Some resources on ISO 27001:
Youtube resources: what is 27001; why iso 27001; mgt responsibility; security policy; business continuity mgt, etc.
On Information security: 7 things ceo should know; Introduction to Info security
Saturday 19 October 2013
Saturday 5 October 2013
Accounting Fundamentals - module info
The following info is related to the subject module of Accounting Fundamentals:
• Accounting as a means of communication.
• Fundamental concepts of accounting.
• Accounting systems.
• Introduction to double entry bookkeeping and the trial balance.
• The main financial statements – balance sheet, profit and loss account.
• Accounting for stocks, depreciation, disposals of fixed assets, accruals and prepayments.
• Introduction to Cost Accounting. Cost Classification, elements of cost, relationship between cost accounting and financial accounting. Role and function of cost accounting systems/management information systems, cost centres and cost units.
• Marginal Costing and cost-volume-profit analysis. Nature of costs, fixed and variable, period and product.
• Cost behaviour. The concept of contribution, B/E point, margin of safety, effects of volume mix and price changes.
• Information for decision making. Avoidable and unavoidable costs, sunk costs, incremental, opportunity costs/imputed costs. Mix changes, make or buy, adding or deleting a product, limiting factors and use of probabilities/mathematical model.
References
Textbook: Dyson J R (2010), Accounting for Non Accounting Students, 8th edition, FT Prentice Hall
Lucey T (2009), Costing, 7th edition, D P Publications
Videos on Financial Accounting
Videos on Management Accounting
Facebook Folder with exercises
• Accounting as a means of communication.
• Fundamental concepts of accounting.
• Accounting systems.
• Introduction to double entry bookkeeping and the trial balance.
• The main financial statements – balance sheet, profit and loss account.
• Accounting for stocks, depreciation, disposals of fixed assets, accruals and prepayments.
• Introduction to Cost Accounting. Cost Classification, elements of cost, relationship between cost accounting and financial accounting. Role and function of cost accounting systems/management information systems, cost centres and cost units.
• Marginal Costing and cost-volume-profit analysis. Nature of costs, fixed and variable, period and product.
• Cost behaviour. The concept of contribution, B/E point, margin of safety, effects of volume mix and price changes.
• Information for decision making. Avoidable and unavoidable costs, sunk costs, incremental, opportunity costs/imputed costs. Mix changes, make or buy, adding or deleting a product, limiting factors and use of probabilities/mathematical model.
References
Textbook: Dyson J R (2010), Accounting for Non Accounting Students, 8th edition, FT Prentice Hall
Lucey T (2009), Costing, 7th edition, D P Publications
Videos on Financial Accounting
Videos on Management Accounting
Facebook Folder with exercises
Friday 23 August 2013
Changing role of Chief Financial Officers - a brief note
The notes are based on David Chancellor (2013): On the changing role of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs):
1. "Still expected to maintain responsibility (and accountability) for the financial health of the organization"
2. "Are being expected to play a greater role in other areas of the business, particularly human resources and information (IT)."
3. "Wheras business technolgy was once regarded as operational - rather than strategic - it now provides CFOs with the ability to access critical areas of the business, developing, analyzing and changing key performance indicators (KPIs)that measure the effectiveness of operations."
4. "... chief executive officers expect their CFOs to deliver new business financial models that clearly define the role that digital technology will play."
Reference
Chancellor, D. (2013) "Taking a leading role" Business Executive Issue 129, pp. 19-21, published by the Association of Business Executives, UK.
1. "Still expected to maintain responsibility (and accountability) for the financial health of the organization"
2. "Are being expected to play a greater role in other areas of the business, particularly human resources and information (IT)."
3. "Wheras business technolgy was once regarded as operational - rather than strategic - it now provides CFOs with the ability to access critical areas of the business, developing, analyzing and changing key performance indicators (KPIs)that measure the effectiveness of operations."
4. "... chief executive officers expect their CFOs to deliver new business financial models that clearly define the role that digital technology will play."
Reference
Chancellor, D. (2013) "Taking a leading role" Business Executive Issue 129, pp. 19-21, published by the Association of Business Executives, UK.
Monday 12 August 2013
Managerial intellectual learning of systems thinking for Finance Managers (a speech)
A speech on “Managerial intellectual learning of systems thinking for Finance Managers in the digital era”
By Joseph Kim-keung Ho
This speech is for a group of Finance Managers working in Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises in China, as a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) event for them. This speech will be video-taped by ABRS who is also the organizer of this event. I will deliver my speech in the following 2 parts, in 4 sessions:
Part 1: The essence of managerial intellectual learning of systems thinking
Session 1.1: Why do managers need to improve managerial intellectual learning capability?
Session 1.2: Why do Finance managers need to learn systems thinking?
Part 2: How to improve managerial intellectual learning for Finance Managers
Session 2.1.: On the managerial intellectual learning process model in the digital era
Session 2.2: How to improve managerial intellectual learning and the role of e-coaching
1.1 Why do managers need to improve managerial intellectual learning capability?
To start with, I feel it necessary to address a fundamental question: “Why should we take up managerial intellectual learning at all?”. There appear to be a number of reasons for that and these reasons are quite personal in nature. These can be:
Human nature
Learn for employability
Learn for fun
Learn for intelligence
Learn to become a scholar-practitioner
I can imagine that different people will accept some or even none of the reasons above. Some of my students maintain that they need to be forced to learn and that the present education system and professional examination system have spoilt their mood to take up intellectual learning. From my literature review, I find two concepts quite clearly formulated and appear reasonable as offering a reason and a way to take up intellectual learning. They are:
a. Gain successful intelligence (re: R.J. Sternberg; pls refer to the reference list of this document for further details); I quote the definition on successful intelligence for your reference here: “The ability to achieve one’s goals in life, given one’s socio-cultural context, by capitalizing on strengths and correcting or compensating for weaknesses, through a combination of analytical, creative and practical abilities”
b. Practise life based learning (LBL) (re: M. Staron): The main viewpoints of LBL are: (i) “All learning is interrelated, so it is not easy to separate learning at work from the other types of learning adults do”, and (ii) “Learning is a multi-dimensional experience and we engage in a lot of learning other than professional development”
As I am aware of, there are learners, whom we can call “intellectual learners”, who are comfortable with intellectual learning as it is a main part of their personality; these intellectual learners: (i) tend to assume a great deal of initiative in learning, (ii) feel secure because they have read widely,and (iii) are organized, logical, concise and able to conceptualize. (re: http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~sspltr/p1/preparation/Lecture_notes/Intellectual_thinking.html).
1.2 Why do finance managers need to learn systems thinking?
The academic literature on systems thinking introduces specific systems approaches that provide guidelines/ steps, e.g. expansionism, and producer-product relationship, for effective problem-solving; systems thinking has also been applied in various management disciplines, including Accounting and Finance – systems thinking is an important part of the body of knowledge in Accounting and Finance. Thus, the systems literature should be studied by Finance Managers for their professional development. In this regard, I refer you to Jackson (2000), Flood and Jackson (1991), Ackoff (1981) as useful readings. I can use the diagrams on “a system” and “soft systems methodology of Checkland” to further introduce Systems Thinking.
2.1.: On the managerial intellectual learning process model in the digital era
There are many pathways on managerial intellectual learning, including:
Professional exam-based learning
Classroom learning
Workplace learning
Life based learning
Some are active, while others are passive; and, some are expensive while others cost much less. They all work on our intellectual learning process; for Bloom (1956), such a learning process will go through several levels, from the bottom level of remembering concepts; to the middle level of understanding and applying concepts, finally, we reach the top level, at which we analyze, evaluate with theories, as well as create new theories. Another theorist, Perry, maintains that the process goes through the following levels: (re: Intellectual Development: http://www.personal.psu.edu/scs15/Reading/development.html
)
LEVEL 0: DUALISTIC LEVEL
Exhibit black/ white thinking which relies on authority figures to provide right answers
Perceive their intellectual job as to memorize and repeat the correct answer which was given by the authority figure.
LEVEL 1: MULTIPLICITY
“Are more able to accept questions with gray answers”
“Still are very tolerant of their own pre-conceived notions and are unwilling to challenge them or be inclined to look at other points of view. “
LEVEL 2: RELATIVISM
“Understand that knowledge and values depend on context and individual perspectives”
“Begin to see the need for commitment to a course of action even with gray areas – based on critical evaluation and not external authority”
LEVEL 3: COMMITMENT WITH RELATIVISM
“Make commitments based on personal value”
“Attempt to resolve conflicts and acknowledge that these may never fully be resolved “
There are teaching strategies that are useful to facilitate learners to move up the levels of learning, e.g.: (re: Intellectual development: http://www.personal.psu.edu/scs15/Reading/development.html)
Provide appropriate balance of challenge and support
Assign open-ended real world problems
Have students work in small groups – automatically expose them to multiplicity of ideas
I would like to point that, in the digital era, there are aspects of the environment that are favourable for learning, e.g.
Access to lots of information, anytime and anywhere
Virtual community support
Multi-channels, multi-tasks
Just-in-time learning
On the other hand, there are also unfavourable ones, including the followings:
Information overload
Lack of concentration
The habit of reading and writing is vanishing
Lack of patience to learn
Ho (2013a) proposes a managerial intellectual learning process on systems thinking in the Internet era. The process includes 3 phases:
Phase 1: Data Management
Phase 2: Absorbed reading
Phase 3: MPSB knowledge compilation
2.2: How to improve managerial intellectual learning and the role of e-coaching
The managerial intellectual learning process model of Ho (2013a) highlights the role played by e-coaches. [Note: Coaching is a teaching, training or development process via which an individual is supported while achieving a specific personal or professional result or goal.” (re: Coaching: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaching]. See also Ho (2013b) on how e-learning support can be provided in the digital social media ecosystem.
When we examine the more specific case of managerial intellectual learning for Finance Managers, I would like to consider the case of ACCA Professional Exam, as I am more familiar with their exam scheme. The case is: After graduation with a First Degree in Accounting and Finance, Accounting students can study for ACCA professional exam. Very often, they are required to sit for the following 5 papers:
P1: Governance, Risk and Ethics
P2: Corporate Reporting
P3: Business Analysis
P4: Advanced Performance Management
P6: Advanced Taxation
My question is: is such a scheme good for managerial intellectual learning? [This question is not the same as asking you whether ACCA is a good professional qualification.]
In Ho (2013c), I have made an explicit comparison of the various modes of Management Education, which is related to our discussion on managerial learning here. In that paper, I also discuss my personal research interest in Multi-perspective, Systems-based Research.
Finally, I would like to make some advices on managerial intellectual learning, which are also relevant to Finance managers:
You need:
The right mindset
The right environment
The right process
A contingency approach of learning
Forget your previous painful learning experience, if you still have that memory
Consider the following mottos of learning
Just do it (or “the future is the next second”)
Have a nice time: enjoyable learning
Life based learning
Issue-driven learning
Learning should be free-of-charge, or almost free.
Learning should be liberating
- End -
Related links on videos
References
Ackoff, R.L. (1981) Creating the corporate future, Wiley
Bloom’s Taxonomy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom's_Taxonomy
Coaching: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaching
Flood, R.L. and Jackson, M.C. (1991) Creative Problem Solving, Wiley
Ho, J.K.K. (2013a) “A Research Note: An exploration on the intellectual learning process of systems thinking by managers in the digital social media ecosystem” European Academic Research Vol. 1(5) August, PP. 636-649
Ho, J.K.K. (2013b) “A research paper: Providing e-learning support to part-time students in business disciplines using Facebook from the Multi-perspective, Systems-based (MPSB) perspective”, Systems Research and Behavioural Science 30, pp. 86-97.
