| 1. |
- Haftor, Darek
(författare)
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An Evaluation of R.L. Ackoff’s Interactive Planning : A Case-based Approach
- 2011
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Ingår i: Systemic Practice and Action Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1094-429X .- 1573-9295. ; 24:4, s. 355-357
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Russell L. Ackoff developed the Interactive Planning (IP) methodology as a conceptual tool to guide systematic and systemic development of organizations. One of its unique features is that such development should be ideal-oriented. IP has been well-received within the Systems Thinking community in particular; where more than 300 applications of IP are mentioned. However, it has not been easy to answer the question: “does the use of IP enable that which it is proposing to enable?” as there have been no systematic, empirically grounded, and critically oriented, evaluations of IP. This study attempts to offer such an evaluation. In this case, IP was employed to support a comprehensive development of a Department within a company. This IP application was evaluated using a set of predefined evaluation criteria derived from the IP as such and also from its critique. The results suggest that IP is indeed a powerful methodology to guide organizational development. While IP has several positive merits, a set of limitations were identified and serve here as a basis for deriving recommendations for the practitioners of IP and also suggestions of areas that merit further IP research.
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| 2. |
- Hart, Rob, et al.
(författare)
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The elephant in Hotelling's room
- 2011
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Ingår i: Energy Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0301-4215 .- 1873-6777. ; 39:12, s. 7834-7838
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper questions the assumption, commonly used in theoretical and policy research, that scarcity rents make up a large proportion of market prices for oil and coal. We show that the empirical literature, simple calculations of historical and future scarcity rent shares, and possible theoretical explanations all imply the same overall conclusions: that scarcity rents seem to have been marginal or non-existent historically; that they almost certainly do not dominate fossil resource prices today; and that there will be other factors shaping the prices in the upcoming decades. We therefore argue that using the scarcity rent as the main or only basis for policy or for explaining empirical outcomes is ill-advised.
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| 3. |
- Ahrne, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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Organization outside organizations : The significance of partial organization
- 2011
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Ingår i: Organization. - : SAGE Publications. - 1350-5084 .- 1461-7323. ; 18:1, s. 83-104
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is common practice in organizational research to restrict the concept of organization to formal organizations, and to describe the world outside these entities by such other concepts as institutions or networks. It is argued in this article that the concept of organization can be fruitfully broadened to include some aspects of the order that exists outside and among organizations. A broader concept includes not only complete, formal organization, but also 'partial organization'. Both types of organization are based on decisions, but whereas complete organizations have access to all elements of organization, partial organization is based on only one or a few of these elements. Like complete organization, partial organization is a common phenomenon that not least characterizes much of the contemporary global order. The authors discuss how partial organization arises, how and why institutions and networks sometimes become organized, and the consequences of organization for change, transparency and accountability.
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| 4. |
- Kajtazi, Miranda, et al.
(författare)
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Information Inadequacy : Some causes of Failures in Human and Social Affairs
- 2011
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Ingår i: Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation. - : Academic Conferences Limited. - 1566-6379. ; 14:1, s. 63-72
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, we develop a conceptual model for understanding human‑related information practices and their behavioural activities. Our focus is on forging new possibilities to explore and improve the contemporary dilemma when human activities fail due to the lack of the needed information, which is here understood as information inadequacy. More precisely, information inadequacy is defined as vulnerable and inadequate information, composed by the dichotomy of information lack and/or of information overflow, which imposes complexities and unexpected behaviour on human, social and industrial affairs. By exploring the lack of needed information in human, social and industrial affairs, we conducted an inquiry into different empirical situations manifesting information inadequacy, subsequently examining the various theoretical bodies that relate to information inadequacy. The key question was: Which theories may explicate the key human behavioural patterns that cause information inadequacy? To answer this question, our paper presents initial guidance with a systematic approach that focuses on evaluating and further improving research and practice in terms of information relevance. The empirical cases are largely based on major human, social and industrial dysfunctions: the Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy 2008, and the Enron bankruptcy 2001, the disasters of the Columbia space shuttle in 2003, and the Challenger in 1986. The analyses are examined through theories of information behaviour that influence communication processes where two or more different actors are required to engage in activities of communicating information. The results include the identification of four information exchange patterns: influenced, intentional, hindered, and unaware. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of the model for practice with information. The paper concludes by reviewing the role of information inadequacy in economic, social and political contexts that remain challenging.
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| 5. |
- Edenius, Mats, 1960-, et al.
