Organizing Information Obtained From Literature Reviews – A Framework for Information System Area Researchers

Aim/Purpose: A literature review is often criticized for the absence of coherent construction, synthesis of topics, and well-reasoned analysis. A framework is needed for novice researchers to organize and present information obtained from the literature review. Background: Information and communication technologies advancement have yielded overwhelming information. The massive availability of information poses several challenges, including storage, processing, meaningful organization, and presentation for future consumption. Information System Researchers have developed frameworks, guidelines, and tools for gathering, filtering, processing, storing, and organizing information. Interestingly, information system researchers have vast information that needs meaningful organization and presentation to the research fraternity while conducting a literature review on a research topic. Methodology: This paper describes a framework called LACTiC (Location, Author, Continuum, Time, and Category) that we adapted from another framework called LATCH (Location, Alphabetical, Time, Category, and Hierarchy). LATCH was used to organize and present information on e-commerce websites for seamless navigation. We evaluated the LACTiC framework. Contribution: Information System Researchers can use the LACTiC framework to organize information obtained from literature review. Findings: The evaluation reveals that most researchers from information systems organize information obtained from the literature review category-wise, followed by continuum, author, time, and location. Recommendation for Researchers: Overall, the framework works well and can be helpful for researchers for an initial idea for organizing information obtained from the literature review. Future Research: To conceptualize the framework, the study was carried out using Information Systems related literature. To generalize the proposed framework, we may suggest that the study can be extended to other areas of business management, such as marketing, finance, operation, decision sciences, accounting, and economics.

Covid-19: Systems Transdisciplinary Generalization, Technical and Technological Ideas, and Solutions

Aim/Purpose: The Covid-19 pandemic has created many adverse effects. It overloads the healthcare system, causes deaths, and angers some at anti-covid restrictions. This study examines the feasibility of using technical and technological ideas to overcome these effects. The solution is based on new knowledge about the virus, its nature, formation, and activation in the environment. Background: The rapid spread of a new coronavirus infection is taking place against the background of a lack of time required to create new treatment scenarios for the disease, development, production, and vaccine safety research. In such a situation, it became necessary to gain this time for organizing and conducting events that could reduce the burden on the healthcare system. Methodology: The science that studies the morphology, physiology, genetics, ecology, and evolution of viruses is virology. The modern development of virology is moving towards a more accurate and comprehensive description of the mechanisms of interaction of viruses with the host organism. This contributed to the emergence of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and immunomics. However, in virology, there is no particular discipline that sets itself three fundamental goals: to substantiate a single concept of the emergence of viruses; to study the natural mechanisms of formation of virus molecules in the environment; to describe the natural mechanisms of activation of certain viruses in the environment that cause viral pandemics. As a result, there are many articles among the published scientific articles on viruses dealing with the mechanisms of interaction of viruses with the host organism. However, there are no articles on the natural mechanisms of formation and activation of certain viruses in the environment. In the absence of such specialized articles, we were forced to use the method of systems transdisciplinary generalization of disciplinary knowledge to achieve our article’s purpose. Generalization created new knowledge about the nature of viruses, about the mechanisms of their formation and activation in the environment and cells of biological organisms. It is logical to assume that to synchronize the state of biological objects of all functional ensembles on the planet, it is necessary to create and activate appropriate “technological tools.” We have suggested and proved that RNA viruses play the role of such tools. Piezoelectricity activates viruses. It occurs during the compression and stretching of sedimentary rocks and bases of continental plates in different territories. Contribution: The systems transdisciplinary generalization of the knowledge of scientific disciplines made it possible to edit the concept of viruses, to eliminate stereotypes that arose due to the use of unsuccessful analogies. As a result of this generalization, it was possible to prove that viruses are not intracellular parasites. The virus is a “technological tool” of the planetary organizing component. This “tool” aims to correct the genetic programs of organisms of all functional ensembles (plants, animals, people), which will maintain the state of organisms and the parameters of their metabolism in changing environmental conditions. Findings: The viruses that triggered pandemics in the 20th century and early 21st century are RNA viruses. RNA molecules play the role of “technological tools” that the planetary organizing component uses to carry out short-term and long-term adjustments and constant support of the genetic programs of biological organisms. Therefore, in such a situation, it is advisable to talk not about the fight against the virus but only about eliminating the negative manifestations of the Covid-19 pandemic: reducing the number of people in need of emergency hospitalization, eliminating cases of the acute course of the disease and deaths. It is proposed to use certain technical and technological ideas and solutions to eliminate these negative manifestations. Recommendation for Researchers: This paper recommends that researchers use new interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches. They challenge assumptions and conclusions about the nature of viruses, and the mechanisms of their formation and activation in the environment can initiate. Such new research might describe the mechanisms that form and activate viruses in the environment and the body’s cells. They also might provide practical use of this knowledge to eliminate the multiple speculations and fears that arise against the background of reports of the likely appearance of more deadly viruses and viral infections. Future Research: The results of a systems transdisciplinary generalization of disciplinary knowledge about the nature and purpose of viruses are essential for expanding the horizon of the scientific worldview. Future fundamental research on the mechanisms of objective organizing constituents, a general description given in this article, will contribute to a deeper understanding of chemical and biological evolution mechanisms in which modern humanity is involved. In due time, such an understanding will allow a new look at the existing scenarios of the world socio-economic order, explore and describe new principles of sustainable development of society.

