Professor Linda Dawson

This paper describes and analyses clinicians’ assessments of workplace privacy and security (PaS) training in the context of contemporary health information system (HIS) practice. The PaS training underpins national e-health frameworks. The paper draws on findings from a forthcoming dissertation. The ‘questerview’ technique was applied to this case study of 26 clinicians in three Victorian (Australia) public hospitals. The technique relies on data collection that applies standardised questions and questionnaires during interviews. Respondents were recorded while they completed the standardised questions and questionnaires and were encouraged to discuss their responses to items in detail. Data analysis involved the scrutiny of …

Business Models For Silent Processes, Hubert Oesterle

Hubert Oesterle

No abstract provided.

Action Research W Teorii Organizacji I Zarządzania, Dariusz Jemielniak, Aleksander Chrostowski

Dariusz Jemielniak

Niniejszy artykuł ma na celu zwięzłe opisanie metody Action Research w teorii organizacji i zarządzania. Poprzez przybliżenie założeń, aksjomatów, celów i his-torii AR, tekst umożliwia zrozumienie filozofii tego podejścia. AR jest pokazane jako metoda umożliwiająca połączenie dwóch pozornie rozłącznych sposobów uprawiania pracy naukowej: podejścia praktycznego, nastawionego na rozwią-zywanie realnych problemów świata (czasami uznawanego za nienaukowe i nad-miernie przyziemne) z podejściem teoretycznym, nastawionym przede wszyst-kim na tworzenie abstrakcyjnych modeli i analiz umożliwiających generalizacje (czasami uznawanym za niepraktyczne i nadmiernie oderwane od realiów). Na podstawie akademickiego i biznesowego doświadczenia autorów AR jest przedsta-wiony jako atrakcyjny, spójny sposób uprawiania pracy badawczej i konsultingu.

Innovative Communication: Using Technology To Connect With Your Constituents, Larry D. Long

Larry D. Long

No abstract provided.

Firm Size And Innovation In European Manufacturing, Mario Pianta, Andrea Vaona

Mario Pianta

The paper investigates the differences between small, medium-sized and large firms regarding their performance in the introduction of new products and processes. After a review of the relevant literature, two models are proposed and tested in search for different business strategies and innovation inputs connected to product and process innovations. The empirical analysis uses innovation survey (CIS 2) data at the industry level for 22 manufacturing sectors, broken down in three firm size classes, for eight European countries. Special attention is devoted to tackling the issues of possible endogeneity of the regressors and of unobserved sectoral heterogeneity. The results – …

Innovations, Profits And Wages, Mario Pianta, Massimiliano Tancioni

Mario Pianta

New Process And New Products In Europe And Italy, Mario Pianta, Francesco Crespi

Mario Pianta

Innovation After Lisbon: New Ideas For Innovation Policies In Europe, Mario Pianta, Andrea Vaona

Mario Pianta

Demand And Innovation In Productivity Growth, Mario Pianta, Francesco Crespi

Mario Pianta

The labour productivity impact of demand and innovation is investigated in this paper combining insights from the Kaldorian and Schumpeterian traditions. After a review of studies in such traditions, a general model is proposed for explaining productivity growth in European manufacturing and service industries in the late 1990s, followed by two distinct specifications for the industries oriented toward product innovation, and for those where process innovation dominates. The empirical analysis is based on the match of the SIEPI-CIS2 database developed at the University of Urbino and Eurostat Input–Output Tables at the industry level, for 22 manufacturing sectors and 10 services …

Diversity In Innovation And Productivity In Europe, Mario Pianta, Francesco Crespi

Mario Pianta

The diversity in innovation patterns across manufacturing and service industries and in their outcomes in terms of hourly labor productivity are investigated in this article considering six European countries. The Schumpeterian insights into the variety of innovation are developed in this work by identifying different innovation–performance relationships for industries and countries, relying either on the dominant role of product innovation, or on the diffusion of process improvements. Moreover, the “push” effect of innovation is combined with the “pull” effect of demand, by considering the impact of the dynamics of consumption and investment at the sectoral level. The results point out …