INFORMATION SYSTEMS TRACK

COLLABORATION TECHNOLOGY



Group Support Systems:

The GSS minitrack focuses on the conceptual design, implementation, use, and evaluation of GSS in both controlled and organizational settings. We are interested in a wide variety of research topics and research approaches, particularly those that are likely to promote discussion. These include, but are not limited to:
- Conceptual/theory development papers that are well focused, logically argued, and have the potential to change current practice;
- Experimental papers that are theoretically motivated, yet whose findings have the potential to interest practitioners;
- Field studies that develop new insight that has the potential to change current practice or lead to new theories; and
- System design and development papers that move beyond the description of systems and their use to build new concepts for the design and use of future systems in organizational settings.

Empirical manuscripts motivated strictly by data collection and analysis, or design and development manuscripts that are purely descriptive, will have little chance of acceptance. Authors are expected to describe theoretical or conceptual issues that give meaning to data, or motivation for a particular system design. Papers should show how concepts (e.g., prior theory and the current study or design) are relevant to our evolving understanding in this area. Finally, all papers should clearly answer the question "What's interesting here?"

Alan Dennis
Management Department
Terry College of Business
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602 USA
(706) 542-3902
FAX: (706) 542-3743
E-mail: adennis@uga.cc.uga.edu

Joe Valacich
Accounting and Information Systems
School of Business
Indiana University
Bloomington IN 47405
E-mail: valacich@ucs.indiana.edu

Distributed Group Support Systems:

The realities of today's global business environment have "pushed" organizations to restructure activities around business teams, thereby resulting in the growth of virtual organizational structures. Simultaneously, the dramatic growth of the information highway and the availability of efficient electronic alternatives to face-to- face meetings have "pulled" organizations towards using various distributed communication media. This mini-track specifically focuses on issues related to the design, implementation, use and management of:
* Groupware (such as Lotus Notes)
* Desktop video-conferencing
* Internet-based groupware
* "Intranets"
* Electronic bulletin boards
* Asynchronous communication media (such as e-mail) and,
* Other computer-supported collaborative systems
* Workflow applications
* Computer-conferencing
* Teleworking teams
* Virtual teams
* Coordination tools

Authors are encouraged to submit papers that employ novel, multi- disciplinary, and/or multi-methodological approaches in the above and related areas. While papers may be empirical, conceptual, tutorial or descriptive, the mini-track hopes to attract, in particular, studies with "real-world" relevance.

Organizational Memory

Papers are invited for the minitrack on Organizational Memory. Organizational memory (OM) can be defined as the way an organization applies past knowledge to present activities. While the concept dates back several decades and spans many disciplines, a current resurgence of interest is occurring as researchers and practitioners are exploring how OM can be operationalized using information technology. Since its inception three years ago, this minitrack has evolved into a key international forum for OM researchers and practitioners.

We are interested in a wide variety of OM-related research topics that address both the theoretical and conceptual bases of OM as well as the operationalization and evaluation of OM information systems. Specific paper topics are not limited to, but may include:

- Conceptual or theoretical analyses addressing definitions, purposes, or frameworks for organizational memory;
- Theoretical or practical analyses exploring potential organizational, societal or political roles and/or impacts or organizational memory systems;
- Models of potential organizational memory system date structures, architectures, system requirements, interfaces, or information capture or retrieval strategies;
- Descriptions of innovative OM information systems;
- Results of field, laboratory, or case studies involving OM information sytems;
- Theoretical or empirical analyses exploring the relationship of organizational memory to organizational learning.

For additional information or to submit abstracts, please contact:

Joline Morrison
Dept. of MIS
University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004
(715) 836-3155
FAX: (715) 836-4959
E-mail: morrisjp@uwec.edu

Lorne Olfman
Claremont Graduate School
Programs in Information Science
130 East Ninth Street
Claremont, CA 91711-6190
(909) 621-8209
FAX: (909) 621-8564
E-mail: olfmanl@cgs.edu
http://www.cgs.edu/iswnet/olfmanl.html

Technology-Supported Learning:

You are invited to submit a paper to the minitrack on TECHNOLOGY- SUPPORTED LEARNING as a part of the Information Systems track at the Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science (HICSS). This minitrack focuses on the application of learning theories to the development, testing, and use of Information Technology (IT) to improve the learning process.

