Impact of Sound Policies in Promoting Information Systems Research and Innovation in Africa’s SADC Region

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 52-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelvin Joseph Bwalya
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
National Development ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Policy Environments ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives

Countries such as South Korea, Singapore, Japan, and so forth are a force to reckon with in socio-economic value chains because they have fully embraced research and innovation as vital to their economies. Innovation is mostly a culture, and for innovation to thrive, it is desired that proper change management tactics be introduced as it results into social change. Research and innovation depends on multi-dimensional factors to thrive, policy being one of them. African countries have now started putting in place appropriate legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks to support innovation and research. This paper presents an ad hoc survey on what has been done on the policy front in as far as encouraging information systems (IS) research and innovation is concerned in the SADC region. Initiatives and policy environments in Botswana, Zambia, and Malawi are presented. It brings out lessons learnt on how research can or cannot contribute to national development and competiveness. It also presents a number of theoretical perspectives and standpoints from which rationales for innovation and research policy can be extracted. The paper has found that, for the African case, incorporation of the research and knowledge management agenda into national policies is not an easy thing to do because of bureacratic and contextual implications.

scholarly journals Bringing compassion into information systems research: A research agenda and call to action

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roopa Raman ◽  
Laura McClelland
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Information Systems Research ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Future Information

In this article, we assert that compassion-driven approaches are the sustainable way for information and communication technologies to contribute to economic value. We urge future information systems research to emphasize, with equal vigor, the joint goals of compassion and financial gains from information and communication technologies. We present a broad agenda for future information systems research based on this premise. We also discuss how certain core assumptions underlying traditional information systems research—so far, driven primarily by economic value as outcome—would need to change in order to support this new agenda emphasizing compassion and economic value as complementary and synergistic outcomes. We provide a brief concrete illustration of this proposed agenda, and its underlying revised assumptions, by drawing on the example of a prominent field of study in information systems research, namely health information systems research.

Nuovi mercati della valutazione: misurare l'impatto di uno sforzo addizionale territoriale in ricerca e innovazione

2009 ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
Alberto Silvani ◽  
Filippo Bonella ◽  
Lucia Cella ◽  
Alessandro Rotilio
Keyword(s):  
Impact Analysis ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Innovation Policy ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
National Level ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
To Come ◽  
Research And Innovation Policy

- Research and innovation policies have been increasingly ascribed to regions as a consequence of devolving power and resources from the national level to the local level. Local administrators have been empowered with new and challenging responsibilities but often lack the necessary instruments and knowledge to adequately evaluate the undertaken initiatives and to operate consistently with the European and national dimensions. In this respect impact assessment brings in a new metrics that is neither exclusively related to the scientific and/or economic value of the innovation results nor to a support function to other policies. Experts and/or ad hoc organisations are often appointed by local administrations with the task of describing the dimensions of such impact - qualifying (and quantifying) its descriptive parameters and identifying interested parties. So far this approach has not produced robust results as for the causality links generated, the additionality issue and the role of the local dimension, while the available tool-box is quite poor. This paper is intended to illustrate the results of a pilot experience carried out in the last few years in Trentino. The analysis takes into account the relations among policy makers, available tools, resources, and the role of the public administration and of professional evaluators. Conceptual and interpretative approaches and tools need further development, but the mayor weakness seems to come from the relationship between customer and evaluators. A new market based on new rules, professional roles and shared behaviours is needed in order to address a correct evaluation pathway and to analyse policies and activities within a common frame.Key words: impact analysis, regional development, research and innovation policy, policy EvaluationParole chiave: analisi d'impatto, sviluppo regionale, politica della ricerca e dell'innovazione, valutazione delle politiche

Behavioral Economics in Information Systems Research: Critical Analysis and Research Strategies

2021 ◽  
pp. 026839622110160
Author(s):  
David Arnott ◽  
Shijia Gao
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Behavioral Economics ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Is Research ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Reference Theory ◽  
Intensive Investigation

Theories of decision-making have long been important foundations for information systems (IS) research and much of IS is concerned with information processing for decision making. The discipline of behavioral economics (BE) provides the dominant contemporary approach for understanding human decision-making. Therefore, it is logical that IS research that involves decision making should consider BE as foundation or reference theory. Surprisingly, and despite calls for greater use of BE in IS research, it seems that IS has been slow to adopt contemporary BE as reference theory. This paper reports a critical analysis of BE in all fields of IS based on an intensive investigation of quality IS research using bibliometric content analysis. The analysis shows that IS researchers have a general understanding of BE, but their use of the theories has an ad hoc feel where only a narrow range of BE concepts and theories tend to form the foundation of IS research. The factors constraining the adoption of BE theories in IS are discussed and strategies for the use of this influential foundation theory are proposed. Guidance is provided on how BE could be used in various aspects of IS. The paper concludes with the view that BE reference theory has the potential to transform significant areas of IS research.

