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This paper focuses on the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic library operations. In the quest to render fast, effective and efficient services, academic libraries have adopted different technologies in the past. Artificial intelligence technologies is the latest among the technologies currently being introduced in libraries. The technology which is considered an intelligent system, come in the form of robots and expert systems which have natural language processing, machine learning and pattern recognition capabilities. This paper examined the features of AI, the application of AI to library operations, examples of academic libraries with AI technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa, the need for AI in libraries and the challenges associated with the adoption of AI in libraries. The study concluded that AI holds a lot of prospects for the improvement of information services delivery in African academic libraries. Consequently, its adoption is a sinequanon to delivering robust library services in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent media ecologies are often characterized by their apparent excess and availability of information, in which elites have lost power to a multitude of citizen users. The 2010s, however, are marked by a new information battlespace, as governments, militaries and news organizations have arrested the initial chaotic free-for-all of the Internet. It was into this environment that the ‘Panama Papers’ were leaked in April 2016. We employ this story to illuminate some of the workings of information warfare in the contemporary Russian media ecology. We reveal the sophisticated gatekeeping work undertaken by a range of actors (state, journalists, news publics) in this ecology and their treatment of information across its historically established (television) and emergent (social) media forms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With the advance of the IT industry, the possibility for using handheld devices to read is increasing. However, few researches discussed the elderly users’ reading performance while using various displays under different ambient conditions. Consequently, this study investigated the effects of display type (plain paper, color electronic paper (e-paper), and transmissive light-emitting diode (LED)) and ambient illuminance (50, 500, 6000, and 12,000 lx) on the reading performance of young and elderly readers. The results of this study show that young participants achieved higher comprehension than did elderly participants. The interaction between display and ambient illuminance had a significant effect on users’ comprehension. Participants who used the transmissive LED as the reading media did not show significantly different comprehension at various levels of ambient illuminance. However, participants who used the plain paper and color e-paper display achieved higher comprehension performance at 500, 6000, and 12,000 lx than at 50 lx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including human services; virtual community; and information technology.

In this article, a content analysis is performed for the papers that appeared in Total Quality Management and Business Excellence. A total of 1132 papers which appeared in the volumes from 6 to 19 are analysed into several different dimensions. Country origins and academic unit of authors (engineering/basic sciences/management sciences, etc.), research methods (library search/conceptual study/case study/simulation/field survey, etc.) and unit of analyses (individual/company/firm/regional/national/international level) are included in this analysis. In addition to those attributes, keywords of the papers and the content of case studies (manufacturing/service/information technology) are computed as well. Association mining has also been performed to determine the consequential relationships among the attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) can significantly contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by offering innovative solutions and enhancing the efficiency of processes aimed at achieving these goals. There is a perceived need for studies which may look at these connections. Against this background, this paper reports on a study that investigated the connections between artificial intelligence and the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at higher education institutions. The paper deployed a multi-methods approach. The first one was a bibliometric analysis of publications in the topic. The second method used was an assessment of a set of case studies, that illustrate how artificial intelligence is being deployed among a sample of universities in support of efforts to implement the SDGs and a survey aimed at identifying current and future trends. The data gathered allow some trends to be identified. For instance, that there is a wide range of applications of AI to sustainability in High Education Institutions (HEI), to be chosen in terms of campus operations and greening, outreach and community engagement, research, teaching and learning, and university management. Also, the paper has identified successful examples of the deployment of AI in various sustainability contexts, illustrating what are the success factors for them. Moreover, the survey identified the fact that the use of AI is quite widely spread, and is likely to increase in coming years, due to a greater demand. Finally, AI also poses several challenges, such as authenticity and ethics in assessment (case studies), 'lack of access to software/materials', and 'lack of information technology training for myself/my colleagues' (survey). Overall, AI offers a powerful toolset to accelerate and enhance the implementation of the UN SDGs. By analysing vast datasets, predicting outcomes, optimising processes, and providing new insights, AI has the potential to address complex sustainability challenges across various sectors. HIGHLIGHTS: Artificial intelligence (AI) is fast becoming a component of modern life, being used in many areas. AI has a growing impact on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It can catalyse innovations in areas as varied as circular economy and smart cities. AI offers a vital nexus between sustainable development and effective climate change adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing proportion of information technology (IT)/information system adoption research collects data using online surveys. However, a paucity of research assesses the equivalence of paper-based versus Internet-based surveys in collectivistic cultures. Furthermore, no theoretical or empirical research investigates how cultural differences between collectivistic and individualistic cultures influence the measurement equivalence (ME) of these survey modes. To explore these issues, online and paper-based surveys with comparable samples were carried out in both an individualistic (the USA) and a collectivistic culture (China). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the ME across both survey modes in these different cultures. Results indicate that the relatively larger satisficing discrepancy between paper and online surveys causes respondents in collectivistic cultures to have an increased likelihood of providing responses that vary as compared to respondents in individualistic cultures. The disparate responses, in turn, result in increased measurement variance between the two survey modes. The findings of this study bridge a gap in the literature and address the question of how culture influences online satisficing behaviour and how that behaviour causes measurement invariance across survey modes. This study also explains the possible underlying mechanisms by which different national cultures exert their influence on survey results. The findings provide important implications for IT researchers, especially those in collectivistic cultures or those who need to collect data in collectivistic cultures using online surveys or mixed-mode surveys that include an online survey mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease with profound effects on the global society, as it affects individual lives, communities, societies, and even nations. As governments try to gear up on the war against this pandemic, an issue of importance pertains to the use of information systems. The systems are used to collect data on the prevalence of the disease, and analyze and transmit the data from the lower levels of the health administration where the testing is done to the higher levels of national policy making where different kinds of interventions are designed. In this article, we argue that the manner in which the representation of the disease is constructed is an important area of concern as it shapes the picture of the disease prevalence and influences how these statistics then get used for the planning of interventions such as supplying drugs and pro-health campaigns. Drawing from the domain of Science and Technology Studies (STS), with a focus on Bruno Latour's (1999) ideas of “circulating reference” we first develop the theoretical notion of representation, and then apply it to an empirical analysis of the reporting systems, both paper- and computer-based, of HIV/AIDS in Mozambique. The successive movements of information about HIV/AIDS prevalence across the various administrative levels are seen as translations that are being constructed through the communication and work practices of the health care workers at different levels, and are shaped by the political interests of the different stakeholders involved, including international agencies and national health authorities. Latour's notion of circulating reference is drawn upon to analyze the question of what is lost, what is gained, and what remains invariant through the successive stages of translation in the construction and use of the representation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the use of Lotus NOTES in the civil service section in Ireland with reference to the concurrent use of electronic and paper document. Disagreements in the claims of Irish citizens for particular government benefits; Factors influencing the reliance of the sector on paper files; Perceived threats posed by the information system.

To enable you to remain competitive in future, you must already start to focus your company on the task of meeting the challenges that are emerging from development trends stretching back over several years and which are becoming more apparent all the time. These trends are leading to increasing levels of complexity, dynamism and uncertainty in the corporate environment. This paper is an attempt to highlight these technological and structural developments, frequently referred to as megatrends: changes of a fundamental nature with far-reaching implications for the economy and society with attendant opportunities and threats to industry. One focal point of this paper will therefore be the fundamental developments in the microelectronics sector and their wider implications, which will necessarily lead to a consideration of the technologies of IT and telecommunications. Another aspect receiving attention here will be the problems facing industry in the wake of structural change of this magnitude as well as the key measures adopted to enable industry to cope with these problems successfully. This will demonstrate that structural change is not due solely to the increasing level of globalization of world business. Indeed, it will be shown that other significant influencing factors are to be found in the trend moving us from an information society to a knowledge society, and in the transition from an industrial society to one based on services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents how patient throughput within an Emergency Department (ED) can be accurately and automatically characterized using a combination of data derived from a real-time location system (RTLS) and other traditional hospital IT systems such as Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Laboratory Information Systems. Such insights can be used by a hospital to identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies and develop strategies to optimize and monitor patient flows. A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted among 1149 patients. Five KPIs, including time from arrival to triageand total length of stay, were used to evaluate ED timestamps to characterize the flow of the patient. A description of the techniques used to combine the various data sources to perform the accurate measurements is provided. The paper also describes the measurements obtained and indicates how real-time locating systems can contribute towards improving the quality of the timestamps generated compared to only using data from traditional hospital IT systems. A principial finding is that there is a large gap between the length of stay using only EMR data and the one computed combining EMR and RTLS data. Finally, the paper provides guidelines on how to deploy such a system effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information technology poses many challenges both to general management and to the IT industry itself. After extrapolating some of the technological trends that could have significant impacts on commercial and public sector IT in the 1990, the paper reviews four major challenges. These are the need to develop IT strategies, both nationally and for individual organisations; the need to create alliances: the need to avoid misalliances; mechanisms for converting ideas into action. A considerable emphasis is placed on the need to understand the managerial environment within which IT is used, and to see IT as only one element within wider organisational systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact that information technology can have on development is the subject of an ongoing debate. Central to this debate is the role of universities. Education shapes people's attitudes toward technology and determines how it will be used. This research shows that in India, students at higher educational institutions are socialized to believe that information technology can have a very positive impact on their country. They do not share the skepticism commonly found in Western literature. This research finds that first and foremost, IT is seen as a tool for personal development, where students can leverage their education to become rich and successful, either in India or abroad. Second, IT is seen as a tool for Indian ascension, lifting India to the status of a great global power. Only thirdly is IT seen as a means to assist in the development of India's poor population. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global software organization (GSOs) are a recent form of work settings where Information Technology (IT) professionals engage in information and communication technology (ICT) mediated software development work for businesses across the globe. Issues of self, identity, and gender are linked to particularities of GSOs as a work setting. Using an interpretative, ethnographic approach, empirical data from a case study in India was analyzed to understand how gender was expressed in GSOs and linked to the concepts of self and identity of IT workers. Data suggests that GSOs are a global work setting where local issues of gender reflect social arrangements in Indian society. These arrangements have implications for GSOs as a work setting, for software development work, as well as for the selves and identities of IT workers. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the authors attempt to find out what roles the digital divide plays in the dynamics of the growth gap among countries by looking at the relationship between ICT investment and the evolution of total factor productivity in 38 countries. The empirical results show that the digital divide, on one hand, widens the growth gap between countries. On the other hand, the global ICT diffusion generates ICT externalities, which have positive effects on the total factor productivity of less-developed countries. Therefore, the global digitalization may have both negative impacts, manifested in a widening digital divide and growth gap, and positive impacts reflected in the effects of knowledge spillovers. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How is policy for information and communication technology (ICT) for developing countries actually formulated? How are the negotiations made, and with whom? What are the dialectical queries and responses, the give and take that compose policy discussions? Some of this is accomplished behind the scenes, and will remain inaccessible to our scrutiny. However, much of the critical interaction among key players such as government officials, academics, consultants, employees of non-government organizations, donors, and development officers is available publicly for analysis and interpretation via the text exchanges produced on open forum Internet discussion groups. Thus, when subjected to systematic analysis, this data becomes a prime source for developing a rich understanding of policy formulation. In this article the authors use a special kind of qualitative rhetorical analysis called dramatism to analyze and thus understand the formulation of policy online through an open discussion forum. Rationales for ICTs for development, appropriate ICT impact assessment, and implementation for economic development in a variety of countries were available via the Internet forum studied. The language of the discussion from actual, unedited texts of Internet discussions using dramatistic analysis is examined. The ensuing discussions reveal a collective vision that helps influence ICT policy formulation, rationales, distribution, implementation, and use in developing countries. Dramatism is construed to be a humanistic method that rests on the assumption that dramas are created through small group interaction and chain through written speeches and documents until they reach the mass media and are picked back up by small groups once again. Through analysis, the emerging main plot, subplot, hero, and villain of the ICT policy drama that took place from 1998–2002 in an Internet discussion forum are identified. The conclusions drawn are intended to be useful to both researchers and policy makers, who will be able to draw on this contribution to create a wide-ranging set of information technology strategies and policies that can be implemented in many developing nation contexts. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of donor-supported information technology (IT)–based projects developed or implemented in less-developed economies (LDEs) end up as complete or partial failures or unsustainable. Notably, a number of intra-organizational and external factors are associated with this problem, including inadequate infrastructure and human resource capacity, fragmented donor policy, and lack of policies to manage the sustainability problem. Accordingly, IT initiatives are often donor-driven, top-down, and hijacked by top managers who (normally) do not have adequate skills, but have enormous power to enforce such initiatives across organizational hierarchies. In analyzing the concepts from sustainability and institutionalization, key insights towards a better understanding of the problem of unsustainability are developed. It is argued that health information systems (HISs) become sustainable if they are institutionalized in the sense of being integrated into the everyday routine of the user organization. However, a sustainable HIS should also be flexible enough to allow changes as the user needs change. Moreover, introduction of a new HIS is not only a technical change, but requires the cultivation and institutionalization of a new kind of culture. Through a comparative case analysis of the HIS development and implementation processes in Tanzania and Mozambique, we have identified two sets of relationships, between the Ministry of Health (MoH) and donor agencies and between the MoH and software development agencies as critical and contributing factors to the unsustainability of a HIS. Given this setting, we highlight three key strategies for dealing with the problem of unsustainability in LDEs: (a) integration of a HIS, (b) local shaping of new cultures, and (c) cultivation approach to systems development. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we provide a theoretically informed empirical analysis of the introduction and use of information and communication technology (ICT) within the primary health care (PHC) sector of Mozambique. The theoretical lens for this analysis is developed from Manuel Castells' (1996, 1997, 2001) ideas on the network society and counter domination. These ideas help us to conceptualize the communicative action required to strengthen the PHC sector as a “counter network,” which has the normative aim to strengthen the health information system (HIS) as a key strategy to improve health care delivery. Taking an informational perspective, the role of communication is highlighted as playing an important constitutive basis in the strengthening of this network. These conceptual ideas are applied to the empirical analysis of an ongoing project (the Health Information Systems Programme or HISP), and to analyze some key constraints and strategies for strengthening these networks. This study makes key contributions to both the theoretical and practical domains of HIS in developing countries. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calls for papers for the special issue of the "Journal of Information Technology for Development," which will focus on offshore sourcing of information technology in developing nations.

