Information and Technology Implementation Issues in AAL Solutions

With the population ageing effect, the technological developments, and pressure to reduce the cost with healthcare, are reunited the conditions for the development of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) solutions. This work is a revision of the current state of the art. Its aim is the characterization of the AAL solutions, within the AAL4ALL scope. Therefore, it is presented features, scenarios and projects, referring the limitations and the opportunities for the future developments of prototypes using high level information and technology in AAL environments. Moreover, it is presented guidelines of operation, exposing the conceptual approach, and the discussion and conclusion, which present recommendations and current AAL4ALL project positions in terms of concepts and technologies.

Criteria for ERP selection using an AHP approach

Information systems are a foundation key element of modern organizations. Quite often, chief executive officers and managers have to decide about the acquisition of new software solution based in an appropriated set of criteria. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is one technique used to support that kind of decisions. This paper proposes the application of AHP method to the selection of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems, identifying the set of criteria to be used. A set of criteria was retrieved from the scientific literature and validated through a survey-based approach.

The ICT use in the implementation of Directive 2011/24/EU

This article has as main objective to evaluate the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs), in particular the eHealth (electronic health), in the implementation of the directive 2011/24/EU, of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 9th, on the exercise of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare within Member States of European Union. Being currently underway the deadline for transposition of the Directive, it is important to analyze the probable results for national health systems. Innovatively, the Directive specifically proposes the implementation of a European network of eHealth in the provision of cross-border healthcare. Within ICT, we focus on telemedicine as a key tool for the implementation, on a context of public budgets constrains. In this context, it is assumed that the EU will support and promote cooperation and the exchange of scientific information between member states within the framework of a voluntary network composed by the national authorities responsible for health (or eHealth). We apply the S.W.O.T. (strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis to forecast the main points that should be focused on deeper research. We discuss the technological, economic and social aspects of the use of ICT on the implementation of the directive. It is thus important to evaluate the context of ICT by S.W.O.T. tool to define strategies to sensitize policy-makers, health managers, and citizens, in order to be able to turn threats into opportunities and mitigating the weaknesses in the implementation of the Directive and to promote a better healthcare access for citizens, ensuring safe, effective healthcare and with different quality.

Factors Influencing the Implementation of the Balanced Scorecard in Portugal: Empirical Evidence From Privately Owned and Publicly Owned Organizations

In this paper we aim to identify and analyze a set of variables that can potentially influence the adoption and knowledge of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in Portugal. Hypotheses were tested using data obtained from a questionnaire sent to 591 publicly-owned organizations (local governments, municipal corporations and hospitals) and 549 privately-owned organizations (large companies and small and medium enterprises) in Portugal. The results allow us to conclude that although the majority of respondents claimed to know the BSC, its use in Portugal is still limited and very recent, particularly in the public sector organizations. However, it should be noted that its use has increased in Portugal in recent years. The study also reveals that in spite of the noticeable differences between public and private sector, the BSC is used in the public sector after a few adjustments to the traditional model. Using as theoretical framework the contingency and institutional theories, we found that decentralization, vertical differentiation and the degree of higher education are associated with the implementation of the BSC.

The Adoption and Implementation of the Balanced Scorecard: The Largest Portuguese Companies Case

Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is recognized, both in the academic and business world, as one of the most powerful strategic management accounting tools. Thus, we launched in October 2004 a questionnaire survey applied to the 250 largest Portuguese companies aiming at observing the knowledge, use, and companies’ characteristics which are adopting this management instrument. Despite the majority of the companies inquired recognize BSC more as a strategic management tool than a performance valuation system, the results show that there is still a reduced and recent utilization of BSC in Portugal. Similarly to other countries Portugal is still in the initial state of BSC utilization. Our work has shown that the companies that use more BSC belong mainly to the secondary sector of industry. Nevertheless, unlike other studies, we did not get empirical evidence on the influence of variables such as geographical localization, dimension and internationalization, in the use and knowledge of BSC in Portugal.

Utilização do método Multicritério AHP, na aquisição de um sistema ERP

The selection of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is one of the most sensitive and highest impact processes in the area of information systems and technologies, because it supports and integrates the whole business of an organization. Hence the importance of deciding the best solution in order to contribute to the organization's competitiveness in a global and increasingly demanding market. Therefore, it is essential to provide tools to support decision making, turning complex and often intangible decisions into simple and quantifiable scenarios. This study addressed the adoption of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) multicriteria decision method to support the selection of an ERP system. The literature review was the source used to obtain the set of the most relevant criteria to be considered in this decision, which were subsequently validated through systematic application of various surveys of experts and people related to the field of ERP systems. To support the application of AHP, according to the model obtained in the study, it was developed a web application that will be available to the general public. The responsible for the acquisition of ERP systems can use it to easily apply the AHP method based on validated decision model. On the other hand, the web application can be used as a validation tool, allowing collecting data for future developments of the decision model.

Motivation and Benefits of Implementation and Certification according ISO 9001 – the Portuguese Experience

The aim of the research is to analyze the different aspects associated with the motivation and benefits of certified ISO 9001 companies in Portugal. A total of 426 certified Portuguese companies were surveyed. The response rate was equal to 61.03 percent. Our results suggest that the main motivation for certification were “improvement of quality”, “improvement of company image”, “marketing advantage”, “give empowerment to workers / capturing workers knowledge” and “cost reduction”. The main benefits that Portuguese companies have gained from the referred certification have been, among others, the improvement of “procedures”, beneficial effect on the “company’s image”, the improvement of quality products/services, increase of the “customer satisfaction”, improvement of “on-time delivery”; improvement the “morale” of workers’ increase in productivity and decrease of “production costs”, among others. The surveyed firms belong only to the Minho region of the north of Portugal. This paper aims to provide a contribution to the research related to the motivation and benefits associated to the quality management systems. The selection of the motives and benefits were validated through statistical analysis and the relationship between expected and perceived benefits was discussed.

Determinant factors of the implementation of the balanced scorecard in Portugal: empirical evidence in public and private organizations

In this article we aim to identify and analyze a set of variables that can potentially influence the adoption of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC)in Portugal. Hypotheses were tested using data obtained from a questionnaire sent to 591 publicly-owned organizations (local governments, municipal corporations and hospitals) and 549 privately-owned organizations (large companies and small and medium enterprises) in Portugal, with an overall response rate of 31.3%. The results allow us to conclude that although the majority of respondents claimed to know the BSC, its use in Portugal is still limited and very recent, particularly in the public sector organizations. However, it should be noted that its use has increased in Portugal in recent years. Using as theoretical framework the contingency and institutional theories, we found that decentralization, vertical differentiation and the degree of higher education are associated with the implementation of the BSC.