Showing papers on "Information sharing published in 1997"

Information enrichment: designing the supply chain for competitive advantage

Abstract: Speed of response to customer demand has long been recognized as a key attribute to business success since customer loyalty can be won or lost on product availability. With everyone implementing lean manufacturing philosophies, companies additionally need to become smart chain managers and ensure continuous improvement to stay competitive. Exploits further the concept of the “seamless supply chain”, by encouraging market place information to move through the supply chain with as little distortion as possible. The simulation model used to benchmark performance improvement is representative of both the MIT beer game and much experimental industrial practice. It is therefore realistic as an aid to the implementation of decision support systems (DSS). Presents the beneficial dynamic effects of enriching each supply chain member’s order decision with undistorted market sales. Concludes that tremendous benefits can result from adopting a holistic approach if the attitudinal problems associated with information sharing can be overcome.

Information Sharing in Face-to-Face, Teleconferencing, and Electronic Chat Groups

Abstract: Laboratory groups attempted to reach consensus on a simulated business problem. Members of 4-person groups received information on whether three proposed systems met each of IO desired criteria. Cast as a hidden profile problem, the information was distributed unevenly within the group. Groups communicated using one ofthreeformats:face-to-face, teleconference, or electronic chat. As predicted, cognitive workload was significantly higher andfewer correct decisions were obtained in the electronic chat condition versus the other twoformats. The electronic chat medium limited participants' ability to coordinate and verify information. Electronic chat should be combined with collaboration technology or groupware that facilitates information storage, organization, and processing.

Service system performance and integration: a baseline profile of the ACCESS demonstration sites. Access to Community Care and Effective Services and Supports.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE Networks of agencies at the 18 demonstration sites in the Access to Community Care and Effective Services and Supports (ACCESS) program for homeless persons with serious mental illness were surveyed to profile baseline levels of systems performance and integration as part of a longitudinal evaluation of systems change and client outcomes. METHODS Interviews were conducted with a representative from each of 875 agencies in the 18 service networks. Information was obtained about the perceived performance of the service system and the extent of systems integration as measured by client referrals, funds exchanges, and information sharing between agencies. Measures consisted of two multi-item scales assessing the accessibility and coordination of services for the target population in each community and four indexes of interagency relationships. RESULTS Services at baseline for homeless mentally ill persons at the program sites were rated as relatively inaccessible, and the coordination of services between agencies was rated as even more problematic. Interagency ties were largely based on client referrals and information exchanges, with very few instances of funding transfers in the form of contracts or grants. On average, at baseline agencies that had received an ACCESS grant were better connected to their local service network than were other agencies. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with the premise of the ACCESS demonstration, services for persons who are homeless and mentally ill in urban America are fragmented and not very accessible. The longitudinal design of the evaluation will allow for an assessment of efforts to improve services and systems integration and of the effects of these improvements on client outcomes.

Information sharing support system

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To promote information opening and information sharing at an organization by evaluating opened information depending on the profitability of a person referring to opened information, evaluating the utilizing result of a person utilizing opened information and feeding back it to an information opening person and an information referring person so as to motivate individuals to open information and to utilize it. SOLUTION: When a third person refers to opened information stored in an opened information storing means 8 through an information referring means 2, evaluating data of the information referring person with respect to opened information he refers to is inputted to an evaluation input means 3. The evaluating data is tabulated by an evaluation means 4 and stored in a referring history storing means 9 to inform the information opening person of the evaluating result through an evaluating result information means 6. In addition, based on a utilizing example registered by the person referring to the opened information at the time of referring to opened information through the means 2, a utilizing result evaluating means evaluates the utilizing result of individual opened information and gives information on it.

The Impact of Group Size and Proportion of Shared Information on the Exchange and Integration of Information in Groups

Abstract: Hidden profiles exist when individual group members hold all the information favoring one decision alternative but only a subset of the information favoring another alternative. Given a hidden profile, group members often fail to exchange information completely and consequently make poor decisions. Circumstances in which groups perform poorly are worrisome because groups frequently are asked to make decisions. Conditions that improve group performance on hidden profiles were sought. Group information sharing and decision-making effectiveness were found to be higher in small groups with a low percentage of shared information, and lower when groups either were large or shared a high percentage of information (N = 80 groups). Greater information sharing, however, did not correlate with longer discussions. The proportion of shared information affected bolstering and discounting of information. Qualitative observations of group behavior are presented, and the implications of the results for information sharing...

