Open source software for workflow management : the case of YAWL

"This column is distinguished from previous Impact columns in that it concerns the development tightrope between research and commercial take-up and the role of the LGPL in an open source workflow toolkit produced in a University environment. Many ubiquitous systems have followed this route, (Apache, BSD Unix, ...), and the lessons this Service Oriented Architecture produces cast yet more light on how software diffuses out to impact us all." Michiel van Genuchten and Les Hatton Workflow management systems support the design, execution and analysis of business processes. A workflow management system needs to guarantee that work is conducted at the right time, by the right person or software application, through the execution of a workflow process model. Traditionally, there has been a lack of broad support for a workflow modeling standard. Standardization efforts proposed by the Workflow Management Coalition in the late nineties suffered from limited support for routing constructs. In fact, as later demonstrated by the Workflow Patterns Initiative (www.workflowpatterns.com), a much wider range of constructs is required when modeling realistic workflows in practice. YAWL (Yet Another Workflow Language) is a workflow language that was developed to show that comprehensive support for the workflow patterns is achievable. Soon after its inception in 2002, a prototype system was built to demonstrate that it was possible to have a system support such a complex language. From that initial prototype, YAWL has grown into a fully-fledged, open source workflow management system and support environment

Role demands and work-family balance experience in Malaysia : the different moderating effects of collectivism and gender role identity among diverse ethnic groups

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the influence of ethnic cultural values on the relationship of role demands and the work-family balance (WFB) experience. Past studies have found that the demands from work and family roles have a different impact on the work-family experience in people of different ethnicity. Researchers attribute these results to the cultural differences across the groups. However, there has been no empirical support for these assumptions because most past studies did not explicitly measure the cultural dimension in their design. Therefore, although studies have found ethnic differences in work-family experience, as cultural variables were not measured, it cannot be determined whether these differences were due to the differing ethnic groups’ cultural styles. The present thesis is set up to address this limitation in the literature, employing the Malay and Chinese ethnic groups in Malaysia as the study samples. The investigation consisted of pilot interviews and two survey studies. The interviews were carried out to establish the perception of WFB by target participants of a non-western nation. The first survey served to identify whether the Malay and Chinese ethnic groups residing under the same economic and social systems vary in their perceptions of work and family roles. The second survey tests the research model empirically, that is, whether cultural values moderate the relationship between role demands and WFB and if these moderation effects vary across ethnic groups. From the interviews, the results indicated that work-family experience is not a universal experience, but is partly culture-specific. Specifically, in the case of Malaysia, WFB is very much observed from the role obligation perspective. In particular, balance is perceived when work duties and household affairs are both adequately fulfilled. On the other hand, the conceptualisation of WFB in terms of role satisfaction and role interference also emerged in the interviews, suggesting the universality of these constructs across cultures. The findings from Survey One indicated that participants of different ethnicities in this study do not differ greatly in their perceptions regarding their participation in work and family roles. Generally, these participants revealed the less traditional attitudes towards women’s participation in work and family roles. However, variations were observed between the two groups in terms of reasons for working, spouses’ preferences towards their employment, and the extent to which their work role is perceived to impede their normative role performance in the household. Despite these differences, the Malay and Chinese ethnic groups showed more similarities than differences in their perceptions of work and family. The findings from Survey Two, which tested the research model, produced mixed results. On the whole, the results showed that the cultural dimensions examined in this study (i.e. collectivism, work identity and family identity) did influence the relationship between role demands and WFB experience, thus providing empirical evidence for the assumption in the literature that the relationship between role demand and work-family experience is moderated by cultural values. Most importantly, support was found for the proposition that these moderation effects vary between the Malay and Chinese ethnic groups. Moreover, this study also found evidence that Malays and Chinese differ significantly on collectivism and work identity cultural dimensions where Malays are found to be more collectivist than the Chinese, while work identity is stronger in the Chinese than in the Malays. There is no difference in the levels of family identity between the two groups. Of all the three moderators, work identity was deemed the most important because many of the supported hypotheses pertained to the work identity moderating effects. In contrast, family identity does not seem to have much moderating influence on role demand-WFB relationships, while the results for the collectivism moderator are mixed. As such, although not conclusive, it can be deduced that variations in the effects of role demand on work-family experience across ethnicity are a result of the groups’ cultural differences, thereby supporting the assumption in the literature.

