Showing papers on "Information sharing published in 2006"

The impact of supply chain management practices on competitive advantage and organizational performance

Abstract: Effective supply chain management (SCM) has become a potentially valuable way of securing competitive advantage and improving organizational performance since competition is no longer between organizations, but among supply chains. This research conceptualizes and develops five dimensions of SCM practice (strategic supplier partnership, customer relationship, level of information sharing, quality of information sharing, and postponement) and tests the relationships between SCM practices, competitive advantage, and organizational performance. Data for the study were collected from 196 organizations and the relationships proposed in the framework were tested using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that higher levels of SCM practice can lead to enhanced competitive advantage and improved organizational performance. Also, competitive advantage can have a direct, positive impact on organizational performance.

Wikis, blogs and podcasts: a new generation of Web-based tools for virtual collaborative clinical practice and education

Abstract: We have witnessed a rapid increase in the use of Web-based 'collaborationware' in recent years. These Web 2.0 applications, particularly wikis, blogs and podcasts, have been increasingly adopted by many online health-related professional and educational services. Because of their ease of use and rapidity of deployment, they offer the opportunity for powerful information sharing and ease of collaboration. Wikis are Web sites that can be edited by anyone who has access to them. The word 'blog' is a contraction of 'Web Log' – an online Web journal that can offer a resource rich multimedia environment. Podcasts are repositories of audio and video materials that can be "pushed" to subscribers, even without user intervention. These audio and video files can be downloaded to portable media players that can be taken anywhere, providing the potential for "anytime, anywhere" learning experiences (mobile learning). Wikis, blogs and podcasts are all relatively easy to use, which partly accounts for their proliferation. The fact that there are many free and Open Source versions of these tools may also be responsible for their explosive growth. Thus it would be relatively easy to implement any or all within a Health Professions' Educational Environment. Paradoxically, some of their disadvantages also relate to their openness and ease of use. With virtually anybody able to alter, edit or otherwise contribute to the collaborative Web pages, it can be problematic to gauge the reliability and accuracy of such resources. While arguably, the very process of collaboration leads to a Darwinian type 'survival of the fittest' content within a Web page, the veracity of these resources can be assured through careful monitoring, moderation, and operation of the collaborationware in a closed and secure digital environment. Empirical research is still needed to build our pedagogic evidence base about the different aspects of these tools in the context of medical/health education. If effectively deployed, wikis, blogs and podcasts could offer a way to enhance students', clinicians' and patients' learning experiences, and deepen levels of learners' engagement and collaboration within digital learning environments. Therefore, research should be conducted to determine the best ways to integrate these tools into existing e-Learning programmes for students, health professionals and patients, taking into account the different, but also overlapping, needs of these three audience classes and the opportunities of virtual collaboration between them. Of particular importance is research into novel integrative applications, to serve as the "glue" to bind the different forms of Web-based collaborationware synergistically in order to provide a coherent wholesome learning experience.

Social Networks and Technology Adoption in Northern Mozambique

Abstract: Despite their potentially strong impact on poverty, agricultural innovations are often adopted slowly. Using a unique household dataset on sunflower adoption in Mozambique, we analyse whether and how individual adoption decisions depend upon the choices of others in the same social networks. Since farmers anticipate that they will share information with others, we expect farmers to be more likely to adopt when they know many other adopters. Dynamic considerations, however, suggest that farmers who know many adopters might strategically delay adoption to free-ride on the information gathered by others. We present empirical evidence that shows that the relationship between the probability of adoption and the number of known adopters is shaped as an inverse-U. In line with information sharing, the network effect is stronger for farmers who report discussing agriculture with others. The data contains information which is needed to ameliorate the identification issues that commonly arise in this context. In particular social networks are precisely identified, and in addition we can control for village heterogeneity and endogenous group formation.