Ho, J.K.K. (2013c) “An endeavor to render an impressionistic image of Enlightening Management Education in Multi-perspective, Systems-based Research”European Academic Research, September, (TO BE PUBLISHED)
Intellectual Development: http://www.personal.psu.edu/scs15/Reading/development.html
Intellectual learner: http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~sspltr/p1/preparation/Lecture_notes/Intellectual_thinking.html
Jackson, M.C. (2000) Systems Approaches to Management, Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers
Life based learning: http://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Sites/Web/13289/focus/life_based_learning.htm
Successful intelligence (pdf): http://www.psicorip.org/Resumos/PerP/RIP/RIP036a0/RIP03921.pdf
By Joseph Kim-keung Ho
This speech is for a group of Finance Managers working in Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises in China, as a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) event for them. This speech will be video-taped by ABRS who is also the organizer of this event. I will deliver my speech in the following 2 parts, in 4 sessions:
Part 1: The essence of managerial intellectual learning of systems thinking
Session 1.1: Why do managers need to improve managerial intellectual learning capability?
Session 1.2: Why do Finance managers need to learn systems thinking?
Part 2: How to improve managerial intellectual learning for Finance Managers
Session 2.1.: On the managerial intellectual learning process model in the digital era
Session 2.2: How to improve managerial intellectual learning and the role of e-coaching
1.1 Why do managers need to improve managerial intellectual learning capability?
To start with, I feel it necessary to address a fundamental question: “Why should we take up managerial intellectual learning at all?”. There appear to be a number of reasons for that and these reasons are quite personal in nature. These can be:
Human nature
Learn for employability
Learn for fun
Learn for intelligence
Learn to become a scholar-practitioner
I can imagine that different people will accept some or even none of the reasons above. Some of my students maintain that they need to be forced to learn and that the present education system and professional examination system have spoilt their mood to take up intellectual learning. From my literature review, I find two concepts quite clearly formulated and appear reasonable as offering a reason and a way to take up intellectual learning. They are:
a. Gain successful intelligence (re: R.J. Sternberg; pls refer to the reference list of this document for further details); I quote the definition on successful intelligence for your reference here: “The ability to achieve one’s goals in life, given one’s socio-cultural context, by capitalizing on strengths and correcting or compensating for weaknesses, through a combination of analytical, creative and practical abilities”
b. Practise life based learning (LBL) (re: M. Staron): The main viewpoints of LBL are: (i) “All learning is interrelated, so it is not easy to separate learning at work from the other types of learning adults do”, and (ii) “Learning is a multi-dimensional experience and we engage in a lot of learning other than professional development”
As I am aware of, there are learners, whom we can call “intellectual learners”, who are comfortable with intellectual learning as it is a main part of their personality; these intellectual learners: (i) tend to assume a great deal of initiative in learning, (ii) feel secure because they have read widely,and (iii) are organized, logical, concise and able to conceptualize. (re: http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~sspltr/p1/preparation/Lecture_notes/Intellectual_thinking.html).
1.2 Why do finance managers need to learn systems thinking?
The academic literature on systems thinking introduces specific systems approaches that provide guidelines/ steps, e.g. expansionism, and producer-product relationship, for effective problem-solving; systems thinking has also been applied in various management disciplines, including Accounting and Finance – systems thinking is an important part of the body of knowledge in Accounting and Finance. Thus, the systems literature should be studied by Finance Managers for their professional development. In this regard, I refer you to Jackson (2000), Flood and Jackson (1991), Ackoff (1981) as useful readings. I can use the diagrams on “a system” and “soft systems methodology of Checkland” to further introduce Systems Thinking.
2.1.: On the managerial intellectual learning process model in the digital era
There are many pathways on managerial intellectual learning, including:
Professional exam-based learning
Classroom learning
Workplace learning
Life based learning
Some are active, while others are passive; and, some are expensive while others cost much less. They all work on our intellectual learning process; for Bloom (1956), such a learning process will go through several levels, from the bottom level of remembering concepts; to the middle level of understanding and applying concepts, finally, we reach the top level, at which we analyze, evaluate with theories, as well as create new theories. Another theorist, Perry, maintains that the process goes through the following levels: (re: Intellectual Development: http://www.personal.psu.edu/scs15/Reading/development.html
)
LEVEL 0: DUALISTIC LEVEL
Exhibit black/ white thinking which relies on authority figures to provide right answers
Perceive their intellectual job as to memorize and repeat the correct answer which was given by the authority figure.
LEVEL 1: MULTIPLICITY
“Are more able to accept questions with gray answers”
“Still are very tolerant of their own pre-conceived notions and are unwilling to challenge them or be inclined to look at other points of view. “
LEVEL 2: RELATIVISM
“Understand that knowledge and values depend on context and individual perspectives”
“Begin to see the need for commitment to a course of action even with gray areas – based on critical evaluation and not external authority”
LEVEL 3: COMMITMENT WITH RELATIVISM
“Make commitments based on personal value”
“Attempt to resolve conflicts and acknowledge that these may never fully be resolved “
There are teaching strategies that are useful to facilitate learners to move up the levels of learning, e.g.: (re: Intellectual development: http://www.personal.psu.edu/scs15/Reading/development.html)
Provide appropriate balance of challenge and support
Assign open-ended real world problems
Have students work in small groups – automatically expose them to multiplicity of ideas
I would like to point that, in the digital era, there are aspects of the environment that are favourable for learning, e.g.
Access to lots of information, anytime and anywhere
Virtual community support
Multi-channels, multi-tasks
Just-in-time learning
On the other hand, there are also unfavourable ones, including the followings:
Information overload
Lack of concentration
The habit of reading and writing is vanishing
Lack of patience to learn
Ho (2013a) proposes a managerial intellectual learning process on systems thinking in the Internet era. The process includes 3 phases:
Phase 1: Data Management
Phase 2: Absorbed reading
Phase 3: MPSB knowledge compilation
2.2: How to improve managerial intellectual learning and the role of e-coaching
The managerial intellectual learning process model of Ho (2013a) highlights the role played by e-coaches. [Note: Coaching is a teaching, training or development process via which an individual is supported while achieving a specific personal or professional result or goal.” (re: Coaching: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaching]. See also Ho (2013b) on how e-learning support can be provided in the digital social media ecosystem.
When we examine the more specific case of managerial intellectual learning for Finance Managers, I would like to consider the case of ACCA Professional Exam, as I am more familiar with their exam scheme. The case is: After graduation with a First Degree in Accounting and Finance, Accounting students can study for ACCA professional exam. Very often, they are required to sit for the following 5 papers:
P1: Governance, Risk and Ethics
P2: Corporate Reporting
P3: Business Analysis
P4: Advanced Performance Management
P6: Advanced Taxation
My question is: is such a scheme good for managerial intellectual learning? [This question is not the same as asking you whether ACCA is a good professional qualification.]
In Ho (2013c), I have made an explicit comparison of the various modes of Management Education, which is related to our discussion on managerial learning here. In that paper, I also discuss my personal research interest in Multi-perspective, Systems-based Research.
Finally, I would like to make some advices on managerial intellectual learning, which are also relevant to Finance managers:
You need:
The right mindset
The right environment
The right process
A contingency approach of learning
Forget your previous painful learning experience, if you still have that memory
Consider the following mottos of learning
Just do it (or “the future is the next second”)
Have a nice time: enjoyable learning
Life based learning
Issue-driven learning
Learning should be free-of-charge, or almost free.
Learning should be liberating
- End -
Related links on videos
References
Ackoff, R.L. (1981) Creating the corporate future, Wiley
Bloom’s Taxonomy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom's_Taxonomy
Coaching: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaching
Flood, R.L. and Jackson, M.C. (1991) Creative Problem Solving, Wiley
Ho, J.K.K. (2013a) “A Research Note: An exploration on the intellectual learning process of systems thinking by managers in the digital social media ecosystem” European Academic Research Vol. 1(5) August, PP. 636-649
Ho, J.K.K. (2013b) “A research paper: Providing e-learning support to part-time students in business disciplines using Facebook from the Multi-perspective, Systems-based (MPSB) perspective”, Systems Research and Behavioural Science 30, pp. 86-97.
