Infosys v2n023 (July 25, 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/infosys/infs-v2n023 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * INFOSYS: The Electronic Newsletter for Information Systems * * Volume 2, Number 23 ISSN: 1173-3764 July 25, 1995 * * * * Editor: Dennis W. Viehland, Massey University, New Zealand * * Listowners: Greg Welsh, American University, Washington DC * * Peter M. Weiss, Penn State * * Sponsor: boyd & fraser publishing, Danvers, Massachusetts * * * * Current Subscribers = 3,924 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TABLE OF CONTENTS * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEWS - From INNOVATION * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Heads of MS Programs at Americas AIS Meeting * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Object Application Awards Program Invites Entries * * CONTENTS - MIS Quarterly (June 1995, v19 n2) * * CONFERENCE - Conference on Organizational Computing Systems * * CONFERENCE - Diffusion and Adoption of Information Technology * * CALL FOR PAPERS - Info and Communication Technology in Tourism * * CALL FOR PAPERS - INFORMS Conf on Info Systems and Technology * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 0706* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEWS - From INNOVATION * * Dennis Viehland, Massey University * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SOFTWARE THAT SPEAKS TO YOU: Eloquent Technology, based in Ithaca, NY, has developed sophisticated text-to-speech software that emulates human speech, complete with emotion. Users can specify characteristics such as excitement, boredom, breathiness and pitch level. The product, called Eloquence, also does accents, including a Southern drawl and a nasal New York. (Information Week 6/26/95 p.10) THE RISE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER: While middle management is heading toward extinction, there's a new breed of worker on the rise -- the project manager. "Project management is going to be huge in the next decade. The project manager is the linchpin in the horizontal/ vertical organizations we're creating," says a partner at Price Waterhouse. While automation and worker empowerment has replaced day-to-day management in many organizations, there still needs to be some oversight, and that's where the project manager comes in -- "Everything has become projects," says Fannie May's CIO. (Fortune 7/10/95 p.179) ELECTRONIC TRADE ROUTES: George Lucas compares the effects that computers and communications are having on society now to the opening of new trade routes in the 15th century: "New markets were opening up at the crossroads of East and West, and there were dramatic changes in everything from clothing to food. Now we're sort of sitting here in this new version of 1450, and we're wondering what it's going to be like 50 years from now... For one thing, there's an awareness that the controlling of geographic space is no longer really possible or even necessary, partly because there is another reality -- a digital reality. That puts an end to Alexander the Great's dream of plundering the world, which has been the model for many people over several centuries and has caused the world great pain. But for the first time in history, we're facing an interconnected, interdependent world, and we need a new social structure to cope with that." (Inc. Technology, No.2 '95 p.44) CORPORATE ANOREXIA: Downsizing, reengineering, restructuring -- those have been the buzzwords of the '90s, and now the diagnosis is in: Too much of a good thing can leave you lean -- and frail. The problem happens when corporations become obsessed with controlling expenses, closing plants, slashing inventories and eliminating jobs, and forget that they need to grow to prosper. "You can't shrink to greatness," says the president of a Canadian company. Excessive cost cutting can concentrate too much power in the hands of the bean counters, who tend to focus on controlling expenses rather than pursuing new opportunities and investments. Signs of corporate anorexia include: lack of training and other support for remaining personnel; the rehiring of fired workers as consultants; and "survivor syndrome" among those who are left, who merely go through the motions of working because they feel too overburdened to strive for excellence. (Wall Street Journal 7/5/95 A1) FROM MACHINE AGE TO INFORMATION AGE: John Trudel, founder of management consulting firm The Trudel Group, says Machine Age firms modeled on 19th century templates, like outmoded battleships, are now headed for the scrap pile: "The core understanding needed -- a new paradigm -- is that business responsibility belongs to the people, not the process. Machine Age firms use processes to run the company. Information Age firms use technology and process to free people from routine and get them timely information so they can use their knowledge, intuition and training." His three-step model for teaching empowerment and responsibility is: 1) Don't cry over spilled milk. 2) If you broke it, clean it up or make it good. 3) Don't make the same mistake twice. (Upside, Aug. '95 p.18) HIRING "OUTSIDE THE BOX": Laurence Prusak of Ernst & Young's Center for Business Innovation says that if information systems organizations want help with knowledge management they should ask information experts, but if they are interested in knowing how people use information they should ask "people experts" -- i.e., they should go "outside the box" and hire librarians (who have research skills), journalists (who know how to organize chaotic material and present it in an interesting and readable way), and anthropologists (who know how to unobtrusively observe human behavior and see