Effects of disclosure of sexual identity at work for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) employees in Queensland

All Australian businesses are governed by legislation aiming to prevent workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and sexual identity and serious penalties apply to companies found contravening legislation. While other Australian studies have examined these issues, Queensland has either not been included or relevant data is not easily identified. This paper presents the results of an exploratory study using a quantitative survey to determine the consequences of disclosure of a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity to colleagues in workplaces in Queensland. Results suggest GLBTI workers are disclosing their sexuality more and are experiencing more discrimination in the workplace, despite anti-discrimination policies. This suggests the need to further investigate companies’ compliance with workplace legislation.

Control, performance management systems and identification processes

Is it possible to control identities using performance management systems (PMSs)? This paper explores the theoretical fusion of management accounting and identity studies, providing a synthesised view of control, PMSs and identification processes. It argues that the effective use of PMSs generates a range of obtrusive mechanistic and unobtrusive organic controls that mediate identification processes to achieve a high level of identity congruency between individuals and collectives—groups and organisations. This paper contends that mechanistic control of PMSs provides sensebreaking effects and also creates structural conditions for sensegiving in top-down identification processes. These processes encourage individuals to continue the bottom-up processes of sensemaking, enacting identity and constructing identity narratives. Over time, PMS activities and conversations periodically mediate several episode(s) of identification to connect past, current and future identities. To explore this relationship, the dual locus of control—collectives and individuals—is emphasised to explicate their interplay. This multidisciplinary approach contributes to explaining the multidirectional effects of PMSs in obtrusive as well as unobtrusive ways, in order to control the nature of collectives and individuals in organisations.

Control, performance management system and identification processes

Is it possible to control identities using performance management systems (PMSs)? This paper explores the theoretical fusion of management accounting and identity studies, providing a synthesised view of control, PMSs and identification processes. It argues that the effective use of PMSs generates a range of obtrusive mechanistic and unobtrusive organic controls that mediate identification processes to achieve a high level of identity congruency between individuals and collectives—groups and organisations. This paper contends that mechanistic control of PMSs provides sensebreaking effects and also creates structural conditions for sensegiving in top-down identification processes. These processes encourage individuals to continue the bottom-up processes of sensemaking, enacting identity and constructing identity narratives. Over time, PMS activities and conversations periodically mediate several episode(s) of identification to connect past, current and future identities. To explore this relationship, the dual locus of control—collectives and individuals—is emphasised to explicate their interplay. This multidisciplinary approach contributes to explaining the multidirectional effects of PMSs in obtrusive as well as unobtrusive ways, in order to control the nature of collectives and individuals in organisations.

The relationship between organizational and professional commitment in the case of project workers : implications for project management

The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between organizational and professional commitment of project workers. We first present (1) role-conflict theory and exchange theory to establish the multiple dimensions of commitment (affective, continuance, and normative) and (2) social identity theory to support our argument for different foci of commitment—organization and profession. Building on these theoretical lenses, we present the literature review that compares organizational and professional commitment of project workers with respect to the three dimensions of commitment. Adopting a positivist approach and a sample of 141 project workers, we use Pearson’s correlation to identify the relationship between affective organizational and affective professional, continuance organizational and continuance professional, and normative organizational and normative professional commitment. We report significant correlation between affective organizational commitment and affective professional commitment of project workers. The correlations between continuance organizational commitment and continuance professional commitment and normative organizational commitment and normative professional commitment are moderate. We then discuss the implications of these findings for the project management profession.

