As the cost of hardware continues to fall, IT projects still experience budget overruns, which in... more As the cost of hardware continues to fall, IT projects still experience budget overruns, which in some cases result in the abandonment of the projects. It could be argued that a lack of understanding of the indirect costs associated with IT/IS investments is a major contributor towards this phenomenon. This paper presents findings from an exploratory study that aimed at
Organizations expenditure on Information technology (IT) related investments continue to rise in ... more Organizations expenditure on Information technology (IT) related investments continue to rise in the face of the fierce competition in the various marketplaces. Nevertheless, the problem of evaluating such investments remains a challenge to managers due to the inability of the evaluation techniques to accommodate the indirect costs associated with IT investments. This negatively affects the accuracy of the justification process
The case of learning in the era of digital economy is a fascinating phenomenon. The complexity of... more The case of learning in the era of digital economy is a fascinating phenomenon. The complexity of learning integrated with the diversification of new technologies set a dynamic landscape where the performance seems to be the overall objective of combined efforts. Our approach tries to investigate the phenomenon from a "myopic" point of view. The starting point of our research effort is the acceptance for the existence of a direct relation that brings together learning, new technologies, pedagogy and knowledge management. In this paper we present the initial findings from the application of qualitative research methodology. More specifically we discuss three case studies (multiple case strategy) concerning e-learning systems implementation and we discuss the way that knowledge management theory can support in practical ways the performance of elearning systems.
The consideration of costs, benefits and risks underpin many Information System (IS) evaluation d... more The consideration of costs, benefits and risks underpin many Information System (IS) evaluation decisions. Yet, vendors and project-champions alike tend to identify and focus much of their effort on the benefits achievable from the adoption of new technology, as it is often not in the interest of key stakeholders to spend too much time considering the wider cost and risk implications of enterprise-wide technology adoptions. In identifying a void in the literature, the authors of the paper present a critical analysis of IS-cost taxonomies. In doing so, the authors establish that such cost taxonomies tend to be esoteric and difficult to operationalize, as they lack specifics in detail. Therefore, in developing a deeper understanding of IS-related costs, the authors position the need to identify, control and reduce IS-related costs within the information systems evaluation domain, through culminating and then synthesizing the literature into a frame of reference that supports the evaluation of information systems through a deeper understanding of IS-cost taxonomies. The paper then concludes by emphasizing that the total costs associated with IS-adoption can only be determined after having considered the multi-faceted dimensions of information system investments.
With the ever-increasing global investments in Information Technology (IT) and Information System... more With the ever-increasing global investments in Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS), one question remains the same: what aspect of IT/IS projects is costing the organizations? Unlike any non-IT/IS investment, there is no straightforward answer due to the special nature of IT/IS projects having Human and organizational dimensions that make it difficult to identify their related cost factors during investment evaluation processes. Although many cost models exist in the literature, their aim to identify and categories IT/IS lifecycle costs remain often verbose. These different cost taxonomies aim to assist manager in their decision-making but lack practicality, as their associated cost factors cannot fit into current business accountancy frameworks used by many organizations. It is in addressing the relative invalidity of these models that the authors of this paper add to the literature surrounding the evaluation of information systems. In doing so, presenting a critical review of the limited literature in the area of cost taxonomies associated with information systems adoption. This paper highlights the need to identify the far-reaching costs associated with IT/IS and in doing so, presents eight cost models for IT/IS cost classification and an attempt to validate the various cost elements that exist throughout the eight models.
Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 2004
Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information technology and information systems... more Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information technology and information systems (IT/IS) to obtain or even sustain a competitive advantage in their respective marketplaces. Many managers, however, are often left with the quandary of how to evaluate their investments in technologies. Reasons of this difficulty have been suggested in the normative literature as centring on the socio-technical (human, organisational
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2007
Abstract Purpose–In spite of technology and its subsequent organizational advantages, the purpose... more Abstract Purpose–In spite of technology and its subsequent organizational advantages, the purpose of this paper is to advocate the need for public sector leadership to understand and consider the forthcoming pivotal role and challenges associated with the unique values and characterises of a multiple generation workforce will have in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Design/methodology/approach–An examination of the literature is utilized to identify management techniques and work methodologies regarding ...
