The Use of Critical Systems Heuristics to Surface and Reconcile Users' Conflicting Visions for a Business Intelligence System

This paper describes an action research study where the business requirements analysis approach of a business intelligence development project was enriched. Critical systems heuristics, a critical systems methodology that is positioned in the critical systems thinking paradigm, was applied to surface the inherently conflicting views and visions (however unknown to them) that the various stakeholders had regarding a new business intelligence system and its underlying business process. It therefore enabled surfacing of human/cultural and organisational issues that would have negatively affected the adoption of the new system; these were successfully resolved. Accordingly, the various stakeholders reflected on their real requirements that constituted improvement, rather than mere automation, of a business process; it ultimately resulted in a successful new business intelligence system that realised business benefits.     

An information systems profession to meet the challenge of the 2000s

Technical proficiency has not enabled our profession to deliver value for money in terms of improved organisational performance. Evidence of this failure is adduced. The recommended change is to approach organisations as the information systems we develop. To achieve this we need a better understanding of information, the key resource, better ways of modelling organisations in information terms, and new tools for analysis, design, and systems development. Semiotics, the theory of sign, provides a suitable framework in which to make “information” and related concepts more precise. A semiotics of organisations leads to modelling them as systems of social norms from which information requirements can be logically deduced. This approach yields methods and tools for analyzing and designing the social, pragmatic, and semantic aspects of information systems that receive little attention in our current methodologies.     

The business team standard: A means of improving the effectiveness of individual businesses in a multibusiness corporation

The paper describes a project carried out within a major chemicals corporation to improve the performance of the individual businesses. This was to be done by clarifying some of the organisational uncertainties in its structure and improving the way that specialists form coalitions to address market challenges together. The approach used was based on “systems thinking”, which is an intellectual framework of knowledge that attempts to view organisations as wholes and which studies the processes of change in any part in the context of the whole organisation. Some of the important concepts of systems thinking are explored as they might be applied within a business organisation. Specifically the tool used was the Viable System Model of Stafford Beer, which the authors interpreted and developed into a set of statements (“a Standard”) which describe best practice in such organisations. Managers have used this to explore possible gaps in their organisations and, with this understanding, find ways to improve performance.     

Elicitation Methods of Organisational Knowledge: From the Individual to the Collective Through an Integrative Approach

The importance of the cyclic transformation of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge for the knowledge-creation organisations is strategic. Yet in many instances this transformation is supported by informal settings with low process controllability. It is critical though that this be followed by a more systematic approach. A number of models of organisational learning have been developed by extrapolating individual learning styles, as is the case of the holonomic framework. However, there is a need to relate more closely models of learning and of knowledge creation to the knowledge elicitation methods, in order to further support knowledge management practice. This paper examines the holonomic framework with the view of informing the systematic elicitation of strategic knowledge in professional practice. It draws upon the experience and practical application of elicitation methods–in particular causal mapping and scenario building methods–to elicit middle-senior managers’ strategic knowledge by candidates to a Masters in Business Administration. The two methods are benchmarked against the holonomic cycle of knowledge development with regards to its learning phases, thus providing a more integrative approach to strategic knowledge elicitation methods.     

Operationalising “Double-Loop” Learning in Service Organisations: A Systems Approach for Creating Knowledge

Learning organisation literature has widely discussed the connections between “double-loop” learning and its significance to organisational performance, but paying little attention to tools and systems that can operationalise “double-loop” learning in organisations. This paper investigates the impact of applying a systems approach for service operations design, expressed as the Vanguard Method (Seddon, Freedom from command and control: a better way to make the work work, 2003), in order to activate “double-loop” learning in service organisations. Two case studies were conducted in the banking mortgage operations and adults’ social care services in the UK, using the dimensions of the learning organisation questionnaire (DLOQ), semi-structured interviews, observations, and documents. The findings of the cross-case analysis support the link of applying the Vanguard Method with operationalising “double-loop” learning through three main factors, namely systematic-operations improvement, organisational capacity development, and outside-in mode of work; that are all embedded into the seven dimensions of the DLOQ. The value of this paper is the introduction of a service operations design tool that can activate “double-loop” learning performance in the fast changing knowledge era. It also provides an impetus for service organisations to creatively influence employees’ competencies to effectively improve internal systems.     

Attributional Bias as a Source of Conflict Between Users and Analysts in an Information Systems Development Context—Hypotheses Development

One potential obstacle to effective information systems development involves the conflict between users and developers. It has been argued that information systems development personnel have different perceptions of what constitutes systems effectiveness than do users. System objectives are accomplished from the developer's viewpoint when a system has technical validity. System objectives are accomplished from the user's viewpoint when the system has organizational validity. Differences in the assessment of information systems project success are accentuated when users perceive the project as a failure. Attribution theory, a social psychology theory, is employed here to explain the source and outcome of such conflict. Also discussed are alternative ways of resolving those differences.     

