Anskaffning av programvara kan ses som en möjlighet att utveckla ett företag och dess affärsverksamhet. Det finns idag ett stort utbud av standardiserade programvaror att välja emellan. Sådana produkter brukar i dagligt tal kallas för standardsystem. Dessa kan köpas på den öppna marknaden eller vara system som återanvänds mellan företag. Det görs en del felinvesteringar när företag anskaffar standardsystem. Många standardsystem ger inte önskade resultat för verksamheten eller förblir i vissa fall oanvända på företagen. Detta ledde mig in på frågan om en systematisk metod för upphandling av standardsystem kan förbättra situationen. Syftet med denna avhandling har därför varit att konstruera metodik för anskaffning av standardsystem som ett led i att utveckla verksamheter hos företag och organisationer. Mer precist förelåg tre huvudmål för studien: Att utveckla en metod för anskaffning av standardsystem som ger stöd åt företags affärsverksamheter. Att pröva metodens användbarhet, genomförbarhet och logiska uppbyggnad med hjälp av empiri och teori inom området. Att vidareutveckla metoden utifrån gjorda erfarenheter och framförda förändringsbehov från metodprövningen. Metoden som utvecklats och prövats benämns genomgående "SIV-metoden" (Standardsystem I Verksamheter). SIV-metoden bygger på erfarenheter från olika företag som ABB, Alfa-Laval, Arla, Ericsson och Philips. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan

<p>This thesis explores and explains the existence of a best practice model to optimise the transfer of funds (&ldquo / the transfer funding process&rdquo / ) between funders and service providers in the public sector. Using ideas about best practice in a specific context, the Health environment, it investigates the perceptions of managers about the transfer of funds between the Provincial Government of the Western Cape and the Local Authority of the City of Cape Town, the existence of a formula that will indicate appropriate amounts to transfer to service providers, and how information systems might assist with the process and the formula.</p>

Where do companies begin their efforts when trying to improve information management in product development? In large companies involving many people, multiple processes and highly technological products several factors have an impact on efficiency. Interdisciplinary integration and structured information are two overall proposed key factors that have been identified as important to obtain efficient information management. Measurement of satisfaction level among information systems users is proposed as an angle of approach to identify key improvement areas from an operative perspective that are argued to be strategic for management to address. However, the need for adjustments to contextual prerequisites and a changing environment makes evaluation necessary prior to measurement. An evaluation framework is proposed to identify metrics that are tailored and kept in line with business and development strategies to ensure their relevancy. This research has aimed at taking a holistic approach to information management in complex product development. The research focus has been on the integration between engineering disciplines where software and electrical R&amp;D departments at automotive companies have been the main source of the analysis material. Integrated information management entails support for activities within the engineering domain. Several strategies are discussed to manage trade-offs in organizations in order to succeed with integrated information management. A needs-based balance is one important approach proposed to resolve changing and conflicting needs. Furthermore, it is argued that operative and strategic goals should be allowed to co-exist. Providing the right infrastructure to support designers in their everyday work does not necessarily mean additional functionality to existing information systems or automated work activities by improved document templates. Rather, it is suggested that a shift in focus (from addressing detailed requirements management to reflecting on interrelationships between information objects and system inter-dependencies) would be a strong mechanism to succeed with information management. The transition into model-based development is argued to be a much needed change for organizations to obtain integrated information management, since a model-based approach is considered an important basis for structured information. Anticipated benefits with integrated information management are increased information availability, reduced information overflow, and enhanced communication and understanding of critical system dependencies / QC 20100730