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2007
Purpose – To evaluate issues relating to the implementation of electronic reverse auctions (eRA) ... more Purpose – To evaluate issues relating to the implementation of electronic reverse auctions (eRA) within local government procurement processes. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is a structured case analysis approach to enable qualitative data to be modelled through a visual toolset simulation. Findings – The paper identifies a set of business scenarios to demonstrate the impact of different eRA strategies in
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2014
Abstract Purpose–In spite of technology and its subsequent organizational advantages, the purpose... more Abstract Purpose–In spite of technology and its subsequent organizational advantages, the purpose of this paper is to advocate the need for public sector leadership to understand and consider the forthcoming pivotal role and challenges associated with the unique values and characterises of a multiple generation workforce will have in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Design/methodology/approach–An examination of the literature is utilized to identify management techniques and work methodologies regarding ...
Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 2011
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine empirically the relevance of the theory of deferred... more Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine empirically the relevance of the theory of deferred action for knowledge management systems (KMS) design in practice. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a case study approach to examine knowledge work and knowledge management in virtual teamwork in a large UK telecommunications company to understand the occurrence of emergent knowledge and
This paper proposes a model for t-Government and highlights the research agenda needed to increas... more This paper proposes a model for t-Government and highlights the research agenda needed to increase understanding of transformational governme nt and the processes involved in furthering the agenda of the t-Government. In parti cular, both an operational and a conceptual model for the effective involvement of citizens and businesses in government functioning have been proposed. This will help to define
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2007
This eGISE network paper seeks to evaluate issues relating to the implementation of electronic re... more This eGISE network paper seeks to evaluate issues relating to the implementation of electronic reverse auctions (eRA) within local government procurement processes. The adoption of an eRA invites pre-qualified suppliers to compete with each other for a specified good or service. Consequently, there is a unique opportunity for the buyer to receive a reduced cost through the successful bidder. However, the literature identifies a number of adverse effects within these arrangements depending upon the nature of the buyer/supplier relationship. The objectives of the research involves identifying a set of business scenarios to demonstrate the impact of different eRA strategies in this respect. This will be achieved through a structured case analysis approach to enable qualitative data to be modelled through a visual toolset simulation. It is believed the outcome of the investigation will provide valuable insights into the complexities associated with the eProcurement process.
Separation factors of silver-cadmium and diver-zinc pairs were determined for Amberlite LA-2 and ... more Separation factors of silver-cadmium and diver-zinc pairs were determined for Amberlite LA-2 and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) from pure hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulphurie and orthophosphoric acids as well as from their binary mixtures. The separation of cadmium and zinc from macroamounts of silver can be best achieved from ca. 2M H2SO 4. There are many other media suitable for the separation of trace silver from cadmium and zinc matrices.
Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 2013
Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information technology and information systems... more Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information technology and information systems (IT/IS) to obtain or even sustain a competitive advantage in their respective marketplaces. Many managers, however, are often left with the quandary of how to evaluate their investments in technologies. Reasons of this difficulty have been suggested in the normative literature as centring on the socio-technical (human, organisational and technical) dimensions associated with the adoption of IT/IS. The inability of managers to determine the true costs of deploying IT/IS is considered attributable to a lack of knowledge and understanding of IT/IS related costs. In developing a broader picture of such cost dimensions and their respective taxonomies, the research presented in this paper uses a structured case method to gain an understanding of how a construction firm embraced the IT evaluation process. A review of the IT cost literature is presented and a conceptual IT evaluation framework that focuses on indirect costs is proposed.
