Empirical and Heuristic-Based Evaluation of Collaborative Modeling Systems: An Evaluation Framework

Within the field of groupware systems, collaborative modeling systems play an important role. They are useful and promising tools for many fields of application. In this paper we begin with the evaluation of the usefulness of one of these tools, SPACE-DESIGN, by applying it to a specific domain and by comparing it to a single-user tool which is shared by means of a shared window system. We have performed a study in two phases in order to evaluate usability aspects and the awareness support of both software tools. The first phase is an empirical study with users who have worked with both software tools, whilst the second is a heuristic study with some heuristic models that are well known in the context of the research work. Taking into account this study, we propose a complete evaluation framework, to be used as a theoretical lab which could be used to evaluate interactive and usability aspects of any collaborative modeling tool. This is based on a comparison strategy and proposes a specific sequence of phases: selection of collaborative modeling tools, empirical evaluation, heuristic evaluation, analysis of results, and obtaining of conclusions.     

Using Web Services for Collaborative,Inter-Organizational Computing: A Framework and Implementation

ABSTRACT

Collaborative computing is a powerful approach to facilitate service delivery across organizational boundaries. The major drawback of many of the current approaches of dealing with this issue is the dependence on proprietary solutions that are not based on open standards. Such solutions hinder the smooth exchange among the participating organizations due to their complexity and lack of interoperability. Web Services (WS) offer the promise of streamlining the delivery of e-services across organizational boundaries. What is currently missing is (1) a clear understanding of the important issues in deploying these technologies and (2) a compelling implementation framework for the deployment of these technologies in organizations. In this research we propose a conceptual framework for building systems that utilize Web Services technologies to enable networked organizations to automate collaborative processes. We propose an e-Business Service Chain grid that provides an impetus for addressing some of the gaps that exist in current e-services business and delivery models.     

Value-oriented Information Systems Design: The Concept of Potentials Modeling and its Application to Service-oriented Architectures

Companies are increasingly confronted with the question of whether or not the adoption of information technologies (IT) turns out to be a profitable venture. Thus, there is a great need for methods which allow for both the analysis and evaluation of the economic value of IT investments. In this paper we introduce the concept of potentials modeling which integrates a value-oriented perspective into information modeling. More specifically, we set out to explore the economic value of service-oriented architectures (SOA). The practicability of our approach is illustrated on the basis of a simplified application example. It is hoped that this paper will make a contribution to the ongoing discussion of IT value and stimulates further research in the field of value-oriented information systems (IS).     

创建中小企业服务体系的必要性、问题与框架分析

中小企业量大面广,数量众多,在促进市场竞争、增加就业人数、推进技术创新、推动经济发展和维持社会稳定等方面发挥着重要的作用。然而由于中小企业自身的原因和竞争环境的影响,使得中小企业在与大型、超大型企业的竞争中处于明显的弱势地位,中小企业需要借助中小企业服务体系的扶持,实现自身的良性发展。     

An overview of Web 2.0 social capital: a cross-cultural approach

This is an introductory paper for this Special Issue on Web 2.0 Social Capital. We present a general discussion of motivations for and barriers to applying an Enterprise 2.0 approach. Focus then shifts to the specific fields of knowledge sharing and e-commerce. The article continues with an examination of social capital 2.0 issues. Discussion centers on the employee’s perspective of using Web 2.0 applications and on the adoption of corporate Web 2.0 tools for collaboration. Finally, the paper presents a brief background for each of the topics covered in the five articles selected for this special issue on Web 2.0 social capital.     

Core Competencies of Service Firms: A Framework for Strategic Decisions in International Markets

Core competency theory is used to develop a framework to analyse how firms' leverage their resources meets the demands of international competition. Key competencies for services differ from those used in product marketing and include nurturing, empowerment, operating, data management, new service development, alliancing, communication, and market sensing. A framework for strategic analysis using service competencies and a perceptual grid is developed and illustrated with data from an international market. The grid maps the current marketplace in terms of both positive and negative determinant resources and facilitates the development of new strategic moves. The paper yields fresh insights into strategic marketing for high-service industries with multinational competition.     

Spreadsheet Modeling for the Classroom: The Value of Position on the Web Page

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on the authors' experience with a little-used quality of spreadsheets–the ability to construct spatial models. The article follows the development of a Web page layout model for classroom use. The model presents students with the problem of balancing out value of position, color, movement and other input factors in developing overall Web page strategy.     

