Business Commons^™

The Indian Call Centre Industry: National Benchmarking Report Strategy, Hr Practices, & Performance, Rosemary Batt, Virginia Doellgast, Hyunji Kwon, Mudit Nopany, Priti Nopany, Anil Da Costa

Virginia Doellgast

Report of the Global Call Centre Industry Project The dramatic growth of the call center industry is a world-wide phenomenon, fueled by advances in information technologies and the precipitous decline in the costs of voice and data transmission over the last two decades. As part of this global industry, call centres in India have experienced spectacular growth in the last five years. They generate seventy percent of the revenues of the Indian Business Process Outourcing (BPO) industry, according to estimates by Mckinsey (www.nasscom.org). This rapid growth has also brought managerial challenges in terms of recruitment,staffing, training, and retention of workers …

Standardization Or Localization: A Study Of Online Learning Programmes By Tertiary Institutions In Ghana, Josephine Djan, Babu George

Management Faculty Publications

Many universities in Ghana have had a desire to ensure equitable access to formal tertiary education for the growing number of the working public who have sought to improve or better their educational status in tertiary institutions. For many of these working public or individuals, it is almost impossible to stay off work to enroll in these tertiary institutions but rather would most likely prefer to improve their educational and knowledge acquisition status in the comfort of their homes and in a relaxed and calm environment. This study is aimed at distinguishing between whether tertiary institutions should be evenly and …

Mhealth Technologies For Chronic Diseases And Elders: A Systematic Review, Giovanni Chiarini, Pradeep Ray, Shahriar Akter, Cristina Masella, Aura Ganz

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

mHealth (healthcare using mobile wireless technologies) has the potential to improve healthcare and the quality of life for elderly and chronic patients. Many studies from all over the world have addressed this issue in view of the aging population in many countries. However, there has been a lack of any consolidated evidence-based study to classify mHealth from the dual perspectives of healthcare and technology. This paper reports the results of an evidence-based study of mHealth solutions for chronic care amongst the elderly population and proposes a taxonomy of a broad range of mHealth solutions from the perspective of technological complexity. …

Awareness And Usage Of Collaboration And Communication Technologies In Student Teamwork, Manouchehr Tabatabaei, Marco Lam

Department of Enterprise Systems and Analytics Faculty Publications

In this study, we investigate students’ awareness and usage of collaboration and communication technologies (CCTs). Coordination and communication are two of the key processes for effective teamwork that have been identified in the literature. We find significant differences in awareness of CCTs between various student groups. However, when controlling for awareness, we find no difference in usage. While the proportion of students that are aware of various CCTs is high, the reported usage of CCTs is low. Because of the increased emphasis on teamwork, students need to be taught the technologies they need to use for collaboration and communication in …

Stress Related Issues Due To Too Much Technology: Effects On Working Professionals, Katherine Walz

MBA Student Scholarship

The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine stress related issues on working professionals within a retail organization and Information Communication Technology (ICT). This type of stress is known as “technostress.” Employees within four job levels; entry, middle, management and upper management were surveyed to learn what types of Information Communication Technologies they use in the workplace and what kinds of stress they experience because of these technologies (Brod, 1984; Ayyagari, Grover, and Purvis, 2011). Previous studies have shown that information communication technologies may be related to stress, but the specific kinds of stress related issues have not been …

The Evolution Of Digital Technologies - From Collaboration To Ecollaboration, Michael Jones

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Collaboration, where firms share skills and/or resources in order to fulfill a common goal is not a new concept. Firms have been collaborating since the beginning of time. Projects like the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Great Wall of China could not have been completed without the col-laboration of teams of people. However, while the objectives of those who engage in collabora-tive activities has hardly changed over time, the advent of the computer and the digital age has markedly changed how these firms engage with each other and how they cooperate to fulfill their objectives. This paper will take …

Optimization Of Railway System Through The Application Of Advanced Technologies, Praveen Jha Dr

Praveen Jha Dr

Railway System can be made truly automated, modern, safe, profitable and timely by providing an integrated solution to the loads of problems in the Railway System in most scientific, effective and inexpensive manner through the application of state-of-art geo-spatial programs - Railways Automatic Tracking Program (RATP) and Program for Optimization and Automation of Railway System (POARS) - developed by the author for addressing the pertinent issues of safety and optimization of railway operations. This could put in place the Optimized Railway System (ORS) that could automatically control all the systems of railways. Real time tracking of trains could be done …

Cleaning Of Rivers Through The Application Of Advanced Technologies, Praveen Jha Dr

