John Beachboard - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by John Beachboard
As suggested by its title, this book is based on the assumption that non-IT business managers nee... more As suggested by its title, this book is based on the assumption that non-IT business managers need to know about IT management. We have read literally hundreds of books and articles relating to IT management and have found much that is useful. But we also have found much material that is not particularly relevant to the needs of mid-level business managers. We aspired to write a book that is readable and relevant for current and aspiring business managers. Not surprisingly, most IT management publications are written for IT managers. Those publications written for (non-IT) business readers are often written as if they were to be read primarily by C-level executives. Their content, while useful, is often painted with broad strokes. Too often, these trade publications lack the mundane but necessary details needed to help business managers implement their prescriptions. It is as if they dont want to bother the executives with boring details; after all, C-level executives have staff to ...
Healthcare Financial Management, 2007
I am using the term non-positivist as a shorthand means of referencing a range of research tradit... more I am using the term non-positivist as a shorthand means of referencing a range of research traditions including: constructivism, critical theory, feminist theory, interpretivism, phenomenology, post-modernism, etc.
1We use the term “business-oriented IS ” to refer to information systems programs offered in AACS... more 1We use the term “business-oriented IS ” to refer to information systems programs offered in AACSB-accredited colleges of business as opposed to IS-related offerings from other colleges which are not subject to the same accreditation restrictions. 2IS 2002 is an update of IS ’97. In the interest of brevity, the authors have omitted much background information included in the report. The
There exists a wealth of computing education literature devoted to interventions designed to over... more There exists a wealth of computing education literature devoted to interventions designed to overcome novices ’ difficulties in learning to write computer programs. However, various studies have shown that the majority of students at the end of a semester of instruction are still unable to write a simple computer program, despite the best efforts of their teachers (Lister et al., 2004; McCracken et al., 2001; Soloway, Bonar, & Ehrlich, 1983). In an effort to address this problem, a workshop titled Building Research in Australasian Computing Education (BRACE) was con-vened in 2004. BRACE brought together academics interested in learning and applying the tech-niques and methodologies of action research to the problem of poor student code-writing per-formance. At this workshop, and at those that followed, participants agreed to use end-of-semester assessments to try to pinpoint the key steps and difficulties beginners faced in learning introductory programming. Subsequently the group, ...
A practitioner leaves behind the world of failed multi-million-dollar information systems project... more A practitioner leaves behind the world of failed multi-million-dollar information systems projects to seek solutions in academe. Along the journey from IS practitioner to IS researcher, the author encounters two fundamental tensions regarding the conduct of social science. The first tension concerns the challenge of conducting research meeting the criteria of scientific rigor while addressing issues relevant to practitioners. The second tension centers on the debate concerning the suitability of positivist and non-positivist approaches to research in the social sciences. A review of the literature discussing these tensions led the author to the insight that the two tensions could be related and to the adoption of a multi-paradigmatic research framework as a means of reconciling the tensions. The essay takes the reader from genesis (the author’s motivation for conducting practitioner-oriented research), through exodus (the intellectual journey made through the literature to acquire t...
Data transfer using wireless sensor networks (WSN) is bound by its limited coverage range. In ord... more Data transfer using wireless sensor networks (WSN) is bound by its limited coverage range. In order to communicate data beyond the coverage capability of a WSN link and make it pervasive, the authors here propose a method of information handover using heterogeneous wireless links for sensor-based data transmission. They draw on connectivity, one of the main features of a pervasive network. In the handover method proposed here, the WSN link is part of a wireless module which integrates various heterogeneous wireless links. All these wireless links are combined and coordinated using media independent handover functions (MIH) in accordance with the 802.21 Standard. As wireless modules have multiple wireless links, each module can communicate with the others using any one of the active links. When these wireless modules consisting of multiple links move beyond the communication range of the WSN link to maintain continuous connectivity the MIH in the module triggers the other wireless li...