The article presents a conference paper about "Next Generation" libraries. It cites changes that impacted library design such as developments in active collaborative and discursive learning and the transformation brought about by information technology. It discusses the Workshop Process utilized by the Iahznummo architects in building consensus for innovation in library design that involves all stakeholders, citing processes involved in libraries in Australia.

The globalisation of the food industry increases the complexity and the difficulty in enhancing efficiency and solving issues in food supply chains. Blockchain is a promising decentralised information technology that could benefit food supply chains by reducing transaction cost and time, increasing process transparency, security, and efficiency, as well as building trust among participants. In this paper, we introduce the major blockchain platforms currently used in food supply chains and conduct a synthesis analysis to explore the benefits and challenges of blockchain technology in the food industry. We demonstrate that blockchain enables unprecedented visibility at each step of the food supply chain, helps increase transaction transparency, food safety, and quality, and also reduces food fraud and waste. Furthermore, it serves as a digital solution for reducing operational costs and improving efficiency in food supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computers are now widely used by children. Tablet computers are becoming widely available and promoted for use by school children. The primary objective of this study was to compare the posture and muscle activity of children using a tablet computer to the posture and muscle activity of children using a desktop computer and paper technology. Eighteen children (mean age 5.6 years) performed a colouring-in task in tablet, desktop and paper conditions. 3-D posture and muscle activity around the neck and shoulder was assessed. Tablet computer use was similar to paper use, with less neutral spinal posture, more elevated scapular posture and greater upper trapezius and cervical erector spinae activity. This was offset by greater variability of posture and muscle activity. Tablet computer use clearly results in different musculoskeletal stresses than desktop computer use. Computer use guidelines need to be appropriate to traditional and emerging technologies. Tablet computers are being promoted for use by adults and children. However, the physical impact of using this type of technology is not known. The findings of this study provide the first tablet-specific evidence to inform guidelines on wise use of tablet computers by children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Markups, which are when prices are greater than the marginal cost of production, have increased in the USA over the last decades. Our paper explores the differences in markups between Information Technology (IT) and non-IT firms. By doing so, we contribute to the understanding of the role of the IT industry in the increase in markups. We extend to De Loecker, Eeckhout, and Unger (2020), who find that markups of publicly traded firms have risen since 1980. They argue that no industry has systematically higher markups. We develop a novel firm-level classification method using natural language processing (NLP) to distinguish IT from non-IT firms. Our approach differs from the commonly used North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Using our classification, we find that the increase in markup in the period since 1980 occurred in two separate episodes. In the first, from 1980 until 1996, firms recovered from the fall of markups in the 1970s. In the second episode, since 1996, markups of IT firms diverge enormously. Markups of IT firms surge from 47% in 1996 to 80% in 2018, while the markup of non-IT firms remains largely unchanged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex product and production systems often result in high variability in the production flow, prohibiting the sustainable implementation of lean practices. In this paper the authors introduce a PDCA cycle to analyse and reduce variability in value streams. The value stream is divided into zones, which are then qualified as stable or unstable. Lean practices can be applied in stable zones, unstable zones remain expert-driven. Measures are introduced to reduce variability in unstable zones with the ultimate target, to turn them into stable zones, extending sustainable lean activities in the value stream, step by step. An IT system is developed to acquire, process and visualise the vast amount of data to provide structured information for experts and management for the reduction of variability in production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of information technology, big data analysis has been highlighted in operations and management. From this viewpoint, this paper studies a buyer's optimal purchasing decisions in combined procurement. For combined procurement, a buyer first signs a long-term contract with a supplier to guarantee a certain level of commodity supply, and can then replenish the commodities from the spot market if necessary. The optimal purchasing quantity in the long-term contract is examined to maximise the buyer's expected profit from combined procurement. In view of the imperfectness in the spot market, the spot trading liquidity is considered in the buyer's optimal purchasing decision. The properties of the two optimal purchasing quantities are examined and several interesting results are obtained. For example, it is illustrated that a buyer's expected profit may decrease in the spot capacity, a result that has never appeared in the existing literature, which reveals the importance of a buyer's optimal order decision in the presence of spot replenishment. Numerical results and sensitivity analysis are performed to verify the results. Management insights are suggested for a buyer's optimal purchasing decisions in combined procurement with a long-term contract and spot replenishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve qualitative case studies in German and Canadian hospitals and IT companies were used in this mixed-methods study analysing the labour market outcomes of immigrants. The reported case studies investigate the immigrants' recognition, integration process and the usability of foreign qualifications, skills and work