The relation between organizational and professional commitment in case of project workers : implications for the project management

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between organizational and professional commitment of project workers. We first present (i) role–conflict theory, and exchange theory to establish the multiple dimensions of commitment—affective, continuance, and normative; and (ii). social–identity theory to support our argument for different foci of commitment—organization and profession. Building on these theoretical lenses, we present the literature review that compares organizational and professional commitment of project workers with respect to the 3 dimensions of commitment. Adopting a positivist approach and a sample of 141 project workers, we use Pearson’s correlation to identify the relationship between affective organizational and affective professional, continuance organizational and continuance professional, and normative organizational and normative professional commitment. We report significant correlation between affective organizational commitment and affective professional commitment of project workers. The correlations between continuance organizational commitment, and continuance professional commitment; and normative organizational commitment, and normative professional commitment are moderate. We then discuss the implications of these findings for the project management profession.

A secure telehealth system for ubiquitous health environment

U-Healthcare means that it provides healthcare services "at anytime and anywhere" using wired, wireless and ubiquitous sensor network technologies. As a main field of U-healthcare, Telehealth has been developed as an enhancement of Telemedicine. This system includes two-way interactive web-video communications, sensor technology, and health informatics. With these components, it will assist patients to receive their first initial diagnosis. Futhermore, Telehealth will help doctors diagnose patient's diseases at early stages and recommend treatments to patients. However, this system has a few limitations such as privacy issues, interruption of real-time service and a wrong ordering from remote diagnosis. To deal with those flaws, security procedures such as authorised access should be applied to as an indispensible component in medical environment. As a consequence, Telehealth system with these protection procedures in clinical services will cope with anticipated vulnerabilities of U-Healthcare services and security issues involved.

The Impact of gender identity-conscious HR structures on performance : mediating effects of gender diversity

Gender identity-conscious HR structures signal an organization’s perspective on gender diversity. The signal produces perceptions that the organization values gender diversity leading to a gender diverse workforce. In turn, a gender diverse workforce provides a firm with a competitive advantage which should result in higher performance. This paper tests the mediating effects of gender diversity (at non-management and management levels) in the relationship between gender identity-conscious HR structures and performance. The findings indicate that non-management gender diversity partially mediates the relationship between HR structures and productivity, and management gender diversity partially mediates the relationship between HR structures and perceived market performance.

Neutrophilic, microaerophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria are ubiquitous in aquatic habitats of a subtropical Australian coastal catchment (ubiquitous FeOB in catchment aquatic habitats)

We examined the abundance and distribution of neutrophilic, microaerophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) in aquatic habitats of a highly weathered, subtropical coastal catchment where Fe biogeochemistry is of environmental significance. Laboratory cultivation and microscopy indicated that stalked Gallionella and sheathed Leptothrix-like FeOB were present in microbial mats associated with a circumneutral-pH, groundwater seep and streambank surface sediment,whereas unicellular FeOB werewidespread in surface and subsurface waters, including a seep, shallow stream and estuary-adjacent groundwater. Direct Gallionella-specificPCR detected dominant bacterial members related to Sideroxydans paludicola (95% sequence identity, SI) and Gallionella capsiferriformans (96% SI) in the seep microbialmat. TGGE analysis indicated that themost common FeOB in water enrichment cultures were related to S. lithotrophicus (96% SI). The ubiquity of FeOB in Poona catchment aquatic habitats suggests bacterial Fe(II) oxidation is integral to catchment Fe biogeochemistry.

In pursuit of tourism destination brand loyalty : visitor relationship management orientation of destination marketing organisations

The proposition underpinning this study is engaging in meaningful dialogue with previous visitors represents an efficient and effective use of resources for a destination marketing organization (DMO), compared to above the line advertising in broadcast media. However there has been a lack of attention in the tourism literature relating to destination switching, loyalty and customer relationship management (CRM) to test such a proposition. This paper reports an investigation of visitor relationship marketing (VRM) orientation among DMOs. A model of CRM orientation, which was developed from the wider marketing literature and a prior qualitative study, was used to develop a scale to operationalise DMO visitor relationship orientation. Due to a small sample, the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method of structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. Although the sample limits the ability to generalise, the results indicated the DMOs’ visitor orientation is generally responsive and reactive rather than proactive.