Web Services for Negotiation and Bargaining in Electronic Markets: Design Requirements, Proof-of-Concepts, and Potential Applications to e-Procurement

Information Systems researchers continue to develop Web services hoping that, in a near future, these services will be widely offered in the e-marketplace, using a Web-based protocol that is universally adopted for posting, locating and invoking available services. Posting services does not, however, necessarily lead to market transactions, and a number of brokering activities are needed to facilitate trade. These include, but are not limited to, service discovery and ranking, price negotiation and contract preparation. We propose a set of Web services that support the process of negotiation and bargaining to facilitate the matching of supply and demand of Web services. As a market broker, these web services would help (a) discover the supply/demand of web services in e-marketplaces; (b) find the most appropriate available service for a specific request; (c) facilitate services be modified if needed to satisfy user's needs; (d) arbitrate the pricing mechanism with the recourse to bargaining whenever necessary; and (e) generate a contract. As a proof of concept, we illustrate the potential use of Web services for negotiation and bargaining in e-procurement.     

A Framework for Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility Programs as a Continuum: An Exploratory Study

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs are increasingly popular corporate marketing strategies. This paper argues that CSR programs can fall along a continuum between two endpoints: Institutionalized programs and Promotional programs. This classification is based on an exploratory study examining the variance of four responses from the consumer stakeholder group toward these two categories of CSR. Institutionalized CSR programs are argued to be most effective at increasing customer loyalty, enhancing attitude toward the company, and decreasing consumer skepticism. Promotional CSR programs are argued to be more effective at generating purchase intent. Ethical and managerial implications of these preliminary findings are discussed. Julie Pirsch, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Villanova University. She researches in the areas of cause-related marketing, corporate social responsibility, and new product development. Shruti Gupta, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Management at The Pennsylvania State University at Abington, in Abington, Pennsylvania. Dr. Gupta’s research interests lie in the area of corporate social responsibility, cause-related marketing, environmental consumerism, and social marketing issues. Stacy Landreth, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of North Texas. She researches in the areas of cause-related marketing and social marketing alliances, as well as advertising source effects.     

A Framework for the Examination of Relational Ethics: An Interactionist Perspective

Despite the widespread agreement that the ontology of the marketing discipline is exchange, marketing ethics researchers have largely adopted a monadic viewpoint of ethical decision making. In this research, an interactionist approach is adopted in order to introduce a dyadic perspective of un/ethical decision making. The dyadic model includes each channel member's individual, situational and decision process factors linked by relationalism, an emerging paradigm in marketing channels. Relationalism is represented as a discriminating variable between perceived ethical dilemma and decision behaviour. Finally, a number of theoretical propositions are presented and future research directions are discussed.     

跨国公司模块化发展的整合性框架及启示

结合基本动因、基本内容和绩效表现的跨国公司模块化发展整合性框架显示,跨国化环境的形成、贸易投资自由化以及广泛应用的技术进步是跨国公司模块化的外部动因,供求方面的模块化经济效应是跨国公司模块化发展的内部动因.全球价值链模块化、能力要素模块化、组织结构模块化分别是跨国公司模块化发展的表现、实质和支撑.而跨国公司模块化发展的绩效突出表现在提升利用与转移存量核心能力的效率、提高开发与获取增量核心能力的效率以及增强对抗跨国经营风险的能力.     

Service industries and regional development: An analysis for eastern Germany

By using a shift-share regression approach the contribution of services to the development of employment in eastern Germany is analysed. The results obtained with highly differentiated data from the employment statistics show that services contributed more to a favourable path of development than other industries. This is due in part to general world-wide processes of structural change and the special situation in eastern Germany. Many subsidies were transferred to the East, which stabilises the special segment of the economy related to local demand. This segment is made up mostly of services in eastern Germany. Processes of industrial change can be explained using structural change approaches. It is shown that processes of de-concentration play a role in explaining regional disparities, since inverse localisation and positive urbanisation effects are visible. For the empirical analyses an augmented approach is applied which uses a generalisation of an econometric analogue from the common shift-share method. It combines the strengths of the traditional approach with all the advantages of theory-oriented modelling and regression analysis.     

An Assessment of Selected Psychometric Properties of a Service Quality Scale:

No abstract available for this article.     

