1.
Bergquist, Magnus, 1960, et al.
(författare)
Genres in Action: Negotiating Genres in Practice
1999
Ingår i: Proceedings of the Thirty-second Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS). - Los Alamitos, Calif. : IEEE Computer Society. - 0769500013 ; 5
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
In this paper we present the initial findings of a genre based case study at a large Swedish company, with a record of early use of internal email (1982). The design of the particular email system was closely mapped to the organizational hierarchy. One of our informants kept one week of incoming email messages. We then asked questions about each message and how it related to the work of the informant, and to the organization. Based on the messages and the interviews we clustered the messages in different genres. Most literature of genres of organizational communication has focused on the genres themselves, e.g. email messages constituting different instances of genres. We found however that many messages, rather than being instances of genres, were part of informal conversations. In these conversations, however, it was common to discuss and negotiate which genres where appropriate to use in different situations.
2.
3.
Carstensen, Peter H., et al.
(författare)
"Here is the knowledge-where should I put it?" : Findings from a study of how knowledge spaces are used within a support group
1999
Ingår i: Proceedings. IEEE 8th International Workshops on Enabling Technologies. - : IEEE. ; , s. 223-231
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
In order to design useful knowledge media spaces to knowledge workers it is essential that we understand the nature of the work conducted and the knowledge applied in real settings. This paper reports from a study of how a group of quality assurance specialists gather, structure and distribute information and knowledge. Based on the findings a number of overall requirements for knowledge mediaspaces are identified and discussed. The essential findingswere that information and knowledge are created and handled in many different ways and have many differentforms. The core issues of our lessons learned so far are that we carefully need to consider knowledge media spaces both in terms of communication channels and knowledge archives. Knowledge media spaces should be seen as spaces in which knowledge and information is exchanged, filed,retrieved, presented and refined by actors having different vocabulary and perspectives on the knowledge. These characteristics must be taken into account when designing IT and multimedia based knowledge media spaces.
4.
Eriksén, Sara
(författare)
Knowing and the Art of IT Management. An inquiry into work practices in one-stop shops
1998
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
New information technology is developing faster than the models, metaphors and methods in use for conceptualizing the sharing and managing of information in organizations, in communities and in society in general. The way we utilize information technology today does not seem to succeed in supporting the everyday work practices through which organizations accomplish their work. In this Ph.D. dissertation, the results of a research project about skill, cooperation and computer support in public service one-stop shops are presented and discussed. Based on these results, alternative metaphors are presented for understanding the constructive aspects of front office work practices. One hypothesis is, that there is added value in not only being aware of multiperspectivity as an issue, but of making use of it in design. A problem here is that many traditional research methods, as well as most methods for systems development, are designed to diminish rather than make use of ambiguity and diversity. The metaphor of inverted indexicality of language is introduced in order to conceptualize the construction of meaning in action. New ways of conceptualizing IT management for the shop floor - including design issues - are proposed. Metaphors like 'the art of IT management', 'gardening' and 'caring for' are indicative of the issues at stake.
5.
6.
Grönlund, Åke, 1954-, et al.
(författare)
Mobility in the wild
1999
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)
7.
Wiberg, Mikael, et al.
(författare)
Mobility in the wild social aspects of mobile work : a framework for further research and design
1999
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
We report ongoing research in search of characteristics of mobile work and use of mobile ICT (information and communication technologies) to support such work. Based on an empirical investigation of the work of mobile service technicians at Telia Nära, we outline five areas of social interaction where mobility changes fundamental aspects of the work.
8.
Eriksson, Darek M., 1969-, et al.
(författare)
Postmodernity and systems science : An evaluation of J.-L. Le Moigne's contribution to the management of the present civilization
1997
Ingår i: Systemic Practice and Action Research. - London : Springer. - 1094-429X .- 1573-9295. ; 10:4, s. 395-408
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
In this text, a French school of systems thought is evaluated with reference to its contribution to postmodernity. The main conclusion is that this system provides some pertinent contribution but that there are also some domains where it does not provide much help. Both these domains are identified and discussed. The text starts with a discussion of the postmodern challenge. This is followed by a presentation and critical evaluation of the theory under consideration. The latter gives rise to the Discussion and Conclusion.
9.
