Search results

The Unified Modeling Language has become an alternative to traditional modeling languages such as data flow diagrams for use in systems analysis. A modeling language is used to represent an information system so that analysts can use the model to make decisions about the design of the system and to communicate with stakeholders about the system. This study examines the comparative effectiveness of the UML and traditional modeling languages in communicating information about a system design. The study examines this on three types of individuals: individuals with no knowledge of either modeling language, individuals with no knowledge of either language that were provided training in one of the languages, and individuals that have had more extensive training in one of the languages. The study finds that there is no difference in the ability to communicate system design information between the languages for the first two types of individuals. However, the study finds that, for more extensively trained individuals, systems modeled with the UML are better able to communicate information about the data in the system while systems modeled with traditional languages are better able to communicate information about the process used by the system.

The engineering education accreditation (EEA) is a principal quality assurance mechanism. However, at many education institutions, the most labor-intensive work of EEA process is accomplished manually. Without the support of computer and information technology, the EEA process leads to high labor intensity, low work efficiency and poor management level. The purpose of this paper is to build a complex network model and realize an information management system of talent training program for supporting the EEA process.

Based on polychromatic graph (PG), this paper builds a network model of talent training program for engineering specialty. The related information and data are organized and processed in this network model. From the bidirections of top-down and bottom-up, the user requirements are retrieved automatically in logic layer. Together with the specialty of mechanical engineering, the proposed PG-based network modeling method is applied and the corresponding information management system is realized.

The study results show that the PG-based network modeling method takes full advantages of the strong simulation ability of PG to model the complex network system and has some unique merits in formal expression of problem, efficient processing of information and lightweight realization of system. Further, the information management system of talent training program can reduce the tedious human labor and improve the management level of EEA process dramatically.

This paper proposes a PG-based network modeling method, in which the nodes and the edges can be painted by some unified colors to describe the different kinds of activities and the various types of interactions. Theoretically, this modeling method does not distinguish the activities, the interactions and their properties in graphic symbol and the problem size is diminished about a half. Furthermore, this paper provides an effective experience and idea to the education institutions for implementing the engineering education accreditation, increasing the education management efficiency and promoting the talent training quality.

This paper addressed an object‐oriented modeling of the quality control information system (QCIS) and its implementation for small‐medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The major idea is to convert the data structure, system behavior and computational aspect of the QCIS into models: object, dynamic and functional models using the object‐oriented modeling technique in a user‐friendly and economical way. Then, based on an SME environment, the paper expounds the methodology by implementing the models into a computerized QCIS. The system is expected to be affordable and self‐developed by most SMEs. The system can manipulate quality data dynamically to keep the quality control information up to date. It can guarantee different types of charts, lists and reports in the support of quick quality decision making with minimal human efforts.

Smart card-based E-payment systems are receiving increasing attention as the number of implementations is witnessed on the rise globally. Understanding of user adoption behavior of E-payment systems that employ smart card technology becomes a research area that is of particular value and interest to both IS researchers and professionals. However, research interest focuses mostly on why a smart card-based E-payment system results in a failure or how the system could have grown into a success. This signals the fact that researchers have not had much opportunity to critically review a smart card-based E-payment system that has gained wide support and overcome the hurdle of critical mass adoption. The Octopus in Hong Kong has provided a rare opportunity for investigating smart card-based E-payment system because of its unprecedented success. This research seeks to thoroughly analyze the Octopus from technology adoption behavior perspectives.

Cultural impacts on adoption behavior are one of the key areas that this research posits to investigate. Since the present research is conducted in Hong Kong where a majority of population is Chinese ethnicity and yet is westernized in a number of aspects, assuming that users in Hong Kong are characterized by eastern or western culture is less useful. Explicit cultural characteristics at individual level are tapped into here instead of applying generalization of cultural beliefs to users to more accurately reflect cultural bias. In this vein, the technology acceptance model (TAM) is adapted, extended, and tested for its applicability cross-culturally in Hong Kong on the Octopus. Four cultural dimensions developed by Hofstede are included in this study, namely uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, individualism, and Confucian Dynamism (long-term orientation), to explore their influence on usage behavior through the mediation of perceived usefulness.

TAM is also integrated with the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) to borrow two constructs in relation to innovative characteristics, namely relative advantage and compatibility, in order to enhance the explanatory power of the proposed research model. Besides, the normative accountability of the research model is strengthened by embracing two social influences, namely subjective norm and image. As the last antecedent to perceived usefulness, prior experience serves to bring in the time variation factor to allow level of prior experience to exert both direct and moderating effects on perceived usefulness.

