scholarly journals Under pressure: Understanding the dynamics of coordination in IT functions under business-as-usual and emergency conditions

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-122
Author(s):  
Julia Kotlarsky ◽  
Bart van den Hooff ◽  
Leonie Geerts
Keyword(s):  
Fast Response ◽  
It Services ◽  
Support Functions ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
It Support ◽  
Response Organization ◽  
Traditional Organization ◽  
Business As Usual ◽  
Over Time

In an era when technologies have become a backbone of most organizations, IT support functions are under immense pressure not only to ensure provision and reliability of IS and technologies but also to resolve IS incidents of different severity when they disrupt organizations’ “business-as-usual.” This article addresses this challenge by investigating how organizational IT functions coordinate their work under different degrees of uncertainty in order to provide reliable IT services. We conceptualize coordination in IT support functions as a process that unfolds over time through interactions between four underlying coordination practices employed to provide reliable IT services: prioritizing tasks, following procedures, using roles and responsibilities, and utilizing networks. Furthermore, we show how these coordination practices change when IT incidents cause a shift from normal (i.e. “business-as-usual”) to emergency conditions. Our empirical research in two IT functions supporting two types of organizations (traditional and fast-response) demonstrate that IT functions in these two types of organizations respond to emergencies differently. Specifically, in emergencies, an IT function supporting a fast-response organization shifts to emergency coordination practices momentarily, as it abandons “normal” coordination practices to rely on an extensive set of formal practices specifically designed for such situations. In contrast, an IT function supporting a traditional organization is unprepared for emergencies—coordinating under emergency conditions involves improvisation, because coordination practices designed to support business-as-usual are not suitable for dealing with emergency situations.

Operational Model and its Validation with Drift Tests in Water Areas Around the Baltic Sea

1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 293-308
Author(s):  
J. Koponen ◽  
M. Virtanen ◽  
H. Vepsä ◽  
E. Alasaarela
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Velocity Measurements ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Large Lakes ◽  
Operational Model ◽  
Water Currents ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Sensitivity Tests ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract Three-dimensional (3-D) mathematical models of water currents, transport, mixing, reaction kinetic, and interactions with bottom and air have been used in Finland regularly since 1982 and applied to about 40 cases in large lakes, inland seas and their coastal waters. In each case, model validity has been carefully tested with available flow velocity measurements, tracer studies and water quality observations. For operational use, i.e., for spill combatting and sea rescue, the models need fast response, proven validity and illustrative visualization. In 1987-90, validated models were implemented for operational use at five sea areas along the Finnish coast. Further validation was obtained in model applications from nine documented or arranged cases and from seven emergency situations. Sensitivity tests supplement short-term validation. In the Bothnian Sea, it was nescessary to start the calculation of water currents three days prior to the start of the experiment to reduce initial inaccuracies and to make the coastal transport estimates meaningful.

R&D Profile Section: The Robotics and Intelligent Systems Program (RISP) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Robotica ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Weisbin ◽  
W. R. Hamel ◽  
D. P. Kuban ◽  
S. A. Meacham ◽  
F. G. Pin
Keyword(s):  
Intelligent Systems ◽  
Human Error ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Oak Ridge ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Hazardous Environments ◽  
Oak Ridge National Laboratory ◽  
Routine Tasks

SUMMARYThis paper describes the Robotics and Intelligent Systems Program (RISP) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). RISP is a focal point at ORNL for studies in robotics, teleoperations, and related aspects of intelligent machines, such as artificial intelligence, neural networks, and parallel computing. RISP research is intended to minimize human error through automation of repetitive, dull, and routine tasks; to minimize human risk by allowing effective remote operation in hazardous environments; to optimize cooperation of humans and machines; and to cope effectively with emergency situations where fast response is essential.