Avdic, Anders, 1950-
(författare)
Användare och utvecklare : om anveckling med kalkylprogram
1999
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
I avhandlingen behandlas förutsättningar och effekter av kalkylprogramanveckling (KPA). KPA utförs av anvecklare, som fungerar både som användare och utvecklare. Anvecklare har djup verksamhetskunskap och viss verktygskunskap. Systemet, som anvecklaren utvecklar med kalkylprogram, kallas kalkylsystem. Den grundläggande forskningsfrågan i avhandlingen är: "Vilka nya möjligheter får användare att utföra arbetsuppgifter då de själva kan bygga informationssystem?" Avhandlingens syfte är att formulera en begreppsmodell över vilka förutsättningar och effekter, som gäller för kalkylprogramanveckling.Avhandlingens strategi kan sägas vara kvalitativ, hermeneutisk, abduktiv och empirinära. Fyra empiriska studier har genomförts. Empiri har i stor utsträckning styrt studier av relaterad teori. Den praktikgeneriska modellen har använts som referensmodell i avhandlingen, vilket har lett till ett synsätt, som innebär att när anvecklaren anvecklar, agerar han i minst två praktiker, utvecklarpraktiken och huvudpraktiken. Varje praktik har sin uppsättning av förutsättningar, t ex kunskap, normer och verktyg.Den integrerade karaktären på anveckling, gör interaktivitet i utvecklingsarbetet möjlig, vilket i sin tur innebär att anvecklaren snabbt kan växla mellan utveckling och användning. Ökad verktygskunskap kan innebära att anvecklaren ökar sin verksamhetskunskap. Då anvecklarens verksamhetskunskap ökar, ökar möjligheterna att analysera och ifrågasätta verksamheten. Anveckling innebär också att hänsyn kan tas till svårformaliserbara mål och normer, samt att formalisering av tyst kunskap möjliggörs. Anveckling i en miljö med lokala nätverk förenklar möjligheterna att distribuera kalkylsystem för granskning och verifiering. Kalkylsystemets transparens underlättar analys och diskussion. I avhandlingen diskuteras anveckling som ett sätt att hantera kontinuerlig omvärldsförändring på ett sätt som kan innebära omprövning av normer i verksamheten. Då anveckling betraktas som en form av systemutveckling, skiljer sig anveckling starkt från traditionell systemutveckling i och med att anveckling kännetecknas av integration, medan traditionell systemutveckling kännetecknas av specialisering.
10.
Axelsson, Karin, 1968-
(författare)
Metodisk systemstrukturering : att skapa samstämmighet mellan informationssystemarkitektur och verksamhet
1998
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
This thesis deals with the problem of how to create an information systems architecture which is in concert with the organization, its goals and strategies. The aim is to explore the problem area and develop knowledge about how to avoid some of these problems. In a qualitative research project, case studies were performed at six organizations. The studies focused on the process of realizing an IS strategy and the results of these activities. The organizations studied had either realized a data-driven strategy emphasizing data integration and central administration of information (Information Resource Management - IRM) or a strategy advocating decentralization and local responsibility for information (Verksamhetsbaserad Systemstrukturering - VBS). The data collection was based mainly on interviews, but also contained observations and studies of written sources. Ale data analysis method was inspired by grounded theory.The data analysis resulted in the categories of "Information systems structuring conditions", "Actors" and "User participation", which together form the core category of Factors affecting the information systems structuring. The categories of "Business language", "Distribution of responsibility", "User acceptance", "Systems understanding", "Business adjustments", and "Maintenance and changes" together form the core category The information systems' degree of organizational support. Each category consists of elements that were only observed in one of the IS strategies and elements that seem to occur independently of the chosen strategy. This indicates that the chosen IS strategy implies some influence on the organization but other effects seem to be strategy-independent. his fact has been interpreted to the effect that the actual course of action when realizing an IS strategy is of great importance. The course of action could be very much the same even if two different strategies are realized.As a result of these findings, a human and business perspective on information systems structuring was formulated. The case studies showed that even if organizations realize an IS strategy, and therefore deprecate ad hoc-based structuring, they do not treat the structuring activities as separate from system development. The architecture design was integrated with system development and architectural issues were treated mainly from a technical point of view. The perspective formulated in this thesis implies that choices made during the information systems structuring process should be well-grounded. Decisions should be made from a holistic point of view rather than merely a technical one. As a result of this belief, the perspective does not advocate any common IS strategy (such as IRM or VBS). Instead the starting-point for the analysis is a strategy-independent analysis of the organization and its information systems. Only after this analysis is it possible to choose or to formulate the IS strategy best suited for the organization. During an action research project a method for information systems structuring was developed and tested. The method is based on the perspective discussed above.