![Research paper thumbnail of When Informing Doesn't Inform [Abstract]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/86258530/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](InSITE Conference, 2017
Aim/Purpose: It appears that humans can become mal-informed and often consciously or subconscious... more Aim/Purpose: It appears that humans can become mal-informed and often consciously or subconsciously resist revising their mal-informed perspectives. Background: We need to apply behavioral and/or cognitive psychological approaches rather than traditional “educational” approaches. Methodology: Literature review Contribution: Suggests revising research focus to affective rather than cognitive solutions. Findings: Teaching critical thinking helps but is not enough. Impact on Society : Many important societal decisions may be made emotionally rather than rationally. Future Research: Research affective as well as cognitive factors in decision-making
Proceedings of the 2012 InSITE Conference, 2012
This essay was created for use in a business oriented IT or IS class. The purpose of this manuscr... more This essay was created for use in a business oriented IT or IS class. The purpose of this manuscript is to help students understand legal and ethical dilemmas associated with the use of information and information technology, primarily within the context of information privacy. The essay provides information that illustrates why information privacy has become such an important issue for businesses, discusses some of the relevant U.S. and international laws governing business use of customer information, and proposes a decision-making process that can be used by business managers to assist in making ethical business decisions. The essay is not a research submission nor is it intended to represent a comprehensive review of relevant literature.
Proceedings of the 2014 InSITE Conference, 2014
The discovery of oil along the Arabian Gulf in the 1950s brought rapid changes to Emirati standar... more The discovery of oil along the Arabian Gulf in the 1950s brought rapid changes to Emirati standards of living and expectations. It also brought decades of expatriate labor. Today the call is for local citizens to enter private enterprise and take charge of their personal and national economics. This initiative demands higher education and higher-order thinking. The authors of this preliminary innovations-in-practice essay report on their recent use of problem-based learning in a Middle East university class on green computing. Their aim is to discover how PBL might facilitate critical thinking, self-directed learning, and motivation to assess challenges and solve problemsskills that should well serve a fast-developing nation. While initial feedback from students has been very positive, the authors continue to collect and analyze student feedback. Upon completion of this data collection and analysis, a more complete report on this effort will be submitted.
Journal of Information Technology Education: Discussion Cases, 2014
It was a clear, cold January 1 st in New England. Tim and Cyndy, never interested in big New Year... more It was a clear, cold January 1 st in New England. Tim and Cyndy, never interested in big New Year's celebrations, were taking stock of the previous 12 months and thinking about what they needed to do in the coming year. The couple were sole owners of two small businesses, Phoenix Service Company, an auto repair shop, and Federal Hill Trading Company, an online retailer of specialty automotive parts, both operated out of a shop near their home in the northeastern United States. After 30 years of crawling under cars and lifting engines, Tim was winding down the service business and concentrating on building up Federal Hill auto-parts sales. But since Phoenix auto repair continued to provide their major income source, Tim and Cyndy had some real hesitation about how to make the transition. Since the mid-1980s the couple had run an automotive repair shop specializing in the service of British sports cars, primarily Aston Martin, but also Jaguar, Lotus, and even an occasional Rolls Royce. While most service and repair work was performed in the shop, Tim also attended vintage car races to provide track-side support for his upscale customers and other car owners at the events. These activities were not real money-makers, but they did get Tim and Cyndy out of the shop and give them a chance to see the vehicles they loved in action. While working on vintage British imports may sound like a dream job for the mechanically inclined young person, running a one-mechanic service and restoration shop was a constant challenge. The business owners were always looking for the chance to earn some extra cash, primarily by keeping an eye out for old cars, too far gone for restoration but providing a source of parts that might later be sold at a profit. Of course, working on vintage vehicles, they were accustomed to finding, buying, and selling a wide range of used and new auto parts.
Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice, 2010
Wearing the Assessment 'BRACElet' IIP-26 authors, from 20 tertiary institutions across 7 countrie... more Wearing the Assessment 'BRACElet' IIP-26 authors, from 20 tertiary institutions across 7 countries. By joining the BRACElet collective, we have been nurtured in making informed decisions about our own assessment practices and our local research has made a small contribution to the dialogue about understanding how novices learn to program.
