Virtual Special Issue: “The impact of temperature on human health: new insights”

Ambient temperature is one of the basic parameters characterising human comfort: are we too hot, too cold, or just right? The impact of temperature goes beyond comfort: inadequate temperature and temperature variations have consequences on human health, as the increasing numbers of studies have demonstrated. The topic is of particular significance at the times when climate change shifts the traditional – as we know them- temperature zones, and brings much wider temperature variations. For these reasons the impact of temperature on health has been one of the most popular topics among the articles submitted and published in Science of the Total Environment over the last few years. This Virtual Special Issue compiles 18 articles published in our journal on this topic since 2012. It is worth briefly summarizing the rich scientific insights brought by these articles, as well as broader considerations, particularly those extending to management, discussed by the authors of the articles.

Using enterprise social networks as innovation platforms

Do enterprise social network platforms in an organization make the company more innovative? In theory, through communication, collaboration, and knowledge exchange, innovation ideas can easily be expressed, shared, and discussed with many partners in the organization. Yet, whether this guarantees innovation success remains to be seen. The authors studied how innovation ideas moved--or not--from an enterprise social network platform to regular innovation processes at a large Australian retailer. They found that the success of innovation ideas depends on how easily understandable the idea is on the platform, how long it has been discussed, and how powerful the social network participants are in the organization. These findings inform management strategies for the governance of enterprise social network use and the organizational innovation process.

Posters versus lurkers. Improving participation in enterprise social networks through management interventions

This thesis investigated the phenomenon of underutilised Enterprise social networks (ESNs). Guided by established theories, we identified key reasons that drive ESN members to either post (i.e., create content) or lurk (i.e., read others' content) and examined the influence of three management interventions - aim to boost participation - on lurkers' and posters' beliefs and participation. We test our model with data collected from 366 members in Google⁺ communities in a large Australian retail organization. We find that posters and lurkers are motivated and hindered by different factors. Moreover, management interventions do not – always – yield the hoped-for results among lurkers.

Cost-efficient virtual machine management in data centers

Virtual Machine (VM) management is an obvious need in today's data centers for various management activities and is accomplished in two phases— finding an optimal VM placement plan and implementing that placement through live VM migrations. These phases result in two research problems— VM placement problem (VMPP) and VM migration scheduling problem (VMMSP). This research proposes and develops several evolutionary algorithms and heuristic algorithms to address the VMPP and VMMSP. Experimental results show the effectiveness and scalability of the proposed algorithms. Finally, a VM management framework has been proposed and developed to automate the VM management activity in cost-efficient way.

Governance of enterprise Information and Technology: A new core competency for boards of directors

With the level of digital disruption that is affecting businesses around the globe, you might expect high levels of Governance of Enterprise Information and Technology (GEIT) capability within boards. Boards and their senior executives know technology is important. More than 90% of boards and senior executives currently identify technology as essential to their current businesses, and to their organization’s future. But as few as 16% have sufficient GEIT capability. Global Centre for Digital Business Transformation’s recent research contains strong indicators of the need for change. Despite board awareness of both the likelihood and impact of digital disruption, things digital are still not viewed as a board-level matter in 45% of companies. And, it’s not just the board. The lack of board attention to technology can be mirrored at senior executive level as well. When asked about their organization’s attitude towards digital disruption, 43% of executives said their business either did not recognise it as a priority or was not responding appropriately. A further 32% were taking a “follower” approach, a potentially risky move as we will explain. Given all the evidence that boards know information and technology (I&T***) is vital, that they understand the inevitably, impact and speed of digital change and disruption, why are so many boards dragging their heels? Ignoring I&T disruption and refusing to build capability at board level is nothing short of negligence. Too many boards risk flying blind without GEIT capability [2]. To help build decision quality and I&T governance capability, this research: • Confirms a pressing need to build individual competency and cumulative, across-board capability in governing I&T • Identifies six factors that have rapidly increased the need, risk and urgency • Finds that boards may risk not meeting their duty of care responsibilities when it comes to I&T oversight • Highlights barriers to building capability details three GEIT competencies that boards and executives can use for evaluation, selection, recruitment and professional development.