A contingent cost analysis of alternative manufacturing information systems

Objective: the purpose of the entire work is to help system analysts involved in assessing the quality of information sys tems (IS) operation during their creation, operation, modernization, development, to form the appearance of a comprehensive probabilistic prediction methodology applicable in the interests of ensuring quality and safety, justifying acceptable risks, identifying significant threats and supporting the adoption of scientifically rational system decisions to proactively counter threats in IS life cycle. The purpose of the 3rd part of the work is to complete the detailing of the general methodological provisions on the probabilistic prediction of the quality of IS operation quality (taking into account the enlarged description of the approach in the 1st part of the article [1] and the presentation of the basics of detailing modeling using «black boxes» in the 2nd part of the article [2]) by proposing: • the formalization of complex modeled systems consisting of parallel-sequential structures formed from «black boxes» and combined using logical connections «AND», «OR»; • the methods of system analysis of the IS operation quality; • the main components of the appearance of a comprehensive methodology for the probabilistic predicting IS operation quality, used by system analysts in the interests of ensuring quality and safety, justifying acceptable risks, identifying significant threats and supporting the adoption of scientifically based system decisions to proactively counter threats in the life cycle of specific IS. Research methods include: methods of probability theory, methods of system analysis. The modeled system is formally represented by «black boxes» and complex systems in the form of parallel-sequential structures formed from «black boxes» combined using logical connections «AND», «OR». The obtained results of mathematical modeling are used in the interpretation of the original IS, in the interests of which the corresponding calculations are carried out. The result of the work as a whole is: based on the research results presented in [1, 2], methodological provisions have been created that form the main components of the appearance of a complex methodology for probabilistic prediction of IS operation quality in accordance with GOST R 59341-2021 «System engineering. Protection of information in system information management process». The use of the proposed methodological provisions is intended to help system analysts form the appearance of a versatile complex methodology of probabilistic prediction, applicable in the interests of ensuring quality and safety, justifying acceptable risks, identifying significant threats and supporting the adoption of scientifically sound system decisions to proactively counter threats in the life cycle of specific IS. Scientific novelty of the work: with the widespread introduction of modern information technology tools and systems, the problems associated with a comprehensive study of the IS operation quality remain acutely relevant. Despite the fact that many system engineering standards have appeared that recommend the use of probabilistic system analysis for various types of systems, in practice, the formation of a set of techniques applicable to predicting quality measures, justifying acceptable risks, identifying significant threats and supporting the adoption of scientifically sound system decisions in IS life cycle causes practical difficulties for system analysts. These difficulties and the use of subjective assessments are related not only to the versatility of the very concept of IS operation quality, but also to the complexity of mathematical formalization, taking into account the specifics of each system. As a result, many important aspects are beyond the analyst's field of consideration, specific quality measures turn out to be incommensurable on a single quantitative scale, and the inverse analytical tasks of proactive threat management in IS life cycle and constituent elements are not solved. I.e., in practice, there is a contradiction between the needs for system analysis of IS and the possibilities for solving urgent problems of system analysis. To overcome this contradiction, the proposed methodological provisions formulate the general purpose of IS operation in various areas applications – to ensure the reliability and timeliness of providing the necessary information, completeness, validity and safety of the information used for subsequent intended use. The main proposed components of the complex methodology of probabilistic prediction of IS operation quality have determined the scientific novelty of this work, focused precisely on achieving this general formulated goal of IS operation.

The evaluation of information systems, especially in the health care field, is a complex task While in the general information system science field there have been several attempts to build frameworks and models to understand better the evaluation of information systems, in health care such models have been non-existent. Unfortunately general frameworks cannot be exactly applied for the evaluation of medical information systems, because they do not recognise the specific nature of the medicine. This article represents an attempt at formulating conceptual models to understand the evaluation of the different impacts of medical information systems.

The use of information systems requires special management and management, so this system is commonly referred to as a management information system. In it there are various activities ranging from system planning, maintenance, to measuring performance. In running a library information system, software and hardware are needed as well as humans as operators. The above components must be activities that are interconnected so that the library can run smoothly. To determine whether the components of the information system are running well, it requires an evaluation process. The purpose of this study is to measure the level of satisfaction of system users and to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the system in the use of library information systems. The method used is the analytical method PIECES Framework, which consists of several points of analysis, namely: Performance, Information and Data, Economics, Control and Security, Efficiency, and Service. Where each analysis point is a reference for evaluation and analysis of information systems. The results of this study are web applications that are able to analyze the level of user satisfaction with the library information system using the PIECES Framework analysis method and equipped with a satisfaction level reporting chart of the system measured in the 2018 period.

Travel websites are extensively used by travelers for their travel bookings, yet little is known about the hedonic effectiveness of such experiences for the customer. The end users of these websites are customers who may not always be sophisticated information system (IS) users. Further, traditional utility based measures of customer evaluation are dated with respect to the interactive nature of the technology in use and the hedonic benefits that may result from the use of the technology. The evaluation of IS needs to include hedonic measures facilitated by the interactive technology in addition to the traditional utility based measures. We propose and test an evaluation model for retail travel websites that combines the traditional utility based measures with hedonic measures which collectively create a more comprehensive measure for the IS evaluation of consumer focused websites. Thus rooted in theory, the model extends DeLone and McLean's model of IS Success by adding the construct of User Experience. The model was tested on a sample of 255 customers of travel websites targeted at the Indian market. The results indicate that both utility based and hedonic measures are important factors for customer IS (travel website in this study) evaluation. The larger implications for theory and practice of IS evaluation are explained.

This paper reports progress on a multidisciplinary research project at Murdoch University, involving the principal disciplines of information systems, cartography and law. The research project is examining how information systems may be best utilised to support the negotiation and arbitration of native title (land) claims by indigenous Australians. It also addresses important methodological issues relating to the analysis, design and evaluation of information systems which accommodate users with different cultural backgrounds. It discusses the requirements of relevant spatial information systems and some of the design considerations for suitable maps and other visualisations. An initial analysis of the GIS needs of the National Native Title Tribunal is provided.

The system analysis is the necessary activity in designing information systems (IS), especially in creating complex IS which have to satisfy a wide pallet of users’ demands. Installing the IS without expert’s planning and leading can lead to the huge users’ dissatisfaction, and maybe non - usage of system which often the consequent system do not work. This is especially emphasized when we talk about web based IS which demand a strong defined access rules as well as accurate data update procedures. In this paper is made a system analysis and design of IS for local economic development (LED). The problem of LED itself is very important because of the decentralization process that happens in R.of Macedonia in recent year as well as the global crises and the necessity of employment increasing. As an important factor we mention a need of increasing the usage of IS, especially when is concern of the issues that help for the young people’s position. Analysis of the need of IS for LED’s support is made on the couple of present local governments’ (LG) web sites in R.of Macedonia as well as the interviews and a questionnaire of the LER’s responsible in the LG and potential users of this kind of information. The results of this survey are decanting in analysis of the information needs as well as the LED’s support System’s proposition. We are using the structural analysis and logical design of IS as the working’ methodology. For this purpose, a series of systematic undertaken processes were used. These processes, we think, that will enhance the information and usage of computer’s IS in function of business climate and business community’s better information. The proposed model for LED’s support IS which have to cover the users’ demands will be made with creating a redundant databases, loaded whit trigger procedures and intelligent agents.

Current developments in information systems (IS) evaluation emphasise stakeholder participation in order to ensure adequate and beneficial IS investments. It is now common to consider evaluation as a subjective process of interpretation(s), in which people’s appreciations are taken into account to guide evaluations. However, the context of power relations in which evaluation takes place, as well as their ethical implications, has not been given full attention. In this article, ideas of critical systems thinking and Michel Foucault’s work on power and ethics are used to define a critical systems view of power to support IS evaluation. The article proposes a system of inquiry into power with two main areas: 1) Deployment of evaluation via power relations and 2) Dealing with ethics. The first element addresses how evaluation becomes possible. The second one goes in-depth into how evaluation can proceed as being informed by ethical reflection. The article suggests that inquiry into these relationships should contribute to extend current views on power in IS evaluation practice, and to reflect on the ethics of those involved in the process.

Evaluation measures for computer-based information systems

This thesis presents a new modelling method for information systems analysis and design, where the concept of service and the principles of service orientation are used for integrated modelling and reasoning about information systems architectures across organisational and technical systems boundaries. The concept of service enables cohesion of the intersubjective and objective modelling traditions by using a single type of diagram that facilitates detection of semantic inconsistency, incompleteness, ambiguity and discontinuity between the static and dynamic aspects of information systems specifications. The thesis is focused on three research topics, which are fundamental to the development of a new service-oriented modelling method. The first research topic concerns a pragmatic-driven specification of information systems. It clarifies answers to the research question: How can a conceptual modelling process be driven by pragmatic considerations? The second research topic provides a service-oriented modelling foundation for information systems analysis and design. It answers the research questions: How can the concept of service be used explicitly for the analysis and design of information systems and how can the static and dynamic aspects of information systems specifications be integrated at the conceptual level? The third research topic presents transition principles to implementation-specific design and answers the research question: How can service-oriented conceptual representations be aligned with implementation-specific design? The thesis contributes with a new knowledge to the area of conceptual modelling of information systems. The service-oriented modelling method consists of the modelling process, modelling language and techniques for the analysis and design of information systems on three levels of abstraction: pragmatic, semantic and syntactic. These three levels are necessary for a holistic understanding of enterprise architecture by stakeholders. The advantage of the service-oriented modelling method is that it can help to control traceability from information system design to original requirements. The method facilitates the semantic integration of the structural, behavioural and interactive aspects of information systems conceptual representations by using a single diagram type. The modelling language provides service-oriented constructs that are fundamental to building the major systems analysis patterns. The service-oriented modelling process contributes with seven steps of incremental design, which justifies various information systems components. The method provides the basis for a gradual and systematic way of modelling and an understanding of how pragmatic, semantic and logical information system requirements are linked together. The possibility to detect and eliminate undesirable characteristics of service-oriented diagrams can help to improve communication among stakeholders. Service-oriented specifications are computation-neutral and therefore they are more comprehensible for business analysis experts in comparison to implementation specific graphical representations of information systems. Finally, this thesis presents the challenges for future research, one of which is the development of the automated tools for the alignment of business models with implementation-specific information systems specifications.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce sustainability as a new dimension of information systems (IS) evaluation. Customers, policymakers and business partners increasingly require the monitoring and reporting of the organisational impact on sustainability. However, traditional IS evaluation approaches are not able to capture the impact of information technology (IT)/IS on sustainability, especially in relation to social and environmental dimensions, so the authors want to stimulate discussion and research related to this area.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is conceptual. However, it is based on the results of an existing related research project focussed on supply chain evaluation.FindingsIn order to stimulate discussion and research, the authors propose a framework that was originally developed to evaluate supply chain practices, in which IS often play a major role. The framework is built on three dimensions – economic, social and environmental – which are divided further into three sub‐dimensions. It can be used as a starting point to develop a framework for sustainability‐oriented IS evaluation.Research limitations/implicationsThe framework was originally developed for supply chain evaluation; however, it has generic features that can be adjusted or modified in order to be applied to a whole range of IT/IS initiativesPractical implicationsSustainability and its new dimensions create new challenges for information systems evaluation. Companies require frameworks and tools that can help them to measure and evaluate the impact of IS on sustainability. The researcher's role is to answer such needs and focus on this emerging research topic; this paper aims to stimulate such research.Originality/valueSustainability is a new dimension in IT/IS evaluation. Current approaches do not include all sustainability dimensions (environmental aspects are excluded, evaluation of the social impact is limited).

The paper describes a modular methodology for the design of manufacturing information systems (MIS) on the example of forestry industry. The need to develop such methodology is justified by the current demand of forestry companies to increase the return on investment in information systems implementation. The proposed modular design methodology makes it possible to design and implement MIS that takes into account the specifics of a forestry enterprise and is less expensive compared to competing solutions. The advantage becomes possible due to the use of an integrated modular approach to a wide range of forestry companies “many companies—one tool” based on universal integrated platform solutions. This approach uses a matrix relation of a specific forestry enterprise with a universal technological process. The novelty of the proposed methodology is the automation of developing the mathematical model of a forestry enterprise by choosing unified procedures from the available set and tuning the parameters to account for the specifics of a particular enterprise. This allows using a unified set of functional diagrams, which reduces the time and cost of designing and modifying MIS based on them. The consistent approach to selecting the unified procedures leads to obtaining the mathematical model of a forestry enterprise, which becomes the core of its MIS. Application of this methodology makes it possible to design, implement and scale MIS for forestry companies faster and cheaper than using traditional approaches.KeywordsManufacturing information systemsDesign methodologyForestry companiesIntegrated modular approachCosts reduction

Information systems and applications provide indispensable services at every stage of life, enabling us to carry out our activities more effectively and efficiently. Today, information technology systems produce many alarm and event records. These produced records often have a relationship with each other, and when this relationship is captured correctly, many interruptions that will harm institutions can be prevented before they occur. For example, an increase in the disk I/O speed of a server or a problem may cause the business software running on that server to slow down and cause different results in this slowness. Here, an institution's accurate analysis and management of all event records, and rule-based analysis of the resulting records in certain time periods and depending on certain rules will ensure efficient and effective management of millions of alarms. In addition, it will be possible to prevent possible problems by removing the relationships between events. Events that occur in IT systems are a kind of footprint. It is also vital to keep a record of the events in question, and when necessary, these event records can be analyzed to analyze the efficiency of the systems, harmful interferences, system failure tendency, etc. By understanding the undesirable situations such as taking the necessary precautions, possible losses can be prevented. In this study, the model developed for fault prediction in systems by performing event log analysis in information systems is explained and the experimental results obtained are given.

Pre-investment evaluation of information system (IS) project proposals persists to be problematic and highly risky in practice. Numerous evaluation approaches and methodologies offered in the literature have not contributed to major improvements in practice. We propose here a radical departure from the dominant conceptions in IS evaluation literature by adopting Actor-Network Theory (ANT) to provide a better understanding of the evaluation of IS proposals in practice and examine the ways in which the evaluation process shapes and ensures the selection of the best IS projects. By drawing on a field study of the IS evaluation processes in a company with a history of IS successes, we reveal the relational nature of IS project proposals and the ways they are constitutively entangled with business processes and practices. We demonstrate how the practice of IS evaluation produces the ‘object’ it evaluates, and how the IS project proposal is produced as a focal actor by relations in the actor-network emerging around it.

The convergence of information technologies has opened new vistas of opportunities as well as risks for organizations. Organization structure, controls, and management have all witnessed a sea change with their information systems (IS) becoming technology driven. IS is seen as a strategic tool that must be watched carefully in order to lead to corporate vision. For the first users, IS may bring competitive advantage but, for most, it becomes a need for survival. To sustain in this dynamic environment, executives need to be on all- time-alert to make sure that they do not lag behind competition. A study of best-run organizations indicates that to keep business and IS aligned, they have highly collaborative behaviour as well as well-defined policy for evaluating IS. This paper suggests an ACE Model – a 3-ring model, comprising of processes to (A)dapt, (C)ollaborate and (E)valuate, in order to establish and evaluate organizational effectiveness for improved IS effectiveness in the organizations. At the core is the need to cultivate a culture to adapt the latest tools and techniques for higher end use. Next, the people must collaborate and work in teams for faster and beneficial plans and implementation. Finally, a well-defined process for constant monitoring and refinements of the plans is required. The rings signify continuity of the three processes. These processes should not be triggered at specific intervals. Rather, these must be imbibed in the culture of the organization so that the employees breathe in and breathe out the same thoughts and execute them together. The model offers a simple, flexible, and modular approach to assess organization's environment for IS effectiveness on a 5-point scale. This paper highlights the following issues: There is a need for IS evaluation vis-a-vis organizational environment. In order to realize value from IT, it is worthwhile to analyse and ensure an effective environment in the organization that is conducive to change of technology and systems. This can ensure alignment of organization, its purpose, employees, functions, and stakeholders. Irrespective of the technologies in use, organizational evaluation process must be an indicator of contribution of IS towards growth or sustenance of business though the opponents of IS evaluation may like to conclude this as infeasible on the ground that IS benefits are largely intangible and hence unquantifiable. The findings of this study can help the business organizations in identifying and improving the environment for cultivating IS in their organizations. It is recommended to have more software tools for decision-making and information analysis so that the spending on IT can be utilized better. Decision makers can deploy the suggested model on their intranets to keep a constant watch on the culture of the organization and act accordingly in order to keep the effectiveness index to the highest level.

Information systems can be conceptualized in a number of ways. Most methodologies propose to analyze separately process and data semantics by projecting them into totally different diagram types. This system analysis and design tradition is very strong in most modeling approaches such as structured analysis as well as object-oriented design. Structural and behavioral aspects are complementary. They cannot be analyzed in isolation. Lack of a conceptual modeling approach, which can be used for verification of semantic integrity among various types of diagrams, is the cornerstone of frustration for information system architects. Inconsistency, incompleteness and ambiguity of conceptual views create difficulties in verification and validation of technical system architectures by business experts, who determine the organizational strategies. Consequently, the traditional information system methodologies are not able to bridge a communication gap among business experts and IT-system designers. Various interpretations of semantic relations in conceptual modeling approaches make the system analysis and design process more art than science. It creates difficulties to formulate comprehensible principles of decomposition and separation of concerns. Unambiguous definition of aggregation and generalization is necessary for breaking down information system functionality into coherent non-overlapping components. This article concentrates on conceptual modeling enhancements, which help to avoid semantic integrity problems in conceptualizations on various levels of abstraction. The presented conceptual modeling approach is based on a single type of diagram, which can be used for reasoning on semantic integrity between business process and data across organizational and technical system boundaries.