Infosys v2n018 (June 14, 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/infosys/infs-v2n018 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * INFOSYS: The Electronic Newsletter for Information Systems * * Volume 2, Number 18 ISSN: 1173-3764 June 14, 1995 * * * * Editor: Dennis W. Viehland, Massey University, New Zealand * * Listowners: Greg Welsh, American University, Washington DC * * Peter M. Weiss, Pennsylvania State University * * Sponsor: boyd & fraser publishing, Danvers, Massachusetts * * * * Current Subscribers = 3,917 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TABLE OF CONTENTS * * * * * * * * * * * * * EDITOR'S NOTE - A Conference Wave is Coming * * NEWS - From Innovation * * ANNOUNCEMENT - On-line Directory of MIS Faculty * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Info Technology for Development (new journal) * * CALL FOR PAPERS - Telecommuting '96 * * CALL FOR PAPERS - Global Info and Software Society Internet Conf * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Assist/Assoc Prof, Computer Info Systems * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Adjunct Snr Rsrch Fellow, Computing Law * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Lecturers, Computer Science/Info Systems * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 0656* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * EDITOR'S NOTE - A Conference Wave is Coming * * Dennis Viehland, Massey University * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * After 18 months of editing INFOSYS I observe that certain articles seem to come in waves. There is a wave of Position Announcements late in the year as colleges and universities in the Northern Hemisphere recruit soon-to-graduate PhD candidates. A mini-wave occurs again in April and May in a mad rush to fill new or unexpected vacancies for the Fall academic year. This seems to be the time of year that the Conference wave hits. The papers have been selected, the keynote speakers confirmed, and it is time to announce late Summer and Fall conferences to the World. (These are, of course, Northern Hemisphere seasons. Sorry, fellow Southern Hemisphere colleagues, the North American and European dominance of IS means we drift in or swim against the current in these waves.) Accordingly, the next issue of INFOSYS will be devoted to conference announcements from: --Internet and On-line Services in International Trade --Information Technology Training Conference --Information Technology for Development --SSADM4+ for Academics --Advanced Database Technology Forum (ADTF) --Association for Information Systems - Americas Conf --Doing Business Securely on the Information Highway --Object-Oriented Programming and Design --International Conference on Electronic Commerce --People, Networks and Communication '95 The registration deadline for several of these conferences is approaching fast, so this issue will follow within a few days. This is also a good time to remind INFOSYS readers that all Conferences and Call for Papers information published in INFOSYS is summarised in the INFOSYS Calendar of Upcoming Events. See "About INFOSYS" at the end of each issue for instructions to get your copy of this important resource. Clear your schedules and start thinking about where you are going to find the money to partake of this rich menu of conference opportunities. \EOA 0657* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEWS - From Innovation * * Dennis Viehland, Massey University * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * COMPUTER WATCHDOG: Absolute Software's CompuTrace system keeps an eye on your computer even when you can't. Once a week, the system turns off the modem speaker and silently makes a call to Absolute's monitoring facility. If the computer's not hooked up to a phone line, or the line is busy, the software knows to wait until it has a clear line to make the call. If everything's okay, the computer hangs up and waits another week, but if your computer has been reported stolen, its location is traced by phone and authorities are contacted. Many insurance companies offer a discount to CompuTrace users, and if your computer is stolen and not recovered in four months, Absolute pays up to $200 toward the insurance deductible. For more information, phone 800-220-0733. (St. Petersburg Times 4/24/95 p.14) WHERE'S THE RUB IN NANOTECHNOLOGY? Researchers at Ohio State University have found that the classic theory of friction just doesn't hold up at the atomic level. By using a lubricating film only one molecule thick on supersmooth aluminum surfaces similar to those used in hard drives, researchers found that the film resisted abrasion 80 times better than expected. In practice this means that a computer hard drive's read/write head could conceivably be reduced to a fraction of its current size and be positioned closer to the disk. The end result could be a 400-fold increase in storage capacity. (Business Week 5/1/95 p.128) SOFTWARE SUPPLANTS WHITE COLLAR PROFESSIONALS: The latest career advice: Think twice before investing years of time and money developing your skills as a lawyer, doctor, accountant, travel agent, financial planner, insurance salesman or librarian. Sophisticated computer software is beginning to threaten these professions, and demand for many professionals is likely to level off, or even decline. It's not that the knowledge worker is become devalued; it's just that the type of knowledge