Praveen Jha Dr

Despite immense drain on our scarce resources, rivers remain polluted. Waste disposal into rivers on top of meager to absent infrastructural facilities, including treatment facilities, are the most important drivers of pollution. Unscientific development paradigm devoid of adequate environmental safeguards and failure of forestry sector to cope up with the challenge has led to the deteriorated condition of green cover and water. Several state-of-art geo-spatial programs developed by the author would be applied for generating optimum state-of-art plan. Three state-of-art geo-spatial programs - Multi-Algorithm Automation Program (MAAP), Data Automatic Modification Program (DAMP) and Multi-Stage Simulation Program (MUSSIP) - developed primarily …

Drinking Water Optimum Supply System (Dwoss) Through The Application Of Advanced Technologies, Praveen Jha Dr

Praveen Jha Dr

Paradigm shift in the approach for planning regarding supply of drinking water is mandatory since the current DPRs are unscientific and expensive. Planning for an optimum Drinking Water Supply System (ODWSS) that includes - optimization of Water Source Point (WSP), Water Treatment System (WTS), Water Storage Systems (WSSs), Water Distribution Points (WDP) and Water Supply Network (WSN); scientific estimation of long term demand of drinking water; minimization of physical and financial resources required for the plan implementation; water conservation and sanitation – could be done by applying several state-of-art geo-spatial programs developed by the author. Three programs - Multi-Algorithm Automation …

Solid Waste Management Through The Application Of Advanced Technologies, Praveen Jha Dr

Praveen Jha Dr

State-of-art long term plan for Solid Waste Management (SWM) including collection, transportation and disposal of Solid Waste (SW), as well as for monitoring of SWM, by generating integrated solution could be generated through the application of advanced technologies so that the policy interventions may prove to be highly successful and cost-effective. Currently, SWM plans are either non-existent or are riddled with serious problems and limitations. SWM plans are extremely expensive. Long term planning could be done for collection, transportation and disposal of SW in such a manner that Waste Collection Points, transportation routes, schedules regarding transportation, loading, unloading, stoppage etc, …

The Indian Call Centre Industry: National Benchmarking Report Strategy, Hr Practices, & Performance, Rosemary Batt, Virginia Doellgast, Hyunji Kwon, Mudit Nopany, Priti Nopany, Anil Da Costa

Rosemary Batt

Report of the Global Call Centre Industry Project

The dramatic growth of the call center industry is a world-wide phenomenon, fueled by advances in information technologies and the precipitous decline in the costs of voice and data transmission over the last two decades. As part of this global industry, call centres in India have experienced spectacular growth in the last five years. They generate seventy percent of the revenues of the Indian Business Process Outourcing (BPO) industry, according to estimates by Mckinsey (www.nasscom.org).

This rapid growth has also brought managerial challenges in terms of recruitment,staffing, training, and retention of workers …

Emerging Near-Real Time Forage Monitoring Technology With Application To Large Herbivore Management In Mongolia, Dennis P. Sheehy, Jerry W. Stuth, Douglas E. Johnson, Jay Angerer, Douglas Tolleson

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Large herbivore livestock and wildlife in Mongolia depend almost entirely for substance on forage standing crop produced each year on natural pastureland. Consequently, both livestock and wildlife are continuously subject to environmental risk, especially drought and severe winter storms, while livestock are also subject to financial risk. As consumption-based livestock production changes to commercialized livestock production, steps taken by the livestock herder to avert both environmental and financial risk to livestock can increase environmental risk to large wild herbivores. A realistic and workable pastureland and risk management system will be critical for conservation of large herbivore habitat. New technologies are …

The Impact Of Information Technology Outsourcing On Firm Profitability Measures, G. Dwayne Whitten, T Selwyn Ellis, K. Michael Casey

Journal of International Information Management

Some researchers have concluded that outsourcing of information technology (IT) provides benefits to firms including cost advantages, economies of scale and allowing more of a focus on core competencies. This paper attempts to determine if these benefits actually exist by comparing three financial measures, return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA) and profit margin, affirms that have varying levels of outsourcing. To empirically test for the existence of a difference between firms that outsource differing amounts of IT spending, data from 104 companies was gathered. Analysis of variance was selected as the primary statistical tool to test the relationship …

Why Is Middle Management In Conflict With Erp?, Rainer A. Sommer

Journal of International Information Management

Popular Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation methods focus on process requirements, system transition, user interface, help desk, and training issues. This research suggests that unless high-level management places equal emphasis on "people oriented" factors (especially at the middle management level) many ERP implementation projects are in jeopardy. Without the commitment of middle management and a proactive change management function, project planning and milestone development can easily become bogged down by political trivialities, which can stall the implementation cycle of a project. The research focuses on two ERP implementations. In both cases middle management served as the unit of analysis.