Accessing information sharing and information quality in supply chain management

Abstract: This paper empirically examines the impact of environmental uncertainty, intra-organizational facilitators, and inter-organizational relationships on information sharing and information quality in supply chain management. Based on the data collected from 196 organizations, multiple regression analyses are used to test the factor impacting information sharing and information quality respectively. It is found that both information sharing and information quality are influenced positively by trust in supply chain partners and shared vision between supply chain partners, but negatively by supplier uncertainty. Top management has a positive impact on information sharing but has no impact on information quality. The results also show that information sharing and information quality are not impacted by customer uncertainty, technology uncertainty, commitment of supply chain partners, and IT enablers. Moreover, a discriminant analysis reveals that supplier uncertainty, shared vision between supply chain partners and commitment of supply chain partners are the three most important factors in discriminating between the organizations with high levels of information sharing and information quality and those with low levels of information sharing and information quality.

Cultural influences on knowledge sharing through online communities of practice

Abstract: – The purpose of this study is to explore cultural factors influencing knowledge sharing strategies in virtual communities of practice., – A qualitative research design was employed. Data collection was based on in‐depth interviews. The authors assumed that such factors as degree of collectivism, competitiveness, the importance of saving face, in‐group orientation, attention paid to power and hierarchy, and culture‐specific preferences for communication modes, would explain differences in knowledge seeking and sharing patterns., – The results showed that these factors had different levels of importance among employees in the three participating countries. The issue of saving face was less important than expected in China. Modesty requirements as well as a high degree of competitiveness among employees were found to be serious barriers to information sharing in China, but not in Russia and Brazil. Perceived differences in power and hierarchy seemed to be less critical in all three countries than initially assumed., – Since this study was conducted among the online community members of Caterpillar Inc., the results could be affected by factors unique to this specific case. Thus, future research should investigate the influence of other factors such as the organizational culture, or occupational groups on knowledge sharing strategies., – Before any introduction of country‐specific knowledge sharing systems, a cultural needs assessment should be conducted., – The impact of national culture factors on knowledge sharing has been largely neglected in the literature, and the findings will assist knowledge managers charged with the design of flexible knowledge management systems.

Strategic Commitments for an Optimal Capacity Decision Under Asymmetric Forecast Information

Abstract: We study the important problem of how to assure credible forecast information sharing between a supplier and a manufacturer. The supplier is responsible for acquiring the necessary capacity before receiving an order from the manufacturer who possesses private forecast information for her end product. We address how different contracts affect the supplier's capacity decision and, hence, the profitability of the supplier and the manufacturer. We fully develop two contracts (and provide explicit formulae) to enable credible forecast information sharing. The first is a nonlinear capacity reservation contract under which the manufacturer agrees to pay a fee to reserve capacity. The second is an advance purchase contract under which the manufacturer is induced to place a firm order before the supplier secures the component capacity used to build the end product. These contracts serve a strategic role in information sharing. The capacity reservation contract enables the supplier to detect the manufacturer's private forecast information, while the advance purchase contract enables the manufacturer to signal her forecast information. We show that channel coordination is possible even under asymmetric forecast information by combining the advance purchase contract with an appropriate payback agreement. Through our structural and numerical results we also show that the degree of forecast information asymmetry and the risk-adjusted profit margin are two important drivers that determine supply chain efficiency and which contract to adopt.

Determinants of supplier‐retailer collaboration: evidence from an international study

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to increase the understanding of social and technical factors contributing to successful supplier‐retailer collaboration. The objective is to identify the necessary supply chain architecture for supplier‐retailer collaboration, and demonstrate how it influences supply chain performance.Design/methodology/approach – Five pairs of suppliers and retailers in Taiwan were studied with each pair serving as a unit of analysis. In each case, data pertaining to eight relationship variables critical to collaboration between supplier and retailer were collected and analyzed. A comprehensive supplier‐retailer relationship model is developed with five specific research positions: supplier‐retailer business relationship (interdependence, intensity, trust) affects long‐term orientation; supplier‐retailer business relationship affects supply chain architecture (information sharing, inventory system, information technology capabilities, coordination structure); long‐term orientation affects suppl...