Building and sustaining interorganizational information sharing relationships: the competitive impact of interfacing supply chain operations with marketing strategy

Abstract: Information technology has radically altered the management of supply chain operations; many business partners who are adjacent on the supply chain can gain from entering interorganizational information sharing (IOIS) relationships and sharing information that was previously accessible to only one of them. This situation is typical in retailer-supplier logistics management relationships. The first part of this study analyzes different forms of virtual integration—relationships between independent companies that result in some of their operations resembling those of a single vertically integrated firm—and classifies them based on their models of information sharing across the supply chain. This study finds that there are four primary policies that firms adopt when they exchange information across the supply chain; these are EDI, vendor managed inventory (VMI), continuous replenishment (CR), and category management (CM). Typically, corporations view the development of interorganizational information systems and the sharing of information as being targeted at increasing operational efficiency by reducing ordering costs, inventory costs, and supply lead times. Many studies have focused on studying IOIS technology issues and estimating the value generated from these arrangements using traditional models of inventory and ordering costs. However, this study finds that, in a number of cases, the information shared can have cross-functional value—it can also be used to improve a supplier’s production planning and to alter their marketing and sales strategies. Paradoxically, however, suppliers who receive such information feel that not only are their benefits minimal, but they often end up worse off than before the IOIS was implemented. The second part of the study explains this paradox. It shows how retailers and other buyers can successfully contract to end up with more value than is generated by the sharing of information. Using game-theoretic models of strategic interaction, it shows that this effect intensifies as the competitive value of the information to the supplier’s marketing and sales departments increases. Besides, as the value that could be generated by the sales and production divisions of the supplier increases, the study demonstrates how the supplier loses more and more value. Furthermore, the buyer need not actually share the information to derive these rents; the study indicates why the Seidmann and Sundararajan 206 possibility of sharing is sufficient, even when the buyer cannot independently create value from that information. The practical contributions of this interdisciplinary study are manifold. It provides a clear and lucid description of the different levels at which organizations share information. It also describes a fairly general modeling framework which lays the foundation for a deeper analysis of this increasingly important area. The strategic results demonstrate that a single focus on the technological or operational aspects of IOIS can mislead managers significantly. The true costs and benefits of these relationships can only be judged by recognizing the cross-functional impact of the information flows on the operational architecture, the marketing strategies of the suppliers and buyers, and the nature of competition within the respective organizations’ industries.

Using group support systems to discover hidden profiles

Abstract: This paper reports on an experimental study of information sharing for groups using a group support system (GSS). A group member's success or failure in sharing unique information can have important impacts on meeting outcomes. This research builds on previous work which has examined various factors that impact information-sharing performance. To examine these issues, groups processed a hidden profile task, i.e. a task with an asymmetrical distribution of information. In addition, group size (groups of four and seven) and the level of structure (structured or unstructured agenda) were manipulated. Results show that group size had no effect on information sharing. However, groups using the structured agenda shared more initially-shared information and initially-unshared information. Although no relationship was found between information-sharing performance and decision quality, a curvilinear (U-shaped) relationship between information sharing and satisfaction was observed. These results show that, for hidden-profile tasks, a critical performance level must be reached before performance is positively related to satisfaction. The paper concludes with a discussion of the findings and the implications for future research and use.

Using Internet technology within the organization: a structurational analysis of intranets

Abstract: Many organizations are implementing Internet technology, specifically Word Wide Web technology, inside the organization in the form of an “organizational Internet” or irttrunet. Intranet technology can unify dispersed computer based information systems in the organization into one rich “system”. Thus, intranets can have a major impact on organizational processes, for example cross-functional information sharing and collaboration. We focus on the social aspects surrounding intranet implementation. We seek to answer how intranet implementations shape and how they are shaped by ‘social structures employed by organizational agents. We adapt structuration theory into an explanatory device to analyze inhanet implementation and we apply it to four cases. We conclude that, intranets are initially more shaped by, rather than shaping social structures, but that this may change over time. The following learning points are condensed: Firstly, intranets are socially constructed and implementers need to be cautious when seeking to transplanting Web technology into an organizational context. Secondly, intranets typically evolve in sophistication over time. Finally, institutionalization is isolated as the key challenge in intranet implementation.