Jad Can Get Better, Evan W. Duggan, Cherian S. Thachenkary

Journal of International Information Management

Interviewing and other conventional approaches failed to produce the user-developer understanding required to establish high-quality systems requirements for software development. .Joint Application Development (JAD) was introduced in the late 1970s, and has been widely used to alleviate this problem. But JAD s success has been critically dependent on the excellence of facilitation to deflect many of the relational problems that are typically experienced with the freely interacting group structure used to conduct JAD sessions. While the use of JAD is pervasive, excellent facilitators are scarce, which hampers or even precludes some JAD efforts. In this article we recommend a solution …

A Multivariate Probit Analysis Of Selected Factors Influencing Electronic Commerce Adoption In Organizations, Adeyemi A. Adekoya, Ago K.M. Quaye, Ephrem Eyob

Journal of International Information Management

This study investigates factors leading to the "go/no go" decision on organizational innovations, with particular reference to Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce). The goal is to explore important antecedents promoting the adoption of technological innovations and to extend the frontiers of knowledge in this area, by integrating two major research paradigms - basic and applied. Randomly selected organizations in the IT area participated in the study. Variables pertaining to organizations. Information Technology, and users of the technology were assessed and analyzed using an omnibus instrument and probit analysis respectively. This study provides a tentative elucidation of contemporary unresolved issues, and also broadens …

Understanding Web Page Anatomy, Antony Coulson, C.E. Tapie Rohm, Pat Mcinturff, Jake Zhu, James Stanger

Journal of International Information Management

The rapid evolution of information technology over the past several decades has opened many new and unique modes of communication. Clearly, the web is one such technology. However, it is quite possible that a fascination with the technology per se can hinder participants from one of its main functions—effective communication. The following essay explores a return to the basics of designing an effective web-based communication strategy. The key components of this strategy are: 1) consistent look and feel, 2) conceptual consistency, and 3) positive attention.

An End User's Model For Communications Technologies In The Twenty First Century, Antony Coulson, C.E. Tapie Rohm Jr

Journal of International Information Management

This paper presents an end user's model for understanding the use of communications technology or media in the 21st century. The rapid advancement of communications technologies like Email, Group Decision Support System and Video Conferencing are not being taken advantage of today. A model is presented and then explained in terms of the existing technology. A review of the literamre is provided at each step of the way. A table summarizes the information reviewed.

Towards A Specific Architecture For International Information Systems: An Exploratory Study, Hans P. Lehmann

Journal of International Information Management

Despite their acknowledged importance, international information technology applications - defined as supporting a business activity across a number of diverse environments - are still largely unstudied and under-explored. Scholarly research has been relatively sparse, but there is anecdotal evidence of the serious difficulties facing the developer of international systems. In this exploratory paper it is investigated whether there is a specific architecture, generically common to international information systems which could provide a framework for the development of international systems. The linkage between the global business strategy of international firms and the organization and structure of their information systems is discussed. …

A Neural Network Model For Decision Making With Application In Construction Management, Mirza B. Murtaza, Debroah J. Fisher

Journal of International Information Management

In this paper, an innovative approach is presented to decision making using self-organizing multi-layered neural networks. The model helps make a decision whether to use a conventional stick-built method or to use some degree of modularization when building an industrial process plant - a problem considered very important in construction management because of its economic impact. The objective of this paper is to show that both expert system and neural network approaches can be useful for decision making problems. However, in some situations a neural network approach can outperform the expert system approach. A brief overview of prior approach to …

Impediments To Information Technology Utilization In A Developing Nation M Africa, Ravinder Nath

Journal of International Information Management

With an increasing awareness of the role of information technology (IT) in improving internal efficiency and conducting business in the emerging global economy, organizations in the developing nations, like their counterparts in the developed countries, are taking a keen interest in IT-based solutions to their problems. Yet they face unique problems that impede their ability to adopt FT. This research identifies these problems in Zimbabwe - a developing nation in Southern Africa. The results are based on a two-stage study consisting of interviews with 12 MIS managers, and responses to a questiormaire instrument by 88 middle- and upperlevel managers in …

Business Visualization: More I Effective Management Tools For Observation, Dynamic Measurement And Control, Hal Records, Alan Olinsky

Journal of International Information Management

Increased global competition and continual pressure to produce more work with fewer resources has become the hallmark of the 1990s. Businesses are taking steps to meet these new challenges by downsizing for better control, using networks (Valovic, 1992) and data communications for rapid response, and purchasing personal tools such as word processing programs, spreadsheets, graphics and desktop publishing programs for an increase of manager productivity. But are these steps sufficient? In order to be more profitable in today's fast-paced and ever-changing environment, business managers at the strategic, tactical and operational levels must be able to visualize their operating data in …

The Blossoming Of Data Communications And The Thorns Of Computer Crimes: An Analysis Of The Use And Abuse Of Network Computing, Michael T. Tang

Journal of International Information Management

No abstract provided.