Collaboration in the Large

This chapter discusses the social, organizational and technical challenges and solutions that emerged when facilitating collaboration through videoconferencing for a large, geographically dispersed research and development (R&D) organization. Collaboration is an integral component of many R&D organizations. Awareness of activities and potential contributions of others is fundamental to initiating and maintaining collaboration, yet this awareness is often difficult to sustain, especially when the organization is geographically dispersed. To address these challenges, we applied an action research approach, working with members of a large, geographically distributed R&D center to implement videoconferencing to facilitate collaboration and large group interaction within the center. We found that social, organizational and technical infrastructures needed to be adapted to compensate for limitations in videoconferencing technology. New social and organizational infrastructure included: explicit facilitation of videoconference meetings; the adaptation of visual aids; and new participant etiquette practices. New technical infrastructure included: upgrades to videoconference equipment; the use of separate networks for broadcasting camera views, presentation slides and audio; and implementation of new technical operations practices to support dynamic interaction among participants at each location. Lessons learned from this case study may help others plan and implement videoconferencing to support interaction and collaboration among large groups.

Human and Social Perspectives in Information Technology

This chapter adds to the discussion of human and social perspectives in information technology by examining the existence and extent of fraudulent activities conducted through the Internet. The principal question addressed by this chapter is whether fraudulent activities perpetuated using the Internet constitute a new type of fraud, or whether they are classic forms of fraud appearing in a new medium. Three areas of fraud are investigated, namely: securities fraud, fraud in electronic commerce, and fraud arising from the rapid growth of Internet companies. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has cited more than 100 companies for committing securities fraud using the Internet. Actions prohibited under U.S. securities laws are now being conducted through the Internet, and the SEC has taken steps to suppress these frauds (SEC, 2001). The rapid growth of electronic commerce, and the natural desire on the part of consumers to feel secure while engaging in electronic commerce, has prompted the creation of mechanisms, such as web site seals and logos, to reduce concerns about fraudulent use of information. It is, however, questionable whether these mechanisms are effective in reducing fraud conducted through the Internet. A third potential area for fraud on the Internet involves the rapid growth of Internet companies, often with little economic substance and lacking in traditional managerial controls. This chapter seeks to examine areas with significant potential for fraud on the Internet and to assess implications of such activities for the management of information technology.

The Impact of Trust in Virtual Enterprises

The nature of work is changing–to adapt to the global market. Many enterprises will concentrate on core activities and outsource other services to those with specialist expertise. Outsourcing is one way in which the pool of available knowledge can be enlarged and enhanced. Virtual enterprises are likely to rely on such knowledge to meet customers’ demands on a customer-built or small batch production basis. Although information technology plays an important role in linking the core company with its partner companies, it remains subservient to the humans that form the virtual enterprise. For effective knowledge management, it is clear that the electronic handshake would need to be based on trust between partner companies as well as the correct protocol. However, current practice showed that trust between top management teams was rarely considered in the selection of partner companies. A review of the relevant literature indicated that neither scholars nor practitioners agree on a single model of inter-firm trust that applies to all partner evaluation contexts. Hence a decision support system based on neural network and data mining technologies is proposed. A case example is used to illustrate the feasibility of incorporating inter-firm trust in real industrial situations.

Integrated QFD and Knowledge Management System for the Development of Common Product Platform

This paper provides a framework to implement quality function deployment (QFD) with knowledge management (KM) in the form of an integrated quality and knowledge management system (IQKS). This inter-organizational information system enables the sharing of information among customers, manufacturers and suppliers in the new product development process. It links up various strategically independent and autonomous business entities together in a common product platform (CPP). Up to now little has been published academically on sharing vital information involving the give-away of a firm’s bargaining position about customers, product specification and process requirement. The common product platform facilitates an innovative organization to persuade like-minds in coming together and opening up useful and relevant information to all parties interested in creating a new level of competitive advantage in assessing the dynamics of market realities. They share knowledge and learn to support new organizational capabilities to leverage information technology that incorporate market knowledge, design knowledge, process knowledge and production knowledge.