experiences in the labour market. Furthermore, the strategies and rationales of employers and employees within the recruiting process are analysed. Here, the focus lies on the transferability and obstacles of cultural and social capital across country borders as well as the relevant framework conditions. This paper refers to Bourdieu's approach towards different types of capital as well as the rational choice theory. The results demonstrate that immigrants in both countries face more obstacles accessing the labour market within the health sector than within the IT sector. The context of the recruiting situation strongly affects the strategies and behaviour of the employers or the recruiters. Within these sector- and country-specific confines, individual factors determine the immigrants' labour market success. Furthermore, the sector and the country affect the relevance of each individual factor in the recruiting process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Account of Practice concerns a short training programme for action learning facilitators, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The programme is run on action learning principles and it involves participants working as an action learning set, taking turns to act as facilitators, set members, and issue holders, and reflecting on the processes they experience and the learning they are gaining. They are supported by two experienced action learning facilitators. The paper explains how these learning processes are structured and enabled, and also shares examples of the models that are used to help participants understand how best to learn through engaging in new experiences and to support the development of the fundamental facilitation skills of listening and asking questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the complementarity effect of information technology (IT) and workplace organization (WO) on firms' productivity, but it also provides evidence of the differential effect of two of the main IT systems: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). To do this, I use a sample of more than 1,600 large Spanish firms for the period 2006-2009. I find evidence supporting the hypothesis that IT and WO are complementary. I also find that the use of CRM seems to interact better with WO to enhance productivity. Finally, results are consistent when analyzing manufacturing and services firms separately, although evidence for complementarity is strong for services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this era of information technology, information leakage and file corruption due to computer virus intrusion have been serious issues. How to detect and prevent the spread of the computer virus is the major challenge we are facing now. To target this problem, a class of virus propagation models with hybrid control scheme are formulated to investigate the dynamic evolution and prevention from a spatial-temporal perspective in this paper. Diffusion-induced Turing instability is detected in response to the computer virus propagation. The introduction of hybrid control scheme can effective suppress Turing instability and turn the propagation system back to a stable state. And then, the time delay is selected as the bifurcation parameter. If the time delay exceeds the bifurcation threshold, the propagation will be destabilised and a Hopf bifurcation will occur. The hybrid control tactic can not only regulate the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation well, but also optimise the properties of bifurcating period solutions. In the end, the correctness and validity of the theoretical results are verified via numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to identify and explore the learning objectives outlining the core knowledge for forensic accounting education. Bloom's taxonomy is used to outline and analyze the core knowledge for forensic accounting education (e.g. fraud examination, litigation support, business valuation, and IT forensic accounting) in 15 Australian universities that provide forensic accounting courses. Furthermore, this paper applies a qualitative method to forensic accounting curricula, handbooks, and syllabi. These educational documents were retrieved from Australian universities. The findings report learning objectives under core content knowledge distributed over Bloom's cognitive areas. This study also provides a unified set of learning objectives to harmonize forensic accounting courses' teaching and learning processes. The most promising contribution of the paper is to provide a set of learning objectives in all forensic accounting subtopics. The main implications of this paper are relevant to forensic accounting educators, students, standard setters, researchers, regulators, and curricula designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant subassemblies are defined as the reusable regions of pre-existing 3D assembly models. A significant subassembly has great significances for design reuse as it aggregates abundant knowledge in a vivid 3D CAD model and enables designers to reuse existing mature designs from a high-level perspective. Consequently, this paper contributes to significant subassembly generation from pre-existing 3D assembly models for design reuse. The paper first gives an explicit definition of significant subassemblies and further explores the multilevel knowledge embedded in these significant subassemblies. Based on the above definition and multilevel knowledge, a knowledge-based approach is then proposed for significant subassembly generation, which includes three phases: (1) identifying candidate subassemblies with high cohesion inside and low coupling outside using the Markov clustering process; (2) removing normal candidate subassemblies with low reusability and less information, and generating filtered subassemblies using the proposed assembly frequency - inverse mean subassembly frequency based scheme; and (3) determining significant subassemblies by measuring the complexity of the filtered subassemblies. Finally, a computer numerical control honing machine model is taken as an application example to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with ongoing large-scale cyber espionage and the rising prominence of information operations targeting social media, the cyber conflict scholarship has entered into a renewed debate over how to characterise the role and