Relational Antecedents of Information Flow Integration for Supply Chain Coordination

Abstract: A new model of competition, where competition is among supply chain networks rather than individual firms, is transforming traditional market-based buyer-supplier relations to one of competition among cooperative sets. In order to integrate and realize performance gains from participating in cooperative supply networks, the importance of information sharing across the supply chain has been emphasized in different literature streams. In this study, we examine the relational antecedents of this critical aspect of supply chain integration-that is, information flow integration. Our objective is to investigate the relationship between relational orientation of the focal firm, as characterized by (1) long-term orientation of its supply chain relationships, (2) asset specificity, and (3) interaction routines and the information flow integration between a firm and its supply chain partners. A research model was developed and data were collected from 110 supply chain and logistics managers in manufacturing and retail organizations. Our results suggest that tangible and intangible resources invested in supply chain relationships enable the integration of information flows with supply chain partners. Specifically, formal and informal interaction routines that take time and effort to develop enable integration of informational flows across a firm's supply chain. Investments in relation-specific assets and long-term orientation in relationships enable the development of these interaction routines.

Incentive and service differentiation in P2P networks: a game theoretic approach

Abstract: Conventional peer-to-peer (P2P) networks do not provide service differentiation and incentive for users. Therefore, users can easily obtain information without themselves contributing any information or service to a P2P community. This leads to the well known free-riding problem. Consequently, most of the information requests are directed towards a small number of P2P nodes which are willing to share information or provide service, causing the "tragedy of the commons." The aim of this paper is to provide service differentiation in a P2P network based on the amount of services each node has provided to the network community. Since the differentiation is based on nodes' prior contributions, the nodes are encouraged to share information/services with each other. We first introduce a resource distribution mechanism for all the information sharing nodes. The mechanism is distributed in nature, has linear time complexity, and guarantees Pareto-optimal resource allocation. Second, we model the whole resource request/distribution process as a competition game between the competing nodes. We show that this game has a Nash equilibrium. To realize the game, we propose a protocol in which the competing nodes can interact with the information providing node to reach Nash equilibrium efficiently and dynamically. We also present a generalized incentive mechanism for nodes having heterogeneous utility functions. Convergence analysis of the competition game is carried out. Examples are used to illustrate that the incentive protocol provides service differentiation and can induce productive resource sharing by rational network nodes. Lastly, the incentive protocol is adaptive to node arrival and departure events, and to different forms of network congestion.

Vertical information sharing in the budgeting process

Abstract: This study develops a model of vertical information sharing between superior and subordinate in the budgeting process. Upward information sharing involves the revelation of private information by subordinate to superior. Its proposed antecedents are budget participation and organizational commitment while job performance is a proposed outcome. Downward information exchanges from superior to subordinate are also examined by including role ambiguity in the model. Survey results suggest that vertical information sharing is an important intervening variable in understanding the performance effects of budget participation and organizational commitment.

Production, Manufacturing and Logistics Inter-organizational information sharing: The role of supply network configuration and partner goal congruence

Abstract: This paper presents a theoretical framework to investigate the relationships between the design of a supply network (SN) and inter-organizational information sharing (IIS). We distinguish between four different types of inter-organizational information sharing. These concepts are developed using a two-dimensional classification scheme consisting of varying levels of the volume of information shared and the strategic importance of this information in an organizational context. Theoretical arguments and analysis of secondary data are used to develop propositions regarding the association between SN configurations and IIS types, and the role of coordination structure in such associations. � 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A strategic analysis of inter organizational information sharing

Abstract: In this paper we study the effect of inter organizational information sharing strategies on firm level performance under both stable as well as volatile market conditions. We use information exchange in a supply chain as a representation of inter organizational information sharing, and study five strategies for information sharing that range from minimal to near-complete information exchange. We present analytical evaluation of the relative performance of these strategies and experimental results from a proof-of-concept system. Our results show that near-complete information sharing that combines more than one type of information being shared has better performance in volatile market conditions.