Today every organization is committed to some kind of environmental scanning in order to get necessary knowledge of the world around them. The acquisition, organization and storage of information in combination with a strategic use, is today an important factor for a successful organisation in any sector of our society.In this Master thesis I have studied how an organisation such as The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv) handles its information resources. I have also looked at the flow of information within the organization. The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise is Sweden’s largest business federation representing 50 member organizations and 55 000 member companies. The core business is to create better business conditions for companies as well as opinionbuilding, research and developing positions on expert issues.As a theoretical framework I have used Chun Choos theories and his model on The Information Management Cycle. In this casestudy I have conducted (four of seven steps of) an Information Audit and interviewed employees of The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, both experts and personnel in charge of the information resources. My results show that there is multitude of information resources within the organization. The users make individual choices concerning which resources to use and how to use them. This reflects the environment in which the organization exists and operates in. In my study I also find that The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise has a strategic approach to information and the process of communication, which constitutes a favourable position for the organisation to work towards its goals.

In business development, a wide range of ideas and conceptual tools are employed to facilitate understanding and change. Graphical models are commonly used to express and communicate the views of people involved. However, without knowledge of what business modelling means for business development, the efforts can easily be hindered instead of supported. This thesis contributes new insights relevant both for professionals involved in business development, and for researchers exploring information and business. It comprises eleven distinctive chapters, seven of which have been previously published in conference proceedings and edited books. In addition to introduction and integration chapters, the thesis comprises four main parts that deals with theoretical structuring, empirical description, frame development, and frame application, respectively. In the part on theoretical structuring, a conceptual framework of the use of business models in development work is developed. Based on theories of signs, learning, and knowledge paradigms, the framework characterises different model artefacts, model activities, and model assumptions. For the part on empirical description, two cases of business development and the use of graphical models are provided. The first case addresses concerns and challenges for process owners at Ericsson Radio, and the second deals with dilemmas that influence the work on process orientation and business descriptions at Sweden Post. In the third part of the thesis, frame development, a set of business frames in the form of modelling perspectives are elaborated. Three specific frames – value, process, and concept – are detailed in conjunction with three critical areas of exploration within a business: strategy solutions, operations solutions, and information solutions. For the part on frame application, the elaborated set of business frames is used in eleven cases of business analysis in order to explore framing challenges in practice. For overall conclusions, the meaning of business modelling for business development is characterised in four ways: First, it means versatility, in that not only different model artefacts, but also different model activities and model assumptions influence the development work. Second, it means depth-seeing, in that the frames together give extra dimensions to the framing of business. Third, it means delimitation, in that the modelling frames not only comprise specific perspectives on the business, but also imply more or less explicit ideas on what to include and exclude. Finally, business modelling means dual dependencies, in that the models are seen as reliant both on the business itself, and on the people producing and using the models. Table of contents: INTRODUCTION   1. Business Modelling for Business Development PART I: THEORETICAL STRUCTURING   2. The Role of Business Models in Development Work PART II: EMPIRICAL DESCRIPTION   3. Process Ownership in a Rapid Growth Situation  4. Sweden Post’s Exploration of Processes and Descriptions PART III: FRAME DEVELOPMENT   5. Using Business Models in Process Orientation  6. Value Modelling for Exploring Strategy Solutions  7. Process Modelling for Exploring Operations Solutions  8. Concept Modelling for Exploring Information Solutions PART IV: FRAME APPLICATION   9. Challenges in 11 Cases of Business Analysis INTEGRATION   10. What Business Modelling Means for Business Development  11. Implications and Reflections / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2005</p>