The resulting research model is analyzed by partial least squares (PLS)-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. The research findings reveal that all cultural dimensions demonstrate direct effect on perceived usefulness though the influence of uncertainty avoidance is found marginally significant. Other constructs on innovative characteristics and social influences are validated to be significant as hypothesized. Prior experience does indeed significantly moderate the two influences that perceived usefulness receives from relative advantage and compatibility, respectively. The research model has demonstrated convincing explanatory power and so may be employed for further studies in other contexts. In particular, cultural effects play a key role in contributing to the uniqueness of the model, enabling it to be an effective tool to help critically understand increasingly internationalized IS system development and implementation efforts. This research also suggests several practical implications in view of the findings that could better inform managerial decisions for designing, implementing, or promoting smart card-based E-payment system.

Ubiquitous web applications (UWA) are a new type of web applications which are accessed in various contexts, i.e. through different devices, by users with various interests, at anytime from anyplace around the globe. For such full‐fledged, complex software systems, a methodologically sound engineering approach in terms of model‐driven engineering (MDE) is crucial. Several modeling approaches have already been proposed that capture the ubiquitous nature of web applications, each of them having different origins, pursuing different goals and providing a pantheon of concepts. This paper aims to give an in‐depth comparison of seven modeling approaches supporting the development of UWAs.

This methodology is conducted by applying a detailed set of evaluation criteria and by demonstrating its applicability on basis of an exemplary tourism web application. In particular, five commonly found ubiquitous scenarios are investigated, thus providing initial insight into the modeling concepts of each approach as well as to facilitate their comparability.

The results gained indicate that many modeling approaches lack a proper MDE foundation in terms of meta‐models and tool support. The proposed modeling mechanisms for ubiquity are often limited, since they neither cover all relevant context factors in an explicit, self‐contained, and extensible way, nor allow for a wide spectrum of extensible adaptation operations. The provided modeling concepts frequently do not allow dealing with all different parts of a web application in terms of its content, hypertext, and presentation levels as well as their structural and behavioral features. Finally, current modeling approaches do not reflect the crosscutting nature of ubiquity but rather intermingle context and adaptation issues with the core parts of a web application, thus hampering maintainability and extensibility.

Different from other surveys in the area of modeling web applications, this paper specifically considers modeling concepts for their ubiquitous nature, together with an investigation of available support for MDD in a comprehensive way, using a well‐defined as well as fine‐grained catalogue of more than 30 evaluation criteria.

The purpose of this paper is to establish the nature of mathematical modeling of systems within the framework of the object-semantic methodology.

The initial methodological position of the object-semantic approach is the principle of constructing concepts of informatics proceeding from fundamental categories and laws. As the appropriate foundation, this paper accepts the system-physical meta-ontology is being developed in this paper.

The genesis of system modeling is considered in the aspect of the evolution of language tools in the direction of objectification. A new conception of formalized knowledge is being put forward as the mathematical form of fixing time-invariant relations of the universe, reflecting regularity of the dynamics of natural or anthropogenic organization. Object knowledge is considered as a key component of the mathematical model, and the solving of system information problems with its use is characterized as “work of knowledge.” The establishment of the meta-ontological essence of modern mathematical modeling allows us to formulate its fundamental limitations.

The establishment of system-physical limitations of modern mathematical modeling outlines the boundaries from which it is necessary to proceed in the development of future paradigms of cognition of the surrounding world, which presuppose convergence, synthesis of causal (physicalism) and target (elevationism) determination.

This paper seeks to present a conceptual modeling approach, which is new in the domain of information systems security risk assessment.

The approach is helpful for performing means‐end analysis, thereby uncovering the structural origin of security risks in information systems, and how the root‐causes of such risks can be controlled from the early stages of the projects.

Though some attempts have previously been made to model security risk assessment in information systems using conventional modeling techniques such as data flow diagrams and UML, the previous works have analyzed and modeled the same just by addressing “what” a process is like. However, they do not address “why” the process is the way it is.

The approach addresses the limitation of the existing security risk assessment models by exploring the strategic dependencies between the actors of a system and analyzing the motivations, intents and rationales behind the different entities and activities constituting the system.