how information is actually put to use). What employees like this bring to the table is "not just new expertise but a fresh approach to managing knowledge." (CIO, July '95, p.98) REWIRING FOR THE FUTURE: The future isn't what it used to be, but you can prepare yourself now for the wiring crunch you're bound to experience when the info-highway hits your front door. Experts at the CEBus Industry Council suggest you'll need, at the very least, a local area network using two coaxial cables and four to six twisted-pair telephone wires. The twisted-pair should run past every telephone, thermostat, major appliance and the main breaker box. Twisted-pair and coaxial cable outlets should co-exist at outlets near computers and TVs. Greyfox Systems in Pittsburgh sells the first wiring system for new homes that conforms to CEBus specifications -- a 16-outlet kit costs $3,000, installation not included. (Popular Science, Aug. '95 p.36) 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 June 26, July 3, 10, 17, and 24, 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 0707* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Heads of MS Programs at Americas AIS Meeting * * Paul Gray, Claremont Graduate School * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Special Meeting of Heads of MS Programs in MIS/CIS August 26, 1995 at 5:30pm Pittsburgh, Penn All heads of MS programs in MIS/CIS are invited to attend (either personally or through their representative) a special meeting to be held in conjunction with the Americas Meeting of AIS in Pittsburgh. We have been offered a room at 5:30PM on Saturday. The meeting will be informal. It is designed to meet one another, to exchange information about our programs, to learn about trends that we anticipate, and more. For example, we may want to discuss general programs in IS vs more focused concentrations for data communications, client/server, or project management. Please send e-mail to grayp@cgs.edu to let us know who will be coming. We won't turn you away at the door, but it will help the Pittsburgh meeting committee to know how many to expect. Also send us ideas about what you would like to discuss. Looking forward to hearing from you. Paul Gray, Claremont Graduate School Vijay Kanabar, Boston University \EOA 0708* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Object Application Awards Program Invites Entries * * R Zicari, OMG Central Europe * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Object Management Group, co-sponsor of Object World Frankfurt, is seeking submissions for The Second Annual Object Application Awards. The awards will showcase innovative custom applications using object technology. Winners will be announced at Object World Frankfurt on October 10, 1995. Applications must be currently in use, not for resale, and must meet one of the following qualifications: --An application built from scratch --A modification of an off-the-shelf application --An object-oriented front end for a host application A panel of judges will select three finalists from each of the following five categories: --Best distributed application using object technology with legacy systems --Best application utilizing reusable components leveraged from or for use in other projects --Best object-based application developed using object oriented and non-object oriented tools --Best application demonstrating the costs/benefits of using object technology --Best use of object technology within an enterprise or large systems environment All entries must be postmarked by midnight, August 10, 1995. Finalists will be notified the week of September 20, 1995 and must have at least one company representative present at Object World Frankfurt on October 10, 1995. All entrants are required to complete an official entry kit. Entry kits can be obtained by contacting: Christiane Sattler The Object Application Awards c/o Object Management Group Frankfurter Str. 15 D-61476 Kronberg (Ts), Germany Voice: +49-6173-2852 Fax: +49-6173-940420 \EOA 0709* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CONTENTS - MIS Quarterly (June 1995, v19 n2) * * Robert Zmud, Florida State Univ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The June 1995 issue (Vol. 19, No. 2) of MIS Quarterly contains the following articles: "Business Value of Information Technology: A Study of Electronic Data Interchange," by Tridas Mukhopadhyay, Sunder Kekre, and Suresh Kalathur "The Impact of Explanation Facilities in User Acceptance of Expert System Advice," by L. Richard Ye and Paul E. Johnson "Service Quality: A Measure of Information System Effectiveness," by Leland F. Pitt, Richard T. Watson, and C. Bruce Kavan "Computer Self-Efficacy: Development of a Measure and Initial Test," by Deborah R. Compeau and Christopher A. Higgins "Task-Technology Fit and Individual Performance," by Dale L. Goodhue and Ronald L. Thompson Research Note: "On the Use, Usefulness, and Ease of Use of Structural Equation Modeling In MIS Research: A Note of Caution," by Wynne W. Chin and Peter A. Todd Also, in my Editorial Statement to the issue, I am pleased to announce the article that has been selected as the Best Paper published in Volume 18 of the MIS Quarterly: "Computerized Loan Origination Systems: An Industry Case Study of the Electronic Markets Hypothesis," by Christopher M. Hess and Chris F. Kemerer. \EOA 0710* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CONFERENCE - Conference on Organizational Computing Systems * * Rob Kling, University of Calif-Irvine * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ACM Conference on Organizational Computing Systems (COOCS '95) August 13-16, 1995 Milpitas (near San Jose), California As we endeavor to move toward more effective and efficient