Showing papers in "IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management in 2003"
TL;DR: This study describes a free-simulation experiment that compares the degree and relative importance of customer trust in an e-vendor vis-a-vis TAM constructs of the website, between potential and repeat customers, and finds that repeat customers trusted the e-Vendor more, perceived the website to be more useful and easier to use, and were more inclined to purchase from it.
Abstract: An e-vendor's website inseparably embodies an interaction with the vendor and an interaction with the IT website interface. Accordingly, research has shown two sets of unrelated usage antecedents by customers: (1) customer trust in the e-vendor and (2) customer assessments of the IT itself, specifically the perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use of the website as depicted in the technology acceptance model (TAM). Research suggests, however, that the degree and impact of trust, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use change with experience. Using existing, validated scales, this study describes a free-simulation experiment that compares the degree and relative importance of customer trust in an e-vendor vis-a-vis TAM constructs of the website, between potential (i.e., new) customers and repeat (i.e., experienced) ones. The study found that repeat customers trusted the e-vendor more, perceived the website to be more useful and easier to use, and were more inclined to purchase from it. The data also show that while repeat customers' purchase intentions were influenced by both their trust in the e-vendor and their perception that the website was useful, potential customers were not influenced by perceived usefulness, but only by their trust in the e-vendor. Implications of this apparent trust-barrier and guidelines for practice are discussed.
878Â citations
TL;DR: Examination of culture-specific inducements and impediments to using the Internet in the Arab world identifies how culture can both inhibit and encourage technological innovation and how Arab cultures can move their economies more quickly into the digital age.
Abstract: Drawing on the theoretical work of Hill et al. and Straub et al., this study examines culture-specific inducements and impediments to using the Internet in the Arab world. Research questions were: (1) to what extent does the process of technology culturation affect the acceptance of the Internet? and (2) to what extent do social norms (SNs) affect the acceptance of the Internet? Of the two research methods employed, the first was a quantitative field study of knowledge workers. The instrument measured the extent to which respondents and their organizations are influenced by advanced technology cultures. Using partial least squares (PLS), the first of two models tested links between SNs; technological culturation and Internet usage for each respondent. The second model investigated links between technological culturation and Internet utilization for the respondent's organization. Findings show strong support for both models, explaining, respectively, 47% and 37% of the variance. The second method was a qualitative analysis of respondents' free-format comments. These findings reinforce the quantitative findings, on the one hand, and reveal additional cultural barriers that still need to be studied, on the other. Findings identify how culture can both inhibit and encourage technological innovation and how Arab cultures can move their economies more quickly into the digital age.
419Â citations
TL;DR: Information systems researchers have begun to investigate how national culture, as articulated by Hofstede, affects a wide variety of issues, but most research is focused on issues related to IS management and to IS, while issuesrelated to IS development and operations and toIS usage remain relatively unexamined.
Abstract: Information systems (IS) researchers have begun to investigate how national culture, as articulated by Hofstede, affects a wide variety of issues. A citation analysis of IS articles that cite Hofstede's research on national culture suggests that most research is focused on issues related to IS management and to IS, while issues related to IS development and operations and to IS usage remain relatively unexamined. Within the dominant categories, research is concentrated in the IS management and types of information systems subcategories. Furthermore, the dimensions of national culture outlined by Hofstede have not been frequently used to develop and to build theory. Research opportunities and approaches to develop a stronger cumulative tradition and theory for international IS issues are proposed.
314Â citations
TL;DR: This paper introduces a mathematical model, termed the modularization function, for analyzing the degree of modularity in a given product architecture, which takes into account the following variables: components; degree of coupling; and substitutability of new-to-the-firm components.