Informing Science: The International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline, 2006
When freedom from Communism largely eliminated overt government censorship of newspapers, other p... more When freedom from Communism largely eliminated overt government censorship of newspapers, other political and business pressures appeared. Consequently, Southeastern European newspaper publishers faced threats to financial viability and editorial integrity. The editor-in-chief of one newspaper in the former Yugoslavian republic of Slovenia claims to have found freedom from political and advertiser influence after a global media conglomerate invested in the publication. Notably, the business daily Finance is the only hard-news start-up to survive in the eleven years since Slovenia gained independence from the Republic of Yugoslavia. This research paper offers a provocative example where international investment appears to have contributed to the democratizing of media in a post-communist society. The paper is not intended to argue that foreign media investments are necessarily beneficial but to suggest some circumstances in which foreign media investment can be advantageous to the democratic aspirations of a society.
Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, 2008
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2007
As information technology has evolved and branched into Electronic Medical Records (EMR), the ado... more As information technology has evolved and branched into Electronic Medical Records (EMR), the adoption of EMRs in healthcare has yet to permeate even half of hospitals. One factor in this lack of adoption is an insufficient supply of knowledgeable information technology professionals in the healthcare environment. To help resolve this shortage of professionals, an undergraduate degree to address technology, operations, and healthcare is proposed. This program builds on existing coursework in a state university to provide undergraduate students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to assist in the adoption, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of EMRs in the healthcare environment.
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2007
The fundamental function of information technology (IT), whether internal or external, is the cos... more The fundamental function of information technology (IT), whether internal or external, is the costeffective provision of IT services that meet organizational needs and align with organizational strategy. With ever-increasing adoption of IT management "best practices," industry now leads the academic community by recognizing the need for IT professionals educated in the IT service management (ITSM) processes-processes directly associated with the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective IT services. This article presents a summary of panel member presentations and subsequent discussions at Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) 2007 concerning the need to, and means for, incorporating ITSM concepts into business-school MIS/IS/CIS curricula. Panel members from industry strongly advocated the importance of including ITSM principles and concepts within business-school IS curricula. Academic members of the panel also articulated this need and described initiatives at their and other schools where ITSM concepts have been or are planned for inclusion in business school curricula at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. ITSM research opportunities, faculty preparedness, and possible resistance from within the IS academic community were additionally addressed.
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2003
The case describes the challenges faced by IT managers at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM... more The case describes the challenges faced by IT managers at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in their efforts to upgrade the Bureau's IT infrastructure while developing the largest, most complex strategic application ever attempted at the Bureau. After expending 15 years of effort and $400 million, the BLM cancelled the program. The case identifies obstacles faced by IT and non-IT managers in attempting to implement strategic information technology in large, complex organizations. Obstacles identified in this case include: the BLM's culture of autonomy that tended to undermine support for the initiative, technological limitations that impacted the selection of technical standards, and organizational resource and knowledge constraints that adversely impacted the BLM's ability to manage such a large IT development effort successfully.
Jitta Journal of Information Technology Theory and Application, 2005
Given society's massive investment in information technology and the potentially catastrophic con... more Given society's massive investment in information technology and the potentially catastrophic consequences of information technology (IT) failures, understanding how IT management policies influence IT management practice and, ultimately, organizational success in implementing and employing information technology is becoming increasingly crucial. This paper describes a study that took place in a large government agency and sheds some light on the interaction of IT policy, practice and success (or, in this case, failure). Following an exploratory case-study research design, the study employed both interpretivist-and positivist-oriented perspectives to develop a descriptive model that identifies significant factors influencing levels of policy compliance. The model describes the central roles that organizational culture and knowledge play in mediating the effects of information technology, organizational resources and IT management policies on IT policy compliance, implementation and use. The model reflects study participants' common-sense understanding of how IT policies work and why they sometimes fail to work. While the factors identified in the model may not be surprising, the manner in which they interact provides provocative insights into why organizations often fail to achieve desired levels of policy compliance and how focusing on policy compliance might lead to unanticipated consequences.