The Effectiveness of the Escrow Model: An Experimental Framework for Dynamic Online Environments

This article investigates the mechanism of an online escrow service (OES) in online consumer-to-consumer (C2C) auctions. We develop a discrete-event driven simulation model for the dynamics of an OES adoption in electronic markets that involves four types of agents: the strategic trader, the moral trader, the OES provider, and the law-enforcement agent. By applying the Monte Carlo method in computer-based simulations, we demonstrate that the OES business model can effectively block fraud attempts and promote security in online C2C auction markets. However, our findings reveal that the prevailing OES fee rates are not necessarily set at the profit maximization level. Meanwhile, the simulation results show that the legal mechanisms in electronic markets directly impact the profit of escrow services.     

外部均衡与人民币汇率：一个分析框架

随着我国对外开放程度的不断加大,在实现内部均衡的同时,越来越需关注外部均衡.自1994年以来,我国的国际收支失衡是由经常账户、资本与金融账户的不平衡引起,其中更主要的是后者.我国在运用政策手段对两个项目收支平衡进行调控时存在缺陷,因此应该寻找其它更好的途径.资本与金融账户的大幅波动与我国当前的汇率制度安排有关.同时,理论及经验研究都证明,浮动汇率能更好地调节国际收支,在经常账户上表现为更小波动性.由此,我们应逐步过渡到更为灵活的浮动汇率制度.     

Service Sector Restrictiveness and Economic Performance: An Estimation for the MENA Region

This article aims to assess barriers to service provision in the banking and telecom sectors of four Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, and the impact of these barriers on firm performance. Our methodology involves the computation of aggregate and modal trade restrictiveness indices (TRIs) by sector, and utilisation of these TRIs as regressors of firms’ economic performance. Our analysis shows that significant regulatory reforms have taken place in the service sectors over the last decade in the MENA region, but that a broad range of restrictions still remain. The most significant change in these service sectors has been the lifting or softening of constraints on foreign equity participation. These regulatory reforms, however, have had varying degrees of impact on market structure depending on the country, the sector and the mode. Moreover, service restrictions have had an impact on economic performance in the three studied sectors. While a rent‐creating effect seems to dominate restrictions on banking and fixed telecom sectors, a cost‐inefficiency effect seems to dominate the mobile telecom sector. Finally, we find evidence of interactions between modal restrictions for banking services. Our results suggest a complementarity between Modes 3 and 1, as well as a substitution effect between Modes 3 and 4 in the banking sector.     

价值链管理与品牌竞争力:一个分析框架

通过分析企业品牌竞争力的逻辑起点与内涵,本文认为品牌是一种战略性的资源与无形资产,品牌通过垄断效应使企业处于不完全竞争状态并产生经济租金,品牌竞争力的培育依赖于使用价值的有效嵌入和交换价值的低成本实现;提升企业品牌竞争力的价值链管理策略在于通过品牌质量管理实现品牌自然价值的嵌入,通过品牌形象管理实现品牌符号价值的嵌入,通过品牌关系管理提升品牌的交换价值。     

Beyond Employment: An Examination of Modes of Service Provision in a Deprived Neighbourhood

The aim of this article is to show that despite the growth in service employment, the formalisation of services is neither as all-pervasive as such growth .suggests nor is it a natural and inevitable process. Through case study of a deprived neighbourhood, this article finds that the vast majority of service remain informally provided, that it is not the poorest households who acquire the largest proportion o f their services informally and that informal services are not used purely out of economic necessity. Therefore, the predominace of informality is unlikely to be confined to deprived neighbourhoods. The problem, however; given that those who purchase fewest fornal services also acquire fewest informal services, is that iformal modes of provision seem to reinforce rerther than reduce the socio-economic inequalities produrced by employment.     

Relationship Between Organizational Form and Organizational Memory: An Investigation in a Professional Service Organization

The goal of this research is to study the relation between organizational form (OF) and organizational memory (OM). It examines what kind of roles OM plays in different OFs--that is, how OM is used in organizational action--and whether changes in a firm's organizational form relate to changes in the role of OM. These relationships are examined in the context of how information technology (IT) is used to support organizational remembering. The study outlines different manifestations of OM in 1 company as it underwent major organizational transformations during a 3-year period. The manifestations are grouped into "bins," expanding the storage structure concept by Walsh and Ungson to include OM contents and processes of use. The bins are supplemented with an additional bin, the organizational information space, to address the collaborative aspect of OM. Another new construct, the organizational memory profile, is introduced to summarize the combination of OM manifestations in a particular organization at a particular time. The OM profiles are outlined for the case company and they show marked differences between OFs. This upholds the claim that different OFs present different kinds of arenas for OM. IT support for various bins is analyzed and a variety of IT support is recognized. This upholds the view that several OM support systems are needed and that IT can play a significant role in making past events more accessible.