that makes him or her valuable is changing. In the future, work that focuses primarily on routine transactions, diagnostics or research will face stiff competition from software programs that can do it faster, cheaper. "There is a lot less knowledge in knowledge work than we realize, and a lot of heavy lifting computers can do. It will free up people to think, and also cause a lot of pain. It's already happening with lawyers," says Paul Saffo of the Institute for the Future. (Forbes 5/22/95 p.240) POST-REENGINEERING -- WHAT'S NEXT? With many industry observers declaring that reengineering has peaked as a business strategy, consultants are now scrambling to come up with new ideas for the "post-reengineering" crowd. Gemini Consulting's proposition may be a candidate for "most elaborate sequel." Dubbed "transformation," the concept is summarized in the four "r"s: reframing, restructuring, revitalizing and renewing. Here's how it works: After reframing the company's vision, the new goals are incorporated into routine corporate measurement systems. Company resources should then be restructured -- trimmed or reapportioned accordingly. To revitalize, a company needs to rethink its products and services from the customer's perspective. And finally, renewal occurs when companies use new ways, including electronic, to circulate ideas and reward employees who expand their knowledge and enhance their job performance. ("Transforming the Organization," Francis Gouillart and James Kelly, McGraw-Hill, 1995) INFORMATION IN MOTION: Lotus CEO Jim Manzi views communication as "putting information in motion, allowing richer forms of communication to develop around it, so that, instead of thinking about what it is -- information -- you think about what you're going to do with it." Manzi says that, historically, the size of business organizations was driven by economies of scale, but now an organization's size is largely determined by the cost of coordinating communications technology. He says that decentralization is inevitable, because technology has brought about increased complexity and a tremendous amount of information, which can not be controlled from the top. "It makes no sense for eight white guys at the top of the company to make decisions for 400,000 people around the world. That's history. That can't be done anymore." ("CEO Thought Summit," Sloan Management Review, Spr '95, p.13) OUTSOURCING'S NOT A DECISION, IT'S A BATTLEFIELD Top management is sometimes tempted to outsource an activity and forget about it. A Harvard Business Review article on information technology outsourcing says that "managers should not make a onetime decision whether to outsource or not. Instead, they should create an environment in which potential suppliers -- outside companies as well as internal IT departments -- are constantly battling to provide IT services." The sourcing decision will always be dependent on particular circumstances and an examination of all assumptions. For example, it shouldn't be assumed that just because an activity is critical it's also strategic. A strategic activity is one that differentiates an organization from its competitors. The IT function may support a strategic activity, without being strategic on its own merits. However, outsourcing a nonstrategic activity is not necessarily a good idea either, because you still have to think about such things as: how IT requirements may change; how an outsourced system can be integrated into the entire business environment; and whether an outsourcer could really compete with an internal IT department if the internal department were allowed to adopt the best practices and be given the right level of support. ("IT Outsourcing: Maximize Flexibility and Control," Harvard Business Review, May/June'95, p.84) PLASTIC FIBER'S NEXT: High-speed communications, which up till now has relied heavily on optical glass fiber, may soon be migrating to plastic. The new product, produced by Boston Optical Fiber Inc. of Marlborough, Mass., promises data transmission speeds close to that of glass at a fraction of the cost. Boston Optical has enlisted General Motors, Honeywell and Boeing in producing graded-index plastic optical fiber -- or GIPOF -- and anticipates plastic fiber computer LANs and car electrical systems as early as next year. (Business Week 6/5/95 p.120) Editor's Note: Innovation offers a weekly summary of trends, strategies, and innovations in business and technology. This is an abbreviated list of news items of interest to the IS community from the May 1, 15, 29, and June 5, 1995 issues. Individual subscriptions are available at $15 a year. For a trial copy of Innovation, type the word "subscribe" in the body (not subject) of a message to innovation-request@newsscan.com. \EOA 0658* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENT - On-line Directory of MIS Faculty * * Dave Naumann, University of Minnesota * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The database supporting the MISRC/McGraw-Hill Directory of MIS Faculty in the US and Canada is now available for searching at: http://webfoot.csom.umn.edu/isworld/facdir/home.htm The interface supports searching for details about one person, by name. It also provides a "multiple criteria" search that allows combinations of name, research interest, institution, and IS95 teaching codes as search keys. More information is available under the home page. This directory is an ISWorld Net project