Information Sharing to Improve Retail Product Freshness of Perishables

Abstract: We explore the value of information (VOI) in the context of a retailer that provides a perishable product to consumers and receives replenishment from a single supplier. We assume a periodic review model with stochastic demand, lost sales, and order quantity restrictions. The product lifetime is fixed and deterministic once received by the retailer, although the age of replenished items provided by the supplier varies stochastically over time. Since the product is perishable, any unsold inventory remaining after the lifetime elapses must be discarded (outdated). Without the supplier explicitly informing the retailer of the product age, the age remains unknown until receipt. With information sharing, the retailer is informed of the product age prior to placing an order and hence can utilize this information in its decision–making. We formulate the retailer’s replenishment policies, with and without knowing the age of the product upon receipt, and measure the VOI as the marginal improvement in profit that the retailer achieves with information sharing, relative to the case when no information is shared. We establish the importance of information sharing and identify the conditions under which substantial benefits can be realized.

Agents with shared mental models for enhancing team decision makings

Abstract: Proactive information sharing is a challenging issue faced by intelligence agencies in effectively making critical decisions under time pressure in areas related to homeland security. Motivated by psychological studies on human teams, a team-oriented agent architecture, Collaborative Agents for Simulating Teamwork (CAST), was implemented to allow agents in a team to anticipate the information needs of teammates and help them with their information needs proactively and effectively. In this paper, we extend CAST with a decision-making module. Through two sets of experiments in a simulated battlefield, we evaluate the effectiveness of the decision-theoretic proactive communication strategy in improving team performance, and the effectiveness of information fusion as an approach to alleviating the information overload problem faced by distributed decision makers.

Shared family calendars: Promoting symmetry and accessibility

Abstract: We describe the design and use of a system facilitating the sharing of calendar information between remotely located, multi-generational family members. Most previous work in this area involves software enabling younger family members to monitor their parents. We have found, however, that older adults are equally if not more interested in the activities of younger family members. The major obstacle preventing them from participating in information sharing is the technology itself. Therefore, we developed a multi-layered interface approach that offers simple interaction to older users. In our system, users can choose to enter information into a computerized calendar or write it by hand on digital paper calendars. All of the information is automatically shared among everyone in the distributed family. By making the interface more accessible to older users, we promote symmetrical sharing of information among both older and younger family members. We present our participatory design process, describe the user interface, and report on an exploratory field study in three households of an extended family.

Enhancing agility by timely sharing of supply information

Abstract: Purpose – Although a lot of attention has been paid to demand information sharing in the recent decade, few studies look at the value of supply information sharing. The purpose of this paper is to address the importance of timely supply information sharing to the supply chain management under disruption is addressed.Design/methodology/approach – By introducing a Directed Acyclic Supply Network (DASN) model and an Impact Network (INet) model, the impact of a disruption on the performance of the supply chain is quantified. A comprehensive algorithm is developed to calculate the time and cost impact of the disruption. Insights about the value of timely supply information sharing are further discussed, based on quantitative relationships of material flows. Finally, an application of the above model in a main manufacturer of China is introduced. It is then compared to its performance in the case of timely supply information sharing with cases where information is not shared or is shared late.Findings – By time...

Information-sharing in supply chains: five proposals on how to proceed

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to focus on supply chain visibility in practice and to suggest ways to improve the supply chain performance through information sharing.Design/methodology/approach – A case study exploring the current state of visibility in the demand‐supply network of an original equipment manufacturing company was carried out. The goal was to understand how a manufacturing company and its suppliers can benefit from incremental demand information sources. Data were collected through interviews and data analyses and focused on an end‐to‐end view of demand information. The most relevant information uses were tested in pilot projects. A literature review on demand information sources and benefits of visibility was conducted.Findings – On the basis of the case results and a literature survey, five proposals on how to improve visibility are presented. They suggest that only information that improves supply chain performance should be shared, demand‐supply planning processes be stabilized and synchron...