International Journal of Value Chain Management, 2008
Increasing productivity is considered one of the major driving factors for a successful business.... more Increasing productivity is considered one of the major driving factors for a successful business. From an Information Technology (IT) infrastructure perspective, obtaining an optimised performance of resources is expected to improve productivity. From a technical viewpoint, the introduction of Quality of Service (QoS) models has been perceived to optimise the performance of the organisation network backbone. These models aim to provide an acceptable level of service assurance to the newly introduced applications and services such as voice and video. From a management viewpoint, the proper management of IT investments indirect costs can lead to a reduction of the overall cost portfolio. Consequently, both benefits and productivity increase are likely to be realised. This paper introduces network QoS strategy within the hierarchy of business infrastructure. In addition, it aims to identify the relationship between network QoS and IT indirect costs. Such integration demonstrates how network QoS strategy can be used to control IT indirect costs as well as enhancing network performance.
International Journal of Information Management, 2006
Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information and communication technologies (IC... more Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information and communication technologies (ICTs) to obtain or even sustain a competitive advantage in their respective marketplaces. Many managers, however, are often left with the quandary of how to evaluate their investments in technologies. Reasons for this difficulty have been suggested in the normative literature as centring on the socio-technical (human, organisational and technical) dimensions associated with the adoption of ICTs. The inability of managers to determine the true costs of deploying ICT are considered attributable to a lack of knowledge and understanding of ICT-related costs. In developing a broader picture of such cost dimensions and their respective taxonomies, the research presented in this case uses a structured method to gain an understanding of how a construction firm embraced the information technology (IT) evaluation process. A review of the IT cost literature is presented, and a conceptual IT evaluation framework (CF) that focuses on indirect costs is proposed. Findings from the case study are presented and discussed in the context of the CF. r Professor Zahir Irani is the Head of Information Systems and Computing and a member of Senate at Brunel University (UK). Having worked for several years as a project engineer in the manufacturing sector, Professor Irani retains close links with industry, and has served as a non-executive director. He has co-authored/edited five books and has authored/co-authored over 200 internationally refereed research papers, which have appeared in leading international journals such
As the cost of hardware continues to fall, IT projects still experience budget overruns, which in... more As the cost of hardware continues to fall, IT projects still experience budget overruns, which in some cases result in the abandonment of the projects. It could be argued that a lack of understanding of the indirect costs associated with IT/IS investments is a major contributor towards this phenomenon. This paper presents findings from an exploratory study that aimed at
Organizations expenditure on Information technology (IT) related investments continue to rise in ... more Organizations expenditure on Information technology (IT) related investments continue to rise in the face of the fierce competition in the various marketplaces. Nevertheless, the problem of evaluating such investments remains a challenge to managers due to the inability of the evaluation techniques to accommodate the indirect costs associated with IT investments. This negatively affects the accuracy of the justification process
The case of learning in the era of digital economy is a fascinating phenomenon. The complexity of... more The case of learning in the era of digital economy is a fascinating phenomenon. The complexity of learning integrated with the diversification of new technologies set a dynamic landscape where the performance seems to be the overall objective of combined efforts. Our approach tries to investigate the phenomenon from a "myopic" point of view. The starting point of our research effort is the acceptance for the existence of a direct relation that brings together learning, new technologies, pedagogy and knowledge management. In this paper we present the initial findings from the application of qualitative research methodology. More specifically we discuss three case studies (multiple case strategy) concerning e-learning systems implementation and we discuss the way that knowledge management theory can support in practical ways the performance of elearning systems.
The consideration of costs, benefits and risks underpin many Information System (IS) evaluation d... more The consideration of costs, benefits and risks underpin many Information System (IS) evaluation decisions. Yet, vendors and project-champions alike tend to identify and focus much of their effort on the benefits achievable from the adoption of new technology, as it is often not in the interest of key stakeholders to spend too much time considering the wider cost and risk implications of enterprise-wide technology adoptions. In identifying a void in the literature, the authors of the paper present a critical analysis of IS-cost taxonomies. In doing so, the authors establish that such cost taxonomies tend to be esoteric and difficult to operationalize, as they lack specifics in detail. Therefore, in developing a deeper understanding of IS-related costs, the authors position the need to identify, control and reduce IS-related costs within the information systems evaluation domain, through culminating and then synthesizing the literature into a frame of reference that supports the evaluation of information systems through a deeper understanding of IS-cost taxonomies. The paper then concludes by emphasizing that the total costs associated with IS-adoption can only be determined after having considered the multi-faceted dimensions of information system investments.