Printable Table of Contents: Informing Science Journal, Volume 25, 2022

Table of Contents for Volume 25 of Informing Science: The International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline, 2022

The Predatory Journal: Victimizer or Victim?

Aim/Purpose: Labeling a journal as “predatory” can do great damage to the journal and the individuals that have contributed to it. This paper considers whether the predatory classification has outlived its usefulness and what might replace it. Background: With the advent of open access publishing, the term “predatory” has increasingly been used to identify academic journals, conferences, and publishers whose practices are driven by profit or self-interest rather than the advancement of science. Absent clear standards for determining what is predatory and what is not, concerns have been raised about the misuse of the label. Methodology: Mixed methods: A brief review of the literature, some illustrative case studies, and conceptual analysis. Contribution: The paper provides recommendations for reducing the impact of illegitimate journals. Findings: Current predatory classifications are being assigned with little or no systematic research and virtually no accountability. The predatory/not predatory distinction does not accommodate alternative journal missions. Recommendations for Researchers: The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate journals requires consideration of each journal’s mission. To serve as a useful guide, a process akin to that used for accrediting institutions needs to be put in place. Impact on Society: Avoiding unnecessary damage to the careers of researchers starting out. Future Research: Refining the initial classification scheme proposed in the paper.

The Effect of Team Communication Behaviors and Processes on Interdisciplinary Teams’ Research Productivity and Team Satisfaction

Aim/Purpose: There is ample evidence that team processes matter more than the characteristics of individual team members; unfortunately, very few empirical studies have examined communication process variables closely or tied them to team outcomes. Background: The University of Miami Laboratory for Integrated Knowledge (U-LINK) is a pilot funding mechanism that was developed and implemented based on empirically-established best practices established in the literature on the Science of Team Science (SciTS). In addition to addressing grand societal challenges, teams engaged in processes designed to enhance the process of “teaming”. This study uses the Inputs-Mediator-Outputs-Inputs (IMOI) model as a blueprint for an investigation into how team communication processes (shared communication, shared leadership, formal meetings, informal meetings) influence intermediary team processes (goal clarity, role ambiguity, process clarity, trust) and team outcomes (team satisfaction, team productivity). Methodology: Monte Carlo methodologies were used to explore both longitudinal self-report (survey of communication and team outcome variables) data and objective data on scholarly productivity, collected from seventy-eight members of eleven real-world intact interdisciplinary teams to explore how team communication processes affect team outcomes. Contribution: This study is among the few that centers communication practice and processes in the operationalization and measurement of its constructs and which provides a test of hypotheses centered on key questions identified in the literature. Findings: Communication practices are important to team processes and outcomes. Shared communication and informal meetings were associated with increased team satisfaction and increased research productivity. Shared leadership was associated with increased research productivity, as well as improved process and goal clarity. Formal meetings were associated with increased goal clarity and decreased role ambiguity. Recommendation for Researchers: Studying intact interdisciplinary research teams requires innovative methods and clear specification of variables. Challenges associated with access to limited numbers of teams should not preclude engaging in research as each study contributes to our larger body of knowledge of the factors that influence the success of interdisciplinary research teams. Future Research: Future research should examine different team formation and funding mechanisms and extend observation and data collection for longer periods of time.

Transdisciplinarity: Marginal Direction or Global Approach of Contemporary Science?