place of cyberspace conflict in broader patterns of international security. In response to these empirical challenges, this paper argues that the current scholarship is limited because it uses the 'cyberspace domain' – a doctrinal concept originating in the U.S. military – as a conceptual foundation. This paper argues that the cyberspace domain should be replaced with a holistic conception of "information competition" of which there are three paradigms: cyberspace domain, mixed, and information. All states seek to intervene in the flow and storage of information across domestic and international contexts; information competition is better able to capture information-related interactions between states and observed empirical variation in how states approach information technology and conflict. For example, China and Russia centre 'information' as the core organising framework for their approach to information technology and conflict. This paper also demonstrates how an information competition framework better clarifies the role that the U.S. has played in shaping Russian and Chinese approaches to information competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an information technology that could significantly improve supply chain visibility and process automation, blockchain has been extensively applied in the field of supply chain finance (SCF). However, tradeoffs among the security, the operation cost, and the efficiency of the blockchain system may cause the SCF system dominated by a financial institution to inevitably fall into the dilemmas of risky or un-economic if the blockchain technology is applied inappropriately. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to optimise the blockchain application in the financial institution-based SCF system. We first analyse the application of blockchain security in SCF, and then the performance tradeoffs of blockchain and its impact on the performance of the supported SCF system. Based on the analysis above, an optimisation approach has been proposed and a corresponding non-linear integer programming (NIP) model has been constructed to select the best blockchain design schemes for the SCF system to achieve overall optimal in terms of security, cost, and efficiency. A designed ant colony algorithm is used to solve the optimisation problem. An application case analysis is used to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the optimisation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, COVID-19 is attracting people's attention worldwide. The rapid spread of the epidemic has had a very large impact on the education sector. Many countries have organized students to engage in online learning and study at home. As a country was seriously affected in the early stage of the epidemic, after a period of hard work, China has developed nationwide online education. Compared with that in many developed countries, the emergence of information technology in China did not occur early. However, the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 forced Chinese schools to carry out large-scale online teaching. Based on the theoretical framework of the interaction between online education policy and public response, this paper combs the change trend of online education policy focus in China in recent 20 years and the change of public response direction in microblog hot search comments after the online education policy was introduced during the epidemic period through a variety of text statistical analysis methods, and discusses the interaction between social public response and online education policy. This paper explains the reasons for China's successful implementation of nationwide online education in primary and secondary schools in early 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we explore the organizational process change dynamic through a theoretical lens of business process reengineering (BPR) models. We review relevant literature related to such models to devise a synthesized model of BPR. The synthesized model facilitates the identification of success factors for BPR. Results from in-depth case-study research add explanatory power to our model. It is hoped that our model and subsequent success factors will offer insights to help organizations effectively manage change and transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The progress of science and technology makes the birth of nanometer material. In order to study the application of nanometer material in disaster prevention and mitigation, this paper proposes the research on the disaster information integration technology of disaster prevention and mitigation system based on nanometer material. This paper introduces the disaster information integration technology of the disaster prevention and mitigation system based on nanometer material. In order to highlight the advantages of the disaster prevention and mitigation system based on nanometer material, this paper carries out the function test and performance test. In the aspect of performance test, this paper compares it with the disaster prevention and mitigation system of other two materials from the aspects of response time and accuracy research. In this paper, we find that the response time of the disaster prevention and mitigation system based on nanometer material is faster than that of the other two systems, and the accuracy of the system in this paper will not be greatly reduced with the increase of task amount, which is relatively stable. Among them, when the task amount is 10, the accuracy of the system in this paper is 0.96, and when the task amount is 150, the accuracy of this system is 0.94. The results of this paper show that the disaster prevention and mitigation system based on nanometer material is relatively superior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Information and communication technology (ICT) has been proven to have effect in terms of providing alternative ways to deliver rehabilitation services. The intention with this paper is to serve as a foundation for discussions regarding the future development, design, and delivery of home-based rehabilitation, including ICT. Aim: To reflect on and discuss the possibilities and challenges of using ICT in home-based rehabilitation services. Method and material: We use experiences and results from various projects to reflect on and discuss possibilities and challenges related to the use