that has been funded by the Information and Decision Sciences Department at the Carlson School Management of the University of Minnesota. Directory updates and additions are NOT supported at this time. Forms and procedures are being developed and will be released within the next few months. Please note modifications you would like to make to the information about you, and send it in when we release the update facilities. The contents of the Asia-Pacific Directory of IS Researchers will be added by the end of June. The European Directory is being updated this summer and will be added in September. Additional directories are in process. Volunteers are always welcome! Comments on use and value, and suggestions for improvement will be appreciated. Direct comments to Dave Naumann (dnaumann@csom.umn.edu). \EOA 0659* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Info Technology for Development (new journal) * * Richard Heeks, University of Manchester * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "Information Technology for Development" (ISSN: 0268-1102) is a new journal, published by IOS Press. It aims to encourage a critical debate on the role of IT in the development process, and to contribute to more informed decision-making concerning IT development, adaptation, transfer and utilisation. It contains material of an applied rather than theoretical nature, reflecting the journal's intended audience of managers and IT workers in development organisations: mainly public sector bodies, universities, NGOs and private sector organisations in developing countries. It will also form the main focus for academic writing on IT and development. Papers in first issue include: --Towards a culture of management of software systems maintenance in Africa, E.E. Woherem --Technology transfer vs. technology learning in health information systems in developing countries, J. Braa --I.T. landmarks in Chile, R.A. Baeza-Yates Editor-in Chief: Dr S. Ramani National Centre for Software Technology, India Associate Editors: Dr Richard Heeks University of Manchester, UK and Dr Mayuri Odedra-Straub Leonberg, Germany A free sample copy and subscription information is available from: IOS Press Van Diemenstraat 94 1013 CN Amsterdam, Netherlands Fax: +31-20-620-34-19. E-mail: marian.van.der.wiel@ios.nl Submission of papers for publication and other enquiries: Dr Richard Heeks Institute for Development Policy and Management University of Manchester Precinct Centre Manchester, M13 9GH, UK Fax: +44-161-273-8829 Email: richard.heeks@man.ac.uk \EOA 0660* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CALL FOR PAPERS - Telecommuting '96 * * Rick Watson, University of Georgia * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Telecommuting '96 April 25-26, 1996 Jacksonville, Florida Recent developments in computer and communications technology have made telecommuting, when successfully implemented, viable for many organizations and their employees. Telecommuting offers organizations an opportunity to reduce costs, increase productivity, raise employee morale, and lower environmental pressures. It allows organizations to build capacity without increasing the corresponding physical mass. More emphasis in this environment will be placed on collaborative work teams - local, distant, and international. Telecommuting '96 will: --bring together business leaders and scholars to present their experiences and knowledge concerning this exciting phenomenon --provide a forum for understanding the factors that lead to successful implementation of telecommuting The four major themes or tracks are: --Management: issues concerning the management of telecommuters (eg, performance measurement, legal issues in telecommuting, and designing the organization for telecommuting) --Technology: hardware, software, or networking required to create a successful telecommuting environment including demonstrations --Process re-engineering: how should an organization redesign its processes and workflow using telecommuting. --Case studies: case studies should provide insights and practical advice on how to initiate and manage telecommuting. Conference Fees: The conference registration fee will be $595 for business professionals and $295 for government/academics (without housing). The General Chair is: Dr. Carol Saunders (Florida Atlantic University) The Program Co-chairs are: Dr. Robert P. Bostrom (University of Georgia) Dr. Richard Watson (University of Georgia) If you are interested in participating through a paper, panel, or presentation in Telecommuting '96, please send a 1-2 page abstract to Rick Watson (rwatson@uga.cc.uga.edu). The entire submission process will be handled electronically and all submitted documents, other than the abstract, must be PDF format and follow the conference style sheet. To facilitate electronic exchange, all authors whose abstracts are accepted will receive a copy of Acrobat Exchange and ancillary software. Important dates Abstract submission deadline Jul 17, 1995 Notification of acceptance Aug 7, 1995 Paper submission deadline Nov 6, 1995 Reviewed paper returned Jan 5, 1996 Final version of paper due Feb 25, 1996 Current conference details are available at http://www.cba.uga.edu/tc96/ \EOA 0661* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CALL FOR PAPERS - Global Info and Software Society Internet Conf * * Jintae Lee, University of Hawaii * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Global