Aim/Purpose: The article is designed to contradict the existing opinion that “transdisciplinarity is a marginal direction of contemporary science.” Background: The difficulties of implementing transdisciplinarity into science and education are connected with the fact that its generally accepted definition, identification characteristics, and methodological features are still missing. In order to eliminate these disadvantages of transdisciplinarity, its prime cause and initial idea had to be detected. Then an attempt was made to analyze correspondence of the existing opinions about transdisciplinarity with the content of its prime cause and initial ideas. Methodology: The bibliometric content analysis of the literature reviews on the subject of transdisciplinary was used in order to determine correspondence of the opinions about transdisciplinarity with the meaning of its prime cause and initial ideas, as well as to generalize these opinions. This method allowed detecting and classifying opinions into 11 groups including 39 stereotypes of transdisciplinarity. For substantiation of transdisciplinary approaches consistency with the approaches of the contemporary science C.F. Gauss random variables normal distribution was used. The “Gauss curve” helped to show the place of transdisciplinary and systems transdisciplinary approaches in the structure of academic and systems approaches. The “Gauss curve” demonstrated the step-by-step broadening of the scientific worldview horizon due to sequential intensification of synthesis, integration, unification, and generalization of the disciplinary knowledge. Contribution: Based on rethinking the results from bibliometric content analysis of the literature reviews, the generalized definition of transdisciplinarity could be formulated, as well as the definition for the transdisciplinary and systems transdisciplinary approaches could be given. It was shown that transdisciplinarity is a natural stage for development of contemporary science and education, and the transdisciplinary approaches were capable to suggest the methods and tools to solve the complex and poorly structured problems of science and society. Findings: Many existing stereotypes of transdisciplinarity do not meet its prime cause and initial ideas. Such stereotypes do not have deep philosophic and theoretical substantiation, as well as not suggesting the transdisciplinary methods and tools. Thus, the authors of such stereotypes often claim them to be transdisciplinary or suggest perceiving them as transdisciplinarity. This circumstance contributed to the fact that many disciplinary scientists, practitioners, and initiators of higher education view transdisciplinarity as a marginal direction of contemporary science. Based on the generalized definition of transdisciplinarity, as well as its prime cause and initial ideas, we managed to show that transdisciplinarity is presented in contemporary science in the form of two different approaches: the transdisciplinary approach and the systems transdisciplinary approaches. The objective of the transdisciplinary approach is ensuring science development at the stage of synthesis and integration of disciplinary knowledge. The objective of the systems transdisciplinary approach is ensuring solving of modern society problems using unification and generalization of disciplinary knowledge. Recommendation for Researchers: The researchers should consider that within the limits of the transdisciplinary approach the disciplinary specialists are managed. Within the limits of the systems transdisciplinary approach the disciplinary knowledge is managed. Thus, the transdisciplinary approach is efficient for organization and research with participation of the scientists of complementary disciplines. An example for such research can be a team of researchers of medical disciplines and complimentary disciplines from chemistry, physics, and engineering. The systems transdisciplinary approach is efficient for organization and performance of research with participation of scientists of non-complementary disciplines, for example, economics, physics, meteorology, chemistry, ecology, geology, and sociology. Future Research: In terms of the main initial idea, transdisciplinarity is formed as a global approach. The global approach should have a traditional institutional form: it should be a science discipline (meta-discipline) and have carriers with the transdisciplinary worldview. Training for such carriers can be organized by the universities within the limits of the systems transdisciplinarity departments and Centers of Systems Transdisciplinary Retraining for Disciplinary Specialists. Thus, it is reasonable to initiate discussion for the idea to reform the disciplinary structure of the universities considering creation of such departments and centers.

Informing Agility in the Context of Organizational Changes

Aim/Purpose. This paper, although conceived earlier than the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, addresses the problem of informing agility as part of organizational agility that has become a rather important issue for business survival. Background. While the general issues of business informing, and business intelligence (BI) in particular, have been widely researched, the dynamics of informing, their ability to act in accord with changes in business and preserve the key competencies has not been widely researched. In particular, the research on BI agility is rather scattered, and many issues need to be clarified. Methodology. A series of in-depth interviews with BI professionals to determine relations between organizational agility and BI agility, and to round up a set of key factors of BI agility. Contribution. The paper clarifies a candidate set of key factors of BI agility and gives ground for future research in relations with areas like corporate and BI resilience and culture. Findings. The interview results show the relations between organizational changes, and changes in BI activities. BI has limited potential in recognizing important external changes but can be rather helpful in making decision choices and detecting internal problems. Lack of communication between business and IT people, existence of data silos and shadow BI, and general inadequacy of organizational and BI culture are the key factors impairing BI agility. Recommendations for Practitioners. There are practical issues around BI agility that need solving, like the reason-able coverage of standards or creation of a dedicated unit to care about BI potential. Recommendations for Researchers. The research is still in its starting phase, but additional interesting directions start to emerge, like relations between BI agility, resilience and corporate agility, or the role of informing culture and BI culture for BI agility issues. Impact on Society. Agile business, especially in times of global shocks like COVID-19, loses less value and has more chances to survive. Future Research. Most likely this will be focused on the relations between BI agility, resilience, and corporate agility, and the role of informing culture and BI culture for BI agility issues.

Understanding of the Quality of Computer-Mediated Communication Technology in the Context of Business Planning

Aim/Purpose: This study seeks to uncover the perceived quality factors of computer-mediated communication in business planning in which communication among teammates is crucial for collaboration. Background: Computer-mediated communication has made communicating with teammates easier and more affordable than ever. What motivates people to use a particular CMC technology during business planning is a major concern in this research. Methodology: This study seeks to address the issues by applying the concept of Information Product Quality (IPQ). Based on 21 factors derived from an extensive literature review on Information Product Quality (IPQ), an experimental study was conducted to identify the factors that are perceived as most relevant. Contribution: The findings in this study will help developers find a more customer-oriented approach to developing CMC technology design, specifically useful in collaborative work, such as business planning. Findings: This study extracted the three specific quality factors to use CMC technology in business planning: informational, physical, and service. Future Research: Future research will shed more light on the generality of these findings. Future studies should be extended to other population and contextual situations in the use of CMC.

Research on the Tourism Decision-Making Mechanism: A Case Study of American Outbound Tourism

Aim/Purpose: This article takes ‘tourism decision-making behavior’ as an entry point, and deeply analyzes the factors influencing the travel decision-making of Chinese ‘American Travel’ tourists and their degree of influence, so as to provide a reference for the development of Chinese outbound tourism. Background: With the development of China’s economy and the improvement in people’s level, the outbound tourism market of Chinese residents has developed rapidly. The United States has become an important tourism destination country for Chinese residents’ outbound tourism, and China has also become one of the important tourist source countries of American tourism. However, the rapid development of ‘American tourism’ has also caused competition problems in China’s tourism industry. For example, prices and tourism products have become a means of competition among tourism enterprises. As the main body of consumption, tourists’ decision-making behavior will be affected by various factors. Methodology: Drawing lessons from previous scholars’ research results on tourism decision-making behavior, the influencing factors of tourism decision-making behavior are summarized. A theoretical model and index system of factors influencing tourism decision-making behavior of Chinese residents ‘Travel in the United States’ are established, research hypotheses are put forward, questionnaire data are collected, and SPSS and Amos are used to analyze and verify the theoretical model. Contribution: This research expands the literature on topics related to tourism decision-making in research and practice. It establishes a theoretical model and index system for the factors that influence the decision-making behavior of Chinese residents’ ‘American Travel’ tourism. In addition, we propose countermeasures for tourism products, enterprises, and the government. Findings: Prior knowledge and external information have a positive influence on tourism perception and value perception, and a negative influence on risk perception. Risk perception value perception has a positive and negative influence on tourism decision-making and tourism motivation, respectively. Tourism motivation has a positive influence on tourism decision-making and has a positive impact. Recommendation for Researchers: According to the research conclusions of this article, the following counter-measures and suggestions are put forward from three aspects of tourism: products, enterprises, and governments. On the basis of existing tourism products, relevant operating companies should pay more attention to the upgrading and transformation of tourism, leisure and entertainment products in scenic spots to increase the willingness of tourists to travel. When considering corporate marketing and promotion plans, tourism companies operating related businesses should increase the weight of their marketing budgets in online marketing, increase investment in online marketing, and develop mobile applications that meet the preferences of Chinese residents in the United States. Do a good job in the timely publication of safety reminders and local information. Safety is an important foundation for tourism development and the core concern of many tourists. Future Research: Due to the important research on the impact of tourism activities, the influencing factors are many and complex, and the psychological process of tourism decision-making is carried out directly. There are still unconsidered factors that need to be studied in depth. In the future, it is possible to compare multiple resource-featured themes, and increase the characteristics of potential tourists, and the factors affecting the selection behavior of regional cultural tourists, and so forth, in order to make the research more applicable and practical instructive significance.

Printable Table of Contents: Informing Science Journal, Volume 24, 2021

Table of Contents for Volume 24 of Informing Science: The International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline, 2021