Abstract Purpose This thesis aims to focus on how master students administer scholarly articles after they have found them. The purpose of the study is to detect how and to what extent people administer their articles from a personal information management-perspective (PIM). Method To answer the research questions, a web-based questionnaire survey was distributed which was announced to around 2,000 master students from different universities in Sweden. Most of the items in the survey focused on individual storage methods. The respondents were asked to rate the frequency of their different information administration behaviors on a seven level Likert-type-scale. Subsequently, items concerning specific information administration behaviors were posed, followed by questions on the respondent's sociodemographic status. The results were based on overall 316 answers. Analysis The quantitative data was analyzed using non-parametric tests such as Friedmans-test, Kruskal-Wallis-analysis, Wilcoxon-Signed Rank-test, Mann-Whitney-U-test and Chi-square-test with the statistical computer program SPSS. Findings The findings generally confirm that the majority of the surveyed graduate students are using scholarly articles. Regarding their information management, it is as usual to store the whole article as it is to store the reference. Further it is more common to choose electronic storage methods for articles and references than to use physical methods. The results highlight that most of the students use several method types and use them to varying extent. Neither age, computer skills, duration of study or satisfaction with their way of information storage influenced the quantity of used methods. Regarding specific handling, the storing of article copies on the computer’s hard drive were most frequently used. The respondents preferred furthermore to read the articles on a screen rather than printed paper versions. The influencing factors of gender, age, computer skills, subject discipline were affecting the choice of methods. General conclusions about these influencing factors are, however, complicated by possible occurring confounders. Moreover, the method types were used to different extents depending of subject discipline. Originality/value Most previous PIM research is concentrating on how people store information in general. The dealing and administrating with specific types of information are, however, rarely discussed. In the context of scholarly articles did research predominantly focus on seeking structures and reading patterns. The step between finding and reading an article has so far not directly been addressed in academic research. The study therefore is unique in addressing information storage systems of scholarly articles on such a large scale. Knowledge about storage patterns will help journal publishers and librarians to design more targeted solutions for journal systems and improve services like courses in information seeking. Paper type Two years master’s thesis

This dissertation explores personal digital archiving practices, particularly in relation to the construction of self. Personal digital archiving is an everyday practice through which people manage and preserve digital documents that have particular meanings to them. This process involves a constant value assignment that is intertwined with the recollection of life events. In-depth case studies were used to gain a holistic understanding as close to research participants’ perspectives as possible. Semi-structured narrative interviews were conducted with 23 individuals from various backgrounds.The results are discussed in relation to emotions and self-evaluation. Personal digital archiving as a process, directly or indirectly, involves a self-enhancement and self-verification which is an integral part of self-confirmation. This study contributes to the in-depth observation of everyday record-keeping in a digital environment, particularly providing interpretive accounts of individual differences and why people do things in a certain way. / text

Undersökningen vilar på två huvudfrågor: Vad är ett materialbibliotek, och varför uppstår de i så stor utsträckning idag? Frågorna besvaras genom samtal med ansvariga på materialbibliotek, främst kommersiella, i Europa och USA och redovisas i en historisk och kronologisk översikt över det senaste decenniet, en tematisk beskrivning av verksamheten samt en diskussion kring materialbiblioteket utifrån begreppen dokument och bibliotek där en allmän biblioteksmodell appliceras på materialbibliotekens verksamhet. Slutligen föreslås en definition av begreppet materialbibliotek. Undersökningen kommer fram till att materialbiblioteket är en informationstjänst som samlar och organiserar materialprover och materialkunskap, och som inte enbart fungerar som tillhandahållare av information utan även strävar efter att i mötet med sina användare skapa ny kunskap om de dokument det behandlar. Materialbiblioteken uppstår ur ett behov av en samordnande central för materialkunskap, och kan placeras inom det nya serviceparadigmet information management. Det finns även ett behov av att känna på material och att skapa en mötesplats för kreatörer och tillverkare inom designområdet. En avgörande bakgrund verkar vara den drastiskt ökande materialtillgången som innebär att verksamma inom området inte hinner skaffa sig den materialkunskap de skulle behöva, främst om nya material och nya materiallösningar. De största och mest inflytelserika materialbiblioteken finns i New York och Paris och heter Material ConneXion, Innovathéque och MatériO. De flesta materialbibliotek har något förhållande till ett eller flera av dessa tre, och deras databaser är föremål för potentiella framtida samarbetsprojekt.