As suggested by its title, this book is based on the assumption that non-IT business managers nee... more As suggested by its title, this book is based on the assumption that non-IT business managers need to know about IT management. We have read literally hundreds of books and articles relating to IT management and have found much that is useful. But we also have found much material that is not particularly relevant to the needs of mid-level business managers. We aspired to write a book that is readable and relevant for current and aspiring business managers. Not surprisingly, most IT management publications are written for IT managers. Those publications written for (non-IT) business readers are often written as if they were to be read primarily by C-level executives. Their content, while useful, is often painted with broad strokes. Too often, these trade publications lack the mundane but necessary details needed to help business managers implement their prescriptions. It is as if they dont want to bother the executives with boring details; after all, C-level executives have staff to ...
Healthcare Financial Management, 2007
I am using the term non-positivist as a shorthand means of referencing a range of research tradit... more I am using the term non-positivist as a shorthand means of referencing a range of research traditions including: constructivism, critical theory, feminist theory, interpretivism, phenomenology, post-modernism, etc.
1We use the term “business-oriented IS ” to refer to information systems programs offered in AACS... more 1We use the term “business-oriented IS ” to refer to information systems programs offered in AACSB-accredited colleges of business as opposed to IS-related offerings from other colleges which are not subject to the same accreditation restrictions. 2IS 2002 is an update of IS ’97. In the interest of brevity, the authors have omitted much background information included in the report. The
There exists a wealth of computing education literature devoted to interventions designed to over... more There exists a wealth of computing education literature devoted to interventions designed to overcome novices ’ difficulties in learning to write computer programs. However, various studies have shown that the majority of students at the end of a semester of instruction are still unable to write a simple computer program, despite the best efforts of their teachers (Lister et al., 2004; McCracken et al., 2001; Soloway, Bonar, & Ehrlich, 1983). In an effort to address this problem, a workshop titled Building Research in Australasian Computing Education (BRACE) was con-vened in 2004. BRACE brought together academics interested in learning and applying the tech-niques and methodologies of action research to the problem of poor student code-writing per-formance. At this workshop, and at those that followed, participants agreed to use end-of-semester assessments to try to pinpoint the key steps and difficulties beginners faced in learning introductory programming. Subsequently the group, ...
A practitioner leaves behind the world of failed multi-million-dollar information systems project... more A practitioner leaves behind the world of failed multi-million-dollar information systems projects to seek solutions in academe. Along the journey from IS practitioner to IS researcher, the author encounters two fundamental tensions regarding the conduct of social science. The first tension concerns the challenge of conducting research meeting the criteria of scientific rigor while addressing issues relevant to practitioners. The second tension centers on the debate concerning the suitability of positivist and non-positivist approaches to research in the social sciences. A review of the literature discussing these tensions led the author to the insight that the two tensions could be related and to the adoption of a multi-paradigmatic research framework as a means of reconciling the tensions. The essay takes the reader from genesis (the author’s motivation for conducting practitioner-oriented research), through exodus (the intellectual journey made through the literature to acquire t...
Data transfer using wireless sensor networks (WSN) is bound by its limited coverage range. In ord... more Data transfer using wireless sensor networks (WSN) is bound by its limited coverage range. In order to communicate data beyond the coverage capability of a WSN link and make it pervasive, the authors here propose a method of information handover using heterogeneous wireless links for sensor-based data transmission. They draw on connectivity, one of the main features of a pervasive network. In the handover method proposed here, the WSN link is part of a wireless module which integrates various heterogeneous wireless links. All these wireless links are combined and coordinated using media independent handover functions (MIH) in accordance with the 802.21 Standard. As wireless modules have multiple wireless links, each module can communicate with the others using any one of the active links. When these wireless modules consisting of multiple links move beyond the communication range of the WSN link to maintain continuous connectivity the MIH in the module triggers the other wireless li...