of ICT in home-based rehabilitation. Findings and discussion: We exemplify how ICT present new possibilities that can increase the quality of the rehabilitation process and improve access to services. We reflect on some challenges in the use of ICT, related to non-user-friendly solutions, to the specific rehabilitation situation, and a lack of technical support. At an organisational level, readiness to use ICT can impact the extent to which new solutions are integrated into practice. Conclusion: We emphasise that ICT has the potential to develop and improve service delivery and contribute to increased quality and accessibility of home-based rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the results of an online survey that benchmarked the organization of information technology (IT) functions in academic library members of the Association of Research Libraries. The survey investigated whether responsibility for 14 key areas resided in the libraries or in an institution-level information technology department, whether responsibilities have shifted over the past 20 years, satisfaction with services provided, assessment methods used to evaluate information technology services, and top challenges facing library IT. This paper considers the survey results addressing where the responsibility lies, satisfaction with the support, and whether and when the responsibility changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how CEOs educational background affects the agglomeration economies–firm performance relationship based on the upper echelons theory. With a sample of Chinese software and information technology services public listed firms, it is found that CEO educational specialization helps firms to reap the benefits of agglomeration. Specifically, firms led by CEOs with science or engineering degrees benefit more from specialization externalities, while firms led by CEOs with business, economics or legal degrees enjoy more diversity externalities. This paper contributes to the specialization versus diversity debate by stating the importance of individual CEOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermally bistable behavior of spin-crossover solids opens up prospects for their widespread use as information technology materials, sensors, or micro-refrigerators. In this paper, we build upon a mean-field model of spin-crossover transition in elastic Morse lattice. The phase transition caused by the short-range elastic intermolecular interaction is discussed using an Ising-like fictitious-spin formulation and mean-field theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern supply chain is characterised by an ill-defined and porous perimeter, allowing entry points for potential adversaries to intercept sensitive information and disrupt operations. Such supply chain attacks are increasing in frequency and their impacts can be costly to an organisation. Trust between supply chain partners is commonly thought to be a risk management tool, where increasing trust results in reduced risk. However, increased trust may actually expose the supply chain to more risk, not less. In this paper, we propose the concept of the zero trust supply chain. Originating in the field of information technology and cybersecurity, a zero trust philosophy assumes that all actors and activity are untrusted. In contrast to perimeter-based security, which attempts to keep adversarial actors out, a zero trust-based security posture assumes that adversaries are already inside the system, and therefore imposes strict access and authentication requirements. In this paper, we map zero trust concepts to the supply chain, and discuss the steps an organisation might take to transition to zero trust. We set forth a research agenda by examining zero trust through the lens of several organisational theories and propose a number of research propositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A foreword to "Behavioural and Information Technology" is presented.

Economic geographers exploring the globalisation of food retailing have argued that retail TNCs might secure a foothold in host markets by deepening their territorial embeddedness in regional logistics and supply networks, consumer markets and cultures, and property markets. Yet, over the past decade in China, hitherto one of the most prominent foci for food retail TNC entry, the market has rapidly morphed in ways that have profoundly challenged the ability of international food retailers to deepen or even maintain their territorial embeddedness, with divestment an increasing reality. This paper argues that the advantages retail TNCs initially enjoyed (e.g., superiority in store format design and planning; marketing and IT infrastructure; favourable host market regulations; and efficient sourcing/logistics networks) have atrophied in the face of a maturing retail market characterised by strengthening domestic retail competition, less favourable host market regulations, the rise of digital platforms and markedly shifting customer expectations. As such, a reformulation is required that identifies how three imperatives – which we term online integration, offline reconfiguration and strategic reinforcement – crosscut the existing dimensions of territorial embeddedness and set the context for the strategic responses of retail TNCs and their highly variable effectiveness. More broadly, the paper exposes the dynamic, multi-agent and temporal nature of the retail embeddedness process, with the retail TNC and their strategic responses set against a host market context of intersecting stakeholders, institutions and regulations that are themselves also in a constant state of flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to identify the driving elements of the South African financial sector. While South Africa's financial sector appears robust, there exists a dearth of empirical research investigating the determinants of its development. Thus, this work assesses how three critical factors: natural resource abundance (NR), IT infrastructure, and government expenditure levels affect financial development (FD) in South Africa using annual data from 1971 to 2020. Preliminary findings show that the series are integrated, and they are cointegrated. Results from regression analysis suggest that the abundance of NR does not significantly contribute to financial development in South Africa. Conversely, advanced IT