A grounded theory of information sharing behavior in a personal learning space

Abstract: This paper presents a grounded theory of information sharing behavior of the users of a personal learning space. A personal learning space is an environment consisted of weblog, ePortfolio, and social networking functionality. It is primarily used within education as a tool to enhance learning, but is also used as a knowledge management tool and to develop communities of practice. Our results identify privacy as a main concern for users of a personal learning space and illustrate challenges users face in ensuring privacy of their information and strategies they employ to achieve the desired level of privacy. We then identify factors that affect users' decisions regarding disclosure of their personal artifacts to various people and groups in a personal learning space. The three main themes as emerged in our study include current stage in the information life cycle, the nature of trust between the owner and the receiver of information, and the dynamics of the group or community within which the information is being shared. Together, these themes portrayed a clearer picture of users' perspective on the privacy of their information in a personal learning space. The findings offer some ideas about how to create privacy management mechanisms for personal learning spaces that are based on users' mental model of information privacy. Practical implications of the results are also discussed.

Secure information sharing enabled by Trusted Computing and PEI models

Abstract: The central goal of secure information sharing is to "share but protect" where the motivation to "protect" is to safeguard the sensitive content from unauthorized disclosure (in contrast to protecting the content to avoid loss of revenue as in retail Digital Rights Management). This elusive goal has been a major driver for information security for over three decades. Recently, the need for secure information sharing has dramatically increased with the explosion of the Internet and the convergence of outsourcing, offshoring and B2B collaboration in the commercial arena and the real-world demonstration of the tragic consequences of lack of information sharing in the national security arena. As technology has made the "share" aspect ever easier so has it increased the difficulty of enforcing the "protect" aspect. The central contribution of this paper is to show that the emergence of industrial strength Trusted Computing (TC) technology offers a range of novel solutions to the long-standing problem of secure information sharing. To this end we introduce a new framework of three layered models to analyze requirements and develop solutions, and demonstrate the application of this framework in context of TC and secure information sharing. The three layers are policy models (topmost), enforcement models (middle), and implementation models (bottom). Hence the name PEI models. At the policy model layer the secure information sharing space is divided into three categories called password based, device based, and credential based. For each of these policy categories various enforcement and implementation models can be developed. While we believe the PEI framework is relevant to security problems beyond secure information sharing, our goal in this paper is to demonstrate its application in this particular arena and identify questions for future research in this context. An essential benefit of PEI is that the three layers allow us to focus on the more important issues at a higher level of abstraction at the policy and enforcement layers, while leaving deep detail to the implementation layer. This paper focusses on the policy and enforcement layers with only passing mention of the implementation layer.

Supply chain information sharing in a macro prediction market

Abstract: This paper aims to address supply chain partners' incentives for information sharing from an information systems design perspective. Specifically, we consider a supply chain characterized by N geographically distributed retailers who order a homogeneous product from one manufacturer. Each retailer's demand risk consists of two parts: a systematic risk part that affects all retailers and an idiosyncratic risk part that only has a local effect. We propose a macro prediction market to effectively elicit and aggregate useful information about systematic demand risk. We show that such information can be used to achieve accurate demand forecast sharing and better channel coordination in the supply chain system. Our market-based framework extends the range of information sharing beyond the supply chain system. It also opens the door for other corporate risk management opportunities to hedge against aggregate economic risk.

Information Quality as a Common Ground for Key Players in e-Government Integration and Interoperability

Abstract: Whereas computer-supported sharing of information is a core issue of e-Government integration and interoperation, the key players involved hardly find any guidance how to settle for an agreement covering the various aspects related to information exchange Hence, we argue that e-Government research needs an explicit dedication to the phenomenon of information quality (IQ) We base our analysis on key players and constituents in e-Government, and on how those key players’ and constituents’ needs and wants, roles and agendas shape the view on and the understanding of IQ We propose detailed and practical steps for information sharing in e-Government interoperation projects and demonstrate how those steps are related to information quality

New directions in human information behavior

Abstract: Introduction: New Directions in Human Information Behavior.- Evolutionary and Social HIB Frameworks.- Emerging Evolutionary Approach to Human Information Behavior.- Information Behavior in Pre-literate Societies.- Toward a Social Framework for Information Seeking.- Spatial and Collaborative HIB Frameworks.- Mapping Textually Mediated Information Practice in Clinical Midwifery Care.- Information Grounds: Theoretical Basis and Empirical Findings on Information Flow in Social Settings.- Information Sharing.- Multitasking, Non-linear, Organizing, and Digital Frameworks.- Multitasking and Co-ordinating Framework for Human Information Behavior.- A Non-linear Perspective on Information Seeking.- A Cognitive Framework for Human Information Behavior: The Place of Metaphor in Human Information Organizing Behavior.- The Digital Information Consumer.- Integrating Framework and Further Research.- Integrations and Further Research.