InSITE Conference, 2017
Aim/Purpose: It appears that humans can become mal-informed and often consciously or subconscious... more Aim/Purpose: It appears that humans can become mal-informed and often consciously or subconsciously resist revising their mal-informed perspectives. Background: We need to apply behavioral and/or cognitive psychological approaches rather than traditional “educational” approaches. Methodology: Literature review Contribution: Suggests revising research focus to affective rather than cognitive solutions. Findings: Teaching critical thinking helps but is not enough. Impact on Society : Many important societal decisions may be made emotionally rather than rationally. Future Research: Research affective as well as cognitive factors in decision-making
Proceedings of the 2012 InSITE Conference, 2012
This essay was created for use in a business oriented IT or IS class. The purpose of this manuscr... more This essay was created for use in a business oriented IT or IS class. The purpose of this manuscript is to help students understand legal and ethical dilemmas associated with the use of information and information technology, primarily within the context of information privacy. The essay provides information that illustrates why information privacy has become such an important issue for businesses, discusses some of the relevant U.S. and international laws governing business use of customer information, and proposes a decision-making process that can be used by business managers to assist in making ethical business decisions. The essay is not a research submission nor is it intended to represent a comprehensive review of relevant literature.
Proceedings of the 2014 InSITE Conference, 2014
The discovery of oil along the Arabian Gulf in the 1950s brought rapid changes to Emirati standar... more The discovery of oil along the Arabian Gulf in the 1950s brought rapid changes to Emirati standards of living and expectations. It also brought decades of expatriate labor. Today the call is for local citizens to enter private enterprise and take charge of their personal and national economics. This initiative demands higher education and higher-order thinking. The authors of this preliminary innovations-in-practice essay report on their recent use of problem-based learning in a Middle East university class on green computing. Their aim is to discover how PBL might facilitate critical thinking, self-directed learning, and motivation to assess challenges and solve problemsskills that should well serve a fast-developing nation. While initial feedback from students has been very positive, the authors continue to collect and analyze student feedback. Upon completion of this data collection and analysis, a more complete report on this effort will be submitted.
Journal of Information Technology Education: Discussion Cases, 2014
It was a clear, cold January 1 st in New England. Tim and Cyndy, never interested in big New Year... more It was a clear, cold January 1 st in New England. Tim and Cyndy, never interested in big New Year's celebrations, were taking stock of the previous 12 months and thinking about what they needed to do in the coming year. The couple were sole owners of two small businesses, Phoenix Service Company, an auto repair shop, and Federal Hill Trading Company, an online retailer of specialty automotive parts, both operated out of a shop near their home in the northeastern United States. After 30 years of crawling under cars and lifting engines, Tim was winding down the service business and concentrating on building up Federal Hill auto-parts sales. But since Phoenix auto repair continued to provide their major income source, Tim and Cyndy had some real hesitation about how to make the transition. Since the mid-1980s the couple had run an automotive repair shop specializing in the service of British sports cars, primarily Aston Martin, but also Jaguar, Lotus, and even an occasional Rolls Royce. While most service and repair work was performed in the shop, Tim also attended vintage car races to provide track-side support for his upscale customers and other car owners at the events. These activities were not real money-makers, but they did get Tim and Cyndy out of the shop and give them a chance to see the vehicles they loved in action. While working on vintage British imports may sound like a dream job for the mechanically inclined young person, running a one-mechanic service and restoration shop was a constant challenge. The business owners were always looking for the chance to earn some extra cash, primarily by keeping an eye out for old cars, too far gone for restoration but providing a source of parts that might later be sold at a profit. Of course, working on vintage vehicles, they were accustomed to finding, buying, and selling a wide range of used and new auto parts.
Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice, 2010
Wearing the Assessment 'BRACElet' IIP-26 authors, from 20 tertiary institutions across 7 countrie... more Wearing the Assessment 'BRACElet' IIP-26 authors, from 20 tertiary institutions across 7 countries. By joining the BRACElet collective, we have been nurtured in making informed decisions about our own assessment practices and our local research has made a small contribution to the dialogue about understanding how novices learn to program.