organizations, we must take into account technical, social, and organizational aspects of computerization. This conference is organized as three tracks in order to address these aspects. --Business Processes --Behavioral and Social Impacts --Technical Aspects Advances in tools, processes, technologies, and methodologies that facilitate the use of information systems in organizations can improve the way information is made available and used. This conference is intended to bring together researchers and practitioners interested in the introduction, management, deployment, and analysis of information and processes within organizations. A series of tutorials and workshops will be held on August 13. The conference program of keynote addresses, sessions and panels includes (highlights only; a complete conference program is available from the contact person listed below): --Tutorials and workshops on business process reengineering, software quality evaluation, human interaction issues, and impact of WWW. --Keynote Address by Dr. Robert Johansen (Institute for the Future). --Paper sessions on business processes and workflows; IS, control and design of organisations; applications; workflow systems; cryptographic techniques in media space security, modeling; and design and documentation of computer systems. --Panels on organizational analysis in information and computer sciences, business process re-engineering, and cross-cultural workgroups. General Chairs: Clarence A. Ellis (Univ of Colorado) Nora Comstock (Comstock Connections) Tutorial fees (includes notes and coffee breaks) ----before July 31---- -----after July 31---- ACM member non-member ACM member non-member Full day tutorial $260 $310 $305 $355 Full day workshop 60 75 70 90 Half day workshop 35 40 40 55 Conference 299 380 355 455 Conference - student 150 150 150 150 (include student ID) Main Conference lunches (August 14, 15, 16): $60 Main Conference banquet (August 15): $63 A complete conference program and registration form is available from: Nora Comstock Comstock Connections 3103 Loyola Ln. Austin, TX 78723 USA Voice and fax: +1 512 928 8780 E-mail: nora!loyola.uucp@cs.utexas.edu Please contact the hotel directly for reservations: Sheraton San Jose Hotel at Silicon Valley 1801 Barber Lane Milpitas, CA 95035 USA Voice: (408) 943-0600 Toll-free: (800) 943-0660 Fax: (408) 943-0484 Conference rates (after July 13 honored as available): Single, Double/Twin $89.00 \EOA 0711* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CONFERENCE - Diffusion and Adoption of Information Technology * * Karlheinz Kautz, Norwegian Computing Center * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * First IFIP 8.6 Working Conference Diffusion and Adoption of Information Technology October, 14-17, 1995 Leangkollen, Oslo, Norway The new IFIP Working Group on diffusion, transfer, and implementation of information technology is holding its first working conference in Oslo, Norway on the theme of diffusion and adoption of IT. IT is playing an increasingly important role in many organizations, sectors and countries. There are still many problems in the practical adoption of the technology, and one does often not achieve the expected results with IT. This may be, among other reasons, due to: inappropriate attention to the adoption process and associated change processes in the organization using the technology; the intertwining between IT-strategy and diffusion of IT in the organization, or the non-fulfilment of the prerequisites for the effective use of the technology and unrealistic expectations as to what can be achieved. The conference will explore the themes of diffusion and adoption of IT. Both theoretical presentations as well as case studies reporting practical experience are included. They contain contributions to the following issues of relevance: models and theories of software and information technology transfer, studies of adopting IT organizations and technolgy policy in the large as well as examples for transfering IT between individuals, organizations, sectors or countries and organizational mechanisms facilitating adoption. In addition to plenary sessions, parallel paper/panel sessions, birds of a feather groups, and sociale events, keynote addresses include: --"On Development, Adoption, Use and Effects of Information Technology" (John L. King, University of California-Irvine USA) --"On Technology Transfer in European Commission Programmes" (David Talbot, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium) --"On issues of IT penetration into organizations" (Kalle Lyytinen, Universtity of Jyvdskyld, Finland) Conference fee: NOK 2,800 Includes the conference notebook, Saturday reception (a light meal), Sunday and Monday lunches, and Monday conference dinner. Accommodation (including breakfasts) Single room, 14-17, October: NOK 1,435 Double room, 14-17, October: NOK 770 Conference proceedings: NOK 300 Published as a book by Chapman and Hall approx January, 1996 (all prices in Norwegian Crowns - NOK; estimate 1US$ = 6NOK) The conference is located at Leangkollen Hotell og Konferansesenter (Leangkollen Hotel and Conference Center) Bleikeresen 215 1370 Asker Norway Voice: (+47) 66 78 23 65 Fax: (+47) 66 78 72 65 Requests for further information, etc can be directed to Karlheinz Kautz Norwegian Computing Center PO Box 114 Blindern N-0314 Oslo Norway E-mail: karl.kautz@nr.no or: Tor J. Larsen, Norwegian School of Management: tor.larsen@bi.no Pel Sxrgaard, University of Oslo: paalso@ifi.uio.no The final programme and the call for participation will be sent out in a couple of weeks.The call for papers and other relevant material will be available from World Wide Web on the following URL: http://www.ifi.uio.no/~paalso/wg8.6/ \EOA 0712* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CALL FOR PAPERS - Info and Communication Technology in Tourism * * Stefan Klein, University of St. Gallen * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 3rd International Conference on Information and Communication Technology in Tourism - ENTER '96 January 17-19, 1996 Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria ENTER is intended to be an international forum dealing with the use and development of information systems and communication technologies in the domain of tourism and leisure time. Information and communication systems embedded in a global net have profound influence on the tourism and leisure industry and will alter it considerably. Reservation systems, distributed multi-media systems, highly mobile working places, so-called "electronic markets" are the first noticeable results of this development. Advances in the use and development of tools, technologies and methodologies that have facilitated the efficient netting of information and communication systems in the tourism industry are to be presented and discussed within ENTER. In addition to the scientific and technical sessions, the conference offers tutorials, workshops and presentations for practitioners in the area of tourism. ENTER is directed towards two target groups: system developers and practitioners which are actively involved in the field of touristic information technology and methodology as well as system users and practitioners interested in a further discussion of the subject. Both these groups will be offered joint presentations to facilitate and support communication. ENTER represents one of the most important international forums of this kind and is intended to be held annually. Each of these conferences will be headed by a general topic which will especially be dealt with by the presentations for the practitioners. The theme for ENTER 1996 is Reengineering and Standardisation in Tourism. Panels or Minitracks: Panels or minitracks should address a well- defined issue. Proposals should include a title, the proposed chair, the tentative panellists (not more than four), a brief description of the panel session subject and a supporting rationale. Papers submitted to the conference have to be in English. Abstracts of no more than 1000 words should be submitted by July 31, 1995 to the Program Chair (enter@bandon.unisg.ch) preferably via e-mail, otherwise four paper copies are required for submission to: Prof. Dr. Beat Schmid Institute of Information Management University of St Gallen Dufourstr. 50 CH-9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland Submission deadlines: Submission deadline for abstract (1000 Words): August 15, 1995 Notification of preliminary acceptance: September 15, 1995 Final versions due: November 1, 1995 Conference dates: January 17-19, 1996 This call for papers and other relevant material is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www- iwi.unisg.ch/events/enter96/index.html \EOA 0713* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CALL FOR PAPERS - INFORMS Conf on Info Systems and Technology * * Mike Shaw, University of Illinois * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * INFORMS Conference on Information Systems and Technology May 5-8, 1996 Washington, D.C. USA INFORMS has a strong tradition of sponsoring activities and publications related to information systems and technology; this conference will be held annually in conjunction with future INFORMS Spring meetings. This first joint conference will provide a forum for all the groups related to information systems and information technology to discuss their views, issues, and research developments. A diverse set of topics related to information systems and information technology will be covered by the conference, which will consist of a number of focused tracks, including, but not limited to the following topics: --information systems research --artificial intelligence and knowledge management --successful practices and implementations of information systems --IT and organizational theory and organizational behavior --database management --human computer interface and the cognitive aspects of IT --decision support systems and intelligent agents --group decision and negotiation --Management of IT --computer supported collaboration and coordination technology --information engineering and software development --strategic information management --automation and computer integrated manufacturing --telecommunications and networking --electronic commerce, WWW, and Internet developments --global information systems --IT and business reengineering --information infrastructure and system integration --problem solving methods and theoretical computing --interfaces with other management disciplines The timetable is as follows: Panel proposals, manuscripts, and abstracts due: Sept 1, 1995 Notification to authors: November 15, 1995 Final version of papers for proceedings: December 15, 1995 Please submit 5 copies of manuscripts to either of the co-chairs. The length limit for articles is 15 pages and for extended abstracts is 5 pages. Manuscript format of the proceedings will follow that of the Journal of Information Systems Research. For further information and suggestions, please contact: Prof. Hasan Pirkul Fisher School of Management Ohio State University 1175 College Rd. Columbus, OH 43210 E-mail: pirkul.1@osu.edu Prof. Mike Shaw Dept. of Business Administration 350 Commerce W., MC-706 University of Illinois Champaign, IL 61820 USA E-mail: mshaw@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu \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). 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