Scaffolding for integrated reflection

This paper presents some theoretical perspectives that might inform the design and development of information and communications technology (ICT) tools to support integrated (in-session) reflection and deep learning during e-learning. The role of why questioning provides the focus of discussion and is informed by the literature on critical thinking, sense-making, and reflective practice, as well as recent developments in knowledge management, computational linguistics and automated question generation. It is argued that there exists enormous scope for the development of ICT scaffolding targeted at supporting reflective practice during e-learning. The first generations of e-Portfolio tools provide some evidence for the significance of the benefits of integrating reflection into the design of ICT systems; however, following the review of a number of such systems, as well as a range of ICT applications and services designed to support e-learning, it is argued that the scope of implementation is limited.

An audio wiki supporting mobile collaboration

Wikis have proved to be very effective collaboration and knowledge management tools in large variety of fields thanks to their simplicity and flexible nature. Another important development for the internet is the emergence of powerful mobile devices supported by fast and reliable wireless networks. The combination of these developments begs the question of how to extend wikis on mobile devices and how to leverage mobile devices' rich modalities to supplement current wikis. Realizing that composing and consuming through auditory channel is the most natural and efficient way for mobile device user, this paper explores the use of audio as the medium of wiki. Our work, as the first step towards this direction, creates a framework called Mobile Audio Wiki which facilitates asynchronous audio-mediated collaboration on the move. In this paper, we present the design of Mobile Audio Wiki. As a part of such design, we propose an innovative approach for a light-weight audio content annotation system for enabling group editing, versioning and cross-linking among audio clips. To elucidate the novel collaboration model introduced by Mobile Audio Wiki, its four usage modes are identified and presented in storyboard format. Finally, we describe the initial design for presentation and navigation of Mobile Audio Wiki.

Processpedia : an ecological environment for BPM stakeholders' collaboration

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to clarify how end-users’ tacit knowledge can be captured and integrated in an overall business process management (BPM) approach. Current approaches to support stakeholders’ collaboration in the modelling of business processes envision an egalitarian environment where stakeholders interact in the same context, using the same languages and sharing the same perspectives on the business process. Therefore, such stakeholders have to collaborate in the context of process modelling using a language that some of them do not master, and have to integrate their various perspectives. Design/methodology/approach: The paper applies the SECI knowledge management process to analyse the problems of traditional top-down BPM approaches and BPM collaborative modelling tools. Besides, the SECI model is also applied to Wikipedia, a successful Web 2.0-based knowledge management environment, to identify how tacit knowledge is captured in a bottom-up approach. Findings – The paper identifies a set of requirements for a hybrid BPM approach, both top-down and bottom-up, and describes a new BPM method based on a stepwise discovery of knowledge. Originality/value: This new approach, Processpedia, enhances collaborative modelling among stakeholders without enforcing egalitarianism. In Processpedia tacit knowledge is captured and standardised into the organisation’s business processes by fostering an ecological participation of all the stakeholders and capitalising on stakeholders’ distinctive characteristics.

Creativity in policing: building the necessary skills to solve complex and protracted investigations

Despite an increased focus on proactive policing in recent years, criminal investigation is still perhaps the most important task of any law enforcement agency. As a result, the skills required to carry out a successful investigation or to be an ‘effective detective’ have been subjected to much attention and debate (Smith and Flanagan, 2000; Dean, 2000; Fahsing and Gottschalk, 2008:652). Stelfox (2008:303) states that “The service’s capacity to carry out investigations comprises almost entirely the expertise of investigators.” In this respect, Dean (2000) highlighted the need to profile criminal investigators in order to promote further understanding of the cognitive approaches they take to the process of criminal investigation. As a result of his research, Dean (2000) produced a theoretical framework of criminal investigation, which included four disparate cognitive or ‘thinking styles’. These styles were the ‘Method’, ‘Challenge’, ‘Skill’ and ‘Risk’. While the Method and Challenge styles deal with adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and the internal ‘drive’ that keeps an investigator going, the Skill and Risk styles both tap on the concept of creativity in policing. It is these two latter styles that provide the focus for this paper. This paper presents a brief discussion on Dean’s (2000) Skill and Risk styles before giving an overview of the broader literature on creativity in policing. The potential benefits of a creative approach as well as some hurdles which need to be overcome when proposing the integration of creativity within the policing sector are then discussed. Finally, the paper concludes by proposing further research into Dean’s (2000) skill and risk styles and also by stressing the need for significant changes to the structure and approach of the traditional policing organisation before creativity in policing is given the status it deserves.