Sharing metainformation to guide cooperative search among heterogeneous reusable agents

Abstract: A reusable agent is a self-contained computational system that implements some specific expertise and that can be embedded into diverse applications requiring that expertise. Systems composed of heterogeneous reusable agents are potentially highly adaptable, maintainable, and affordable, assuming that integration issues such as information sharing, coordination, and conflict management can be effectively addressed. The authors investigate sharing metalevel search information to improve system performance, specifically with respect to how sharing affects the quality of solutions and the runtime efficiency of a reusable-agent system. They first give a formal description of shareable metainformation in systems where agents have private knowledge and databases and where agents are specifically intended to be reusable. They then present and analyze experimental results from a mechanical design system for steam condensers that demonstrate performance improvements related to information sharing and assimilation. Finally, they discuss the practical benefits and limitations of information sharing in application systems comprising heterogeneous reusable agents. Issues of pragmatic interest include determining what types of information can realistically be shared and determining when the costs of sharing outweigh the benefits.

The productivity effects of information sharing, profit-sharing and ESOPs

Abstract: We obtained the results for Japanese firms on the effects of profit sharing, information sharing, and ESOPs by estimating production functions using a panel data set. The contribution of this paper is to identify the presence of a profit-sharing system and an information-sharing system by estimation based on an individual firm. We find that the firms enjoy an increase of about 9% in productivity by introducing a profit-sharing system. We also find that the productivity effect of profit sharing is enhanced by the existence of ESOPs and information sharing, although ESOPs and information sharing do not increase productivity if they are introduced without profit sharing in large firms. ESOPs and information sharing may create a climate conducive to profit sharing by enhancing long-term commitment and peer monitoring and by reducing costs of performance measurement.J. Japan. Int. Econ., September 1977,11(3) pp. 385–402. Department of Economics, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan; Institute of Social and Economics Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.

Informing the design of collaborative virtual environments

Abstract: This paper addresses the design of Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs). More specifically, it considers key design issues concerning the use of either real world ‘facsimile’ representations or more abstracted means of delivering CVEs. We suggest that the use of ethnographic studies of the context-of-use of the CVE under development is a useful means of informing these design issues in contrast to more in-principle means of drawing conclusions. This approach is illustrated by informing the development of a virtual environment from and ethnographic study of work.

Design of the Interactive Sharing Transfer Protocol

Abstract: The Interactive Sharing Transfer Protocol (ISTP) supports the sharing of information about a virtual world among a group of processes The key advantages of ISTP are that it supports: near real-time interaction among users; the communication of every kind of information required in a virtual world; and scalability to large numbers of users and large virtual worlds ISTP was developed in the context of the Spline platform for distributed virtual environments (DVEs)

Information integration in computerized distribution system planning

Abstract: Electricity distribution planning automation involves a great deal of information, residing in different systems. Information sharing among these systems is essential in improving the efficiency and quality of distribution system planning. This paper presents an integrated solution for computerized distribution planning in a geographic information system (GIS) context, a synergy that magnifies the data accessibility between load forecasting and feeder planning tools, sealing the traditional gap between long-term and short-term distribution system planning. A stochastic cell-based load forecasting algorithm is first developed, followed by an optimal load allocation module, NODESIM, which spatially relates the load growth to the vector-based circuit topology from feeder planning tools. NODESIM enables the multi-year distribution system studies in a GIS context, to best assist utility planners in deciding where and when the customers will grow and how to expand the system facilities to meet the demand growth.

Generating Information-Sharing Subdialogues in Expert-User Consultation

Abstract: In expert-consultation dialogues, it is inevitable that an agent will at times have insufficient information to determine whether to accept or reject a proposal by the other agent. This results in the need for the agent to initiate an information-sharing subdialogue to form a set of shared beliefs within which the agents can effectively re-evaluate the proposal. This paper presents a computational strategy for initiating such information-sharing subdialogues to resolve the system's uncertainty regarding the acceptance of a user proposal. Our model determines when information-sharing should be pursued, selects a focus of information-sharing among multiple uncertain beliefs, chooses the most effective information-sharing strategy, and utilizes the newly obtained information to re-evaluate the user proposal. Furthermore, our model is capable of handling embedded information-sharing subdialogues.

