As suggested by its title, this book is based on the assumption that non-IT business managers nee... more As suggested by its title, this book is based on the assumption that non-IT business managers need to know about IT management. We have read literally hundreds of books and articles relating to IT management and have found much that is useful. But we also have found much material that is not particularly relevant to the needs of mid-level business managers. We aspired to write a book that is readable and relevant for current and aspiring business managers. Not surprisingly, most IT management publications are written for IT managers. Those publications written for (non-IT) business readers are often written as if they were to be read primarily by C-level executives. Their content, while useful, is often painted with broad strokes. Too often, these trade publications lack the mundane but necessary details needed to help business managers implement their prescriptions. It is as if they dont want to bother the executives with boring details; after all, C-level executives have staff to ...
1We use the term “business-oriented IS ” to refer to information systems programs offered in AACS... more 1We use the term “business-oriented IS ” to refer to information systems programs offered in AACSB-accredited colleges of business as opposed to IS-related offerings from other colleges which are not subject to the same accreditation restrictions. 2IS 2002 is an update of IS ’97. In the interest of brevity, the authors have omitted much background information included in the report. The
There exists a wealth of computing education literature devoted to interventions designed to over... more There exists a wealth of computing education literature devoted to interventions designed to overcome novices ’ difficulties in learning to write computer programs. However, various studies have shown that the majority of students at the end of a semester of instruction are still unable to write a simple computer program, despite the best efforts of their teachers (Lister et al., 2004; McCracken et al., 2001; Soloway, Bonar, & Ehrlich, 1983). In an effort to address this problem, a workshop titled Building Research in Australasian Computing Education (BRACE) was con-vened in 2004. BRACE brought together academics interested in learning and applying the tech-niques and methodologies of action research to the problem of poor student code-writing per-formance. At this workshop, and at those that followed, participants agreed to use end-of-semester assessments to try to pinpoint the key steps and difficulties beginners faced in learning introductory programming. Subsequently the group, ...
A practitioner leaves behind the world of failed multi-million-dollar information systems project... more A practitioner leaves behind the world of failed multi-million-dollar information systems projects to seek solutions in academe. Along the journey from IS practitioner to IS researcher, the author encounters two fundamental tensions regarding the conduct of social science. The first tension concerns the challenge of conducting research meeting the criteria of scientific rigor while addressing issues relevant to practitioners. The second tension centers on the debate concerning the suitability of positivist and non-positivist approaches to research in the social sciences. A review of the literature discussing these tensions led the author to the insight that the two tensions could be related and to the adoption of a multi-paradigmatic research framework as a means of reconciling the tensions. The essay takes the reader from genesis (the author’s motivation for conducting practitioner-oriented research), through exodus (the intellectual journey made through the literature to acquire t...
Data transfer using wireless sensor networks (WSN) is bound by its limited coverage range. In ord... more Data transfer using wireless sensor networks (WSN) is bound by its limited coverage range. In order to communicate data beyond the coverage capability of a WSN link and make it pervasive, the authors here propose a method of information handover using heterogeneous wireless links for sensor-based data transmission. They draw on connectivity, one of the main features of a pervasive network. In the handover method proposed here, the WSN link is part of a wireless module which integrates various heterogeneous wireless links. All these wireless links are combined and coordinated using media independent handover functions (MIH) in accordance with the 802.21 Standard. As wireless modules have multiple wireless links, each module can communicate with the others using any one of the active links. When these wireless modules consisting of multiple links move beyond the communication range of the WSN link to maintain continuous connectivity the MIH in the module triggers the other wireless li...