Managing open incremental process innovation : absorptive capacity and distributed learning

In this conceptual article, we extend earlier work on Open Innovation and Absorptive Capacity. We suggest that the literature on Absorptive Capacity does not place sufficient emphasis on distributed knowledge and learning or on the application of innovative knowledge. To accomplish physical transformations, organisations need specific Innovative Capacities that extend beyond knowledge management. Accessive Capacity is the ability to collect, sort and analyse knowledge from both internal and external sources. Adaptive Capacity is needed to ensure that new pieces of equipment are suitable for the organisation's own purposes even though they may have been originally developed for other uses. Integrative Capacity makes it possible for a new or modified piece of equipment to be fitted into an existing production process with a minimum of inessential and expensive adjustment elsewhere in the process. These Innovative Capacities are controlled and coordinated by Innovative Management Capacity, a higher-order dynamic capability.

Industrialized housing in China : a coin with two sides

China today is experiencing a time when housing is needed more than ever and one approach satisfying this need is by industrialization - a streamlined process aimed at generating profits and promoting energy efficiency in the housing sectors. Although large housing programs have been completed in China, few housing projects have been built in an industrialized manner. One contributing factor is that industrialization is not omnipotent and, just as a coin has two sides, not all the outcomes of industrialization are beneficial. In this paper, a preliminary assessment is made of these two sides - the benefits and hindrances of industrialized housing in China - by literature review and survey. Case studies are used to verify the questionnaire survey results and from which the advantages and disadvantages involved are compared. The findings indicate the need for formulating policies to encourage industrialized housing in China and for well-planned R&D themes to be implemented simultaneously with industry practices in the near future.

A tensor encoding model for semantic processing

This paper develops and evaluates an enhanced corpus based approach for semantic processing. Corpus based models that build representations of words directly from text do not require pre-existing linguistic knowledge, and have demonstrated psychologically relevant performance on a number of cognitive tasks. However, they have been criticised in the past for not incorporating sufficient structural information. Using ideas underpinning recent attempts to overcome this weakness, we develop an enhanced tensor encoding model to build representations of word meaning for semantic processing. Our enhanced model demonstrates superior performance when compared to a robust baseline model on a number of semantic processing tasks.

Evaluating the success of large-scale, integrated information systems through the lens of IS-impact and IS-support

This study proceeds from a central interest in the importance of systematically evaluating operational large-scale integrated information systems (IS) in organisations. The study is conducted within the IS-Impact Research Track at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The goal of the IS-Impact Track is, "to develop the most widely employed model for benchmarking information systems in organizations for the joint benefit of both research and practice" (Gable et al, 2009). The track espouses programmatic research having the principles of incrementalism, tenacity, holism and generalisability through replication and extension research strategies. Track efforts have yielded the bicameral IS-Impact measurement model; the ‘impact’ half includes Organisational-Impact and Individual-Impact dimensions; the ‘quality’ half includes System-Quality and Information-Quality dimensions. Akin to Gregor’s (2006) analytic theory, the ISImpact model is conceptualised as a formative, multidimensional index and is defined as "a measure at a point in time, of the stream of net benefits from the IS, to date and anticipated, as perceived by all key-user-groups" (Gable et al., 2008, p: 381). The study adopts the IS-Impact model (Gable, et al., 2008) as its core theory base. Prior work within the IS-Impact track has been consciously constrained to Financial IS for their homogeneity. This study adopts a context-extension strategy (Berthon et al., 2002) with the aim "to further validate and extend the IS-Impact measurement model in a new context - i.e. a different IS - Human Resources (HR)". The overarching research question is: "How can the impacts of large-scale integrated HR applications be effectively and efficiently benchmarked?" This managerial question (Cooper & Emory, 1995) decomposes into two more specific research questions – In the new HR context: (RQ1): "Is the IS-Impact model complete?" (RQ2): "Is the ISImpact model valid as a 1st-order formative, 2nd-order formative multidimensional construct?" The study adhered to the two-phase approach of Gable et al. (2008) to hypothesise and validate a measurement model. The initial ‘exploratory phase’ employed a zero base qualitative approach to re-instantiating the IS-Impact model in the HR context. The subsequent ‘confirmatory phase’ sought to validate the resultant hypothesised measurement model against newly gathered quantitative data. The unit of analysis for the study is the application, ‘ALESCO’, an integrated large-scale HR application implemented at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), a large Australian university (with approximately 40,000 students and 5000 staff). Target respondents of both study phases were ALESCO key-user-groups: strategic users, management users, operational users and technical users, who directly use ALESCO or its outputs. An open-ended, qualitative survey was employed in the exploratory phase, with the objective of exploring the completeness and applicability of the IS-Impact model’s dimensions and measures in the new context, and to conceptualise any resultant model changes to be operationalised in the confirmatory phase. Responses from 134 ALESCO users to the main survey question, "What do you consider have been the impacts of the ALESCO (HR) system in your division/department since its implementation?" were decomposed into 425 ‘impact citations.’ Citation mapping using a deductive (top-down) content analysis approach instantiated all dimensions and measures of the IS-Impact model, evidencing its content validity in the new context. Seeking to probe additional (perhaps negative) impacts; the survey included the additional open question "In your opinion, what can be done better to improve the ALESCO (HR) system?" Responses to this question decomposed into a further 107 citations which in the main did not map to IS-Impact, but rather coalesced around the concept of IS-Support. Deductively drawing from relevant literature, and working inductively from the unmapped citations, the new ‘IS-Support’ construct, including the four formative dimensions (i) training, (ii) documentation, (iii) assistance, and (iv) authorisation (each having reflective measures), was defined as: "a measure at a point in time, of the support, the [HR] information system key-user groups receive to increase their capabilities in utilising the system." Thus, a further goal of the study became validation of the IS-Support construct, suggesting the research question (RQ3): "Is IS-Support valid as a 1st-order reflective, 2nd-order formative multidimensional construct?" With the aim of validating IS-Impact within its nomological net (identification through structural relations), as in prior work, Satisfaction was hypothesised as its immediate consequence. The IS-Support construct having derived from a question intended to probe IS-Impacts, too was hypothesised as antecedent to Satisfaction, thereby suggesting the research question (RQ4): "What is the relative contribution of IS-Impact and IS-Support to Satisfaction?" With the goal of testing the above research questions, IS-Impact, IS-Support and Satisfaction were operationalised in a quantitative survey instrument. Partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling employing 221 valid responses largely evidenced the validity of the commencing IS-Impact model in the HR context. ISSupport too was validated as operationalised (including 11 reflective measures of its 4 formative dimensions). IS-Support alone explained 36% of Satisfaction; IS-Impact alone 70%; in combination both explaining 71% with virtually all influence of ISSupport subsumed by IS-Impact. Key study contributions to research include: (1) validation of IS-Impact in the HR context, (2) validation of a newly conceptualised IS-Support construct as important antecedent of Satisfaction, and (3) validation of the redundancy of IS-Support when gauging IS-Impact. The study also makes valuable contributions to practice, the research track and the sponsoring organisation.