Continuous and non-intrusive identity verification in real-time environments based on free-text keystroke dynamics

Internet services are important part of daily activities for most of us. These services come with sophisticated authentication requirements which may not be handled by average Internet users. The management of secure passwords for example creates an extra overhead which is often neglected due to usability reasons. Furthermore, password-based approaches are applicable only for initial logins and do not protect against unlocked workstation attacks. In this paper, we provide a non-intrusive identity verification scheme based on behavior biometrics where keystroke dynamics based-on free-text is used continuously for verifying the identity of a user in real-time. We improved existing keystroke dynamics based verification schemes in four aspects. First, we improve the scalability where we use a constant number of users instead of whole user space to verify the identity of target user. Second, we provide an adaptive user model which enables our solution to take the change of user behavior into consideration in verification decision. Next, we identify a new distance measure which enables us to verify identity of a user with shorter text. Fourth, we decrease the number of false results. Our solution is evaluated on a data set which we have collected from users while they were interacting with their mail-boxes during their daily activities.

Determinants of place identity and dependence : the case of international tourism in Tanzania

This research examines the effects of expectation (perceived attractiveness) on satisfaction, place identity, and place dependence. Place identity and place dependence are viewed as relational components of choice and relate to deeper needs. This study proposes that these two relational components depend on transactional expectations, which are emergent and determined by past experiences and visitor goals. In a theoretically elaborated and tested Structural Equation Model (SEM) this study assumes that these relationships vary according to intentions to return. The study addresses the conditions under which loyalty intentions influence the deeper place attachments (place identity and place dependence) that visitors associate with attractive cultural and natural destinations. The model is tested on a sample of 504 international tourists visiting Tanzania during fall 2010, and explains 59% of variance in the predicted dependent variables. The results are linked to a discussion on loyalty programs.

Korean ubiquitous-eco-city : a smart-sustainable urban form or a branding hoax?

The buzzwords of zero-carbon, low-carbon, carbon-neutral, smart-eco and ubiquitous-eco have become common brands for the sustainable eco-cities of the 21st century. This paper focuses on one of these city types ‘ubiquitous-eco-city’ (u-eco-city). The principal premise of a u-eco-city is to provide a high quality of life and place to residents, workers and visitors with low-to-no negative impacts on the natural environment by using state-of-the-art technologies in the planning, development and management stages. The paper aims to put this premise into a test and address whether u-eco-city is a dazzling smart and sustainable urban form that constitutes an ideal 21st century city model or just a branding hoax. This paper explores recent developments and trends in the ubiquitous technologies, infrastructures, services and management systems, and their utilisation and implications for the development of u-eco-cities. The paper places Korean u-eco-city initiatives under microscope, and critically discusses their prospects in forming a smart and sustainable urban form and become an ideal city model.

Social media and its impact on crisis communication: Case studies of Twitter use in emergency management in Australia and New Zealand

There is a growing awareness worldwide of the significance of social media to communication in times of both natural and human-created disasters and crises. While the media have long been used as a means of broadcasting messages to communities in times of crisis – bushfires, floods, earthquakes etc. – the significance of social media in enabling many-to-many communication through ubiquitous networked computing and mobile media devices is becoming increasingly important in the fields of disaster and emergency management. This paper undertakes an analysis of the uses made of social media during two recent natural disasters: the January 2011 floods in Brisbane and South-East Queensland in Australia, and the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is part of a wider project being undertaken by a research team based at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, that is working with the Queensland Department of Community Safety (DCS) and the EIDOS Institute, and funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) through its Linkages program. The project combines large-scale, quantitative social media tracking and analysis techniques with qualitative cultural analysis of communication efforts by citizens and officials, to enable both emergency management authorities and news media organisations to develop, implement, and evaluate new social media strategies for emergency communication.