Sourcing Practices

2006 ◽  
pp. 187-199
Author(s):  
Petter Gottschalk
Keyword(s):  
Regression Model ◽  
It Outsourcing ◽  
It Services ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Public ◽  
Price Performance ◽  
It Support

The rapidly increasing use of outsourcing for IT services, both in the public and private sectors, has attracted much interest from researchers and practitioners alike. While early studies of IT outsourcing were largely qualitative in nature, more recent studies have attempted to analyze the outcomes achieved in quantitative terms. Domberger et al. (2000) are consistent with the latter, but goes further by modeling the price, performance, and contract characteristics that are relevant to IT outsourcing. A two-equation recursive regression model was used to analyze 48 contracts for IT support and maintenance.

AUTOMATED ICS: A FRAMEWORK FOR SUCCESS

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 (2) ◽  
pp. 1033-1034
Author(s):  
Don Costanzo
Keyword(s):  
Poster Presentation ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Response Effort ◽  
Incident Command System ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
Integrated Automation ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Response Organization ◽  
Over Time

ABSTRACT Over the years, many organizations have attempted to automate the Incident Command System (ICS). These attempts have ranged from computerizing T-cards to a nationwide spill operations system. Over time, these systems have had varying degrees of success. While certain inherent reasons exist for not automating ICS, they are outweighed by the tremendous potential of successful automation. The need to produce documentation, the integration of ICS sections, and the rapid change of information all lend themselves to automation. Successful ICS automation does not start with computerizing ICS forms. The hey to automating ICS is to automate both ICS and response processes. In a response effort, many separate and distinct processes occur daily. The requisitioning of resources, the planning and application of the response organization, cost accounting, and the development of an Incident Action Plan (IAP) occur many times during an incident. This paper describes a framework for automating and integrating these processes. This framework offers organizations a road map for successful ICS automation. The poster presentation includes a software demonstration that illustrates the benefits of integrated automation.

Incorporating Well Control Support Functions into a Broader Oil Spill Response Organization

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 2098-2111
Author(s):  
Kelly Lynn Schnapp ◽  
Joseph Leonard ◽  
Michael Drieu ◽  
Bryan Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Outer Continental Shelf ◽  
Support Functions ◽  
Well Drilling ◽  
Well Control ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Response Organization ◽  
And Control

ABSTRACT This paper seeks to better prepare the oil spill response community for incorporating well control into a response organization, based on conditional considerations rather than long and firmly held assumptions. Techniques used to control a well, after a blowout, are more closely related to technical well drilling and control activities rather than to operations intended to address oil in the environment. When oil is released from a well in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), response organizers need to consider various factors influencing the organization that may exist at the time. These include a working knowledge of well control by response leadership; strength of responder relationships; and response complexity (to include authority, stakeholder and public expectations). This is particularly true when incorporating the well control support function in the oil spill response operational planning processes, usually facilitated by the Incident Command System (ICS). Within the last three years, complex well control operations were uniquely incorporated into response organizations during two Government Initiated Unannounced Exercises (GIUEs) and during the DEEPWATER HORIZON incident. Three options will be presented. Considerations for incorporating well control into a response organization will be presented using the case studies noted previously and by comparing similar lessons learned from the salvage industry in the late 1990's. Options presented help demonstrate that response organization flexibility is key to a successful response. This paper seeks to illuminate options surrounding placement of well control within an incident command structure based upon unique incident situational realities.

Reduction Potential of Carbon Emission from Inland Water Transportation Activities of Jiangxi Province

2012 ◽  
Vol 524-527 ◽  
pp. 3651-3654
Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Shu Yan Cao ◽  
Yu Fei Gu
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Emission ◽  
Reduction Potential ◽  
Jiangxi Province ◽  
Transportation Mode ◽  
Water Transportation ◽  
Consumption Data ◽  
Transportation Modes ◽  
Business As Usual ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Inland shipping is an important transportation mode that has increased over time in Jiangxi Province of China. CO2 emissions from inland shipping are significantly increasing and have remarkable impact on air quality. And CO2 reductions from inland waterborne transportation modes are therefore urgently required to reduce the impacts of climate change. CO2 emissions from inland shipping of Jiangxi Province are calculated by utilizing activities based energy consumption data, and potential CO2 reduciton are estimated using ASIF equation. Total emissions from inland ships of the province were estimated at 297 Mt CO2 in 2009, 3.3 times of that in 2000, and potential CO2 reduction would be in the relative range of 27% to30% in 20 15 and of 35% to 40% in 2020, compared to baseline projections of business-as-usual.