Ho, J.K.K. (2013c) “An endeavor to render an impressionistic image of Enlightening Management Education in Multi-perspective, Systems-based Research”European Academic Research, September, (TO BE PUBLISHED)
Intellectual Development: http://www.personal.psu.edu/scs15/Reading/development.html
Intellectual learner: http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~sspltr/p1/preparation/Lecture_notes/Intellectual_thinking.html
Jackson, M.C. (2000) Systems Approaches to Management, Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers
Life based learning: http://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Sites/Web/13289/focus/life_based_learning.htm
Successful intelligence (pdf): http://www.psicorip.org/Resumos/PerP/RIP/RIP036a0/RIP03921.pdf
Sunday 11 August 2013
Lean Management - some resources
The following resources are on Lean Management:
1. Principles of Lean
2. Lean manufacturing
3. Lean tools
4. A brief history of Lean
1. Principles of Lean
2. Lean manufacturing
3. Lean tools
4. A brief history of Lean
Tuesday 6 August 2013
Time-based competition - some notes
The following notes are on the topic of Time-based competition (TBC):
1. Basic description
2. The concept of time-based competition (paper)
3. Global market and time-based competition (paper)
Brief notes
* "Companies engaged in TBC seek to reduce the amount of time devoted during each staege of the general cycle by eliminating non-value adding activities, shortening time and/or efficiently coordinating value adding activities." (Sapkauskiene and Leitoniene, 2010)
Reference
Sapkauskiene, A. and Leitoniene, S. (2010) "The Concept of Time-Based Competition in the Context of Management Theory" Inzinerine Ekonomika - Engineering Economics 21(2), pp. 205-213,
1. Basic description
2. The concept of time-based competition (paper)
3. Global market and time-based competition (paper)
Brief notes
* "Companies engaged in TBC seek to reduce the amount of time devoted during each staege of the general cycle by eliminating non-value adding activities, shortening time and/or efficiently coordinating value adding activities." (Sapkauskiene and Leitoniene, 2010)
Reference
Sapkauskiene, A. and Leitoniene, S. (2010) "The Concept of Time-Based Competition in the Context of Management Theory" Inzinerine Ekonomika - Engineering Economics 21(2), pp. 205-213,
Monday 5 August 2013
Management of Operations and Quality
The subject of Management of Operations and Quality includes the following topics:
1. Objectives and scope of Operations and Quality Management
2. Inventory Management
3. Just in Time
4. Supply Chain Management
5. Competitiveness
6. Project Management
7. Work Study
8. Business Process Reengineering
9. Time Based Competition
10. Totaly Quality Management, including Quality Costing and Statitstical Process Control
11. Problem Solving Teams
References
Slack, N., Chambers, R. and Johnston, R. (2006) Operations Management, 5th edition, Financial Times/ Prentice Hall
Oakland J (2004) Total Quality Management, 3rd edition, Butterworth-Heinemann
Hoyle, D. (2006).Quality Management Essentials, Butterworth-Heinemann
Russell & Taylor (1997).Operations Management – Focusing on Quality and Competitiveness, 2nd edition, Prentice Hall
Schneider B (2004).Service Quality, Sage Publications
Seaver M (2003).Gower Handbook of Quality Management, 3rd edition, Gower
Facebook folder (with exercises)
1. Objectives and scope of Operations and Quality Management
2. Inventory Management
3. Just in Time
4. Supply Chain Management
5. Competitiveness
6. Project Management
7. Work Study
8. Business Process Reengineering
9. Time Based Competition
10. Totaly Quality Management, including Quality Costing and Statitstical Process Control
11. Problem Solving Teams
References
Slack, N., Chambers, R. and Johnston, R. (2006) Operations Management, 5th edition, Financial Times/ Prentice Hall
Oakland J (2004) Total Quality Management, 3rd edition, Butterworth-Heinemann
Hoyle, D. (2006).Quality Management Essentials, Butterworth-Heinemann
Russell & Taylor (1997).Operations Management – Focusing on Quality and Competitiveness, 2nd edition, Prentice Hall
Schneider B (2004).Service Quality, Sage Publications
Seaver M (2003).Gower Handbook of Quality Management, 3rd edition, Gower
Facebook folder (with exercises)
Economics of the Market, Income & Employment
The subject of Economics of the Market, Income & Employment includes the following topics:
1. Production possibility frontiers
2. Opportunity cost
3. Market mechanism: supply & demand functions, role of prices, elasticity of demand and supply
4. Production influences: product curves and efficiency; long and short run cost influences; growth of organizations
5. Theory of the firm: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, monopoly
6.Aggregate demand, aggregate supply, national income
7. Inflation
8. Policy debates: Keynes vs monetarists
References
Mankiw, N, G (2012) Principles of Economics, 6th Edition, Cengage Learning
Griffiths A & Wall S (2007) Applied Economics, 11thedition, Financial Times/ Prentice Hall
Sloman, J. Hinde, K. (2006) Economics for Business (Paperback), Financial Times/Prentice Hall
Internet resources:
* Microeconomics
* Macroeconomics
* Facebook folder (with exercises)
1. Production possibility frontiers
2. Opportunity cost
3. Market mechanism: supply & demand functions, role of prices, elasticity of demand and supply
4. Production influences: product curves and efficiency; long and short run cost influences; growth of organizations
5. Theory of the firm: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, monopoly
6.Aggregate demand, aggregate supply, national income
7. Inflation
8. Policy debates: Keynes vs monetarists
References
Mankiw, N, G (2012) Principles of Economics, 6th Edition, Cengage Learning
Griffiths A & Wall S (2007) Applied Economics, 11thedition, Financial Times/ Prentice Hall
Sloman, J. Hinde, K. (2006) Economics for Business (Paperback), Financial Times/Prentice Hall
Internet resources:
* Microeconomics
* Macroeconomics
* Facebook folder (with exercises)
Friday 26 July 2013
IT outsourcing notes
Notes on IT outsourcing
1. Trends in outsourcing
2. Reasons for IT outsourcing
2.1 short-term reasons
* Reduce or control operating costs
* Make capital fund available
* Cash infusion
* Resources are not available internally
* Functions difficult to manage or out of control
2.2 long-term reasons
* Improve business focus
* Access world-class capabilities
* Accelerate reengineering benefits
* Share risks
* Free resources for other purposes
Re: Antonnucci and Tucker III (1998) "IT Outsourcing: current trends, benefits and risks" Infomation Stragey: The Executive's Journal, Winter
1. Trends in outsourcing
2. Reasons for IT outsourcing
2.1 short-term reasons
* Reduce or control operating costs
* Make capital fund available
* Cash infusion
* Resources are not available internally
* Functions difficult to manage or out of control
2.2 long-term reasons
* Improve business focus
* Access world-class capabilities
* Accelerate reengineering benefits
* Share risks
* Free resources for other purposes
Re: Antonnucci and Tucker III (1998) "IT Outsourcing: current trends, benefits and risks" Infomation Stragey: The Executive's Journal, Winter
Sunday 21 July 2013
About Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) certification
The following brief note is on Hotal Technology Next Generation (HTNG) Certification:
Primary website: HTNG
The main benefits of the HTNG certification initiative is:
a. Easier interoperability among systems used in hospitality, based on its open standards across hotel systems
b. HTNG certification promotes software purchasers' confidence in purchasing hotel software products, e.g. software products' completeness
c. HTNG certification specifications facilitate software purchasers' evaluattion on hotel software products
d. Software clients can obtain information about the HTNG certification, thus reducing uncertainty in software product evaluation
e. HTNG Register maintains and enforce ongoing conformance by registered software vendors with it.
Try to review the content of HTNG website with the literature on IT standardization; Examine what have been discussed in the IT standardization literature and the (a) find out whether the concepts and viewpoints in the academic literature are mentioned in the HTNG documents; and (b) try to evaluate the ideas and viewpoints in the HTNG documents using notions and theories from the academic literature on IT standardization (i.e. to conduct a theory-driven analysis).
Primary website: HTNG
The main benefits of the HTNG certification initiative is:
a. Easier interoperability among systems used in hospitality, based on its open standards across hotel systems
b. HTNG certification promotes software purchasers' confidence in purchasing hotel software products, e.g. software products' completeness
c. HTNG certification specifications facilitate software purchasers' evaluattion on hotel software products
d. Software clients can obtain information about the HTNG certification, thus reducing uncertainty in software product evaluation
e. HTNG Register maintains and enforce ongoing conformance by registered software vendors with it.
Try to review the content of HTNG website with the literature on IT standardization; Examine what have been discussed in the IT standardization literature and the (a) find out whether the concepts and viewpoints in the academic literature are mentioned in the HTNG documents; and (b) try to evaluate the ideas and viewpoints in the HTNG documents using notions and theories from the academic literature on IT standardization (i.e. to conduct a theory-driven analysis).
Saturday 20 July 2013
Standardization in IT - a brief notes on literature
The following readings are on the topic of standardization in Information Technology:
Jacobs, K. "Information Technology Standards, Standard Setting and Standard Research"
* Advantages of Industry consortia to set standards
* Standardization becomes more important with increasing economic and corporate globalization
* Governments push standards to support domestic firms
* Standards are not just rooted in technical deliberation, but also result from a process of social interactions between stakeholders
* Do standard hamper progress and stand in the way of technical innovation?
* Standardization is costly business and time consuming, so "Why participate at all?": because: (a) avoid technological dead-ends. (b) reduce dependency on vendors, (c) promote universality
* A review of the standard setting process
* In IT most new systems emerge from standardization processes; Constructive Technology Assessment's 'technology forcing' strategy aims at applying external pressure on a technical development.
* Slow, cumbersome, compromise laden and hidden agendas are popular attributes when it comes to characterising the formal standardisation processes in the ICT domain.
Morell, J.A. (1994) "Standards and the market acceptance of information technology: An exploration of relationship" Computer Standards & Interfaces Vol. 16, pp. 321-329.
Three questions are raised:
Q1: How do standards affect the acceptance of technology?
Q2: How can a standars setting process be guided successfully from conception to completion?
Q3: How do (i) standards, (ii) standard setting processes, and (iii) technology acceptance interact with each other?
Model of the standards process (characteristics of technology; market structure; vendor strategies)-> standard setting process -> standard acceptance -> technology acceptance
Standards affect technology in the following manner:
* assurance of performance
* communication between buyer and seller
* compatibility with existing technology
* compatibililty with future technology
* cost
* features
* development of ancilliary technologies
* how a technology will be used
Factors that affect the acceptance of standards:
* single vendor's ability to dominate a market
* impact of standards on vendor-customer relationships
* impact of the standard on an installed base
*ability of customers to drive standards
* impact on compatibility
* competing standards
How the characteristics of technology affect the standard setting process (e.g. whether the standards are accepted)
* network externalities
* stage of technological development
* consequence for compatibility and integration
Jacobs, K. "Information Technology Standards, Standard Setting and Standard Research"
* Advantages of Industry consortia to set standards
* Standardization becomes more important with increasing economic and corporate globalization
* Governments push standards to support domestic firms
* Standards are not just rooted in technical deliberation, but also result from a process of social interactions between stakeholders
* Do standard hamper progress and stand in the way of technical innovation?
* Standardization is costly business and time consuming, so "Why participate at all?": because: (a) avoid technological dead-ends. (b) reduce dependency on vendors, (c) promote universality
* A review of the standard setting process
* In IT most new systems emerge from standardization processes; Constructive Technology Assessment's 'technology forcing' strategy aims at applying external pressure on a technical development.
* Slow, cumbersome, compromise laden and hidden agendas are popular attributes when it comes to characterising the formal standardisation processes in the ICT domain.
Morell, J.A. (1994) "Standards and the market acceptance of information technology: An exploration of relationship" Computer Standards & Interfaces Vol. 16, pp. 321-329.
Three questions are raised:
Q1: How do standards affect the acceptance of technology?
Q2: How can a standars setting process be guided successfully from conception to completion?
Q3: How do (i) standards, (ii) standard setting processes, and (iii) technology acceptance interact with each other?
Model of the standards process (characteristics of technology; market structure; vendor strategies)-> standard setting process -> standard acceptance -> technology acceptance
Standards affect technology in the following manner:
* assurance of performance
* communication between buyer and seller
* compatibility with existing technology
* compatibililty with future technology
* cost
* features
* development of ancilliary technologies
* how a technology will be used
Factors that affect the acceptance of standards:
* single vendor's ability to dominate a market
* impact of standards on vendor-customer relationships
* impact of the standard on an installed base
*ability of customers to drive standards
* impact on compatibility
* competing standards
How the characteristics of technology affect the standard setting process (e.g. whether the standards are accepted)
* network externalities
* stage of technological development
* consequence for compatibility and integration
Information Technology investment in enterprises - a literature list
The following references are on the topic of Information Technology investment:
a. Peppard, J., Ward, J. and Daniel, E. (2006) "Managing the Realization of Business Benefits from IT Investments" A paper submitted to MIT sloan Management Review, April.
* Benefits-dependency framework: IT-enablers->Enabling changes->Business changes->Benefits->Investment objectives
* Problem-based investments vs Innovation-based investments
b. Dempsey, J., Dvorak, R.E., Holen, E., Mark, D. and Meehan III, M.F. (1998)"A Hard and Soft look at IT investments" The Mckinsey Quarterly No. 1., pp. 126-137
c. Dehning, B., Richardson, V.J., and Stratopoulos, T. (2005) "Information technology investments and firm value" Information & Management 42, pp. 989-1008.
d. Klecun, E. and Cornford, T. (2005) "A critical approach to evaluation" European Journal of Information Systems 14, pp. 229-243.
* Different perspectives on evaluation: critical, socio-technical, social constructivism, hermeneutic
e. Jones, S. and Hughes, J. (2001) "Understanding IS evaluation as a complex social process: a case study of a UK local authority" European Journal of Information Systems 10, pp. 189-203.
* Ideal type characteristics of approaches to IS evaluation: formal IS evaluation approach vs situated hermeneutic IS evaluation approach
f. Dehning, B., Richardson, V.J., and Stratopoulos, T. (2005) "Information technology investments and firm value" Information & Management 42, pp. 989-1008
* IT competitive response model
a. Peppard, J., Ward, J. and Daniel, E. (2006) "Managing the Realization of Business Benefits from IT Investments" A paper submitted to MIT sloan Management Review, April.
* Benefits-dependency framework: IT-enablers->Enabling changes->Business changes->Benefits->Investment objectives
* Problem-based investments vs Innovation-based investments
b. Dempsey, J., Dvorak, R.E., Holen, E., Mark, D. and Meehan III, M.F. (1998)"A Hard and Soft look at IT investments" The Mckinsey Quarterly No. 1., pp. 126-137
c. Dehning, B., Richardson, V.J., and Stratopoulos, T. (2005) "Information technology investments and firm value" Information & Management 42, pp. 989-1008.
d. Klecun, E. and Cornford, T. (2005) "A critical approach to evaluation" European Journal of Information Systems 14, pp. 229-243.
* Different perspectives on evaluation: critical, socio-technical, social constructivism, hermeneutic
e. Jones, S. and Hughes, J. (2001) "Understanding IS evaluation as a complex social process: a case study of a UK local authority" European Journal of Information Systems 10, pp. 189-203.
* Ideal type characteristics of approaches to IS evaluation: formal IS evaluation approach vs situated hermeneutic IS evaluation approach
f. Dehning, B., Richardson, V.J., and Stratopoulos, T. (2005) "Information technology investments and firm value" Information & Management 42, pp. 989-1008
* IT competitive response model
Sunday 14 July 2013
Final year dissertation system turned awry
This case is based on my recent personal experience:
Part-time dissertation supervisors are requested to produce a set of dissertation proposals and to make presentations to pat-time students' who will then adopt/ adapt the supervisors' proposals to prepare their own proposals.
Part-time dissertation supervisors are required to contact dissertation students to arrange meetings, and, subsequently, file meeting reports/ progress logs withe the education centre.
Dssertation supervisors are required to do the turnitin checking for plagiarism on the students' works.
Disseration supervisors are "advised" to introduce students to client systems for conduting case study research.
Dissertation superivors are invited to attend buffets to meet part-time students.
Disseration supervisors are to be paid after certain milestones have been reached, e.g. after students made their proposal presentatins to the academic panel (and dissertatin supervisors are requested to join the academic panel)
Essentially, the dissertation supervision and tracking system is quite bureaucratic and all the admistrative workload has been offloaded to the dissertation supervisors.
One problem is that students have been much spoilt by the supervision system; when I send emails to students to arrange for meetings, the students do not reply; when I share some of the e-resources to them via emails, they never say "thank you". When I finally meet the students at restaurants, they do not bother to order drink and they, again, do not say "thank you" for your supervisory effort. Very often, they just ask me while my dissertation proposals can work, and not, why their own dissertation proposals are good enough... these students are passive and are not committed to study..
The local university administrative team will not be supportive to you; they are mainly concerned about running the formal supervision system according to the rules.. After making effort to try to work with the supervisory system, I finally give up.
Note: do not just pay attention to the reputation of the university or the quaification/ profile of the Programme leader... an education programme and its administrative system (including the people in charge) can be quite corrupted.
Part-time dissertation supervisors are requested to produce a set of dissertation proposals and to make presentations to pat-time students' who will then adopt/ adapt the supervisors' proposals to prepare their own proposals.
Part-time dissertation supervisors are required to contact dissertation students to arrange meetings, and, subsequently, file meeting reports/ progress logs withe the education centre.
Dssertation supervisors are required to do the turnitin checking for plagiarism on the students' works.
Disseration supervisors are "advised" to introduce students to client systems for conduting case study research.
Dissertation superivors are invited to attend buffets to meet part-time students.
Disseration supervisors are to be paid after certain milestones have been reached, e.g. after students made their proposal presentatins to the academic panel (and dissertatin supervisors are requested to join the academic panel)
Essentially, the dissertation supervision and tracking system is quite bureaucratic and all the admistrative workload has been offloaded to the dissertation supervisors.
One problem is that students have been much spoilt by the supervision system; when I send emails to students to arrange for meetings, the students do not reply; when I share some of the e-resources to them via emails, they never say "thank you". When I finally meet the students at restaurants, they do not bother to order drink and they, again, do not say "thank you" for your supervisory effort. Very often, they just ask me while my dissertation proposals can work, and not, why their own dissertation proposals are good enough... these students are passive and are not committed to study..
The local university administrative team will not be supportive to you; they are mainly concerned about running the formal supervision system according to the rules.. After making effort to try to work with the supervisory system, I finally give up.
Note: do not just pay attention to the reputation of the university or the quaification/ profile of the Programme leader... an education programme and its administrative system (including the people in charge) can be quite corrupted.
Friday 12 July 2013
The role of Personal Website - my case
From my recent exercise on establishing my personal website, I form the view that a personal website, being self-focused, quite handily make up a hub that links up all the other Internet-based social media resources, e.g. Facebook, Google +,Twitter, and LinkedIn. It does have a major limitation to users of my presonal website because, to access the resources as indicated in my personal website, users need to also have their own accounts with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google +. I am also concerned about the reliability of the website hosting company, e.g. whether it will be out of business in the future.
So far, I am reasonably happy with my digital social media platforms. Recently, Blogger.com where I post blog articles appears to have some technical problems with creation of blog articles.. I hope this problem will be resolved soon.
So far, I am reasonably happy with my digital social media platforms. Recently, Blogger.com where I post blog articles appears to have some technical problems with creation of blog articles.. I hope this problem will be resolved soon.
A chat on studying for professional accounting exam
Student: Should I take the ACCA exam or the HKICPA one?
Professor: Take the ACCA exam first.
Student: My friends say that HKICPA is better....
... Professor: Probably; I also heard that Harvard U is better than Hull U... Is it important?
Student: It seems you do not like HKICPA...
Professor: Like?? This is a different kind of question... I like good foods and movies... As to HKICPA, it is a good qualification... I suggest that you study for Accounting exam step by step... you could always sit for some conversion programme of HKICPA to become a member of HKICPA, after finishing your ACCA exam...
Student: Is it true that if I want to be a CPA, I need to sit of HKICPA in HK?
Professor: Sure, if you want to a CPA in HK... if your main goal is to get rich... you really need to buy Mark Six..
Student: Yes, I do.. it is really nice to talk with you..
Professor: Tks.. also have a chat with Uncle Chow...
Student: Sure, I will talk with Uncle Chow and then I will come back to you..
Professor: That's all right..
Professor: Take the ACCA exam first.
Student: My friends say that HKICPA is better....
... Professor: Probably; I also heard that Harvard U is better than Hull U... Is it important?
Student: It seems you do not like HKICPA...
Professor: Like?? This is a different kind of question... I like good foods and movies... As to HKICPA, it is a good qualification... I suggest that you study for Accounting exam step by step... you could always sit for some conversion programme of HKICPA to become a member of HKICPA, after finishing your ACCA exam...
Student: Is it true that if I want to be a CPA, I need to sit of HKICPA in HK?
Professor: Sure, if you want to a CPA in HK... if your main goal is to get rich... you really need to buy Mark Six..
Student: Yes, I do.. it is really nice to talk with you..
Professor: Tks.. also have a chat with Uncle Chow...
Student: Sure, I will talk with Uncle Chow and then I will come back to you..
Professor: That's all right..
Sunday 30 June 2013
Housing and community support in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Housing and community support in Housing Policy study
- Nature of community care
- Development of modern community care
- People with mental health problems
- People with learning difficulties
- People with a physical disability, including children with disabilities
- Older people
- Housing for special needs
- Community support in practice
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 15: Housing and community support" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Homelessness in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Homelessness in Housing Policy study
- Extent of homelessness
- Causes of homelessness
- Policies toward homeless households
- Demand constraints on policies toward homelessness
- Supply constraints on policies toward homelessness
- Policy options to address homelessness
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 19: Homelessness" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Black and Asian minorities and housing in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Black and Asian minorities and housing in Housing Policy study
- Access to housing: discrimination, institutional and structural racism and harassment
- Access to social housing
- Racial discrimination
- Institutional and structural racism
- Racial harassment
- Access to owner-occupation
- Homelessness among Black and Asian minorities
- Race relations policy and housing
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 18: Black and Asian minorities and housing" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Gender and housing in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Gender and housing in Housing Policy study
- The social rented sector- lone parents
- Divorced or separate women and men
- The owner-occupied sector
- The private rented sector
- Gender and homelessness
- Housing needs of older women, Black and Asian women
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 16: Housing and the elderly" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Housing and the elderly in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Housing and the elderly in Housing Policy study
- Household formation and the disability problem
- Household mobility consideration
- Funding of residential care
- The staying put option
- Housing rehabilitation and the elderly
- Future housing need
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 16: Housing and the elderly" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Saturday 29 June 2013
Social exclusion in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Social exclusion in Housing Policy study
- Definitions of social exclusion
- Social exclusion and the production & distribution of housing
- Poverty, race and social exclusion
- Financial services and social exclusion
- Policy and practice of social inclusion
- Neighbourhood management
- Self-help in housing management
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 14: Social exclusion" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Urban regeneration in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Urban regeneration in Housing Policy study
- Development of urban regeneration strategies
- On urban renaissance
- Urban regeneration and housing
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 13: Urban regeneration" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Owner-occupation in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Owner-occupation in Housing Policy study
- The socio-political view of owner-occupation
- Government support for home-ownership
- Leasehold enfranchisement
- Low-cost home-ownership
- Home-owners protection
- Second homes and holiday lets
- Building societies and the economy
- The house price cycle and its effects
- Macroeconomic determinants of the demand for home-ownership
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 10: Owner-occupation" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Housing Associations in Housing Policy
The following discussion is on the topic of Housing Associations in Housing Policy study
- The history and development of housing associations
- Public policy towards housing associations
- Housing associations' investment policy and their role development
- The impacts of rent policy
- Politics and housing associations
- Quality of social housing considerations
- The Private Finance Initiative
- Provision of new affordable housing
- Improvement of access to social housing
- Introduction of a fair system of affordable rents
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 9: Housing associations" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Affordability in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Affordability in Housing Policy
- Average rents and average incomes in the private unfurnished sector and the social housing sector
- Affordability among first-time buyers
- Affordability and low-income owner-occupiers
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 11: Affordability" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
An article on housing affordability (Hong Kong)
Friday 28 June 2013
Regional disparities in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Regional disparities in Housing Policy
- Regional disparities in living standards
- Regional disparities in housing demand
- Housing shortages - a regional perspective
- Housing market outcomes as a result of the interaction of housing demand and supply
- Housing and regional policy
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 12: Regional disparities and problems" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Sunday 23 June 2013
Privatisation and stock transfer in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Privatisation and stock transfer in Housing Policy
- The context and the case for/ against council house sales
- The 'Right to buy' controversy
- The effects of the 'Right to buy' policy
- Estate privatisation and rehabilitation
- Estate transfer
- The Housing Act 1988 (UK)
- Residualisation
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 8: Privatisation and stock transfer" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Local authority housing in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Local authority housing in Housing Policy
- Council housing and the role of local authorities in the supply of social rented housing
- Public sector finance and control of capital expenditure
- The housing policy review
- Subsidy policy in housing
- Anomalies and inequities of housing finance
- Access to local authority housing
- Empty council houses
- An evaluation of council tenure
- Implications of party politics and devolution
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 7: Local authority housing" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Private rented housing in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Private rented housing in Housing Policy
- Considerations in determining the supply of private rented housing
- Rent control & decontrol, rent regulation and rent policy
- The furnished sector and the unfurnished sector
- Effects of the Housing Act (1980) (UK) and reform of the private rented sector
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 6: Private rented housing" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Housing finance in Housing Policy
The following discussion is on the topic of Housing finance in Housing Policy
- Housing benefit
- Mortgage interest relief
- Subsidization of owner-occupation
- Inequitable assistance
- Inflation of house prices
- Inefficient use of resources in housing
- Effects on industry, taxation, household mobility
- Distortion of tenure preference and rural values
- Effect on the poor and on repair & maintenance
- Reform of housing finance
- The owner-occupied sector
- Public policy and reform
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 5: Housing finance" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Housing rehabilitation policy in Housing Policy
The following discussion is on the topic of Housing rehabilitation policy in Housing Policy
- Scale of the renewal problem
- Housing rehabilitation policy - a historical perspective
- On The Housing Act (1969)
- General improvement areas and reform proposals
- Housing Action Areas
- On enveloping
- On rehabilitation boom, rehabilitation slump, privatisation and targeting
- Funding constraints
- On private sector rehabilitation
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 4: Housing rehabilitation policy" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Housebuilding in Housing Policy study
The following discussion is on the topic of Housebuilding in Housing Policy
Reference
- On housebuilding and housing needs
- On housebuilding cycle
- On private sector cycle and its effects
- On government response(s) to housebuilding cycle
- Regional imbalances in housing need
- The greenfield development vs brownfield development debate
- Land supply and town planning considerations
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 3: Housebuilding" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Housing Investment in Housing Policy Study
The following discussion is on the topic of Housing Investment in Housing Policy
Reference
- On quantitative and qualitative deficiencies in housing stock
- Housebuilding and investment
- Borrowing and resource expenditure
- Fluctuations in housing investment
- On housing stock repair, improvement and replacement
- Disinflation and housing investment
- Housing investment by the private sector
- Housing development considerations
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 2: Housing Investment" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Housing Policy - an introduction
The following discussion is on the topic of an introduction in Housing Policy
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 1: An introduction" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
- On Housing need
- On Housing welfare regimes
- Housing policy development
- Economic rationale underlying a specific housing policy
- Divergence vs convergence in housing policy
- On housing policy devolution
Reference
Balchin, P. and Rhoden, M. (2002) "Chapter 1: An introduction" Housing Policy - An introduction, Routledge, London and New York
Information Systems - subject information
The following information is on the subject of Information Systems:
AIMS: to develop student’s knowledge and understanding of information Systems development and delivery as required to take an informed and active role in information systems solutions.
Objectives:
AIMS: to develop student’s knowledge and understanding of information Systems development and delivery as required to take an informed and active role in information systems solutions.
Objectives:
- explain how to effectively use information systems and information systems resources in an organization
- identify and apply methods of organizing and accounting for information systems delivery and information systems projects
- explain the principles of initiating, planning and controlling information systems projects
- participate in the definition and specification of user and system requirements
- describe how an appropriate solution might be defined to fulfill the specified user requirements
- participate in the implementation, monitoring and maintenance of an information systems solution
- participate in the quality assurance of an information systems project
- identify how computer software can assist effective information systems management, development and quality assurance
References
- FB folder on IT mgt: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/316183782575/
- ACCA paper on IS: http://www.weball.org/InfoSystems.htm
Sunday 16 June 2013
Some resources on work-based learning
The following resources are on the subject of work-based learning (wbl):
Related videos:
Related videos:
- video 1: what is wbl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn5QJ0v3g68
- video 2: lecture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XofZ19UJwwU
- Link 1: http://www.work-basedlearning.org/
- Link 2 (a report in pdf): http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/research/wbl_illuminating.pdf
- Link 3 (e-journal): http://www.wblearning-ejournal.com/home.php
Saturday 30 March 2013
Evidence collection in Case Studies
The following discussion agenda is on evidence collection in Case Study as a Research Method:
Reference
Yin, R.K. (1989) "Chapter 4: Conducting Case Studies" Case Study Research: Design and Methods, SAGE Publications
- Sources of evidence
- Documentation, Archival Records, Interviews, Direct Observation, Participant-observation, Physical artifacts
- Principles of data collection
- Use multiple sources of evidence
- Create a case study data base
- Maintain a chain of evidence
Reference
Yin, R.K. (1989) "Chapter 4: Conducting Case Studies" Case Study Research: Design and Methods, SAGE Publications
Friday 29 March 2013
3 models of value network: a brief note
Based on my study, there are three models of value network:
Model 1: This model of value network is related to the works of Verna Allee. This model mainly focuses on services and intangibles in enterprises at the inter-organizational levels. The model is claimed to be based on living systems theory. Representative references include:
Model 3: "This model is related to the works of J.L. Mariotti. This model mainly belongs to the Supply Chain Management and Logistics Management literature. The main references are:
All these three models examine (or are capable of dealing with) information flows and intangibles at the inter-organizational/ business network level. In my view, there should be more intellectual efforts to compare these three models of value network as well as cross-fertilization of ideas among these three models. Otherwise, when people talk about "value network", it is not clear which model is referred to.
Model 1: This model of value network is related to the works of Verna Allee. This model mainly focuses on services and intangibles in enterprises at the inter-organizational levels. The model is claimed to be based on living systems theory. Representative references include:
- Allee, V. (2002) "A Value Network Approach for Modeling and Measuring Intangibles" a paper presented at Transparent Enterprise, Madrid, November
- Allee, V. (2000) "Reconfigure the Value Network" Journal of Business Strategy, 21(4), July-Aug.
- Related videos:
- Porter, M.E. (1985) Competitive Advantage, Free Press
- Barlow, A. and Li, F. (2005) "Online value network linkages: integration, information sharing and flexibility" Electronic Commerce Research and Applications 4, pp. 100-112.
Model 3: "This model is related to the works of J.L. Mariotti. This model mainly belongs to the Supply Chain Management and Logistics Management literature. The main references are:
- Mariotti, J.L. (2002) The Value Network, Executive Excellence 19(7), pg. 18.
- Peltoniemi, M. (2004) "Cluster, Value Network and Business Ecosystem: Knowledge and Innovation Approach" a paper presented at the Conference "Organisations, Innovation and Complexity: New Perspectives on the Knowledge Economy", University of Manchester, 9-10, Sept., NEXSUS, The Complexity Society and CRIC Centre for Research on Innovation and Competition.
All these three models examine (or are capable of dealing with) information flows and intangibles at the inter-organizational/ business network level. In my view, there should be more intellectual efforts to compare these three models of value network as well as cross-fertilization of ideas among these three models. Otherwise, when people talk about "value network", it is not clear which model is referred to.
Tuesday 26 March 2013
Benchmarking - an introductory discussion agenda
The following introductory discussion agenda is on Benchmarking:
Reference
Boxwell, Jr., R.J. (1994) Benchmarking for Competitive Advantage, McGraw-Hill.
- Nature and reasons for benchmarking:
- A more efficient and faster way to make improvements
- Steps involved in a benchmarking process
- Common types of benchmarking
- Cooperative benchmarking, Collaborative benchmarking, Internal benchmarking
Reference
Boxwell, Jr., R.J. (1994) Benchmarking for Competitive Advantage, McGraw-Hill.
e-procurement - an introductory discussion agenda
The following introductory discussion agenda is on e-procurement:
Reference
Neef, D. (2001) e-Procurement: From Strategy to Implementation, Prentice Hall
- Types of procurement
- Procurement for direct materials and indirect materials
- Indirect procurement: Operating Resource Management and Maintenance, Repair and Operations
- Toward total procurement information systems
- The need for strategic focus of e-procurement projects
- The business case for e-procurement: process efficiencies, compliance, and leverage
Reference
Neef, D. (2001) e-Procurement: From Strategy to Implementation, Prentice Hall
Management Consulting - an introductory agenda
The following discussion agenda is on an introduction to Management Consulting:
Reference
Wickham, P. (2004) Management Consulting: Delivering an Effective Project, Prentice Hall
- The nature of Management Consulting
- Management Consulting and roles of managers
- The client-consultant interaction
- Management consultants' responsibilities
- Types of clients involved
- Modes of consulting
- The expert mode, the doctor-patient mode, the process consulting mode
- How consulting creates value to clients
Reference
Wickham, P. (2004) Management Consulting: Delivering an Effective Project, Prentice Hall
Saturday 23 March 2013
The main concerns of contemporary Operational Research
7 main concerns are identified with Operational Research (OR), based on Ackoff and Sasieni's (1968) definition of Operational Research, see Figure 1:
Concern 1: What kinds of technology are (and should be) provided by OR practitioners?
Concern 2: What is (and should be) scientific method and science for the OR profession?
Concern 3: What kinds of purposes and human interests are OR to (and should) serve?
Concern 4: How can OR be interdisciplinary?
Concern 5: What is (and should be) the model of implied relationship between science and technology endorsed by the OR practitioners?
Concern 6: what forms, images and theories of organisation are (and should be) upheld by the OR practitioners?
Concern 7: What are the implications of taking on a total systems view?
Reference
Ho, J.K.K. (1996) "Development of Multi-Perspective, Systems-Based Frameworks" Ph.D. thesis, July, Faulty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong
Concern 1: What kinds of technology are (and should be) provided by OR practitioners?
Concern 2: What is (and should be) scientific method and science for the OR profession?
Concern 3: What kinds of purposes and human interests are OR to (and should) serve?
Concern 4: How can OR be interdisciplinary?
Concern 5: What is (and should be) the model of implied relationship between science and technology endorsed by the OR practitioners?
Concern 6: what forms, images and theories of organisation are (and should be) upheld by the OR practitioners?
Concern 7: What are the implications of taking on a total systems view?
Reference
Ho, J.K.K. (1996) "Development of Multi-Perspective, Systems-Based Frameworks" Ph.D. thesis, July, Faulty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong
Friday 22 March 2013
The underlying perspectives of Information Systems Design Methodologies
The following article is an updated version based on Ho (1996):
There are a number of ways to classify Information Systems Design (ISD) Methodologies: Connor (1985) classifies conventional ISD, e.g. Information Engineering, Structured Analysis and Jackson System Development (JSD) approaches, amongst others, in terms of how effective they are in coping with the time and cost constraints, the ease of comprehension by users, and the level of complexity of the design requirements of a system. Hirschheim (1985) discerns the differences between analytical or "hard mathematical" approaches used in many conventional ISD and those approaches based on social or human perspectives. Examples of approaches based on social perspectives include Pava's (1983) Sociotechnical Systems Design Methodologies, and Checkland's (1981) Soft Systems Methodology (Also see Wilson, 1984 and Stowell, 1995). Hirschheim's classification emphasises the differences between the objective and subjective approaches of the social sciences. The differences between the two approaches have been discussed by Burrell and Morgan (1979) in terms of ontology, epistemology, human nature, and assumptions about the nature of society. From a Multi-perspective, Systems-based perspective, the main ISD approaches and concepts can be grouped according to three perspectives:
The unitary perspective: ISD concepts that are based on the unitary perspective are principally concerned with the engineering process of ISD; however the logical ISD specifications can be translated into their physical counterparts (e.g. Connor, 1985; Crowe, 1993), and how to make use of various Information Technology levers to redesign superior business processes, see Davenport and Short (1990) and Hammer and Champy (1993).
The pluralist perspective: ISD based on the pluralist perspective are participatory, intersubjective and rather idealistic in approach. Instead of concentrating on how Information Technology (IT) is to transform organizational structures and processes, relatively more attention is spent on (a) the "cultural analysis to understand the organizational consequence of IT (Robey and Azevedo, 1994) and (b) the interpretative nature of understanding and the situatedness of the users of the IT/ISD tools (Westrup, 1994). Representative ISD approaches are the Soft Systems Methodology of Checkland (1981) and the Interpretative Data Modelling approach of Lewis (1993), see Stowell (1995).
The critical perspective: ISD based on the critical perspective pay special attention to achieve social and ethical acceptability, both in the process and end-product of ISD, see Butera, Martino and Kohler (1990) for a discussion on the psychosocial problems arising from the employment of IT. They are also concerned with the issue and essence of power as well as how this influences the setting-up of conditions in which "genuine" participation and consensus of ISD can take place, see Mingers (1992) and Jackson (1991). ISD methodologies based on this perspective cannot as yet be regarded as mature. One example is that of Probert (1993) who grounds his Information Systems Methodology on Foucault's "genealogical" method and "Interpretive analytics" of Dreyfus and Rabinov (1982).
References
Butera, F., Martino, V.D. and Kohler, E. (Editors) (1990) Technological Development and the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions: Options for the Future, Kogan Page Ltd., London
Checkland, P.B. (1981) Systems Thinking, Systems Practice, Wiley
Connor, D. (1985) Information System Specification and Design Road Map, Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Crowe, M.K. (1993) "Engineering Systems", pp. 25-31, in Stowell, F.A., West, D. and Howell, J.G. (editors) Systems Science: Addressing Global Issues, Plenum Press
Davenport, T.H. and Short, J.E. (1990) "The New Industrial Engineering: Information Technology and Business Process Redesign", pp. 11-27, Sloan Management Review, Summer
Dreyfus, H.L. and Rabinov, P. (1986) "What is Maturity? Habermas and foucault on 'What is Enlightenment?" in Couzens-Hoy, D. (Editors) Foucault: A Critical Reader, Blackwell, Oxford
Hammer, M. and Champy, J. (1993) Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution, Harper Business
Hirsccheim, R.A. (1985) Office Automation: A Social and Organizational Perspective, Wiley
Ho, J.K.K. (1996) "Development of Multi-Perspective, Systems-Based Frameworks" Ph.D. thesis, July, Faulty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong
Jackson, M.C. (1991) Systems Methodology for the Management Sciences, Plenum Press, New York
Lewis, P.J. (1993) "Towards an interpretive form of data analyis for the Soft Systems Methodology", pp. 391-396, in Stowell, F.A., West, D. and Howell, J.G. (editors) Systems Science: Addressing Global Issues, Plenum Press
Mingers, J. (1992) "Recent Developments in Critical Management Science", pp. 1-10, J. Opl. Res. Soc. 43(1).
Probert, S.K. (1993) "Interpretive Analytics and Critical Information Systems: A Framework for analysis" pp. 427-432, in Stowell, F.A., West, D., Holwell, J.G. (Editors) Systems Science: Addressing Global Issues, Plenum Press
Roby, D. and Azevendo, A. (1994) "Cultural Analysis of the Organizational Consequences of Information Technology", pp. 23-37, Accounting, Management and Information Technologies, 4(1) Jan-Mar., Pergamon
Stowell, F.A. (Editor) (1995) Information Systems Provision: The contribution of Soft Systems Methodology, Information Systems, Management and Strategy Series, McGraw-Hill, London
Westrup, C. (1994) "Practical Understanding: Hermeneutics and Teaching the Management of Information systems Development using a case study", pp. 39-58, Accounting, Management and Information Technologies 4(1) Jan-March, Pergamon
There are a number of ways to classify Information Systems Design (ISD) Methodologies: Connor (1985) classifies conventional ISD, e.g. Information Engineering, Structured Analysis and Jackson System Development (JSD) approaches, amongst others, in terms of how effective they are in coping with the time and cost constraints, the ease of comprehension by users, and the level of complexity of the design requirements of a system. Hirschheim (1985) discerns the differences between analytical or "hard mathematical" approaches used in many conventional ISD and those approaches based on social or human perspectives. Examples of approaches based on social perspectives include Pava's (1983) Sociotechnical Systems Design Methodologies, and Checkland's (1981) Soft Systems Methodology (Also see Wilson, 1984 and Stowell, 1995). Hirschheim's classification emphasises the differences between the objective and subjective approaches of the social sciences. The differences between the two approaches have been discussed by Burrell and Morgan (1979) in terms of ontology, epistemology, human nature, and assumptions about the nature of society. From a Multi-perspective, Systems-based perspective, the main ISD approaches and concepts can be grouped according to three perspectives:
The unitary perspective: ISD concepts that are based on the unitary perspective are principally concerned with the engineering process of ISD; however the logical ISD specifications can be translated into their physical counterparts (e.g. Connor, 1985; Crowe, 1993), and how to make use of various Information Technology levers to redesign superior business processes, see Davenport and Short (1990) and Hammer and Champy (1993).
The pluralist perspective: ISD based on the pluralist perspective are participatory, intersubjective and rather idealistic in approach. Instead of concentrating on how Information Technology (IT) is to transform organizational structures and processes, relatively more attention is spent on (a) the "cultural analysis to understand the organizational consequence of IT (Robey and Azevedo, 1994) and (b) the interpretative nature of understanding and the situatedness of the users of the IT/ISD tools (Westrup, 1994). Representative ISD approaches are the Soft Systems Methodology of Checkland (1981) and the Interpretative Data Modelling approach of Lewis (1993), see Stowell (1995).
The critical perspective: ISD based on the critical perspective pay special attention to achieve social and ethical acceptability, both in the process and end-product of ISD, see Butera, Martino and Kohler (1990) for a discussion on the psychosocial problems arising from the employment of IT. They are also concerned with the issue and essence of power as well as how this influences the setting-up of conditions in which "genuine" participation and consensus of ISD can take place, see Mingers (1992) and Jackson (1991). ISD methodologies based on this perspective cannot as yet be regarded as mature. One example is that of Probert (1993) who grounds his Information Systems Methodology on Foucault's "genealogical" method and "Interpretive analytics" of Dreyfus and Rabinov (1982).
References
Butera, F., Martino, V.D. and Kohler, E. (Editors) (1990) Technological Development and the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions: Options for the Future, Kogan Page Ltd., London
Checkland, P.B. (1981) Systems Thinking, Systems Practice, Wiley
Connor, D. (1985) Information System Specification and Design Road Map, Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Crowe, M.K. (1993) "Engineering Systems", pp. 25-31, in Stowell, F.A., West, D. and Howell, J.G. (editors) Systems Science: Addressing Global Issues, Plenum Press
Davenport, T.H. and Short, J.E. (1990) "The New Industrial Engineering: Information Technology and Business Process Redesign", pp. 11-27, Sloan Management Review, Summer
Dreyfus, H.L. and Rabinov, P. (1986) "What is Maturity? Habermas and foucault on 'What is Enlightenment?" in Couzens-Hoy, D. (Editors) Foucault: A Critical Reader, Blackwell, Oxford
Hammer, M. and Champy, J. (1993) Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution, Harper Business
Hirsccheim, R.A. (1985) Office Automation: A Social and Organizational Perspective, Wiley
Ho, J.K.K. (1996) "Development of Multi-Perspective, Systems-Based Frameworks" Ph.D. thesis, July, Faulty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong
Jackson, M.C. (1991) Systems Methodology for the Management Sciences, Plenum Press, New York
Lewis, P.J. (1993) "Towards an interpretive form of data analyis for the Soft Systems Methodology", pp. 391-396, in Stowell, F.A., West, D. and Howell, J.G. (editors) Systems Science: Addressing Global Issues, Plenum Press
Mingers, J. (1992) "Recent Developments in Critical Management Science", pp. 1-10, J. Opl. Res. Soc. 43(1).
Probert, S.K. (1993) "Interpretive Analytics and Critical Information Systems: A Framework for analysis" pp. 427-432, in Stowell, F.A., West, D., Holwell, J.G. (Editors) Systems Science: Addressing Global Issues, Plenum Press
Roby, D. and Azevendo, A. (1994) "Cultural Analysis of the Organizational Consequences of Information Technology", pp. 23-37, Accounting, Management and Information Technologies, 4(1) Jan-Mar., Pergamon
Stowell, F.A. (Editor) (1995) Information Systems Provision: The contribution of Soft Systems Methodology, Information Systems, Management and Strategy Series, McGraw-Hill, London
Westrup, C. (1994) "Practical Understanding: Hermeneutics and Teaching the Management of Information systems Development using a case study", pp. 39-58, Accounting, Management and Information Technologies 4(1) Jan-March, Pergamon
Thursday 21 March 2013
Three types of Pluralism in Systems Thinking
The following article is an updated version on the topic of Pluralsim from Ho (1996) and Ho, Partington and Sculli (1994) :
There are three types of pluralism (re: Figure 1):
Normative pluralism: it adopts the position that each perspective yields a specialized set of knowledge which serves a particular interest of mankind. The critical perspective plays a pivotal role in the entire scheme to ensure that knowledge gained from the various perspectives is properly employed as it is, similar to Critical Theory (see Kellner, 1989), interested in topics of freedom, happiness and justice. In other words, the critical perspective validates the knowledge gained from the pluralist perspective and it, in turn, does the same for the unitary perspective.
Comprehensive pluralism: it emphasises the need to be comprehensive and free from domination from a particular perspective in the process of inquiry. Conceptual models constructed by the parties concerned should incorporate all the elements and variables originated from different perspectives into grand theories that guide reflection and actions in the problematic situation. Creativity is ensured by constructing and confronting a number of grand theories that organize the various elements differently; resourcefulness in the approach of organizational intervention is achieved as the full range of systems methodologies are employed at the same time. The organizational intervention can thus be done in a resourceful and creative way. This kind of pluralism underlines Francescato's (1992) approach of organizational change.
Pragmatic pluralism: it stresses the need to be efficient in conducting inquiries by paying attention to what the parties involved perceived to be important and relevant. It considers creativity, comprehensiveness, and feasibility as equally important criteria of performance. By recognizing that there are dominant and supporting metaphors in the Total Systems Intervention process, Flood and Jackson (1991) lend support to this kind of pluralism.
The existence of the three types of pluralism points to the in-built tension of pluralism.
Reference
Flood, R.L. and Jackson, M.C. (1991) Creative Problem Solving: Total Systems Intervention, Wiley
Francescato, D. (1992) "A Multidimensional Perspective of Organizational Change", pp. 129-146, Systems Practice 5(2) April, Plenum Press
Ho, J.K.K. (1996) "Development of Multi-Perspective, Systems-Based Frameworks" Ph.D. thesis, July, Faulty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong
Ho, J.K.K., Partington, E.C. and Sculli, D. (1994) "A Meta-framework for Information Systems Design". pp. 592-597, The Conference Proceedings of the Twenty-Third Annual Meeting, Western Decisions Sciences Institute, Maui, Hawaii
Kellner, D. (1989) Critical Theory, Marxism and Modernity, Polity Press, Cambridge, UK
There are three types of pluralism (re: Figure 1):
Normative pluralism: it adopts the position that each perspective yields a specialized set of knowledge which serves a particular interest of mankind. The critical perspective plays a pivotal role in the entire scheme to ensure that knowledge gained from the various perspectives is properly employed as it is, similar to Critical Theory (see Kellner, 1989), interested in topics of freedom, happiness and justice. In other words, the critical perspective validates the knowledge gained from the pluralist perspective and it, in turn, does the same for the unitary perspective.
Comprehensive pluralism: it emphasises the need to be comprehensive and free from domination from a particular perspective in the process of inquiry. Conceptual models constructed by the parties concerned should incorporate all the elements and variables originated from different perspectives into grand theories that guide reflection and actions in the problematic situation. Creativity is ensured by constructing and confronting a number of grand theories that organize the various elements differently; resourcefulness in the approach of organizational intervention is achieved as the full range of systems methodologies are employed at the same time. The organizational intervention can thus be done in a resourceful and creative way. This kind of pluralism underlines Francescato's (1992) approach of organizational change.