Many current pedagogical practices were optimized for the technologies that were available in the past: books, classrooms, chalkboards, etc. New computing and communication technologies have fundamentally altered the cognitive costs of problem-solving and information acquisition. Little is known about how these technologies can be wielded to improve learning, but researchers in many disciplines working in many countries are now investigating the possibilities.

We welcome papers ranging from theoretical to empirical; from philosophical to practical. Theory papers supported by empirical data (experiment, case studies, surveys, etc.), and empirical papers supported by theory are more likely to be accepted than straight recitations of either theory or data collection. Systems development papers that focus on the lessons learned during the project will be preferred over simple descriptions of new technologies. Framework papers should include an exhaustive literature review and a clear explanation of how the new synthesis will help research or practice.

For more information about the minitrack or to submit the optional e-mail abstract contact:

Robert Briggs
E-mail: bbriggs@bpa.arizona.edu
MIS Department
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721
Tel: (520) 621-2133
FAX: (520) 621-2433
http://www.bmgt.umd.edu/Business/AcademicDepts/IS/Learning/hicss30.html

Brad Wheeler
E-mail: bwheeler@business.umd.edu
The Maryland Business School
Van Munching Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-1815
Tel: (301) 405-7053
FAX: (301) 314-9157

NOTE: If you would be willing to review papers for this minitrack, please send your name and address or e-mail to the address/email above. This process would consist of reviewing 2-3 papers. Thank you.

Dynamics of Business Systems Engineering:

Papers are invited for the minitrack on "The Dynamics of Business Systems Engineering" as part of the Information Systems track at the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS). This minitrack provides one of the key international platforms on which the following issues can be discussed:

(1) How to model organizations as dynamic systems in order to gain insight into their structure, processes, and performance.

(2) How can this knowledge be used in engineering more effective organizations and information systems to provide value-added support for organizational evolution?

Thus, papers are welcome that contain original ideas on systematic modelling, analysis, design and implementation of dynamic organizational structures and processes. The scope may be anywhere from the process level (micro) via business components and their coordination (meso) to the inter-organizational or corporate level (macro). The specific topics of interest for this minitrack fall into six categories:

A. Methodology
B. Modelling techniques
C. Supporting tools
D. Special application areas
E. Implementation and maintenance issues
F. Education

Send all correspondence related to this minitrack to:

Gert-Jan de Vreede

Minitrack coordinators: Gert-Jan de Vreede, Alexander Verbraeck, Henk Sol
Delft University of Technology, School of Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management
P.O. Box 5015, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands
phone: +31.15.278-7179
fax: +31.15.278-3429
E-mail: devreede@sepa.tudelft.nl

Doug Vogel
Center for the Management of Information
Management Information Systems Department
College of Business and Public Administration
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, USA
phone: +1.520-621-4016
fax: +1.520-621-2433
E-mail: e-mail: vogel@bpa.arizona.edu

Groupware Development:

Papers are invited for the minitrack on Groupware Development. This minitrack is aimed at groupware developers wishing to share and leverage their development experience. Its focus will be the architecture, development methodology, design, and implementation of working groupware prototypes. When a working prototype does not exist, successful papers will include technical details supporting the feasibility of implementing a prototype based on the architecture, development methodology, and/or design presented in the paper.

Same-time same-place to anytime anyplace systems, brainstorming applications, idea consolidation applications, report writing applications; or, to shorten this list, any type of system or application enabling groups or teams to collaborate more effectively may be presented in this minitrack. Suggested paper topics are not limited to, but may include:

- Developing groupware that communicates via the Internet.
- Developing groupware using specific development environments and tools.
- Developing groupware for a variety of LANs, WANs, and operating systems.
- New, modified, or existing systems development methodologies applied to a groupware system or application.
- Detailed descriptions of the architecture of a groupware system or application.
- Descriptions of specific coding techniques used in a groupware application.

For addition information or to submit papers, please contact:

Mike Morrison
Department of MIS
University of Wisconsin
Eau Claire, WI 54702
(715) 836-5968
FAX: (715) 836-4959
E-mail: e-mail: morriscm@uwec.edu

HICSS HOMEPAGE
Any questions or comments should be directed to the following address:
hicss@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu