Structuration bridging diffusion of innovations and gender relations theories: a case of paradigmatic pluralism in IS research

This paper discusses the adoption of a pluralist theoretical framework – one that is also multiparadigmatic – for conducting and publishing information system (IS) research. The discussion is illustrated by a single case study involving the Australian cotton industry. The theoretical framework is informed by three sociological theories, each with its particular paradigmatic assumptions: structuration theory as a meta‐theory, and diffusion of innovations and gender relations as lower‐level theories from notionally opposing paradigms. Theoretical pluralism helped to produce rich findings, illuminating both the social nature of women farmers' roles, the materiality of the cotton farming context, the characteristics of the decision support systems in use and the recursive way in which human agency and institutional pressures shape each other. Because users of so‐called divergent paradigms often face criticism based on the incommensurability issue, one of the main contributions of this paper is to discuss the value of a pluralist and multiparadigmatic theoretical framework in dealing with complex IS social phenomena.     

Similarity and assumed similarity in personality reports of well-acquainted persons.

The authors obtained self- and observer reports of personality from pairs of well-acquainted college students. Consistent with previous findings, results of Study 1 showed strong cross-source agreement for all 6 HEXACO personality factors (rs ≈ .55). In addition, the authors found modest levels of similarity (r ≈ .25) between dyad members' self-reports on each of 2 dimensions, Honesty-Humility and Openness to Experience. For these same 2 factors, dyad members' self-reports were correlated with their observer reports of the other dyad member (r ≈ .40), thus indicating moderately high assumed similarity. In Study 2, Honesty-Humility and Openness to Experience were the 2 personality factors most strongly associated with the 2 major dimensions of personal values, which also showed substantial assumed similarity. In Study 3, assumed similarity was considerably stronger for close friends than for nonfriend acquaintances. Results suggest that assumed similarity for Honesty-Humility and Openness to Experience reflects a tendency to overestimate one's similarity to persons with whom one has a close relationship, but only on those personality characteristics whose relevance to values gives them central importance to one's identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An Algorithmic Model of the Time Profile of the State of a Group of Single-type Equipment for Analysis of the Risk of Reduction in Group Productivity below the Given Value

A model was proposed to analyze the operability state of a group of single-type equipment of a production system with regard for dependence of the group failure intensity on quality of operation and maintenance and the mean age of equipment.     

Managing sustainability with the support of business intelligence: Integrating socio-environmental indicators and organisational context

In this paper we explore how management of sustainability in organisations can be supported by business intelligence (BI) systems. We suggest that BI has an important role to play in helping organisations implement and monitor sustainable practices. We pay particular attention to one phase of any BI project, the information planning phase, i.e., the systematic way of defining relevant information in order to integrate it in reporting activities. Using grounded theory, the main contribution of our study is to propose a conceptual model that seeks to support the process of integration of socio-environmental indicators into organizational strategy for sustainability.     

Triggers and barriers to financial inclusion: The use of ICT-based branchless banking in an Amazon county

Financial inclusion can be defined as the access to formal financial services at an affordable cost for all members of an economy, favoring mainly low-income groups. It has been recognized as a critical element in policies for poverty reduction and economic growth. Some successful experiences with financial inclusion reported in developing countries are associated with the use of information and communication technology (ICT)-based branchless banking. One of these experiences is the Brazilian correspondent model, an ICT-based network responsible for delivering financial services to tens of millions of poor Brazilians, most of them having no other way to access banking services. This article presents a case study of financial inclusion in Autazes, a county in the Amazon region not served by banks until 2002, when a correspondent started its operations there. Since then, Autazes has experienced economic and social changes, due in part to government social benefits and other banking services delivered at the local level. The results of our field study in Autazes suggest that financial inclusion through the correspondents’ process positively contributes to local socio-economic development but, at the same time, presents clear negative signs such as low-income population over-indebtedness, reproduction of social exclusion practices and reinforcement of power asymmetries. We conclude that although access to financial resources is a fundamental way to promote local development to low-income population, such access should be accompanied by other inclusive mechanisms like financial education in order to be effective.     

Association of total mixed ration particle fractions retained on the Penn State Particle Separator with milk,fat, and protein yield lactation curves at the cow level

As part of a larger project aiming to develop management evaluation tools based on results from test-day (TD) models, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of physical composition of total mixed rations (TMR) tested quarterly from March 2006 through December 2008 on milk, fat, and protein yield curves for 25 herds in Ragusa, Sicily. A random regression sire-maternal grandsire model was used to estimate variance components for milk, fat, and protein yields fitted on a full data set, including 241,153 TD records from 9,809 animals in 42 herds recorded from 1995 through 2008. The model included parity, age at calving, year at calving, and stage of pregnancy as fixed effects. Random effects were herd × test date, sire and maternal grandsire additive genetic effect, and permanent environmental effect modeled using third-order Legendre polynomials. Model fitting was carried out using ASREML. Afterward, for the 25 herds involved in the study, 9 particle size classes were defined based on the proportions of TMR particles on the top (19-mm) and middle (8-mm) screen of the Penn State Particle Separator. Subsequently, the model with estimated variance components was used to examine the influence of TMR particle size class on milk, fat, and protein yield curves. An interaction was included with the particle size class and days in milk. The effect of the TMR particle size class was modeled using a ninth-order Legendre polynomial. Lactation curves were predicted from the model while controlling for TMR chemical composition (crude protein content of 15.5%, neutral detergent fiber of 40.7%, and starch of 19.7% for all classes), to have pure estimates of particle distribution not confounded by nutrient content of TMR. We found little effect of class of particle proportions on milk yield and fat yield curves. Protein yield was greater for sieve classes with 10.4 to 17.4% of TMR particles retained on the top (19-mm) sieve. Optimal distributions different from those recommended may reflect regional differences based on climate and types and quality of forages fed.