Towards a Contingency Resource-Based View of IT Business Value

Empirical research on the business value of IT has often been underpinned by the indispensable tenet of resource complementarity in the resource-based view (RBV) and the crucial concept of fit rooted in contingency theory. Increasingly, it has been recognised that IT needs to be integrated with other organisational factors to create business value. However, empirical studies differ in varying degrees from what organisational factors to be examined and their research findings, but also have been largely biased towards examining pairwise relationships between IT and organisational factors. This paper argues that IT is an integral part of a system of interrelated organisational factors and that a holistic approach is required to further understand when, how and why IT creates business value. After summarising what has been learnt from empirical studies of IT business value, this paper discusses the key conceptual issues of internal fit and resource complementarity as currently conceptualised and employed in the research domain. In order to continue advancing knowledge, this paper argues for and presents a contingency RBV to provide an alternative conceptualisation of IT business value. Essentially, the contingency RBV conjectures that the level of IT business value depends on the interaction of a whole system subject simultaneously to multiple moderators and mediators. Finally, this paper concludes with a discussion of the value of the contingency RBV and its implications for future research.     

战斗机无人机编组协同系统需求捕获与验证

战斗机-无人机编组协同(fighter-drone teaming, FDT)是人员-信息-物理-智能一体化的全新作战形态, 其系统需求捕获与验证方法尚没有工程先例和经验可循, 亟需正向探索和实践。在一般的基于模型的系统工程(model-based systems engineering, MBSE)方法基础上, 提出整体纳入跨装备协同要素、将分析模型和验证模型分开构建、同步考量逻辑行为与时空关系的捕获与验证策略, 以及适用于编组协同“任务场景构建-系统行为分析-需求映射定义-模型在环验证”的流程和具体方法, 进而以典型“二带二”对地FDT为例进行应用检验。检验结果表明, 该方法可满足工程总体多专业联合工作需要, 能够高效形成编组协同系统需求清单及相应的捕获与验证依据, 从而为后续的系统设计和实现确立清晰的开发目标和设计指导。     

Performance Management for Social Enterprises

All organisations face the challenge of how to assess performance beyond current financial metrics. These challenges are felt especially strongly by social enterprises, organisations that use business methods to achieve social goals. Social enterprises need to evidence superior social outcomes, are normally accountable to a complex range of stakeholders and yet are often rated low to medium in terms of organisational capacity—thus whilst they have a great need for rounded measurement, they may in practice lack the ability to make use of the different approaches on offer. This paper examines the current and potential use of the conventional Balanced Scorecard model, by social enterprises. The Adventure Capital Fund provides case study evidence of extensive use of a modified Scorecard. The model used is dynamic, combining reflection on the organisation’s current position, ‘near term’ and long term issues. It aims to take a holistic and coherent view of the management of social enterprises. Experience to date suggests that the medium term snapshot provided by the Scorecard is the most valuable, allowing organisations and especially boards and senior executives to keep a ‘strategic grip’ in a period of rapid change and focus on those actions that have best chance of changing performance in the round.     

Systemic View of Interorganisational Relationships: An Analysis of Business Networks

Business networks are formed by organisations with common interests. Inter-firm relations can bring to the companies involved an important contribution in the innovation processes: stimulating the division and sharing of scientific and technical information. This union between companies seems to be an appropriate alternative to promote the organisation's effectiveness. Considering the relevance of inter-organisation networks, their consolidation and the need to understand their essence as a mechanism of competitive advantage, this study is a theoretical reflection on the development of business networks and their proliferation. Using multiple perspectives, the paper discusses the classic authors, as well as contemporary references. It also analyzes the concept of networks and their importance, from a system's perspective.The systemic analysis emphasizes a holistic interpretation, considers the environment, the interdependence of the parts and the business inter-organisation actions. More than a theory, the systemic view can be understood as a model of empirical analysis, used to better understand complex phenomena. Considering inter-organisational relations, the systemic approach consists of the mechanism to understand the dynamics of business networks, their interface, especially considering their role in gaining a competitive advantage. The results discussed in this paper can bring a rich understanding of the role of networks for companies that participate in this initiative.Flávia was sponsored in her Ph.D by CAPES, a Foundation subordinated to the Ministry of Education of Brazil.     

Project Management Supports (Requisitely) Holistic: Socially Responsible Action in Business Systems

This article emphasizes the role of projects and project management in assuring socially responsible acting of contemporary business systems, presenting some practical applications in the field of tourism. With arising number of projects in business systems and their growing strategic importance, the role of project management has radically been changing for the last two decades. Managing organizations, as a central topic among seven crucial topics in ISO 26000 on social responsibility, is strongly associated with managing projects. Projects have important influence on the established as well as on establishing ongoing operations and are important tools in assuring business systems’ strategic development, by exposing interdependences and supporting the requisitely holistic approach. This article tries to fill the gap we detected in literature on social responsibility where projects and project management seem not to have a proper role. Four different links and interdependencies between project management and systems theory (which ISO 26000 reinforces) are exposed: (1) systemic treatment of project management, (2) systematical treatment of projects as holistic works, (3) systemic treatment of projects as parts of BSs’ strategies, (4) systemic treatment of projects throughout their entire life cycle.     

A User Requirements Analysis Approach Based on Business Processes

1　 IntroductionIt is generally accepted that requirements analysis is the foundation upon which the entiresoftware system is built.There is good evidence[1 ] that the primary cause of developmentproject failure is lack of clear requirements. This″lack of clear requirements″ can beattributed to two major factors:1 ) The initial requirements were incomplete,inaccurate,and/or misunderstood bythe analysts.2 ) Circumstances changed which resulted in changes to the requirements.In addition,curre…     

基于智能Agent的群组决策支持系统及其在经营过程管理中的应用

信息时代 ,面向企业经营过程管理的决策活动具有广泛的分布性和重要的协同性 .本文旨在运用分布式人工智能的方法研究群组决策支持系统 ,以支持企业经营过程管理 ,特别是支持对市场环境的灵活应变、新产品的快速开发以及经营过程的动态重组 .该系统采用基于智能 Agent的层次分布式体系结构 ,应用多种信息技术和基于模型的协同技术 .     

基于领域知识的模型检验方法

提出了一种基于领域知识的模型检验方法.该方法主要是采用本体论方法,将业务领域内的潜规则表示成领域知识,构成领域规则库,对领域规则采用图形化表示与使用SWRL描述相结合的方式,形成了对规则知识的内、外部表示,为领域知识的直观显示和有效推理提供基础.领域规则形成的规则库为模型检验提供了依据和复用基础,确保用户构建的应用模型满足业务领域需求.     

软件需求获取过程中知识补偿研究

软件需求开发以用户和软件工程师的知识共享为基础,知识补偿是促进用户共享领域知识的有效方法,本文通过构建用户和软件开发方的需求开发成本收益模型,研究软件工程师和用户的努力投入决策,并通过对二者决策博弈的推导演算,得到一种基于双方价值认定的知识补偿策略,研究结果表明,基于价值认定的知识补偿策略可提高需求开发的效率,促使需求开发活动得到最佳的结果.     

基于Agent的企业业务调度系统

以三峡工程物资供应为背景,说明由于工程开发需要经历不同阶段,物资供应的业务模式也应相应进行重组.而传统的企业业务管理系统通常都是基于预先定义好的业务过程来设计的,因此难以满足现实要求.设计了一个基于MAS的企业业务过程调度系统,系统的核心是服务合同,它反映了Agent的信念、目标、意图、规划、能力和承诺等思维态度,系统的运行是通过服务合同的生命周期过程来实现的.     

Towards an Understanding, Through Action Research, of the Socio-Organizational Issues Impacting on Mobile Technology Adoption and Diffusion Within a Small-to-Medium South African Construction Company

We investigated, through an action research approach, social issues that impact on mobile technology adoption and diffusion in a professional construction management team of a small-to-medium sized South African construction company. The outcome of the study resulted in a framework of thinking that integrates social factors at individual and organisational levels that impacted on the adoption of mobile technologies in the organisation. At the methodological level the study is part of a limited collection of papers that used AR in the study of technology adoption and diffusion and it presents an example of the capability of AR as a method to allow for the integration of the social contexts of users into adoption frameworks.     

Identifying and incorporating change in information systems

The difficulty of identifying future requirements and the inflexibility of information systems make what is normally called the maintenance process difficult and costly, and may lead to information systems failure or obsolescence. This paper addresses the problem in a number of ways. It discusses three techniques which might be used to help identify future requirements. Two of these techniques are drawn from other disciplines; the third is not used widely in the information systems domain. All the techniques have broader applicability than maintenance alone, in that they are concerned with reducing uncertainty. The paper outlines some tenets of good applications software design, drawn from a number of sources, which will facilitate change by making the software design more flexible. Finally, these tenets are incorporated into information systems design through a proposed modification of the information systems life cycle framework. This framework—part of a “code of good practice” for information systems developers—could be incorporated into information systems development methodologies.     

Assumptional analysis: An elucidation and appraisal for systems practitioners

The purpose of this paper is to review the ‘assumptional analysis’ methodology developed by R. O. Mason and I. I. Mitroff. The importance of this approach is that it was primarily constructed to deal with ill-structured problems at the strategic level in social systems. The 1980s has seen systems practitioners demonstrating an increased interest in exactly this type of problem. The principles and procedures of the approach are set out, its use in three organisations described, and an assessment of its potential contribution to systems practice provided.     

神经网络在金融业务中的应用及实现

本文从信息论的观点出发，讨论了神经网络技术在金融业务中应用的可能性和实现途径。探讨了金融和经济中存在的信息处理的难点，并给出了应用神经网络技术解决问题的方法。进一步地，阐述了神经网络与模糊系统理论和专家系统相结合，是今后金融领域智能信息处理发展的新方向。