infrastructure, larger government size, and openness to trade are associated with a more developed financial sector. The implications of these findings are essential for policymakers and stakeholders in understanding the factors that drive financial development in South Africa. The study recommends that, among others, innovative approaches are needed to channel gains from natural resources effectively into the financial sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses the bibliometric method to analyze green libraries on a global scale. Additionally, it discusses the trends of article publication, research fields, authors, spatial and temporal distribution, and so on. The results of the study show that information technology applications and green practices in libraries are at the core of the study, and in terms of issued articles and cooperation in research, the United States and China rank among the top countries worldwide. According to the findings, cooperation among countries is poor. The article forms a multidisciplinary research posture with Library and Information Science as the core component. Furthermore, a keyword analysis revealed that research on the green library has shifted from pure environmental impact assessment to a multi-directional combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several of the articles featured in the Special Section of the "Journal of Management Information Systems." The main focus of all the articles was digital economy and information technology (IT) value research. One of the featured papers examines how supply chains that are powered by IT affect a company's organizational abilities to achieve flexibility and competitive costs. Another article focuses on IT strategies in manufacturing and how they affect production process outsourcing to create lower plant costs and higher quality.

Recent digital advancements, including social software, mobile technologies and augmented reality, offer promising opportunities to empower knowledge workers in their production environment by leveraging their knowledge processes, decision-making skills and social interaction practices. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for empowering workers in industrial production environments with digitally facilitated knowledge management processes. The framework explores four concrete facets of digital advancements that apply to a wide range of knowledge processes and production strategies in manufacturing companies. Each of these advancements are capable of supporting one specific facet of the individual knowledge management processes of workers; knowledge transfer, discovery, acquisition and sharing. The study contributes to the production research community by aligning emerging digital technologies and current trends in advanced manufacturing environments to benefit workers and improve job satisfaction, efficiency and productivity. The paper also contains suggestions about developing innovative solutions for production environments that support workers with digital technologies for flexible production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic literature review is the first to explore the role of IT in lean manufacturing contexts, characterising literature on the field, identifying and exploring the main issues approached, and identifying potential future lines of research. Grounded on an accurate screening process, 124 papers were selected for analysis from the SCOPUS and the ISI Web of Knowledge databases. The structured content analysis process highlights five key issues approached in literature: (1) software and technologies used, (2) benefits achieved through applying IT in lean manufacturing, (3) importance of IT integration, (4) IT and lean as complementary or independent options and (5) role of human resources. Despite an apparent scepticism concerning compatibility between IT and lean, claiming that IT may lead to processes' complexity, extra tasks, resource consuming, among other issues, among other key findings, the review shows that several different IT instruments may boost improvements, acting as a facilitator in developing lean industrial environments, especially when lean-based improvement processes are introduced first, and then IT infrastructures. Because both IT and Lean may require significant investments in terms of managerial attention, employees' capabilities and financial resources, it is important for management to balance investment decisions. Authors point to several shortcomings in literature which represent significant opportunities for further research: (1) significant lack of integrated comprehensive frameworks, (2) lack of knowledge concerning hybrid manufacturing systems, supply chains as research unit of analysis, how organisations can respond to staff resistance, and role of IT across the distinctive stages of lean maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the strategic alignment between marketing and information technology (IT) strategies and provides production and operations decision makers a model for improving operational performance. Based on a comprehensive literature review, the combined strategies were used to develop a novel decision-making framework. The hypothesised relationships of an SEM model are validated with data collected from 242 managers from various industries. An artificial intelligence (AI)–based method is developed using artificial neural networks (ANN) feeding into a decision-making framework which explores the optimality of the combined strategies. The results indicate that (a) IT strategy is positively mediated by marketing strategy on performance and (b) the organisational structure moderates the mediation of marketing strategy on performance. The analysis confirms that the extracted strategies based on the proposed framework have superior performance compared to existing strategies. This paper contributes to the literature by conceptualising and empirically testing the mediation role of marketing strategy on IT strategy, performance and operational decision-making. The use of a novel three-phase decision-making framework which uses AI processes improves operational efficiency, increases insights and enhances the decision accuracy of complex problems at the strategic level in industries such as manufacturing. It could help operations executives to apply effective decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]