Search results for "Information technology"
showing 10 items of 480 documents
IS evolution benefit assessment: Challenges with economic investment criteria
2007
Maintenance and system evolution activities have a significant role in the information system (IS) life cycle. It has been estimated that approximately 80% of the total IT expenses are allocated for maintenance activities [20]. According to Lehman’s first law, maintenance is necessary, because software needs to be continuously improved or it will get out of date and cannot respond to the requirements of its environment [19]. Despite the importance of IS evolution investments, there is a gap between the IT related costs and company profitability [27]. Brynjolfssen [10] described this as a productivity paradox: information technology utilization has increased since the 70’s but simultaneously…
Multiple Authentic Project-Based Experiences and Persistent Learning?
2019
This work-in-progress paper in the research category investigates students’ experiences of learning over two project-based courses, of which the first is taken during bachelor studies and the second is taken during master studies. The research goal was to explore if and how the first project experience was considered beneficial to the latter. A pilot interview was conducted and analyzed for qualitatively different themes. Transformative learning theory (TLT) is introduced as the theoretical framework because of its focus on persistent learning originating in transformations in meaning perspectives. The results are discussed in the context of TLT, and they inform curriculum design and resear…
Professional Agency and Creativity in Information Technology Work
2017
The meaning of professional agency in the context of professional learning, as well as in the development of working practices and work organisations, is pivotal. The role of creativity is also crucial for long-term economic growth in the current global environment, which is characterised by rapid changes in both technology and economy. Hence, it is important to study the relationship between professional agency and creativity. In this chapter, we explore professional agency and creativity within two Finnish information technology organisations. This study’s data include interviews with staff members and open-ended questionnaire responses to the question ‘What is creativity in your work?’. …
Evaluating the motivating environment in Finland compared to the United States—a survey
1991
A comparison was made of perceptions of IS personnel—especially of analysts, programmers and managers—on factors relating to motivation and goal setting in Finland and the United States. The JDS/DP, a modification of the job diagnostic survey instrument, was used to collect data in these locations. The survey covered a statistically unbiased and representative sample in both countries. The results indicated significant similarities between the two populations. Not only were individual characteristics of growth-need and social-need similar, but their perception of job-related variables were also quite similar. The only differences found were in the job satisfaction of technical experts and i…
The role of information technology in relationships between travel agencies and their suppliers
2010
PurposeIn the context of relationship marketing, it is highly important for providers to identify the main buyer relational benefits influencing satisfaction and loyalty so that a continuous and satisfactory business relationship is guaranteed. Since it has been reported that information technology (IT) might constitute a source of satisfaction or dissatisfaction, this paper aims to test the moderating role of IT in the relationships between perceived benefits, satisfaction and loyalty in a business‐to‐business (B2B) setting.Design/methodology/approachA structural equations model was empirically tested. Additionally, the moderating role of IT in the relationships between perceived relationa…
The use of ICT in established and emerging tourist destinations: a comparative analysis in hotels
2013
Purpose – Information and communication technologies (ICT) may represent an important source of advantages for service companies. However, the literature suggests that ICT need to be adapted to the demands of the company and its customers. The purpose of this paper is to compare the ICT use in hotels situated in established (i.e. Spain) and emerging (i.e. Croatia) tourist destinations. Design/methodology/approach – Non-hierarchical cluster analysis is performed. Clusters are internally validated by a K-Means cluster analysis and a discriminant analysis. Analysis of variance is applied and contingency tables between cluster membership and hotel characteristics are created. Findings – The res…
IDENTIFYING THE TRAINING NEEDS AND THE KEY TRAINING TOPICS IN THE ENTERPRISES OF LATVIA
2019
The role of a workplace in the provision of lifelong learning processes is increasingly emphasised in the academic discourse. Since the early 21st century, a new term – “workplace pedagogy” (Billet, 2000) – has appeared, which signifies the increasingly important role of the workplace in the process of adult learning. The goal of this article is to discuss the key principles in determining the training needs and the key training topics in the enterprises of Latvia. The author of the article has carried out a qualitative study using a partially structured interview method. Four heads of human resource departments have been interviewed in four enterprises of Latvia with varied capital and wit…
A Novel Instrument to Measure the Multidimensional Structure of Professional Agency
2018
This study aimed to construct and validate a quantitative measurement instrument to determine the structure of professional agency in working life. Empirical data (N = 589) were collected via a web-based, theoretically informed questionnaire, within the professional domains of education, healthcare, rescue services, and information technology. The questionnaire items incorporated theoretically based dimensions of professional agency. The structure of professional agency was initially analysed via exploratory factor analysis. Thereafter, using exploratory structural equation modelling, the structure of professional agency was investigated with a view to confirmation and validation. The resul…
Computer-assisted preparation in conference interpreting
2017
Preparation has been proposed in the literature as one of the most important phases of an interpreting assignment, especially if the subject is highly specialised. Preparing an assignment in advance aims at bridging the linguistic and extra-linguistic gap between conference participants and interpreters and at reducing the cognitive load during interpretation. For these reasons it is considered crucial in ensuring higher interpreting quality. Yet, preparation is generally time-consuming and interpreters may often experience the feeling of not knowing exactly how to perform this task efficiently. Information technology could change this. Even though the first computer-assisted interpreting s…