Information and Software Society Internet Conference (GISSIC) Track on Multiple Cooperating Users and Computer Agents October 16-22, 1995 The first Internet Conference, GISSIC, will take place in the week of October 16 to 22 '95. The theme of the Conference this year is Information Sharing, Software Development and Application Solutions over Global Networks. The conference will be exploiting tools and research results of collaborative computing to make the transition from conventional conference to an electronic conference a quality and enjoyable one. The program will be consisting of keynote speech, invited papers and contributed papers all available during that week by accessing GISSIC conference nodes directly or via requests to conference program chairperson or session chairpersons. Only registered members will be permitted to access the conference papers (a registrant roster will be kept on file). Papers will be accessible during specific times. Authors of accepted papers are given specific time slots to receive questions and comments (limited to 1 KB) and append responses to their papers (limited to a total of 10 KB). Each session will store all its papers and Q and A's in one node server. More information about the format and other details can be found in http://quasar.poly.edu/~llin/GISS. We are soliciting papers for one of the tracks, Multiple Cooperating Users and Computer Agents. Researchers are invited to submit papers on all aspects including, but not restricted to: --groupware, especially one that exploits WAN technology --intelligent agents --technologies that coordinate multiple computational agents and/or users --design/implementation issues in developing the above technologies --empirical studies relevant to the development and deployment of the above technologies The paper format should be in ASCII file with graphics separately attached in common standard such as .jpg or HTML. Authors must anticipate that some readers may have dumb terminals as their interface machines to this conference. Each paper is limited to 40KB text file and 20KB for graphics or image (all non-compressed, these limits will be revisited as GISS gains more technical capability and support). The deadline of paper submission is August 1st, 1995 13:00 New York Time. All submissions or inquires about this track should be directed to: Prof. David Chin Information and Computer Sciences Department 2565 The Mall Honolulu HI 96822 Voice: 808-395-8162 Fax: 808-956-3548 E-mail: chin@hawaii.edu http://www.ics.hawaii.edu/~chin/ Prof. Jintae Lee Department of Decision Sciences 2404 Maile Way, Honolulu HI 96822 Voice: 808-956-4589 Fax: 808-956-3548 E-mail: jl@hawaii.edu http://www.ics.hawaii.edu/~jl/ Registration fee for the conference is $20 prior to 6/30/95 and a late charge will be added for late registration. Send check payable to GCSD-GISS to: 3 Louis Drive Katonah, NY 10536. An Internet e-mail message must be sent to: Conference Chairperson: Ifay Chang (changif@watson.ibm.com) and Conference secretary/treasurer: Shou-Ling Peng (slpeng@watson.ibm.com) with complete affiliation, correspondence address and the date and bank name of the check. \EOA 0662* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Assist/Assoc Prof, Computer Info Systems * * Ron Linton, Emporia State Univ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Computer Information Systems School of Business Emporia State University Emporia, Kansas Position: tenure-track, nine-month position beginning August, 1995. Qualifications: PhD in CIS, MIS, or closely related field is required. University teaching experience in information systems with documentation evidencing a high level of classroom effectiveness, and a strong record of scholarly writing are also required. Professional Assignment: Responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and graduate information systems courses and conducting research leading to publication. Individuals with background and teaching interest in MIS; Telecommunications and Networking; Client Server Applications Programming in C, Powerbuilder or Visual Basic; Operating Systems and Control Languages; or Database Concepts are especially encouraged to apply. Rank and Salary: Assistant/Associate Professor. Salary is competitive. Rank and salary are dependent on qualifications. Screening will begin on June 12, 1995 and continue until the position is filled. Send a letter of application addressing the position requirements, a curriculum vitae and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three references to: Ron Linton, PhD Chair, Division of Accounting and Computer Information Systems Emporia State University Emporia, KS 66801-5087 Voice: (316) 341-5346 E-mail: lintonro@esuvm1.emporia.edu \EOA 0663* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Adjunct Snr Rsrch Fellow, Computing Law * * Gavin Finnie, Bond University * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Adjunct Senior Research Fellow Bond University Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia Applications are invited from suitably qualified women and men for the position of Adjunct Senior Research Fellow in the School of Information Technology. The School teaches a number of subjects taken by law students and seeks an individual with a suitable level of knowledge in both Law and Computing. Applicants should have a higher degree in a relevant area and experience in teaching at tertiary level will be