Effective intra-organizational information exchange:

Abstract: Advanced information technologies (ITs) have prompted many organizations to invest in distributed computing systems and to decentralize the management of information. However, today’s organization requires effective information-exchange to bridge costly information gaps between different decision-makers or teams controlling isolated databases. Networking technologies and groupware applications have the potential to facilitate collaboration, but cannot guarantee information sharing. It is unrealistic to expect that technology alone can induce unwilling managers to part with privately held information. While an economic perspective would recommend contracts or transfer pricing as solutions to the problem, we suggest harnessing the power of organizational culture in promoting effective information flows across the organization. Using a game theoretic approach, we show how elements of organizational culture, involving the values of permanence, trust, teamwork and credibility, combined with appropriate reward ...

Interoperability issues in sharing electronic healthcare records-the Synapses approach

Abstract: This paper describes the approach to information sharing being adopted by Synapses, a pan-European project funded under the EU Health Telematics Programme. The emphasis in Synapses is on developing standards to enable sharing, in whole or in part, of electronic healthcare records between distributed healthcare providers and institutions. The current technological solutions available for data sharing, including federated database systems, gateways, data warehousing, messaging and the web are insufficient on their own to meet the needs of Synapses. Thus in Synapses several different, but complementary technologies are merged in an open, distributed object-oriented environment. Furthermore, in order to safeguard the legal, ethical and clinical integrity of the record, it is essential not only to preserve the meaning of the data being transferred, but also its context and structure. Synapses solves this problem by defining a standard architecture for the federated electronic healthcare record.

Web Implementation of a Securtty Mediator for Medical Databases

Abstract: Internet access to medical data has greatly facilitated information sharing. As health care institutions become more willing or more pressured to share some of their protected information, tools are being developed to facilitate the information transfer while protecting the privacy of the data. To this end, under the TIHI project, we have designed a security mediator a software entity that screens both incoming queries and outgoing results for compliance with a medical institution’s policies pertaining to data privacy. The system is under the control of a security officer who enters simple rules into the system that implement the policies of the institution. In this paper, we describe the WWW implementation of the security mediator dual interface. The customer interface allows outsiders to request and receive filtered medical information from a hospital database. The security officer interface permits rule editing and resolution of cases not covered by the rule-set.

Information sharing among multiple robots for cooperation in cellular robotic system

Abstract: Problems of information sharing among multi-robots in cellular robotic systems (CEBOT) are described. Information sharing in three aspects (task descriptions, acquiring of robot states and acquiring of environment states) and hierarchical control architecture related to the sharing in three levels are proposed to enhance the efficiency of reasoning and planning for cooperative actions. Then, sensing information sharing related to acquiring of environment states is mainly dealt with, which is refereed to as distributed sensing focussing on sensing information exchange and integration among robots. Through analyzing the nature of distributed sensing, an approach for integration of distributed sensing information, based on evidential reasoning, is proposed. The proposed approach is examined with an application environment map building and maintaining through simulation, and the effectiveness of the distributed sensing approach for acquiring of environment states is shown.

Developing an integrated testing environment using the World Wide Web technology

Abstract: The World Wide Web (WWW) technology has been widely accepted and used to build different application systems on the Internet and/or Intranet due to its advantages in networking, platform independence, distributed accesses for multiple users at different locations. We believe that this new technology is a powerful and cost effective tool to build a next generation environment for supporting software engineering practice in a software product's life cycle. The paper reports our experience on developing a Web based testing information sharing, control and management system using WWW technology. The paper also discusses its approach, basic function features, related design and implementation mechanisms. In addition, it reports the first hand useful experience and lessons in developing Web based software engineering support systems.

Testing the sharing of stored computer information

Abstract: An apparatus for testing the sharing of stored information including a computer-readable storage medium and an information sharing protocol test harness module stored on the computer-readable storage medium. The information sharing protocol test harness module executes an information sharing protocol test case on a computer system responsive to a test initiation input. The information sharing protocol test case tests the locking of storage locations to prevent data corruption responsive to being executed.