The Role of Trust in Information Technology Management

All information systems are based on human beings (users), so taking into consideration basic human aspects while approaching the information management has of vital importance. Trust and confidence are essential for the users of networked systems, as for all members of Information Society. The lack of trustworthy security services is the main reason of not using the electronic and mobile technologies either in private, or business, either in public services. Trust is essentially linked to consumers’ rights, like identification, authentication, privacy, and confidentiality. In the chapter a summary is given on the challenges in information management, and on definitions and elements of trust. The chapter introduces shortly the basic elements of secure information management and the present technologies and tools for achieving trust. Trends in information management systems are also outlined. As the chapter covers a very broad area references for each important part are given.

An Expanded Model of the Effects of Organizational Culture upon the Acceptance of Knowledge Management

Knowledge management (KM) entails several benefits for those organizations that practice it successfully. However, the success of KM is predicated on the organization possessing a suitable corporate culture. We present a model of a generic worker’s daily pattern of behaviors and examine whether or not this behavioral pattern is or is not conducive to the ready implementation of a KM system. Next, we expand upon that model to exhibit the role of corporate culture, especially as manifested in 13 different variables. The expanded model is corroborated by using it to explain why two organizations successfully adopted KM (The World Bank, and RWD Technologies, Inc.) and why two organizations were unsuccessful in their attempts to adopt KM (The Peace Corps, and a Private University). We conclude by offering suggestions for fruitful lines of future research.

Information Systems and Business Strategy

The main purpose of this chapter is to deep into the importance attached to the Information Systems for the proper formulation of the corporate strategy. After introducing the basis of the strategic planning tradition model, which suggests the subordination of the Information Systems (IS) to the Business Strategy, we propose a new model that views the IS as an strategic instrument suited for the strategy formulation stage, rather than operational tools for the strategy control phase. Success in the application of this model we call “Concurrent Business/IS Strategic Planning Model” will closely depend on the consistency, coherence and soundness of the IS, both internal and external. In order to contrast the level of application of this model, an empirical case-study fieldwork was undertaken to rise up some empirical evidence on the degree of alignment between the entrepreneurial practice and the theoretical model proposed. This last section contains the main results arising from the empirical analysis.

Sources of Knowledge Acquisition by U. S. Managers

Questionnaire surveys of 156 U.S. managers are used to study knowledge acquisition behaviors. The study specifically examined the relationship among perceived accessibility, perceived task complexity, and the information-gathering behavior of U.S. managers. One of the major conclusions resulting from this study is that the accessibility of an information source, and not the perceived complexity of the task at hand, influences the choice of source used. Other study results are discussed and implications are offered for practicing managers. In addition, a knowledge management framework based on perspectives of the various management disciplines is also presented.

Electronic Money and Payment Systems

This chapter describes the demands on any acceptable type of money or payment system and examines how well the existing electronic money and payment systems satisfy those demands. Certain weaknesses in security and performance still remain in these systems and they need to be overcome before the systems can be completely accepted. It is also not clear what kind or government regulations may be brought to bear on these systems. Even with these weaknesses and uncertainties, a variety of systems are thriving, and their details are given in this chapter.

Managing Business-Consumer Interactions in the E-World

As we move into the 21st century, the need for rapid access to relevant knowledge has never been greater. The business world is becoming increasingly competitive. Even though there is an increasing demand for innovative products and services, enterprises face a daunting task to understand the customers and find ways to attract and retain them. The Internet and e-commerce have changed the way people interact with businesses. The recent developments in e-commerce and knowledge management are creating new organisational forms in the 21st century. These technologies have also increased the expectations of the customers. Traditional principles of customer relations do not always transfer well to the online world. This chapter discusses the use of knowledge management concepts to create an appropriate framework for managing Business-Consumer relationships for understanding and retaining customers.