With the ever-increasing global investments in Information Technology (IT) and Information System... more With the ever-increasing global investments in Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS), one question remains the same: what aspect of IT/IS projects is costing the organizations? Unlike any non-IT/IS investment, there is no straightforward answer due to the special nature of IT/IS projects having Human and organizational dimensions that make it difficult to identify their related cost factors during investment evaluation processes. Although many cost models exist in the literature, their aim to identify and categories IT/IS lifecycle costs remain often verbose. These different cost taxonomies aim to assist manager in their decision-making but lack practicality, as their associated cost factors cannot fit into current business accountancy frameworks used by many organizations. It is in addressing the relative invalidity of these models that the authors of this paper add to the literature surrounding the evaluation of information systems. In doing so, presenting a critical review of the limited literature in the area of cost taxonomies associated with information systems adoption. This paper highlights the need to identify the far-reaching costs associated with IT/IS and in doing so, presents eight cost models for IT/IS cost classification and an attempt to validate the various cost elements that exist throughout the eight models.
Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 2004
Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information technology and information systems... more Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information technology and information systems (IT/IS) to obtain or even sustain a competitive advantage in their respective marketplaces. Many managers, however, are often left with the quandary of how to evaluate their investments in technologies. Reasons of this difficulty have been suggested in the normative literature as centring on the socio-technical (human, organisational
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2007
Abstract Purpose–In spite of technology and its subsequent organizational advantages, the purpose... more Abstract Purpose–In spite of technology and its subsequent organizational advantages, the purpose of this paper is to advocate the need for public sector leadership to understand and consider the forthcoming pivotal role and challenges associated with the unique values and characterises of a multiple generation workforce will have in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Design/methodology/approach–An examination of the literature is utilized to identify management techniques and work methodologies regarding ...
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2007
Purpose – To evaluate issues relating to the implementation of electronic reverse auctions (eRA) ... more Purpose – To evaluate issues relating to the implementation of electronic reverse auctions (eRA) within local government procurement processes. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is a structured case analysis approach to enable qualitative data to be modelled through a visual toolset simulation. Findings – The paper identifies a set of business scenarios to demonstrate the impact of different eRA strategies in
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2014
Abstract Purpose–In spite of technology and its subsequent organizational advantages, the purpose... more Abstract Purpose–In spite of technology and its subsequent organizational advantages, the purpose of this paper is to advocate the need for public sector leadership to understand and consider the forthcoming pivotal role and challenges associated with the unique values and characterises of a multiple generation workforce will have in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Design/methodology/approach–An examination of the literature is utilized to identify management techniques and work methodologies regarding ...
Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 2011
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine empirically the relevance of the theory of deferred... more Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine empirically the relevance of the theory of deferred action for knowledge management systems (KMS) design in practice. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a case study approach to examine knowledge work and knowledge management in virtual teamwork in a large UK telecommunications company to understand the occurrence of emergent knowledge and
This paper proposes a model for t-Government and highlights the research agenda needed to increas... more This paper proposes a model for t-Government and highlights the research agenda needed to increase understanding of transformational governme nt and the processes involved in furthering the agenda of the t-Government. In parti cular, both an operational and a conceptual model for the effective involvement of citizens and businesses in government functioning have been proposed. This will help to define
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2007
This eGISE network paper seeks to evaluate issues relating to the implementation of electronic re... more This eGISE network paper seeks to evaluate issues relating to the implementation of electronic reverse auctions (eRA) within local government procurement processes. The adoption of an eRA invites pre-qualified suppliers to compete with each other for a specified good or service. Consequently, there is a unique opportunity for the buyer to receive a reduced cost through the successful bidder. However, the literature identifies a number of adverse effects within these arrangements depending upon the nature of the buyer/supplier relationship. The objectives of the research involves identifying a set of business scenarios to demonstrate the impact of different eRA strategies in this respect. This will be achieved through a structured case analysis approach to enable qualitative data to be modelled through a visual toolset simulation. It is believed the outcome of the investigation will provide valuable insights into the complexities associated with the eProcurement process.