Informing Science: The International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline, 2006
When freedom from Communism largely eliminated overt government censorship of newspapers, other p... more When freedom from Communism largely eliminated overt government censorship of newspapers, other political and business pressures appeared. Consequently, Southeastern European newspaper publishers faced threats to financial viability and editorial integrity. The editor-in-chief of one newspaper in the former Yugoslavian republic of Slovenia claims to have found freedom from political and advertiser influence after a global media conglomerate invested in the publication. Notably, the business daily Finance is the only hard-news start-up to survive in the eleven years since Slovenia gained independence from the Republic of Yugoslavia. This research paper offers a provocative example where international investment appears to have contributed to the democratizing of media in a post-communist society. The paper is not intended to argue that foreign media investments are necessarily beneficial but to suggest some circumstances in which foreign media investment can be advantageous to the democratic aspirations of a society.
Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, 2008
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2007
As information technology has evolved and branched into Electronic Medical Records (EMR), the ado... more As information technology has evolved and branched into Electronic Medical Records (EMR), the adoption of EMRs in healthcare has yet to permeate even half of hospitals. One factor in this lack of adoption is an insufficient supply of knowledgeable information technology professionals in the healthcare environment. To help resolve this shortage of professionals, an undergraduate degree to address technology, operations, and healthcare is proposed. This program builds on existing coursework in a state university to provide undergraduate students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to assist in the adoption, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of EMRs in the healthcare environment.
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2007
The fundamental function of information technology (IT), whether internal or external, is the cos... more The fundamental function of information technology (IT), whether internal or external, is the costeffective provision of IT services that meet organizational needs and align with organizational strategy. With ever-increasing adoption of IT management "best practices," industry now leads the academic community by recognizing the need for IT professionals educated in the IT service management (ITSM) processes-processes directly associated with the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective IT services. This article presents a summary of panel member presentations and subsequent discussions at Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) 2007 concerning the need to, and means for, incorporating ITSM concepts into business-school MIS/IS/CIS curricula. Panel members from industry strongly advocated the importance of including ITSM principles and concepts within business-school IS curricula. Academic members of the panel also articulated this need and described initiatives at their and other schools where ITSM concepts have been or are planned for inclusion in business school curricula at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. ITSM research opportunities, faculty preparedness, and possible resistance from within the IS academic community were additionally addressed.
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2003
The case describes the challenges faced by IT managers at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM... more The case describes the challenges faced by IT managers at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in their efforts to upgrade the Bureau's IT infrastructure while developing the largest, most complex strategic application ever attempted at the Bureau. After expending 15 years of effort and $400 million, the BLM cancelled the program. The case identifies obstacles faced by IT and non-IT managers in attempting to implement strategic information technology in large, complex organizations. Obstacles identified in this case include: the BLM's culture of autonomy that tended to undermine support for the initiative, technological limitations that impacted the selection of technical standards, and organizational resource and knowledge constraints that adversely impacted the BLM's ability to manage such a large IT development effort successfully.
Jitta Journal of Information Technology Theory and Application, 2005
Given society's massive investment in information technology and the potentially catastrophic con... more Given society's massive investment in information technology and the potentially catastrophic consequences of information technology (IT) failures, understanding how IT management policies influence IT management practice and, ultimately, organizational success in implementing and employing information technology is becoming increasingly crucial. This paper describes a study that took place in a large government agency and sheds some light on the interaction of IT policy, practice and success (or, in this case, failure). Following an exploratory case-study research design, the study employed both interpretivist-and positivist-oriented perspectives to develop a descriptive model that identifies significant factors influencing levels of policy compliance. The model describes the central roles that organizational culture and knowledge play in mediating the effects of information technology, organizational resources and IT management policies on IT policy compliance, implementation and use. The model reflects study participants' common-sense understanding of how IT policies work and why they sometimes fail to work. While the factors identified in the model may not be surprising, the manner in which they interact provides provocative insights into why organizations often fail to achieve desired levels of policy compliance and how focusing on policy compliance might lead to unanticipated consequences.