(författare)
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An Office on the Go : Professional Workers, Smartphones and the Return of Place
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction. - New York : IGI Publishing. - 1548-3908 .- 1548-3916. ; 7:1, s. 37-56
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This is a study on how senior managers, as professional workers, in a leading ICT company use smartphones, according to new configurations of time and space. Of special interest is how smartphones act as comforting handheld consoles without being rooted in physical location. Three non-physical places, as spatial nodes, are presented: pause in the temporal current, place as a function of the intensity of communication, place in terms of becoming rooted by felt value. It is argued that highlighting non-physical places as structures emanating from the use of smartphones is an important variable to account for when studying how professionals increasingly use smartphones, both in instrumental and non-instrumental terms.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- El-Mekawy, Mohamed, et al.
(författare)
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Extending BITA maturity model from organizational culture perspective
- 2011
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Ingår i: Proc. Annu. Hawaii Int. Conf. Syst. Sci.. - : IEEE Computer Society. - 9780769545257 ; , s. 5011-5022, s. 5011-5022
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Business-IT alignment (BITA) has gained attention during the past few years. As a result, a number of theoretical models that can be applied as supportive tools for assessing different components of BITA have been developed. However, most of these efforts have been produced either in Anglo-Saxon Countries or rooted in the experiences gained from these countries. Consequently, they ignore the factor that is subjected to change due to difference in cultural contexts. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of organizational culture on achieving BITA and influences its maturity. The research method and process that was followed, namely an in-depth literature survey followed by an empirical study of 51 Swedish multinational organizations.
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| 8. |
- Essen, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Laggards as Innovators? : Old Users as Designers of New Services & Service Systems
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Design. - 1991-3761 .- 1994-036X. ; 5:3, s. 89-98
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Involving users in the design process is increasingly discussed as the quickest and most reliable way to capture the needs of users and consumers. In parallel, the fastest growing population segment in Asia and the West is older people. This article asks whether their involvement in the design process could accelerate a growing service market and if so, how? It addresses a knowledge gap that constrains service provision for a growing market of older people and which underestimates older people's potential contribution in the early phases of the development of new services. The current role of older users is limited to that of test persons later in the design process or as objects of randomized samples that explore consumers' reactions to existing products. The present case study provides an empirical example of how old users can be involved in the early stages of service design. In doing this, the article questions the concept of old users as laggards. It suggests great potential to include such users - been arounds - as sources of innovation in the earlier phases of the design process if they have the right tools and opportunities to act. In identifying unsatisfied needs and potential market solutions, the inclusion of old users in user-driven projects can contribute to the generation of business ideas.
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| 9. |
- Rusu, Lazar, et al.
(författare)
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The Strategic Role of Information Technology in a Multinational Company : A Case of an Organization with Subsidiaries in Egypt and Sweden
- 2011
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Ingår i: Cases on Business and Management in the MENA Region. - : IGI Global. - 9781609605841 ; , s. 135-155
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this case study research is to study the strategic role that information technology ( IT) plays in two subsidiaries - located in Egypt and Sweden - of a multinational company with a federal organizational structure. Using a well-established evaluation framework and a widely accepted model, we examine two important aspects of the strategic role of IT: i) how IT supports business and organizational strategy; and ii) the maturity of business and IT strategy alignment. The case study discusses the importance of having a balanced relationship among business strategy, information strategy, organizational strategy, and the way in which business and IT managers should act to improve business-IT alignment, also referred to as strategic alignment. Based on the results of the comparative analysis of the two companies, the research presents concrete recommendations that IT decision-makers from the two subsidiaries of the multinational company should consider to improve IT performance.
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| 10. |
- Hermelin, Brita, et al.
(författare)
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Reconsidering the Geographical Flows of the Global Knowledge Economy : The Example of Indian ICT-Based Knowledge Flows to Sweden
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal for Digital Society (IJDS). - 2040-2570. ; 2:2, s. 451-461
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article discusses the geographical flows of the global knowledge economy and their unstable and rapidly changing nature. We use the development of activities in ICT (information and communication technology) in India and its connections to Sweden to illustrate changes in international business. The article explores the ways in which transformations in geography and spatial relations, politics and management are causes and effects of rapid and profound transformations in the global economy. The transformations we illustrate provide reasons to reconsider the conventional idea of uneven power relations in the world, between the stronger “global North” and the weaker “global South”. Firms based in the global South and in India develop their organizations and capabilities to compete for market share worldwide, and on the same basis as firms based in the global North.
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