Abstract: The management of innovation through modular product architecture strategies is gaining increasing importance for firms, both in practice and theory. Modularity refers to a new product development strategy in which interfaces shared among components in a given product architecture are specified and standardized to allow for greater substitutability of components across product families. It is argued that the degree of modularity inherent in product architectures depends on the constituent components and interfaces. This paper introduces a mathematical model, termed the modularization function, for analyzing the degree of modularity in a given product architecture. It takes into account the following variables: components; degree of coupling; and substitutability of new-to-the-firm components. The application of the modularization function is illustrated with two elevator systems from Schindler-traction and hydraulic. The comparative analysis of the elevators captures the sensitivity and dynamics of product architecture modularity created by three types of components (standard, neutral, and unique) and two types of interfaces (fundamental and optional).
306Â citations
TL;DR: This paper describes a three-phase approach to assist research and development managers in obtaining the most attractive project portfolio which requires no a priori assumptions about the decision-maker's preferences.
Abstract: This paper describes a three-phase approach to assist research and development managers in obtaining the most attractive project portfolio. The screening procedure of the first phase identifies project proposals that are worthy of further evaluation keeping the number of projects entering the subsequent phase within a manageable size. In the second phase, a multiobjective integer linear programming model determines the solution space of all efficient (i.e., Pareto-optimal) portfolios. It takes into account time profiles of the objectives, various project interdependencies, logical and strategic requirements, as well as resource and benefit constraints. The third phase, finally, aims to find a portfolio which fits the decision-maker's notions. Starting with an arbitrarily selected candidate he/she iteratively sets aspiration levels for objectives or modifies upper and lower bounds. Thus, the solution space is explored until a satisfying compromise between the figures both in benefit and resource categories is reached. Our approach is numerically tractable, and, as a key feature, requires no a priori assumptions about the decision-maker's preferences. Its application is illustrated by an example.
249Â citations
TL;DR: The assumptions about organizational culture embedded in the CMM models are investigated and their implications for software process improvement (SPI) initiatives are discussed.
Abstract: The capability maturity model (CMM) approach to software process improvement is the most dominant paradigm of organizational change that software organizations implement. While some organizations have achieved various levels of success with the CMM, the vast majority have failed. In this paper, we investigate the assumptions about organizational culture embedded in the CMM models and we discuss their implications for software process improvement (SPI) initiatives. In this paper, we utilize the well-known competing values model to surface and analyze the assumptions underlying the CMM. Our analysis reveals contradictory sets of assumptions about organizational culture in the CMM approach. We believe that an understanding of these contradictions can help researchers address some of the difficulties that have been observed in implementing and institutionalizing SPI programs in organizations. Further, this research can help to open up a much-needed line of research that would examine the organization theory assumptions that underpin CMM. This type of research is important if CMM is to evolve as an effective organizational change paradigm for software organizations.
185Â citations
TL;DR: It is postulate that both high and low levels of team communication can impede team performance, thus leading to a curvilinear relationship between team performance and team communication.
Abstract: The performance of a cross-functional team depends on the skillful and innovative combination of information and expertise from all team members. Communication is the medium through which team members share the information required for successful amalgamation. In this work, we postulate that both high and low levels of team communication can impede team performance, thus leading to a curvilinear relationship between team performance and team communication. To test this hypothesis, the relationships between face-to-face, e-mail, and telephone communication and team performance were examined for 60 cross-functional project teams. E-mail and face-to-face communication were curvilinearly associated with performance, but telephone communication was not. Further analysis of the communication frequency between colocations showed that e-mail is the only medium for which usage increased with distance.
165Â citations
TL;DR: This study investigates how the individualism-collectivism dimension of national culture may moderate the impact of organizational climate and information asymmetry on human predisposition to report bad news and adds a cultural dimension to existing knowledge on software project management.
Abstract: The reluctance of people to report bad news can be a major contributor to the phenomenon of runaway software projects. If senior managers receive bad news sooner, they may be able to prevent runaway software projects through corrective action. Two factors that are known to impact predisposition to report bad news are organizational climate (whether reporting bad news is likely to result in reward or punishment) and information asymmetry (whether hiding bad news is likely to be possible over time). Using matching experiments in an individualistic (United States) and a collectivistic culture (Singapore), this study investigates how the individualism-collectivism dimension of national culture may moderate the impact of organizational climate and information asymmetry on human predisposition to report bad news. The results revealed that individualism appeared to amplify the impact of organizational climate on predisposition to report bad news (compared to collectivism) whereas collectivism appeared to amplify the impact of information asymmetry on predisposition to report bad news (compared to individualism). When deciding on whether to report bad news about software projects, people from an individualistic culture seemed to be more sensitive to organizational climate whereas people from a collectivistic culture seemed to pay greater attention to information asymmetry. These results have useful implications for practice and research involving cross-cultural software project teams. Beyond these implications, these results add a cultural dimension to our existing knowledge on software project management.
149Â citations
TL;DR: The results of this research suggest that a logistic regression model based on project management constructs is capable of discriminating between projects that escalate and those that do not.
Abstract: Previous research has documented that software projects are frequently prone to escalation. While the escalation literature acknowledges that project-related (as well as psychological, social, and organizational) factors can promote escalation behavior, there has been no investigation regarding the role that project management factors may have in discriminating between projects that escalate and those that do not. The objective of this study was to explore whether project management constructs could be used to distinguish between projects that escalated and those that did not. Based on a survey administered to IS audit and control professionals, data were gathered on projects that did not escalate as well as those that did escalate. We then applied logistic regression to model the relationship between various project management constructs and project escalation. The model was then evaluated for its ability to correctly classify the projects. The results of our research suggest that a logistic regression model based on project management constructs is capable of discriminating between projects that escalate and those that do not. Moreover, the model compares favorably to a previously published logistic regression model based on constructs derived from escalation theory. The implications of these findings are discussed.
123Â citations
TL;DR: Practical insights derived from this study enable specific suggestions on customization of web page content richness as well as infrastructure requirements based on the cultural identity of the intended e-Consumer and suggest theoretical implications for future research.
Abstract: Most e-commerce sites would like to include as much relevant and sales-inducing content on their pages as possible. Unfortunately, resulting download delays may lead to consumer frustration and a negative attitude toward the product or service displayed. But is frustration with download delay a universal problem or is it culture-specific? How should firms view this problem? These are the primary research questions investigated in the current study. An experiment conducted on four continents was selected as an appropriate research method to answer those questions. Country sites were selected for differing cultural senses of time and how this might affect individual responses to download delay. Our sample included the US and Finnish cultures representing monochronic cultures and Egyptian and Peruvian cultures representing polychronic cultures. Consistent with the proposed hypotheses, subjects from polychronic cultures were significantly less concerned with download delays than subjects in monochronic cultures. Similarly, perceived wait times varied significantly between the mono- and polychronic groups. Practical insights derived from this study enable specific suggestions on customization of web page content richness as well as infrastructure requirements based on the cultural identity of the intended e-Consumer. Moreover, results suggest theoretical implications for future research.
115Â citations
TL;DR: A theoretical framework is built that suggests that trust is an important mediator between communication and knowledge and technological outcomes in I/URs and the implications for both research and practice are discussed.
Abstract: Although industry-university relationships (I/URs) are of growing importance for creating knowledge and new technologies, I/URs remain relatively understudied. We build a theoretical framework that examines communication frequency, a facet of communication effectiveness, the personalness of the communication form (i.e., face-to-face, telephone, e-mail, and written), the firm's trust in its university partner, and the I/UR's knowledge and new technology outcomes. Our theoretical framework is tested using primarily survey questionnaire data collected from senior managers in 189 industrial firms across 21 university research centers. While previous research demonstrates the important connection between the way partners communicate and various collaborative venture outcomes, our results suggest that trust is an important mediator between communication and knowledge and technological outcomes in I/URs. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for both research and practice.
TL;DR: A succinct model is developed that explains more than 60% of a developer's acceptance of OOSD and has important implications for both managers and process designers in their efforts to promote the acceptance of systems development innovations among developers.
Abstract: In an ongoing effort to improve systems development, a variety of innovative products, such as CASE, and processes, such as object-oriented development, have been introduced over the years While models such as the technology acceptance model (TAM) have been used to explain the acceptance of development products, very little research exists on the acceptance of the more complex development processes Using the theory of planned behavior, goal-setting theory, and the TAM, this study develops a model to explain the acceptance of innovative information systems development processes by individual software developers A total of 150 experienced developers completed a survey designed to explore factors that relate to the acceptance of object-oriented systems development (OOSD), the focus of this particular study An analysis of the collected data reveals a succinct model that explains more than 60% of a developer's acceptance of OOSD These results have important implications for both managers and process designers in their efforts to promote the acceptance of systems development innovations among developers Researchers should also benefit from an augmented understanding of the acceptance of complex innovative processes
TL;DR: An organizational culture that supports communication and cooperation between teams and the integration of teams was found to have a significant and positive linear relationship with two different team leader ratings of effectiveness and with team member satisfaction.
Abstract: Teams are an integral part of many manufacturing organizations today. This paper explores the relationships between nine organizational context variables, team processes, and three measures of team effectiveness. The research was conducted within one business unit of a Fortune 50 high-technology company. Twenty-one intact production work teams were the focus of the study. Using path analysis, significant direct relationships between six organizational context factors and three measures of team effectiveness were found. The management processes associated with establishing a clear team purpose that is aligned with organizational goals and the allocation of critical resources were both positively related to team member satisfaction. An organizational culture that supports communication and cooperation between teams and the integration of teams was found to have a significant and positive linear relationship with two different team leader ratings of effectiveness and with team member satisfaction. Organizational systems that provide teams with the necessary information were found to have a significant and positive linear relationship with both team leader ratings of effectiveness and team member satisfaction. Organizational systems that provide teams with the necessary training were found to have a significant and positive linear relationship with team member satisfaction.
TL;DR: The paper considers the complexities of subcultural differences in firms and provides a salutary reminder that the implementation of corporate-wide integrative "solutions" such as CBD, may be problematic, and demonstrates that sub cultural differences should not simply be viewed as a threat.
Abstract: This paper presents an exploratory case study of the investment banking arm of a multinational banking corporation (Invebank) and its attempt to introduce component-based development (CBD). Based on a logic of opposition and utilizing literature on organizational culture and metaphors as an analytical device, issues confronting Invebank in CBD adoption are identified. In particular, problems in CBD implementation were encountered because, while CBD requires extensive knowledge sharing and collaboration, subcultural differences in Invebank meant that this proved difficult to enact. Thus, the paper considers the complexities of subcultural differences in firms and provides a salutary reminder that the implementation of corporate-wide integrative "solutions" such as CBD, may be problematic. Further, there is more to the issue of organizational subcultural differences than the oft-cited business-information technology (IT) divide. Nevertheless, the case demonstrates that subcultural differences should not simply be viewed as a threat. Rather, the recognition and discussion of these differences can provide a stimulus for identifying limitations of the policies surrounding technology implementation and use that if changed could help to maximize the benefits of the technology. Simplistic entreaties to knowledge sharing and the nurture of collaboration and consensus are, thus, brought into question. Implications for further research into the implementation of integrative software solutions like CBD in multifunctional and multifarious organizations are also considered.
TL;DR: The analysis reveals strong differences in extent of usage, type of usage and software selection based on individually significant environmental and intermediate factors and provides strong support for the hypotheses relating to extent of software use and level of software package used.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to analyze and assess those factors that influence the extent of usage, type of usage (planning only versus planning and control), and selection of project management (PM) software by professionals in the field. Discriminant analysis is used to analyze hypotheses relating to these three issues. The analysis is based on the results of a random survey of members of the Project Management Institute. This research was guided by an organizing framework that considers environmental factors (demographics and work environment characteristics), intermediate factors (PM software usage category and historical use patterns), and outcomes (level of software package selected). The analysis reveals strong differences in extent of usage, type of usage, and software selection based on individually significant environmental and intermediate factors. It also provides strong support for the hypotheses relating to extent of software use and level of software package used, while providing qualified support for the hypothesis relating to software use for planning only versus planning and control. These results together validate the organizing framework. Adopters of PM software are advised to consider the findings concerning industry practice as well as their specific needs when selecting and deciding how to use PM software packages.
TL;DR: How major changes to the flow and quality of information, engendered through the implementation of data warehouses, are likely to impact upon organizational culture, among a sample of large UK-based enterprises is explored.
Abstract: The implementation of information systems is increasingly resulting in significant impacts upon the host organization's culture. This study seeks to explore how major changes to the flow and quality of information, engendered through the implementation of data warehouses, are likely to impact upon organizational culture, among a sample of large UK-based enterprises. An analysis of these cases suggest that improvements to the flow of information may have the potential to modify organizational culture, particularly in the areas of customer service, flexibility, integration, and empowerment. Moreover, a modified version of the "competing values" framework is then used as a mechanism for exploring and discussing the implications of such IT-induced cultural changes. The paper concludes with a word of warning that information technology rarely delivers a quick fix and that the realization of benefits and the management of cultural change are a long-term and potentially difficult undertaking.
TL;DR: It is argued and demonstrated that the distribution channel for Internet customers should be integrated with existing operations, but for larger Internet order volumes, traditional retailers should switch to direct-delivery distribution centers.
Abstract: The Internet provides retailers with potentially powerful opportunities to boost sales, increase market share, and generate new business through new services. One of the challenging questions that retailers are facing in that respect is how to organize the logistic fulfillment processes during and after the transaction has taken place. Based on a survey of 55 online retailers (both traditional and Internet-only) this paper investigates the distribution strategies of these different retailer types. This includes the use of infrastructure not particularly designed for delivery to Internet customers like stores and store warehouses, the logistics outsourcing strategy and the company's choice of delivery area. The independent variables studied are the delivery lead times offered to customers, the assortment choice, the number of Internet customer orders and the company type (traditional retailer or not). It is argued and demonstrated that the distribution channel for Internet customers should be integrated with existing operations, but for larger Internet order volumes, traditional retailers should switch to direct-delivery distribution centers. The outsourcing and delivery area decision appear to be mainly determined by the complexity of the assortment.
TL;DR: This work examines the factors that influence the adoption of the Internet at three levels of analysis: the external context of the industry, the industry; and the firm.
Abstract: The Internet is an outcome of the convergence of multiple technologies and its applications have the potential to strongly influence many industries. Focusing on the banking industry, we examine the factors that influence the adoption of the Internet at three levels of analysis: the external context of the industry; the industry; and the firm. At the external context level, we analyze how the development of a favorable external context facilitates the adoption of a new technological application: Internet banking. At the industry level, we examine the types of innovations that a new technological application engenders, the role incumbents, and new entrants play in promoting the adoption of Internet banking, and other factors that impact the speed of Internet banking diffusion. At the firm level, we examine differences in banks' strategies and organizational designs associated with the adoption of Internet banking as an added delivery channel versus as a separate business. We conclude by discussing unique features in the emergence and adoption of Internet banking and its potential performance implications.
TL;DR: A probabilistic model that considers the random nature of change orders and their impact on the cost and schedule of a construction project and calculates the contingency based on the level of confidence specified by the owner is presented.
Abstract: This paper presents a probabilistic model that considers the random nature of change orders and their impact on the cost and schedule of a construction project. The model incorporates uncertainties in project cost and schedule and calculates the contingency based on the level of confidence specified by the owner. It assumes a Poisson arrival pattern for change orders in a construction project. The effect of schedule delays in further increasing the project cost is considered explicitly and the effect of correlation between change orders is discussed and analytically considered. The proposed model may be used for budgeting purposes at the early stages of project development. Typical applications of the proposed model in the context of construction industry are discussed. A numerical example is presented that demonstrates the use of the model in establishing a budget contingency. The results of the example are compared with actual data from previous construction projects.
TL;DR: A revised model of technological innovation with an emphasis on socio-technical factors associated with electronic service delivery is developed, suggesting public organizations must find reliable means of determining external demand for online innovations, as well as reducing the risks associated with each specific type of online innovation prior to adoption.
Abstract: In order to better understand why public organizations develop interest in online innovations, this paper develops a revised model of technological innovation with an emphasis on socio-technical factors associated with electronic service delivery. This model focuses on three primary dimensions of online innovation: perceived need, technical capacity, and risk mitigation. It is hypothesized that these three dimensions will have the greatest influence on the development of pre-adoption interest in a new online innovation. This model is then used to examine a single online innovation, personalization of online government information and services. Data from a survey of local governments is used to test the theory. A regression model was estimated from the survey data. Results suggest that perceived need, financial costs, and the ability to mitigate the risks associated with privacy issues each influence the level of interest in personalized online services. The results suggest that public organizations must find reliable means of determining external demand for online innovations, as well as reducing the risks associated with each specific type of online innovation prior to adoption.
TL;DR: An approach to understanding cross-cultural information technology management issues that focuses on the implicit aspects of culture that acknowledges that cultural understanding is locally situated, grounded in actual behaviors, and embedded in everyday, socially negotiated work practices is described and applied.
Abstract: An approach to understanding cross-cultural information technology (IT) management issues that focuses on the implicit aspects of culture is described and applied. It is based upon a theoretical framework called situating culture which acknowledges that cultural understanding is locally situated, grounded in actual behaviors, and embedded in everyday, socially negotiated work practices. To show how this theoretical framework can be used in cross-cultural IT management, it is applied to an examination of the interplay among multiple contextual influences-the national cultures of the host and home countries, the IT industry culture, and the organizational culture of a particular firm-in examples of the cross-cultural IT workplace drawn from the published literature. Management implications of applying the situating culture approach in the cross-cultural IT workplace are then provided.
TL;DR: Results indicate that decision support provided by the methodology could lead to substantial improvements in a weapon-systems portfolio value.
Abstract: Screening weapon systems development projects is a complex, multicriteria decision problem that must be accomplished within a constrained resource environment. This paper presents a hybrid decision support methodology for use in the screening of weapon systems development projects. The hybrid methodology integrates the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with a 0-1 integer portfolio optimization model. An AHP component allows the decision maker to incorporate qualitative and intangible criteria into the decision-making process and use the priority rankings of the AHP to represent a measure of value in the 0-1 integer model objective function. The hybrid methodology is extremely flexible and the decision maker can tailor both the AHP and the 0-1 integer optimization model to represent a specific decision-making situation. To fully appreciate the added value of implementing the hybrid screening methodology, a group of Air Force decision makers applied the hybrid methodology to a realistic weapon-systems project screening activity. Results indicate that decision support provided by the methodology could lead to substantial improvements in a weapon-systems portfolio value.
TL;DR: Two models that relate the antecedents of software process capability to information systems units in Fortune 1000 firms are tested, providing strong support to the mediated-impact model and suggesting that the stock of knowledge embedded in the process is influenced by the extent to which knowledge is created in the context of the development process.
Abstract: Improving the capability of the development process has emerged as an important strategy for addressing recurring problems in software development, such as poor quality, high development costs, and long delivery lead times. While a number of normative software process models have been proposed, limited theory development has occurred. This study adopts a knowledge management perspective to examine the antecedents of software process capability. Synthesizing prior research in total quality management (TQM), software engineering and knowledge management, it is posited that creation of process knowledge and embedding the knowledge in the process are important antecedents of software process capability. Two models that relate these antecedents to software process capability are tested using data collected from information systems (IS) units in Fortune 1000 firms. The first model is a direct-impact model, which posits that both knowledge creation and knowledge embedding have a direct and positive impact on software process capability. The second model is a mediated-impact model, which posits that knowledge embedding completely mediates the relationships between knowledge creation and software process capability. The results provide strong support to the mediated-impact model suggesting that the extent to which knowledge is embedded in the process has a significant positive effect on software process capability. The results also suggest that the stock of knowledge embedded in the process is influenced by the extent to which knowledge is created in the context of the development process. Implications of these findings for IS research, theory, and practice are discussed.
TL;DR: Evidence is presented that, when combined with appropriate social processes, collaborative technologies may foster knowledge sharing and that a lean communication medium, namely e-mail conferencing, has a positive impact on knowledge sharing when used to support process improvement initiatives.
Abstract: Is there a positive link between the use of collaborative technologies and knowledge sharing? The body of empirical evidence compiled so far suggests a negative answer to this question. Many explanations have been proposed, the most common being that current collaborative technologies do not yet have enough sophistication, or do not yet provide enough media richness, to enable knowledge sharing. This paper presents evidence that not only suggests that this explanation is wrong, but also that simple collaborative technologies can have a positive effect on knowledge sharing in organizations. This paper shows that, when combined with appropriate social processes, collaborative technologies may foster knowledge sharing. It does so by focusing on process improvement as a group process, and showing that: 1) process improvement is a catalyst to knowledge sharing and 2) a lean communication medium, namely e-mail conferencing, has a positive impact on knowledge sharing when used to support process improvement initiatives.
TL;DR: How traditional higher education can benefit from the explosion of opportunities born of technological innovation and development by adopting changes in operational models: both administrative and pedagogical is presented.
Abstract: Terms such as "digital divide," normally understood to mean the gap in access between technologically disenfranchised populations and the information elite, take on a different resonance when the focus of university faculty, administrators, and an increasing number of potential students is on how education is to be conducted. This paper discusses the pedagogical, technological, and business trends that together affect the direction of innovation in virtual education. A discussion is presented on how traditional higher education (campus-based, lecture-bound, and faculty-driven) can benefit from the explosion of opportunities born of technological innovation and development by adopting changes in operational models: both administrative and pedagogical. Also addressed are the scope of services that comprise the engagement of information technology in academic environments necessary to fulfill evolving charters and missions that respond to current trends and future demands of educational innovations in the digital age where education and business - in their operational models and management styles - are moving toward complementary, even comparable strategies.
TL;DR: The results indicate that while open-source development is subject to positive learning effects, these effects are not universal, with some projects deriving more benefit than others.
Abstract: This paper studies organizational learning effects in open-source programming projects. Working with data from the Apache and Mozilla projects, the study focuses on three aspects of open-source development. The first is the use of the open-source approach as a hedge against system complexity. The second is the adaptive learning mechanisms realized by the debugging process. The last is the learning curve effects of project-specific experience on bug cycle times. The results indicate that while open-source development is subject to positive learning effects, these effects are not universal, with some projects deriving more benefit than others.
TL;DR: In this paper, a model for exploring the depth and breadth of creative destruction from the Internet and the implications for wealth creation and competitive advantage is proposed, and applied to three groups of industries, each of which rests on one of Thompson's three categories of organizational technologies: long-linked, mediating, and intensive.
Abstract: The extent to which a technological change is a creative destroyer is of interest to entrepreneurs who can exploit the opportunity and to incumbents who must defend their existing competitive advantages from the change. In the face of a technological change, an important question is: To what extent is it a creative destroyer? In this paper, we offer a model for exploring the depth and breadth of creative destruction from the Internet and the implications for wealth creation and competitive advantage. We apply the model to three groups of industries, each of which rests on one of Thompson's three categories of organizational technologies: long-linked; mediating; and intensive. The application suggests that incumbents in all industries should experience some erosion of competitive advantage. Industries with predominantly mediating technologies should experience creative destruction. Those with intensive technologies should experience more erosion of competitive advantage than those with long-linked technologies.