The lack of reference architecture for Internet of Things (IoT) modeling impedes the successful design and implementation of an IoT-based production logistics and supply chain system (PLSCS). The authors present this study in two parts to address this research issue. Part A proposes a unified IoT modeling framework to model the dynamics of distributed IoT processes, IoT devices, and IoT objects. The models of the framework can be leveraged to support the implementation architecture of an IoT-based PLSCS. The second part (Part B) of this study extends the discussion of implementation architecture proposed in Part A. Part B presents an IoT-based cyber-physical system framework and evaluates its performance. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

This paper adopts a design research approach, using ontology, process analysis, and Petri net modeling scheme to support IoT system modeling.

The proposed IoT system-modeling approach reduces the complexity of system development and increases system portability for IoT-based PLSCS. The IoT design models generated from the modeling can also be transformed to implementation logic.

The proposed IoT system-modeling framework and the implementation architecture can be used to develop an IoT-based PLSCS in the real industrial setting. The proposed modeling methods can be applied to many discrete manufacturing industries.

The IoT modeling framework developed in this study is the first in this field which decomposes IoT system design into ontology-, process-, and object-modeling layers. A novel implementation architecture also proposed to transform above IoT system design models into implementation logic. The developed prototype system can track product and different parts of the same product along a manufacturing supply chain.

The strategic management literature emphasizes the concept of business intelligence (BI) as an essential competitive tool. Yet the sustainability of the firms’ competitive advantage provided by BI capability is not well researched. To fill this gap, this study attempts to develop a model for successful BI deployment and empirically examines the association between BI deployment and sustainable competitive advantage. Taking the telecommunications industry in Malaysia as a case example, the research particularly focuses on the influencing perceptions held by telecommunications decision makers and executives on factors that impact successful BI deployment. The research further investigates the relationship between successful BI deployment and sustainable competitive advantage of the telecommunications organizations. Another important aim of this study is to determine the effect of moderating factors such as organization culture, business strategy, and use of BI tools on BI deployment and the sustainability of firm’s competitive advantage.

This research uses combination of resource-based theory and diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory to examine BI success and its relationship with firm’s sustainability. The research adopts the positivist paradigm and a two-phase sequential mixed method consisting of qualitative and quantitative approaches are employed. A tentative research model is developed first based on extensive literature review. The chapter presents a qualitative field study to fine tune the initial research model. Findings from the qualitative method are also used to develop measures and instruments for the next phase of quantitative method. The study includes a survey study with sample of business analysts and decision makers in telecommunications firms and is analyzed by partial least square-based structural equation modeling.

The findings reveal that some internal resources of the organizations such as BI governance and the perceptions of BI’s characteristics influence the successful deployment of BI. Organizations that practice good BI governance with strong moral and financial support from upper management have an opportunity to realize the dream of having successful BI initiatives in place. The scope of BI governance includes providing sufficient support and commitment in BI funding and implementation, laying out proper BI infrastructure and staffing and establishing a corporate-wide policy and procedures regarding BI. The perceptions about the characteristics of BI such as its relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, and observability are also significant in ensuring BI success. The most important results of this study indicated that with BI successfully deployed, executives would use the knowledge provided for their necessary actions in sustaining the organizations’ competitive advantage in terms of economics, social, and environmental issues.

This study contributes significantly to the existing literature that will assist future BI researchers especially in achieving sustainable competitive advantage. In particular, the model will help practitioners to consider the resources that they are likely to consider when deploying BI. Finally, the applications of this study can be extended through further adaptation in other industries and various geographic contexts.

This paper aims to discuss the idea that businesses, for survival in the market, need a competitive edge. This edge can be achieved by focusing on business processes as informational work (IW) systems rather than physical work systems and then to focus on achieving information integrity. In order to achieve this aim the strategy should be to model a business process to achieve both operational and goal integrity. An analytical framework for the same is to be described.

The paper uses an analytical approach. First a literature survey is conducted to find out whether the business process models being followed currently are sufficient to give a competitive edge to business. Subsequently, the information integrity approach is introduced and a framework is suggested to model the business processes.

The main findings of the paper are that the current business processes which are physical in nature need to be perceived as information oriented processes. Moreover, these IW systems need to process information with integrity. The paper explains the concept of information integrity in a detailed way by covering all aspects of the same, namely identification of business process as a multistage information system, explanation of information as a function of recipient, suggesting a structure of a good business process model, identifying the criticality of information integrity for business competitive advantage and listing the emerging information integrity requirements.

The paper adds value because it analytically puts forth the complete check list of activities for business process modeling with information integrity.