Leadership [2nd Asia-Pacific ed.]

This second edition of Leadership continues to offer a balanced approach to the study of leadership, drawing on Australasian practices and international theory. It looks at the characteristics of leaders in a wide variety of Australasian settings - organisations in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, as well as in politics and in our community. Traditional content such as charismatic, transformational, contingency, and situational theories of leadership are covered in detail, along with the power, influence, motivation, coaching, communication, and team building aspects of leadership. The text also introduces contemporary issues, such as entrepreneurship, knowledge management, leadership in international contexts, and the importance of ethics and social responsibility.

From the Editor

The five articles appearing in this issue of the journal reflect the breadth of project management research and the cross-fertilization of ideas from other management disciplines with project management. These articles focus on the evolution of project management theory (“A Bibliometric View on the Use of Contingency Theory in Project Management Research” by Hanisch and Wald), interfirm knowledge management and learning in project networks (“Exploring Negotiation Through Boundary Objects in Global Design Project Networks” by Di Marco, Alin, and Taylor), learning within one project organization (“Organizational Learning in Project-Based Companies: A Process Thinking Approach” by Koskinen), identifying the factors affecting project performance (“Factors Causing Design Schedule Delays in Turnkey Projects in Taiwan: An Empirical Study of Power Distribution Substation Projects” by Yau and Yang), and considering the antecedents of negative employee behavior and its consequences for project team performance (“Counteracting Free-Riding With Team Morale—An Experimental Study” by He).

Time-aware topic recommendation based on micro-blogs

Topic recommendation can help users deal with the information overload issue in micro-blogging communities. This paper proposes to use the implicit information network formed by the multiple relationships among users, topics and micro-blogs, and the temporal information of micro-blogs to find semantically and temporally relevant topics of each topic, and to profile users' time-drifting topic interests. The Content based, Nearest Neighborhood based and Matrix Factorization models are used to make personalized recommendations. The effectiveness of the proposed approaches is demonstrated in the experiments conducted on a real world dataset that collected from Twitter.com.

Empirical study to identify the key business activities contributing to manufacturing business performance

Purpose: Within the context of high global competitiveness, knowledge management (KM) has proven to be one of the major factors contributing to enhanced business outcomes. Furthermore, knowledge sharing (KS) is one of the most critical of all KM activities. From a manufacturing industry perspective, supply chain management (SCM) and product development process (PDP) activities, require a high proportion of company resources such as budget and manpower. Therefore, manufacturing companies are striving to strengthen SCM, PDP and KS activities in order to accelerate rates of manufacturing process improvement, ultimately resulting in higher levels of business performance (BP). A theoretical framework along with a number of hypotheses are proposed and empirically tested through correlation, factor and path analyses. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of electronic manufacturing companies operating in Taiwan to facilitate testing the proposed relationships. More than 170 respondents from 83 organisations responded to the survey. The study identified top management commitment and employee empowerment, supplier evaluation and selection, and design simplification and modular design as the key business activities that are strongly associated with the business performance. Findings: The empirical study supports that key manufacturing business activities (i.e., SCM, PDP, and KS) are positively associated with BP. The findings also evealed that some specific business activities such as SCMF1,PDPF2, and KSF1 have the strongest influencing power on particular business outcomes (i.e., BPF1 and BPF2) within the context of electronic manufacturing companies operating in Taiwan. Practical implications: The finding regarding the relationship between SCM and BP identified the essential role of supplier evaluation and selection in improving business competitiveness and long term performance. The process of forming knowledge in companies, such as creation, storage/retrieval, and transfer do not necessarily lead to enhanced business performance; only through effectively applying knowledge to the right person at the right time does. Originality/value: Based on this finding it is recommended that companies should involve suppliers in partnerships to continuously improve operations and enhance product design efforts, which would ultimately enhance business performance. Business performance depends more on an employee’s ability to turn knowledge into effective action.

Sustainability in post disaster road infrastructure recovery projects in Queensland, Australia

between mid 2010 and early 2011, Queensland road related infrastructures were devastated by flood and cyclone related natural disasters. Responding to these recent events and in preparing for more regular and intense climate-change induced events in future, the Queensland Government is now reviewing how post-disaster road infrastructure recovery projects are planned and delivered. In particular, there is awareness that rebuilding such infrastructure need sustainable strategies across economic, environmental and social dimensions. A comprehensive sustainability assessment framework for pre and post disaster situations can minimize negative impact on our communities, economy and environment. This research is underway to develop a comprehensive sustainability element frame work for post disaster management in road infrastructures in Queensland, Australia. Analyzing the implications of disruption to transport network and associated services is an important part of preparing local and regional responses to the impacts of natural disasters. This research can contribute to strategic planning, management leading to safe, efficient and integrated transport system that supports sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes in Queensland. Within this context, this paper provides an overview of the qualitative mixed-method research approach involving literature reviews and case studies to explore and evaluate a number of sustainability elements with a view to develop operational strategies for disaster recovery road projects.

Archival analysis of enterprise resource planning systems : the current state and future directions

Research on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems is becoming a well-established research theme in Information Systems (IS) research. Enterprise Resource Planning Systems, given its unique differentiations with other IS applications, have provided an interesting backdrop to test and re-test some of the key and fundamental concepts in IS. While some researchers have tested well-established concepts of technology acceptance, system usage and system success in the context of ERP Systems, others have researched how new paradigms like cloud computing and social media integrate with ERP Systems. Moreover, ERP Systems provided the context for cross disciplinary research such as knowledge management, project management and business process management research. Almost after two-decades since its inception in IS research, this paper provides a critique of 198 papers published on ERP Systems since 2006-2012. We observe patterns on ES research, provide comparisons to past studies and provide future research directions.

ICT in vocational education and training: a view of information and communication technology in vocational education in New Zealand

This report looks at opportunities in relation to what is either already available or starting to take off in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ICT focuses on the entire system of information, communication, processes and knowledge within an organisation. It focuses on how technology can be implemented to serve the information and communication needs of people and organisations. An ICT system involves a combination of work practices, information, people and a range of technologies and applications organised to make the business or organisation fully functional and efficient, and to accomplish goals in an organisation. Our focus is on vocational, workbased education in New Zealand. It is not about eLearning, although we briefly touch on the topic. We provide a background on vocational education in New Zealand, cover what we consider to be key trends impacting workbased, vocational education and training (VET), and offer practical suggestions for leveraging better value from ICT initiatives across the main activities of an Industry Training Organisation (ITO). We use a learning value chain approach to demonstrate the main functions ITOs engage in and also use this approach as the basis for developing and prioritising an ICT strategy. Much of what we consider in this report is applicable to the wider tertiary education sector as it relates to life-long learning. We consider ICT as an enabler that: a) connects education businesses (all types including tertiary education institutions) to learners, their career decisions and their learning, and as well, b) enables those same businesses to run more efficiently. We suggest that these two sets of activities are considered as interconnected parts of the same education or training business ICT strategy.