Collaborative integrated development environment using presence information

Abstract: A system and process for providing a network and computer-based integrated development environment is presented that provides collaboration and information sharing for development project team members. Generally, this is accomplished by integrating a presence and activity awareness information module, a collaboration tools module, and a user interface into a single environment that is accessible over a distributed network and serves as a virtual development complex. The information module continuously collects, monitors and analyzes information about the presence of each team member and their activity in the project. The tools module provides a wide range of facilities for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration and information sharing between team members. Thus, all team members who use the virtual complex for their development work on the project can collaborate and interactively share required information regardless of their geographic and/or temporal disparity, and without having to leave the virtual development complex.

To be or not to B2B: Evaluating managerial choices for e-procurement channel adoption

Abstract: E-procurement systems are computer systems and communication networks through which firms buy and sell products. We identify two types of e-procurement systems: extranets and e-markets. Extranets connect the buyer and its suppliers with a closed network, while e-markets create open networks for buyer and supplier interactions. The differences between them lie in system implementation costs, marketplace benefits, and the extent of supplier competitive advantage that develops due to information sharing. In this article, we develop a new theoretical model to analyze the adoption of e-procurement systems from the buyer's perspective, to explore the set of conditions under which the buyer will prefer to procure via an electronic market instead of using proprietary extranet connections. The primary finding is that a buyer will adopt an e-market approach when the supplier's competitive advantage derived from access to strategic information is modest compared with the marketplace benefits less the channel costs. In addition, we find that the buyer is likely to have a bigger trading network with an e-market than with an extranet in order to capture the greatest available benefits. Overall, this study offers guidelines for managers to design and select e-procurement channels to fit different procurement needs.

Competition, Cooperation, and Information Sharing in a Two-Echelon Assembly System

Abstract: This paper studies a two-echelon assembly system and explores several important issues in managing decentralized supply chains. First, we investigate the behavior of the assembly system under decentralized control. It is shown that the Nash equilibrium of the competitive assembly system exists but is never system optimal. Next, we examine the role of information in the assembly system. We consider horizontal information sharing on the inventory status between the suppliers and demonstrate when information is valuable from the perspectives of the system and the individual player. We find that information sharing mitigates the system's competition penalty in some cases, but there are also instances in which information sharing can hurt a decentralized system. Although the manufacturer always prefers information sharing, it is sometimes in the interest of the suppliers to refuse to share information. Finally, we propose a demand-independent coordination scheme for managing decentralized supply chains with either a serial or an assembly structure. The coordination scheme has practical value because very often the firm's head (or the owner of the supply chain) does not have the accurate demand information that the local managers have. Alternatively, the demand varies over time, and the coordination contracts have to be modified. Under the transfer payment contract, the system optimal policy is the unique Nash equilibrium in the decentralized supply chain. Discussion on the relationship between our coordination scheme and existing methods in the literature is also provided.

What goes around comes around: an analysis of del.icio.us as social space

Abstract: An emergent class of web applications blurs the boundary between single user application and online public space. Recently popular web applications like del.icio.us help manage information traditionally kept on personal machines, while allowing for sharing with the community at large. An analysis of del.icio.us, a web-based bookmarks manager, shows that users who perceive greater degrees of social presence are more likely to annotate their bookmarks with information that could facilitate the sharing and discovery of bookmarks for other del.icio.us users. The design principles of del.icio.us and similar systems along with the findings of the present analysis reveal useful implications for the design of information sharing systems and knowledge repositories.