An Introduction to MultiAgent Systems.

Human beings are described by many spiritual traditions as ‘blind’ or ‘asleep’ or ‘in a dream.’ These terms refers to the limited attenuated state of consciousness of most human beings caught up in patterns of conditioned thought, feeling and perception, which prevent the development of our latent, higher spiritual possibilities. In the words of Idries Shah: “Man, like a sleepwalker who suddenly ‘comes to’ on some lonely road has in general no correct idea as to his origins or his destiny.” In some religious traditions, such as Christianity and Islam, the myth of the ‘Fall from the Garden of Eden’ symbolizes the loss of the primordial state through the veiling of higher consciousness. Other traditions use similar metaphors to describe the spiritual condition of humanity:

The Human Condition.

What makes organizations so similar? We contend that the engine of rationalization and bureaucratization has moved from the competitive marketplace to the state and the professions. Once a set of organizations emerges as a field, a paradox arises: rational actors make their organizations increasingly similar as they try to change them. We describe three isomorphic processes-coercive, mimetic, and normative—leading to this outcome. We then specify hypotheses about the impact of resource centralization and dependency, goal ambiguity and technical uncertainty, and professionalization and structuration on isomorphic change. Finally, we suggest implications for theories of organizations and social change.

The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields (Chinese Translation)

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Qualitative Research in Information Systems

https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid%3A7bdae86a-0209-4e53-83d0-c531dd3465ec/datastream/OBJ/download

Artificial Intelligence (AI) : Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy

The purpose of this study is to understand how import clearance digitalization can impact socioeconomic development in developing country context. Port digitalization has become important because it can be used by the governments in developing countries to support socioeconomic development. A growing body of research on port systems exists, however, this has focused more on implementation and use with less attention on socioeconomic impact. Given this gap, this paper employs qualitative interpretive case study as the methodology to investigate import clearance digitalization in Ghana. The findings show that import clearance digitalization can help improve efficiency in customs clearance, increase government revenue and reduce port-related corruption.

Import Clearance Digitalization and Socioeconomic Development: The Case of Ghana

As digital technology transforms many organisational alliances, new collaborative networks such as digital business ecosystems have emerged. In digital business ecosystems, participants leverage technological innovations to develop capabilities for value co-creation. Despite the growing number of studies, there is lack of research on how political-will facilitates development of digital business ecosystems. Therefore, this study develops a framework to explicate the role of political-will in the development of digital business ecosystems to achieve socioeconomic benefits. The findings show that political-will leads to provision of resources and legislative support as well as formulation of strategic initiatives required at the birth, expansion and maturity phases of digital business ecosystems to generate socioeconomic benefits such as (1) reduced corruption, (2) improved operational processes, (3) increased government revenue, (4) reduced bureaucracy and (5) improved transparency, fairness and accountability.

/pdf/unpacking-the-role-of-political-will-in-digital-business-1klo8id1zp.pdf

Unpacking the role of political will in digital business ecosystem development for socioeconomic benefits

This study explores Web-based virtual process control modelling based on organisational semiotics, Web modelling language (WebML), and higher education admission process Despite some discussions on control activities in the organisational semiotics literature, less attention has been paid to process control modelling in general and Web-based virtual processes in particular Process controls help to implement required organisational constraints as regulatory norms that enforce established rules, procedures, and standards for meeting intended organisational goals This study contributes to organisational semiotics research by extending the discourse on control norms to the realm of Web-based virtual process modelling in a real life situation

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Virtual Process Control Modelling in Organisational Semiotics: A Case of Higher Education Admission

The purpose of this study is to understand how Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) can migrate from physical to virtual administrative work environment. Information systems (IS) research on virtualness in HEIs has focused more on teaching and learning and less on administrative work. Therefore, a knowledge gap exists on virtual work environment and how it emerges. This study focuses on the experience of an HEI in using an off-shore consulting agent to virtualise its administrative work environment. The study uses an interpretive case study approach as the methodology and activity theory as the theoretical lens to trace the HEI’s attempt to virtualise the administrative work environment. The findings show how AT can explain IS development and implementation process through principal-agent relationship. This paper contributes to research and practice by offering critical insight into how HEIs in SSA can migrate from physical to virtual administrative work environment.

John Effah

Papers

Import Clearance Digitalization and Socioeconomic Development: The Case of Ghana

Unpacking the role of political will in digital business ecosystem development for socioeconomic benefits

Virtual Process Control Modelling in Organisational Semiotics: A Case of Higher Education Admission

Migrating from Physical to Virtual Administrative Work Environment: A Case Study of a Sub Saharan African Higher Education Institution.

The platform executive: Technology shaping of executive cognition during digital service innovation