Šiuolaikiniame pasaulyje vis didesnę reikšmę tiek asmeniniame, tiek ir visuomeniniame gyvenime įgyja informacijos sklaida, bendravimas ir bendradarbiavimas, todėl įvairios valstybinės institucijos, nevyriausybinės organizacijos bei privačios įmonės daug dėmesio skiria viešiesiems ryšiams. Bendradarbiavimo santykių kūrimas su įvairiomis susijusiomis institucijomis užimą svarbią vietą kiekvienos organizacijos planuose, strategijose, nuostatuose, ir t.t. Socialinių klausimų nagrinėjimas rajoninėje spaudoje svarbesnis ir vaidina didesnį vaidmenį todėl, kad domina kiekvieną žmogų. Jis siejasi su labai konkrečiais savos aplinkos faktoriais, tai yra, tampa žinomas ir svarbus būtent toje sferoje, kuriai yra skirtas. Tačiau socialinės institucijos bendradarbiavimui su artimiausiomis pagal institucijos veiklos vietą žiniasklaidos priemonėmis dėmesio nepakanka. Šio magistro darbo tyrimo tikslas - analizuojant socialinių institucijų problemų kėlimą bei gerosios patirties sklaidą laikraštyje „Širvintų kraštas“, įvertinti esamą socialinių institucijų ir rajoninės spaudos bendradarbiavimo padėtį bei įvardyti bendradarbiavimo perspektyvas. Šiame magistro darbe nagrinėjamos visuomenės informavimo priemonių bei viešosios politikos formavimo sąsajos: atskleidžiama, kaip žiniasklaidos keliamos problemos koreguoja politikų darbotvarkę, daro įtaką viešajai nuomonei, kaip institucija, skleisdama spaudoje gerąją patirtį, atranda galimybių formuoti palankų įvaizdį. Tyrimas parodė, kad rajoniniame... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In the modern world information spreading, communication and cooperation acquires the increasing importance both in private and public life, therefore, various state institutions, non-governmental organizations and private companies draw much attention to public relations. Creation of cooperation relations between various related institutions plays an important role in plans, strategies, by-laws and etc. of each organization. Consideration of social issues in regional press is more important and plays greater role as it concerns everyone. It relates to certain factors of own environment, i.e. becomes known and important in the sphere to which it is devoted. However, attention to cooperation of social institutions with the closest means of press in terms of institution’s place is insufficient. The objective of this master’s investigation is to evaluate the present condition of cooperation between social institutions and regional press and find out the cooperation perspectives by analysis of display of social institutions’ problems and good experience spread in the paper “Širvintų kraštas“. This theses consider links between the public information means and public policy formation: they reveal the way the problems in press correct agenda of politicians, influence public opinion, as an institution spreading good experience in press, find the opportunities to form favourable image. The investigation shows that publications about regional social institutions appear in regional... [to full text]

The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is a program that provides medical countermeasures during a public health emergency. A public health emergency can be a natural or man-made disaster, an act of terrorism, or a pandemic. The Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) was created to help the nation’s largest metropolitan regions develop the ability to provide SNS life-saving medications in the event of a large-scale bioterrorist attack or naturally occurring disease outbreak. To address the risks associated with a public health emergency the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires a comprehensive emergency response plan for distributing SNS/CRI materials quickly and efficiently. The Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness (FCDHW) is tasked with responsibility for distributing and dispensing of SNS/CRI medical assets delivered during a public health emergency. FCDHW is also tasked with the development of a comprehensive response plan. Past TAR scores revealed that passing SNS/CRI audits has been a challenge for FCDHW. A case study was conducted to note if the development of an information management system could facilitate successful future SNS/CRI audits. A needs assessment revealed that an information management system for emergency preparedness and response compliance was needed. Microsoft SharePoint 2007 was used to develop the information management system. SharePoint contains a secure document repository that linked the work products of all relevant internal and external stakeholders and revealed compliance deficiencies early enough to allow for corrective actions. The result was a passing TAR score that was a 59 point increase from the last published score.