Separation factors of silver-cadmium and diver-zinc pairs were determined for Amberlite LA-2 and ... more Separation factors of silver-cadmium and diver-zinc pairs were determined for Amberlite LA-2 and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) from pure hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulphurie and orthophosphoric acids as well as from their binary mixtures. The separation of cadmium and zinc from macroamounts of silver can be best achieved from ca. 2M H2SO 4. There are many other media suitable for the separation of trace silver from cadmium and zinc matrices.
Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 2013
Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information technology and information systems... more Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information technology and information systems (IT/IS) to obtain or even sustain a competitive advantage in their respective marketplaces. Many managers, however, are often left with the quandary of how to evaluate their investments in technologies. Reasons of this difficulty have been suggested in the normative literature as centring on the socio-technical (human, organisational and technical) dimensions associated with the adoption of IT/IS. The inability of managers to determine the true costs of deploying IT/IS is considered attributable to a lack of knowledge and understanding of IT/IS related costs. In developing a broader picture of such cost dimensions and their respective taxonomies, the research presented in this paper uses a structured case method to gain an understanding of how a construction firm embraced the IT evaluation process. A review of the IT cost literature is presented and a conceptual IT evaluation framework that focuses on indirect costs is proposed.
International Journal of Value Chain Management, 2008
Increasing productivity is considered one of the major driving factors for a successful business.... more Increasing productivity is considered one of the major driving factors for a successful business. From an Information Technology (IT) infrastructure perspective, obtaining an optimised performance of resources is expected to improve productivity. From a technical viewpoint, the introduction of Quality of Service (QoS) models has been perceived to optimise the performance of the organisation network backbone. These models aim to provide an acceptable level of service assurance to the newly introduced applications and services such as voice and video. From a management viewpoint, the proper management of IT investments indirect costs can lead to a reduction of the overall cost portfolio. Consequently, both benefits and productivity increase are likely to be realised. This paper introduces network QoS strategy within the hierarchy of business infrastructure. In addition, it aims to identify the relationship between network QoS and IT indirect costs. Such integration demonstrates how network QoS strategy can be used to control IT indirect costs as well as enhancing network performance.
International Journal of Information Management, 2006
Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information and communication technologies (IC... more Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information and communication technologies (ICTs) to obtain or even sustain a competitive advantage in their respective marketplaces. Many managers, however, are often left with the quandary of how to evaluate their investments in technologies. Reasons for this difficulty have been suggested in the normative literature as centring on the socio-technical (human, organisational and technical) dimensions associated with the adoption of ICTs. The inability of managers to determine the true costs of deploying ICT are considered attributable to a lack of knowledge and understanding of ICT-related costs. In developing a broader picture of such cost dimensions and their respective taxonomies, the research presented in this case uses a structured method to gain an understanding of how a construction firm embraced the information technology (IT) evaluation process. A review of the IT cost literature is presented, and a conceptual IT evaluation framework (CF) that focuses on indirect costs is proposed. Findings from the case study are presented and discussed in the context of the CF. r Professor Zahir Irani is the Head of Information Systems and Computing and a member of Senate at Brunel University (UK). Having worked for several years as a project engineer in the manufacturing sector, Professor Irani retains close links with industry, and has served as a non-executive director. He has co-authored/edited five books and has authored/co-authored over 200 internationally refereed research papers, which have appeared in leading international journals such
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Papers by Ahmad Ghoneim