Aim/Purpose: It appears that humans can become mal-informed and often consciously or subconscious... more Aim/Purpose: It appears that humans can become mal-informed and often consciously or subconsciously resist revising their mal-informed perspectives. Background: We need to apply behavioral and/or cognitive psychological approaches rather than traditional “educational” approaches. Methodology: Literature review Contribution: Suggests revising research focus to affective rather than cognitive solutions. Findings: Teaching critical thinking helps but is not enough. Impact on Society : Many important societal decisions may be made emotionally rather than rationally. Future Research: Research affective as well as cognitive factors in decision-making
As suggested by its title, this book is based on the assumption that non-IT business managers nee... more As suggested by its title, this book is based on the assumption that non-IT business managers need to know about IT management. We have read literally hundreds of books and articles relating to IT management and have found much that is useful. But we also have found much material that is not particularly relevant to the needs of mid-level business managers. We aspired to write a book that is readable and relevant for current and aspiring business managers. Not surprisingly, most IT management publications are written for IT managers. Those publications written for (non-IT) business readers are often written as if they were to be read primarily by C-level executives. Their content, while useful, is often painted with broad strokes. Too often, these trade publications lack the mundane but necessary details needed to help business managers implement their prescriptions. It is as if they dont want to bother the executives with boring details; after all, C-level executives have staff to ...
1We use the term “business-oriented IS ” to refer to information systems programs offered in AACS... more 1We use the term “business-oriented IS ” to refer to information systems programs offered in AACSB-accredited colleges of business as opposed to IS-related offerings from other colleges which are not subject to the same accreditation restrictions. 2IS 2002 is an update of IS ’97. In the interest of brevity, the authors have omitted much background information included in the report. The
There exists a wealth of computing education literature devoted to interventions designed to over... more There exists a wealth of computing education literature devoted to interventions designed to overcome novices ’ difficulties in learning to write computer programs. However, various studies have shown that the majority of students at the end of a semester of instruction are still unable to write a simple computer program, despite the best efforts of their teachers (Lister et al., 2004; McCracken et al., 2001; Soloway, Bonar, & Ehrlich, 1983). In an effort to address this problem, a workshop titled Building Research in Australasian Computing Education (BRACE) was con-vened in 2004. BRACE brought together academics interested in learning and applying the tech-niques and methodologies of action research to the problem of poor student code-writing per-formance. At this workshop, and at those that followed, participants agreed to use end-of-semester assessments to try to pinpoint the key steps and difficulties beginners faced in learning introductory programming. Subsequently the group, ...
A practitioner leaves behind the world of failed multi-million-dollar information systems project... more A practitioner leaves behind the world of failed multi-million-dollar information systems projects to seek solutions in academe. Along the journey from IS practitioner to IS researcher, the author encounters two fundamental tensions regarding the conduct of social science. The first tension concerns the challenge of conducting research meeting the criteria of scientific rigor while addressing issues relevant to practitioners. The second tension centers on the debate concerning the suitability of positivist and non-positivist approaches to research in the social sciences. A review of the literature discussing these tensions led the author to the insight that the two tensions could be related and to the adoption of a multi-paradigmatic research framework as a means of reconciling the tensions. The essay takes the reader from genesis (the author’s motivation for conducting practitioner-oriented research), through exodus (the intellectual journey made through the literature to acquire t...
Data transfer using wireless sensor networks (WSN) is bound by its limited coverage range. In ord... more Data transfer using wireless sensor networks (WSN) is bound by its limited coverage range. In order to communicate data beyond the coverage capability of a WSN link and make it pervasive, the authors here propose a method of information handover using heterogeneous wireless links for sensor-based data transmission. They draw on connectivity, one of the main features of a pervasive network. In the handover method proposed here, the WSN link is part of a wireless module which integrates various heterogeneous wireless links. All these wireless links are combined and coordinated using media independent handover functions (MIH) in accordance with the 802.21 Standard. As wireless modules have multiple wireless links, each module can communicate with the others using any one of the active links. When these wireless modules consisting of multiple links move beyond the communication range of the WSN link to maintain continuous connectivity the MIH in the module triggers the other wireless li...
Aim/Purpose: It appears that humans can become mal-informed and often consciously or subconscious... more Aim/Purpose: It appears that humans can become mal-informed and often consciously or subconsciously resist revising their mal-informed perspectives. Background: We need to apply behavioral and/or cognitive psychological approaches rather than traditional “educational” approaches. Methodology: Literature review Contribution: Suggests revising research focus to affective rather than cognitive solutions. Findings: Teaching critical thinking helps but is not enough. Impact on Society : Many important societal decisions may be made emotionally rather than rationally. Future Research: Research affective as well as cognitive factors in decision-making
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