scholarly journals The Challenges of Implementing the ITIL Problem Management Process in IT Support Organisations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michael Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Service Management ◽  
Management Process ◽  
It Services ◽  
Technology Infrastructure ◽  
Problem Management ◽  
Information Technology Infrastructure ◽  
It Service ◽  
It Support ◽  
Organisational Factors

<p>Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a framework and an integrated set of process orientated best practices for providing IT infrastructure support, managing and delivering IT services. As organisations in the digital age rely on Information Technology for their daily operations as well as future growth and success, the ITIL framework is widely adopted. The Problem Management process is one of the Service Operation processes defined by the ITIL framework. Whilst the adoption of the ITIL framework is often for the benefit of both the organisations that provide IT support and services and the organisations which consume them, the challenges of implementing this framework and its processes is often left to the IT support organisations. This paper focuses on the ITIL Problem Management process; it reviews the principles and objectives of this IT Service Management process from an IT Governance stand point, and its implementation in the context of organisational IT services and operations. This paper collects and presents the views and insights from IT professionals who routinely worked with ITIL processes. As empirical research, this paper seeks to identify and prioritize the challenges associated with implementing the ITIL Problem Management process by the IT support organisations; it also seeks to understand the ways and methods to overcome these challenges. This paper identifies 23 unique challenges in 6 categories including “the understanding”, “the buy-in”, “the investment”, “the interrelation”, the “execution” and “the organisational factors” which are associated with implementing the ITIL Problem Management process. The ranking of these challenges is also finalized. This paper further offers suggestions for IT support organisations to overcome these challenges. It suggests that IT support organisations may first address and overcome the challenges associated with the understanding and the buy-in of the ITIL Problem Management process, and use an overall top-down approach and effective organisational communication as they try to implement the ITIL Problem Management process.</p>

scholarly journals Grouping Characteristics of Leadership in IT and Non-IT Organizations - Factor Analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Naresh B V ◽  
Panatula Murali Krishna
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
It Services ◽  
It Industry ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Turbulent Environments ◽  
Business Goals ◽  
Education Leaders ◽  
It Organizations ◽  
It Training ◽  
And Performance

<div><p><em>The growth of IT industry has been rapid compared to any other industry. It can generally be classified as IT Services, Engineering Services, ITeS-BPO Services and e-Business. IT Services include Information Services (IS) outsourcing, packaged software support and installation, systems integration, processing services, hardware support and installation and IT training and education. Leaders play a critical role in an organization in its success or failure. Successful organizations have leaders who are responsive to new opportunities and direct the enterprise to progressively execute key strategic imperatives. In the era of technological and dynamic world, leaders have to take up the challenges in the environment of the business and turn these radical and fundamental changes into competitive advantages of the organization. Leaders do things differently, that enhances the efficacy and performance of the organization. Turbulent environments require efficient managers to lead employees towards accomplishing business goals. Managers have different roles and responsibilities at each level of management within an organization. These roles and responsibilities require capabilities of professional maturity for managers. Hence, to find out the characteristics of leadership and group them in IT and Non-IT organizations.</em></p></div>

scholarly journals INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES SUPPORT FOR EMERGENCIES

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald Z. Spicer
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
It Services ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Research Mission ◽  
Information Technology Services ◽  
Technology Services

For at least the last quarter century, enterprises—including higher education institutions—have increasingly relied on Information Technology Services (ITS) for business functions. As a result, IT organizations have had to develop the discipline of production operations as well as recovery procedures to respond when those operations are disrupted. More recently, both the academic and research mission activities of higher education institutions have become increasingly supported by ITS. That ITS touches almost every activity of a higher education institution puts special emphasis on IT services in emergency situations. This paper outlines an evolution of thinking regarding the role of ITS in enterprise emergency response.

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