Pragmatic pluralism: it stresses the need to be efficient in conducting inquiries by paying attention to what the parties involved perceived to be important and relevant. It considers creativity, comprehensiveness, and feasibility as equally important criteria of performance. By recognizing that there are dominant and supporting metaphors in the Total Systems Intervention process, Flood and Jackson (1991) lend support to this kind of pluralism.
The existence of the three types of pluralism points to the in-built tension of pluralism.
Reference
Flood, R.L. and Jackson, M.C. (1991) Creative Problem Solving: Total Systems Intervention, Wiley
Francescato, D. (1992) "A Multidimensional Perspective of Organizational Change", pp. 129-146, Systems Practice 5(2) April, Plenum Press
Ho, J.K.K. (1996) "Development of Multi-Perspective, Systems-Based Frameworks" Ph.D. thesis, July, Faulty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong
Ho, J.K.K., Partington, E.C. and Sculli, D. (1994) "A Meta-framework for Information Systems Design". pp. 592-597, The Conference Proceedings of the Twenty-Third Annual Meeting, Western Decisions Sciences Institute, Maui, Hawaii
Kellner, D. (1989) Critical Theory, Marxism and Modernity, Polity Press, Cambridge, UK
Tuesday 19 March 2013
The notion of system complexity - an update
The following article is an updated version on the topic of System Complexity from Ho (1996):
The concept of system complexity is a recurring theme in the field of Systems Science and is closely related to the idea of systems. A recent example is Dash and Murthy’s (1994) review of System Dynamic in terms of the concept of complexity. The issue of relationship between complexity and system can be quite complicated when examined from different onto-epistemological viewpoint, see Flood (1990), Flood’s (1990) insightful work has not been taken up in the discussion here, but should be borne in mind future investigation.
The concept of system complexity is a recurring theme in the field of Systems Science and is closely related to the idea of systems. A recent example is Dash and Murthy’s (1994) review of System Dynamic in terms of the concept of complexity. The issue of relationship between complexity and system can be quite complicated when examined from different onto-epistemological viewpoint, see Flood (1990), Flood’s (1990) insightful work has not been taken up in the discussion here, but should be borne in mind future investigation.
A system is used to be considered as being made up of elements and the linkages between entities. For a set of events to be usefully viewed as a system, Ackoff (1981) requires: (a) the behavior of each element of the system has an effect on the behavior of the whole; (b) the behavior of the elements and their effects on the whole are interdependent; and (c) however subgroups of the elements are formed, each has an effect on the behavior of the whole and none has an independent effect on it. These systems can be studied effectively with a few systems-based methods of inquiry, namely, expansionism, synthesis, producer-product relationship, and teleology, see Ackoff (1981). Schoderbek et al. (1985) further clarify the concept of system complexity by defining it as that property of system resulting from the interaction of four main determinants: the number of system elements, their attributes, and the number of interactions among the elements, and the degree of organization of the elements.
When applied to problem-solving and decision-making, the above concept of system complexity is also known as classical or type I complexity, see Ledington (1988). Type I complexity is regarded as insufficient since it is incapable of considering complexity arising from the cultural, human behavioral (or soft) dimension of the problem situation. Therefore, an enhanced model of complexity (type II) is required, which also considers the people dimension. In this respect, Jackson and Keys (1984) propose a classification scheme for types (ideal types) of problem contexts (as systems) along the two dimensions of systems and of the relationship of the parties (people) involved is illuminating for further discussion in this type of complexity. The first dimension of systems of their scheme is in line with the classical view and the work of Ackoff (1981) and Schoderbek et al. (1985) while the second dimension deals with the human interactions. They called the framework "a System of Systems Methodologies (SYSM)", since it aims at classifying the various systems-based problem-solving methodologies in terms of their relative strengths and weaknesses in dealing with various idealised types of problem-context. In a similar vein, Flood and Carson (1988) suggest that the two major components of complexity are system and people. The system component is further broken down into a number of parts and a number of relations, while the people component involves the sub-elements of interests, capabilities, and notions/ perceptions. Figure 1 is an attempt to make the inter-relationship between the elements in the complexity model of Flood and Carson (1998) more explicit see Ho and Sculli (1995).
Figure 1 presents a view of the complexity as a subjective concept - it exists in the mind of the decision maker, who in turn is conditioned by the external environment in which he finds himself. More than just a subjective concept, system complexity is an intersubjective concept as the complexity of a problematic situation is perceived by different stakeholders. The most satisfactory viewpoint on the concept of system complexity, in my view, is that of Midgley (1992) who identifies three aspects of complexity as related to the object relations, subjectivity, value and ethics, and these three aspects were themselves inter-related. such a view of system complexity of Midgley (1992) is supportive of the Critical Systems Thinking and compatible withe the Multi-Perspective, Systems-based perspective.
The relativistic view of complexity is demonstrated in Figure 1. This figure makes it clear that, for some decision makers, a problematic situation is considered as simple and manageable, while the same problematic situation can be perceived in quite dissimilar terms and appears complex to another group of decision makers. System complexity arises in a Cybernetics sense (Ashby, 1973), because the problematical situation (as a system) appears to have a higher variety than the decision maker can absorb or control. Figure 2 further elucidates this point.
There is an additional complexity arising from the interaction of multiple decision makers themselves as a decision-making unit and this needs to be managed. This point is more relevant to the discussion of group decision support systems design (which pays more attention to the process of team process support), than to traditional DSS (which stresses the process of task), or organizational DSS design (which focuses more on the process of process standards/ best practice), see Nunamaker et al. (1992). On this topic, Rodriguez-Ulloa (1988) gives a good discussion on how the problem-solving personnel can become yet another problem component in the system.
Reference
Ackoff, R.L. (1981) Creating the Corporate Future, Wiley, New York
Ashby, W.R. (1973) An Introduction to Cybernetics, Chapman and Hall Ltd and University paperbacks
Dash, D.P. and Murthy, P.N. (1994) "Boundary Judgement in System Dynamics Modelling: An Investigation Through The Science of complexity: Research Note" pp. 464-475, Systems Practice 7(4), August, Plenum Press
Flood, R.L. (1990) Liberating Systems Theory, Plenum, New York
Flood, R.L. and Carson, E.R. (1988) Dealing with Complexity: An introduction to the Theory and Application of Systems Science, Plenum Press
Ho, J.K.K. (1996) "Development of Multi-Perspective, Systems-Based Frameworks" Ph.D. thesis, July, Faulty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong
Ho, J.K.K. and Sculli, D. (1995) "System Complexity and the Design of Decision Support Systems", Systems Practice, pp. 505-516, 8(5), Plenum Press
Jackson, M.C. and Keys, P. (1984) "Towards A Systems of Systems Methodologies", J. Opl. Res. Soc. 35(6), pp. 473-486
Ledington, P. (1988) "Designing Conversation: A Reflection upon Ulrich's Research Program: Research Note" pp. 319-321, Systems Practice 1(3), September, Plenumn Press
Midgley, G. (1992) "Pluralism and the Legitimation of Systems Science", pp. 147-172, Systems Practice 5(2) Plenum Press, New York
Nunamaker, J.F., et al. (1992) "Organizational Decision Support Systems" Chapter 5, pp. 137-166 in Stohr, A. and Konsynski, B.R. (editors) Information Systems and Decision Processes, IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos, CA, Washington
Rodriguez-Ulloa, R.A. (1988) "The Problem-Solving System: Another Problem-Content System", pp. 243-257, Systems Practice 1(3), September, Plenum Press
Schoderbek, P.P., Schoderbek, C.G., and Kefalas, A.G. (1985) Management Systems: Conceptual Considerations, Business Publications, Texas
When applied to problem-solving and decision-making, the above concept of system complexity is also known as classical or type I complexity, see Ledington (1988). Type I complexity is regarded as insufficient since it is incapable of considering complexity arising from the cultural, human behavioral (or soft) dimension of the problem situation. Therefore, an enhanced model of complexity (type II) is required, which also considers the people dimension. In this respect, Jackson and Keys (1984) propose a classification scheme for types (ideal types) of problem contexts (as systems) along the two dimensions of systems and of the relationship of the parties (people) involved is illuminating for further discussion in this type of complexity. The first dimension of systems of their scheme is in line with the classical view and the work of Ackoff (1981) and Schoderbek et al. (1985) while the second dimension deals with the human interactions. They called the framework "a System of Systems Methodologies (SYSM)", since it aims at classifying the various systems-based problem-solving methodologies in terms of their relative strengths and weaknesses in dealing with various idealised types of problem-context. In a similar vein, Flood and Carson (1988) suggest that the two major components of complexity are system and people. The system component is further broken down into a number of parts and a number of relations, while the people component involves the sub-elements of interests, capabilities, and notions/ perceptions. Figure 1 is an attempt to make the inter-relationship between the elements in the complexity model of Flood and Carson (1998) more explicit see Ho and Sculli (1995).
Figure 1 presents a view of the complexity as a subjective concept - it exists in the mind of the decision maker, who in turn is conditioned by the external environment in which he finds himself. More than just a subjective concept, system complexity is an intersubjective concept as the complexity of a problematic situation is perceived by different stakeholders. The most satisfactory viewpoint on the concept of system complexity, in my view, is that of Midgley (1992) who identifies three aspects of complexity as related to the object relations, subjectivity, value and ethics, and these three aspects were themselves inter-related. such a view of system complexity of Midgley (1992) is supportive of the Critical Systems Thinking and compatible withe the Multi-Perspective, Systems-based perspective.
The relativistic view of complexity is demonstrated in Figure 1. This figure makes it clear that, for some decision makers, a problematic situation is considered as simple and manageable, while the same problematic situation can be perceived in quite dissimilar terms and appears complex to another group of decision makers. System complexity arises in a Cybernetics sense (Ashby, 1973), because the problematical situation (as a system) appears to have a higher variety than the decision maker can absorb or control. Figure 2 further elucidates this point.
There is an additional complexity arising from the interaction of multiple decision makers themselves as a decision-making unit and this needs to be managed. This point is more relevant to the discussion of group decision support systems design (which pays more attention to the process of team process support), than to traditional DSS (which stresses the process of task), or organizational DSS design (which focuses more on the process of process standards/ best practice), see Nunamaker et al. (1992). On this topic, Rodriguez-Ulloa (1988) gives a good discussion on how the problem-solving personnel can become yet another problem component in the system.
Reference
Ackoff, R.L. (1981) Creating the Corporate Future, Wiley, New York
Ashby, W.R. (1973) An Introduction to Cybernetics, Chapman and Hall Ltd and University paperbacks
Dash, D.P. and Murthy, P.N. (1994) "Boundary Judgement in System Dynamics Modelling: An Investigation Through The Science of complexity: Research Note" pp. 464-475, Systems Practice 7(4), August, Plenum Press
Flood, R.L. (1990) Liberating Systems Theory, Plenum, New York
Flood, R.L. and Carson, E.R. (1988) Dealing with Complexity: An introduction to the Theory and Application of Systems Science, Plenum Press
Ho, J.K.K. (1996) "Development of Multi-Perspective, Systems-Based Frameworks" Ph.D. thesis, July, Faulty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong
Ho, J.K.K. and Sculli, D. (1995) "System Complexity and the Design of Decision Support Systems", Systems Practice, pp. 505-516, 8(5), Plenum Press
Jackson, M.C. and Keys, P. (1984) "Towards A Systems of Systems Methodologies", J. Opl. Res. Soc. 35(6), pp. 473-486
Ledington, P. (1988) "Designing Conversation: A Reflection upon Ulrich's Research Program: Research Note" pp. 319-321, Systems Practice 1(3), September, Plenumn Press
Midgley, G. (1992) "Pluralism and the Legitimation of Systems Science", pp. 147-172, Systems Practice 5(2) Plenum Press, New York
Nunamaker, J.F., et al. (1992) "Organizational Decision Support Systems" Chapter 5, pp. 137-166 in Stohr, A. and Konsynski, B.R. (editors) Information Systems and Decision Processes, IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos, CA, Washington
Rodriguez-Ulloa, R.A. (1988) "The Problem-Solving System: Another Problem-Content System", pp. 243-257, Systems Practice 1(3), September, Plenum Press
Schoderbek, P.P., Schoderbek, C.G., and Kefalas, A.G. (1985) Management Systems: Conceptual Considerations, Business Publications, Texas
Monday 11 March 2013
Subjective vs Objective Research Philosophy
The main differences between objective and subjective research philosophies are as follows:
Nature of reality (ontology): subjective: perceived reality vs objective: reality out there
Nature of knowledge (epistemology): subjective: tacit; experience-based vs objective: explicit and codified
Human nature: subjective: free will vs objective: deterministic
Other aspects: view on social contradiction..
Nature of reality (ontology): subjective: perceived reality vs objective: reality out there
Nature of knowledge (epistemology): subjective: tacit; experience-based vs objective: explicit and codified
Human nature: subjective: free will vs objective: deterministic
Other aspects: view on social contradiction..
Wednesday 6 March 2013
Reflective report in Dissertation report: the questions
The following questions are the main ones to be addressed in the Reflection Report of a typical Dissertation report for Business Management (or related management discipline) students:
Q1. What happened? Outline how you went about your project addressing the reasons for your topic choice, how you set about collecting the data, analyzing it and reaching conclusions.
Q2. What things happened? What unexpected experiences did you encounter? How did you feel?
Q3. Reflections: What were the main good things and main bad things about the experience of preparing a dissertation?
Q4. Lessons: What do you feel you have learnt from the experience of planning, carrying out and writing up your project? How would you do things differently in the future?
The reflective report is around 1,000 words and is provided in the Appendix of the Dissertation Report.
Q1. What happened? Outline how you went about your project addressing the reasons for your topic choice, how you set about collecting the data, analyzing it and reaching conclusions.
Q2. What things happened? What unexpected experiences did you encounter? How did you feel?
Q3. Reflections: What were the main good things and main bad things about the experience of preparing a dissertation?
Q4. Lessons: What do you feel you have learnt from the experience of planning, carrying out and writing up your project? How would you do things differently in the future?
The reflective report is around 1,000 words and is provided in the Appendix of the Dissertation Report.
Sunday 3 March 2013
Consumer behaviour resources
The following resources are on Consumer Behaviour:
- A reference: Hawkins, N.Q. (2002) Consumer Behaviour: Implications for Marketing Strategy, McGraw-Hill.
- Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Wiley (re: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1479-1838)
Wednesday 20 February 2013
Bad and good practices on Literature Review
There are different practices on Literature Review (LR), some bad and some good. I list them below from bad to good:
Note:
Reference
Bryman, A.and Bell, E. (2007) "Chapter 4: Getting Started: reviewing the literature", Business Research Methods, Oxford University Press
Also see my article on literature review
- As a list of readings with brief descriptions; that is, a kind of annotated bibliography
- An explanation of the search process of finding relevant literature
- A survey on relevant writing and research works on the topic under investigation
- As a vehicle of learning the relevant concepts and viewpoints on the topic under investigation
- As a facilitation to investigate the topic, clarifying the context and supporting the methodology to be employed in the investigation by the student.
- To discuss the literature as a major part of your research report; this is considered as the highest level of conceptions in the investigation by the student
Note:
- Literature sources: textbooks, academic articles, dissertation reports
- Review efforts: describe, explain, compare and contrast, evaluate and select, synthesize
- Literature elements: concepts (and their definitions), viewpoints, findings, methodologies used, experience gained, information gaps, major intellectual curiosity/ queries, points of debates
- Literature review outcomes: inform research design, research objectives and questions, analysis & evaluation efforts.
Bryman, A.and Bell, E. (2007) "Chapter 4: Getting Started: reviewing the literature", Business Research Methods, Oxford University Press
Also see my article on literature review
Tuesday 12 February 2013
On minimum wage - some resources
Some of my Independent study students choose the topic of minimum wage as their topic areas. Below are some online resources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_Hong_Kong
- http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/mwo.htm
- Effect of minimum wages on employment (pdf): http://www.nber.org/papers/w4742.pdf?new_window=1
- http://smallbusiness.chron.com/economic-theory-minimum-wage-3888.html
- Institutional Economics and minimum wages (pdf): http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1458&context=ilrreview
Monday 11 February 2013
A Contingency Theory for Business Performance Measurement
The following discussion agenda is on A Contingency Theory for Measurement in the study of Business Performance Measurement:
ReferenceBroadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 8: A Contingency Theory for Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
- An outline of a contingency theory
- Technology
- Organizational Structure
- The environment
ReferenceBroadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 8: A Contingency Theory for Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Relating Performance Measurement and Strategy
The following discussion agenda is on Relating Performance Measurement and Strategy in the study of Business Performance Measurement:
- 4 stages of organizational development
- Multidivisional organisations
- Traditional accounting methods of divisional performance
- Product portfolio matrix
- Product life cycle
- Strategy and performance measures
- Value Chain and sources of differentiation
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 7: Relating Performance Measurement and Strategy" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Integrated Performance Measurement Tools
The following discussion agenda is on Integrated Performance Measurement Tools in the subject of Business Performance Measurement:
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 6: Integrated Performance Measurement Tools: A Balanced Approach" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
- Performance measurement systems and focus of control
- A balanced view of organizational performance
- The balanced scorecard
- Designing balanced scorecard measures
- Advantages and problems with the balanced scorecard approach
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 6: Integrated Performance Measurement Tools: A Balanced Approach" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
A Critical Resource Perspective of Business Performance Measurement
The following discussion agenda is on A Critical Resource Perspective of Business Performance Measurement:
- A reflection on Economic Value Added and similar techniques
- Intangible resources
- A template for Intellectual Capital measurements
- Efficiency and effectiveness techniques
- Benchmarking
- Just-in-time
- Total Quality Management and Business Process Re-engineering
- Activity-based approaches to costing and management
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 5: A Critical Resource Perspective of Performance Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Stakeholder perspectives in Business Performance Measurement study
The following discussion agenda is on Stakeholder Perspectives in the study of Business Performance Measurement:
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 4: Stakeholder Perspectives of Performance Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
- Mission Statements and Stakeholder Analysis
- The Corporate Report
- User groups with areas of interest
- Stakeholder Power
- Economic value added
- Traditional vs Value-based Income Statement
- Cash-flow return on investment
- Determinants of shareholder value creation and shareholder value creation strategies
- Performance measures for marketing
- The value system
- Environmental-related performance measurement
- The environmental performance diamond
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 4: Stakeholder Perspectives of Performance Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Key performance measures in Business Performance Measurement
The following discussion agenda is on Key Performance Measures in Business Performance Measurement:
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 3: What You Measure is What You Get!" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
- Measurement of programmes and coordination of change activities
- Accountability trail
- Critical Success Factors (CSFs)
- Linking CSF with value chain analysis
- Key performance indicators
- Process/ function map for aligning performance measures
- Efficiency and Effectiveness
- Balanced scorecard
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 3: What You Measure is What You Get!" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Business Performance Measurement - an introductory note
The following introductory discussion agenda is on Business Performance Measurement:
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 1: The Changing Nature of Business" and "Chapter 2: Performance Measurement: A Reflection", Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
- Factors that lead to Business Changes
- Governmental
- Technological
- Managerial
- Organizational Structure
- 'New Wave Management'
- Managerial techniques
- Key themes in the new management approach
- Changes to performance measures
- Strategic issues
- A framework for studying corporate performance measurement
- Profit measures
- Problems with ROCE and ROI
- Earnings per share and Price/Earnings ratio
- Other external measures of performance
- Informal and formal performance comparisons with competitors
- Benchmarking
- Product cost comparison
Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 1: The Changing Nature of Business" and "Chapter 2: Performance Measurement: A Reflection", Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
The prospects for Sustainable Urban Development
A discussion agenda on the Prospects for Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 10: The Prospects for Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- The techno-economic paradigm
- Governing via spatial planning and regulation
- The limits on urban development sustainability
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 10: The Prospects for Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Regulating in Sustainable Urban Development
The following discussion agenda is on Regulating in the subject of Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 9: Regulating for Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- Regulating for sustainability
- The pursuit of zero-carbon development
- Decision making and learning within regulatory processes
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 9: Regulating for Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Spatial Planning in Sustainable Urban Development
The following discussion agenda is on Spatial Planning in the study of Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 8: Spatial Planning for Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- Spatial planning for sustainability
- Urban systems and spatial planning integration
- Energy systems
- Decentralized and renewable energy options
- Waste systems
- Transport systems
- Water systems
- Green and blue spaces
- Dynamics of spatial planning
- Learning within spatial planning
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 8: Spatial Planning for Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Financial incentives in Sustainable Urban Development
The following discussion agenda is on Financial Incentives in the study of Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 7: Financial Incentives and Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- Market-based instruments
- Fiscal measures and sustainable urban development
- Implications of fiscal measures for governing
- Institutional arrangements
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 7: Financial Incentives and Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Information provision in Sustainable Urban Development
The following discussion agenda is on Information Provision in the subject of Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 6: Information and Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- Provision of Information Modeling
- Buildings and Developments Assessment
- Whole-life carbon assessments
- Zero-carbon development
- Best practice developments
- Information tools
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 6: Information and Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Governing and Learning in Sustainable Urban Development
The following discussion agenda is on Governing and Learning in Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 5: Governing and Learning" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- Learning & the policy process
- A linear model of learning
- Networks of learning
- Fostering connections within networks of learning
- A scale-free or hub-and-spoke network
- Fostering communication within networks of learning
- Knowledge as a constructed category
- On reframing
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 5: Governing and Learning" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Governing for sustainability in Sustainable Urban Development
The following discussion is on Governing for Sustainability in the subject of Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 4: Governing for Sustainability" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- An overview of Governing
- National and International Sustainability Indicators
- Urban sustainability indicators
- Power and governing
- Governing at the urban scale
- Governing tools
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 4: Governing for Sustainability" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Sunday 10 February 2013
Urban Development in Sustainable Urban Development
The following discussion agenda is on Producing Urban Development in Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 3: Producing Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- Urban Development Processes
- A linear model of the urban development process
- A network model of the urban development process
- Construction processes
- Property finance & exchange processes
- Sources of profit from the development process
- Different forms of house building
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 3: Producing Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Sustainable Urban Development dimensions
The following discussion agenda is on Dimensions of Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 2: Dimensions of Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- Building Scale Sustainability
- A sustainable urban development framework
- Environmental aspects of sustainable buildings
- Economic and social aspects of sustainable buildings
- Sustainability at the Development Site Scale
- Sustainability at Urban and Regional Scale
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 2: Dimensions of Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Sustainable Urban Development - an introductory agenda
The following is an introductory agenda on Sustainable Urban Development:
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 1: Sustainable Development and the Urban Agenda" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
- The meaning of sustainable development
- The 3 models of sustainable development
- The Venn Diagram Model
- The Russian Doll Model
- The Pillars Model
- The meaning of Urban Sustainability
- The Urban Resource Loop
- The Sustainable Development and Urban agenda
Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 1: Sustainable Development and the Urban Agenda" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)