Coordination in information exchange between organizational decision units

Abstract: The information technology (IT) infrastructure of today's organization is often one of distributed networked computing, with a flexible architecture to incorporate diverse software and hardware components to meet the needs of different user groups. One problem that may be encountered in this environment is the lack of information exchange across user groups or teams because of incompatible data definitions, diversity of formats, and differences in information processing capabilities and IT resource allocation across the organization. Successful information flows involve a user group providing information attribute levels (e.g., levels of precision or detail, timeliness, etc.), data definitions, formats and presentation styles required by the recipient group(s). When information exchange occurs without a fit between the attribute required and that provided, we have the problem of "information coordination." It is thus critical to design and implement a set of organizational mechanisms which will encourage units within an organization to share relevant information in a coordinated manner. We develop a stylized model of coordination based information exchange between two decision units, and show that structured communication regarding the units' intended information sharing choices can partly mitigate the problem of coordination. When there is uniformity in information management capability and IT resources across the organization, the positive impact of such communication is reinforced, These results imply an emerging role of MIS, where the latter functions as a coordinator of communication and understanding between interdependent derision units, and a facilitator of equity in information processing capability across the units.

Modern Manufacturing Practices: Information, Incentives and Implementation

Abstract: In this paper, I explore the impact of management control policies on the relationship between various Modern Manufacturing Practices like Just-in-Time (JIT) and the customer satisfaction metrics of quality, timeliness and cost. This research is motivated in part by the paucity of empirical work that links the theory and implementation of MMPs. The first part of this paper models the benefit to a firm from a JIT production system and derives conditions under which JIT is an optimal response to uncertainty about demand and worker productivity. It applies multi-person decision theory to provide a rationale for the concurrent adoption of modern manufacturing practices such as zero-inventory, process improvement, information sharing and worker empowerment. In the second part, which is a field-based empirical study, using data collected from the operating plants of several large companies and Structured Equation Modeling (SEM), I relate the emphasis placed on specific combinations of practices to the degree of improvement experienced in quality, timeliness and cost. I find that process improvement activities positively affect all the manufacturing performance measures of interest. I also find evidence of strong complementarities between process improvement and information sharing, particularly for quality. Automation and supplier initiatives seem to have had a very limited impact on the performance metrics. These results have implications for plant management who, with the aim of improving particular aspects of plant performance, must allocate limited resources among various plant initiatives and practices.

Personalizing information in a conversation support environment for facilitating collaborative concept formation and information sharing

Abstract: We spend much time daily in meetings and informal conversation in collaborative work for research, business activities, and so on. The creativity of groups is often enhanced by the effects of collaborative concept formation and information sharing during conversations. This paper proposes a system-Augmented Informative Discussion Environment (AIDE)-that facilitates creative conversation. AIDE is an online chat system seamlessly integrated with techniques for visualizing information structure and information retrieval. Specifically, this paper explains the personalization of shared information when using AIDE and proposes a method of visualizing the relationships between multiple participants' viewpoints acquired from these personalized information spaces.

Share and Share Alike? A Review of Empirical Evidence Concerning Information Sharing Among Researchers

Abstract: The conduct of scientific research is supposed to be a collective, public enterprise requiring the cooperation of all those involved. As Sieber (1991, p. 1) observes:

Agility through Information Sharing: Results Achieved in a Production Setting:

Abstract: As organizations seek to improve their competitive position by responding effectively to the increasing rate of change in the market place, the need for agile enterprises and agile manufacturing ha...

Distributed and concurrent development environment via sharing design information

Abstract: This paper discusses a global environment for support of distributed concurrent software development with an emphasis on sharing design information. There are many issues to be resolved in global software development such as communication gaps between distributed sites, guaranteed access to the latest information and specification and design resources, accurate and flexible coordination of project tasks, and a work environment that is independent of the infrastructure at the sites. The mechanism whereby concurrent development and concurrent workflow management are synchronized should be the key point. We propose our approach to sharing design information with respect to the above issues. We adopt Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) the international standard for document description and exchange of electronic documents, as our design document standard. We introduce a sophisticated document management system to support information sharing, and many information-sharing applications that can be effectively realized by using the features of SGML.