scholarly journals Science and Technology Policy for Nigeria's Development Planning

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Sunday Idowu Oladeji ◽  
Abiodun Adewale Adegboye
Keyword(s):  
Growth And Development ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Technology Policy ◽  
National Development ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Development Plan ◽  
Technology Planning ◽  
National Planning ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Development Plans

Science & Technology (S&T) is recognised in intellectual discourse and public policymaking as strategic for development in contemporary times. The study assesses development planning experience in Nigeria and attempts to make a case for the integration of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy within the overall framework of national development planning. Content analyses of the development plan documents were made alongside exposition on theoretical perspectives on S&T for growth and development. The framework leads to some implications for Nigeria's development plan. A survey of the theoretical perspectives on the interrelations between STI and national development is also undertaken. As Science & Technology planning is grossly lacking in Nigeria’s development planning, the paper prescribes principles for effective interfacing of STI policy with national development plans. It draws attention to the essence of regular exchange of information between the sectors of Nigeria's economy and the Ministry of Science & Technology and the National Planning Commission, both at construction and implementation of plans. Development planning in Nigeria will serve the better if it is comprehensive and detailed to include S&T policy and programme. The regimes of ad-hoc/disintegrated sectoral reforms must no longer be allowed to rob the economy of desired growth and development. While the planning of STI activities is of critical importance, the paper seems the first to call    attention to the significance of integrating STI with the overall framework of national planning in Nigeria.

Models for Interpretive Information Systems Research, Part 1

2012 ◽  
pp. 222-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. (Ruth) De Villiers
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Information Systems Research ◽  
The Social ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Postgraduate Studies ◽  
Research Action

Interpretive research designs are increasingly being applied in Information Systems (IS). This chapter is a meta-research study that briefly explains the concepts of positivism, interpretivism, and qualitative and quantitative research, before overviewing the advent of interpretive IS research. The chapter then presents two interpretive models that can serve as research designs for postgraduate studies and ad-hoc research. Action research, which originated in the social sciences, involves longitudinal studies, in which the researcher participatively investigates products or interventions that address real-world problems over several cycles, in a reflective and responsive way. Grounded theory can serve as a research method, as well as a full research design, since it can be integrated into other models as an analysis approach. Grounded theory is applied to generate themes, patterns, and theories from continuous collection, coding, and analysis of contextual data. The patterns and grounded theories emerge inductively, and are expanded and refined as further data is gathered.

scholarly journals Effect of earnings management on economic value added: G20 and African countries study

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen-Jia Liu ◽  
Yi-Shu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
National Development ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Real Earnings Management ◽  
Economic Value Added ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Discretionary Accrual

Background: Economic value added (EVA) may reflect true performance compared with other conventional accounting indices, it is still measured through financial statements. It is highly probable that EVA motivates managers to manipulate earnings.Aim: The main contribution of this study is the analysis of the association between earnings management and EVA. This study provides shareholders, lenders and creditors (or other categories of investors) with a method for analysing the value of enterprises.Setting: We analyse the association between earnings management through real earnings management (REM) or discretionary accrual (DA) activities and the EVA by African and the Group of Twenty (G20) nations.Methods: The sample for this study was obtained from the COMPUSTAT database between 2009 and 2013. This study also adopted the ordinary least squares (OLS) method.Results: The results indicate that a significantly positive relationship exists between earnings management through DA items and EVA in African nations. In addition, a significantly negative relationship exists between earnings management through DA items or REM activities and EVA in G20 nations.Conclusion: Our results provide critical implications for managers, researchers, investors and regulators of various nations; for example, managers may determine whether to increase the EVA through earnings management, researchers may analyse varying degrees of REM activities and DAs existing in the same nation groups or regulators may determine how to establish laws or rules to prevent earnings management because it is likely that differences in national development, culture or politics exist in these nations.

A Bridge Too Far?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte P. Lee ◽  
Kjeld Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Science And Technology Studies ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cooperative Work ◽  
Computer Supported Cooperative Work ◽  
Practical Action ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Information Infrastructures ◽  
Information Systems Research ◽  
Critical Investigation

The study of computing infrastructures has grown significantly due to the rapid proliferation and ubiquity of large-scale IT-based installations. At the same time, recognition has also grown of the usefulness of such studies as a means for understanding computing infrastructures as material complements of practical action. Subsequently the concept of “infrastructure” (or “information infrastructures,” “cyberinfrastructures,” and “infrastructuring”) has gained increasing importance in the area of Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) as well as in neighboring areas such as Information Systems research (IS) and Science and Technology Studies (STS). However, as such studies have unfolded, the very concept of “infrastructure” is being applied in different discourses, for different purposes, in myriad different senses. Consequently, the concept of “infrastructure” has become increasingly muddled and needs clarification. The chapter presents a critical investigation of the vicissitudes of the concept of “infrastructure” over the last 35 years.

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