an advantage. The successful applicant will be expected to provide student instruction, supervise tutorials and mark examinations. All staff are permitted and encouraged to undertake consulting in their area of professional expertise. The salary paid will be commensurate with skills and experience. The Adjunct Senior Research Fellow post is similar to that of Associate Lecturer (Level A). For further information contact: Dr. Gavin Finnie Voice: +61 75 953346 Vax: +61 75 953320 E-mail: gfinnie@bond.edu.au Applicants are requested to provide a curriculum vitae and the names and addresses of three referees. Applications should be forwarded to: Ms Jeanette Niehus School of Information Technology Bond University Gold Coast Queensland 4229 Australia The closing date for application is 15 June 1995. \EOA 0664* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - Lecturers, Computer Science/Info Systems * * John Venable, Univ of Waikato * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Lecturers in Computer Science/Information Systems The University of Waikato Hamilton, New Zealand Applications are invited for two Lecturer positions in the Department of Computer Science. Outstanding candidates in all areas of Computer Science/Information Systems will be considered, although the Department has a particular interest in making one appointment in the software engineering/information systems area. Candidates must have an advanced degree in computer science, information systems or a related discipline, and must be committed to teaching and scholarly research. Successful candidates will be expected to contribute to the undergraduate teaching programme, to teach advanced and graduate level courses in an area of specialisation, and to be involved in research activities and supervision. The Department has externally funded research programmes in machine learning, computer supported collaborative work systems, and distributed simulation and traffic analysis in broadband networks, and very active research projects in other areas including text compression, digital libraries, human- computer interaction, visual programming, software development environments, formal methods in software engineering and HCI, and parallel logic programming. The current salary range for Lecturers is NZ$37,440 to NZ$49,088 per annum. Enquiries of an academic nature may be directed to the Chairperson of the Department: Professor M.D. Apperley Voice: ++64 7 838 4528 Vax: ++64 7 838 4155 E-mail: m.apperley@waikato.ac.nz. Information on the method of application and conditions of appointment can be obtained from: Personnel and Management Services The University of Waikato Private Bag 3105 Hamilton, New Zealand Voice: ++64 7 838 4003 Fax: ++64 7 856 0135 E-mail: personnel@waikato.ac.nz Applications quoting reference number A95/38 should reach Personnel and Management Services by 11 August 1995. Applications will continue to be accepted until the positions are filled. \EOA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ABOUT INFOSYS * * INFOSYS is an electronic newsletter for faculty, students, and * * practitioners in the field of Information Systems. INFOSYS * * publishes news items, requests for assistance, calls for papers * * announcements of professional meetings and conferences, position * * announcements, journal table of contents, and other items of * * interest to the Information Systems community. * * * * INFOSYS is published biweekly, more frequently if volume requires * * it. INFOSYS operates as an electronic mailing list on listserv * * software at American University in Washington, DC. The editor is * * Dennis W. Viehland . * * * * INFOSYS is sponsored by boyd & fraser, publishers of educational * * materials for computer and information education. Contact Bill * * Lisowski or visit http://www.bf.com/bf.html * * or gopher.bf.com for more information about boyd & fraser. * * * * To subscribe to INFOSYS send the following one-line e-mail * * message to listserv@american.edu: subscribe infosys yourfirstname * * yourlastname (e.g., subscribe infosys John Smith). You will * * receive a welcome letter that will tell you more about INFOSYS * * and listserv. To cancel your subscription send the following * * message to listserv@american.edu: unsubscribe infosys * * * * Guidelines for submitting articles to INFOSYS are published in * * the Welcome message each new subscriber receives (or e-mail "get * * infosys welcome" to listserv@american.edu). Send articles to * * infosys@american.edu or d.viehland@massey.ac.nz. * * * * The INFOSYS Calendar of Upcoming Events is updated fortnightly * * and can be obtained in the following ways: * * --E-mail: send the following one-line message to * * listserv@american.edu: get infosys calendar * * --FTP: anonymous FTP to ftp.american.edu; file is pub/infosys/ * * infosys.calendar * * --Gopher: gopher to auvm.american.edu; choose INFOSYS * * --WWW: forthcoming * * * * INFOSYS Back Issues are archived by Robert McArthur at: * * AUSTRALIA: http://www.fit.qut.edu.au/~mcarthur/infosys/ * * by Eric Morgan (N Carolina State Univ) at: * * USA: ftp://ftp.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/infosys/ * * USA: wais://wais.lib.ncsu.edu/infosys * * USA: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/infosys-index.html * * by Brian Fitzgerald (University College Cork) at: * * EUROPE: http://www.ucc.ie/htbin/infosys * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *