Fifth Annual 
GLOBAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT (GITM)
WORLD CONFERENCE
June 13, 14, & 15, 2004, San Diego, California

Conference Tracks and Track Chairs
Please submit your paper directly to the track chair via email.  The submission deadline is November 15, 2003.
 
Track Codes Track Email
Chair Affiliation
AOM Applications of AI in Operations Management khauser@b202.usu.edu
Karina Hauser Utah State University
AIS Attitudes Toward EC in Newly Independent States jean.pratt@usu.edu
Jean Pratt Utah State University
BBW Buying Behavior on the Web gwscheff@mtsu.edu
G. Scheffelmaier & John Vinsonhaler Middle Tennessee State University
CDA Culture in the Diffusion, Acceptance, and Use of IT enmao@uwm.edu;msrite@uwm.edu
En Mao & Mark Srite University of Wiscosin-Milwaukee
DKM Decision Support & Knowledge Management nemati@uncg.edu
Hamid Nemanti Univerity of Noth Carolina, Greensboro
DIS Diversity in Information Systems MULBERKE@uvsc.edu Keith Mulbery Utah Valley State College
DSC Doctoral Consortium basuc@uww.edu
Choton Basu University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
EBS E-business venky@cisunix.unh.edu
Venky Venkatachalam University of New Hampshire
ECS E-Commerce and E Services tstaffor@memphis.edu
Tom Stafford University of Memphis
ESG Economics and Strategies of Global IT jwang@iup.edu
Jianfeng Wang Indiana University Pennsylvania
EGV E-governance ssharma@bsu.edu
Sushil Sharma Ball State University
EGL Emerging Global Learning Technologies mills@b202.usu.edu, hill_t@cob.sjsu.edu
Bob Mills & Tim Hill Utah State University, San Jose State University
EIN Enterprise Integration dpaper@b202.usu.edu
David Paper Utah State University
ECP Exploring the E-Commerce Process pedersen@infowest.com
Eric Pedersen Dixie College
GPM Global Business Process Management pb@asu.edu
Pierre Balthazard Arizona State University
GRM Global Customer Relationship Management (CRM) ykim@b202.usu.edu
Yong Seog Kim Utah State University
GEC Global Electronic Commerce lsiyer@uncg.edu
Lakshmi Iyer University of North Carolina, Greensboro
GES Global ERP Systems Simon_sj@mercer.edu
Steve Simon Mercer University
GCA Global IT Cases and Applications jrodger@iup.edu
James Rodger Eberly College of Business & Information Technology
GTE Global IT Education jmann@odu.edu
Joan Mann Old Dominion University
GTO Global IT Outsourcing theos@christa.unh.edu
Theo Statopoolos University of New Hampshire
GRS Global IT Research Strategies sharm.manwani@henleymc.ac.uk
Sharm Manwani Henley Management College
GRI Global IT Research: Issues and Challenges kumar1a@cmich.edu
Anil Kumar Central Michigan University
GTS Global IT Threats & Security kwibowo@iup.edu
Kustim Wibowo Indiana University Pennsylvania
GSD Global Software Development pdembla@cisunix.unh.edu
Pamela Dembla University of New Hampshire
ICT ICT in Small Island Developing States fuatai.purcell@mof.gov.ws
Fuatai Purcell National Bank of NZ
ISA Intelligent Systems for Global Application iandoli@unina.it
Luca Iandoli Università di Napoli Federico II
EWI Internet & Web Related Issues achita.muthita@wichita.edu
Achita Muthitacharoen Wichita State University
IGN IT for Government and National Development licker@oakland.edu
Paul Licker University of Cape Town
IAF IT in Africa licker@oakland.edu
Paul Licker University of Cape Town
IAS IT in Asia enmao@uwm.edu;msrite@uwm.edu
En Mao & Mark Srite University of Wiscosin-Milwaukee
ICH IT in China bingwang@cc.usu.edu
Bing Wang Utah State University
IJP IT in Japan sherry@eller.arizona.edu
Sherry Thatcher University of Arizona
ITM IT in Manufacturing kfkj000@tamuk.edu Kai Jin Texas A&M University Kingsville
IMX

IT in Mexico

mcorrales@itesm.mx Martha Corrales ITESM Monterrey
IME IT in Middle Eastern Countries bshore@hypatia.unh.edu
Barry Shore University of New Hampshire
IMC IT in Multinational Companies celia_romm@hotmail.com
Celia Romm Wayne State University
INI IT in Newly Industrialized Countries okunoye@xavier.edu
Adekunle Okunoye Xavier University
INA IT in North America alicekienholz@nucleus.com
Alice Kienholz Alice Kienholz Associates, Calgary, CANADA
ISC IT in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises cpollard@postoffice.utas.edu.au
Carol Pollard University of Tasmania
ISC IT in South and Central America bshore@hypatia.unh.edu
Barry Shore University of New Hampshire
IPR IT in the Pacific Region v.khandelwal@uws.edu.au
Vijay Khandelwal University of West Sydney
IMU IT Management in Europe dpaper@b202.usu.edu
David Paper Utah State University
ITT IT Training Transfer cunningham@suu.edu
Tom Cunningham Southern Utah University
MDN Meeting the Diverse Needs of Global IT Education gbutler@regis.edu
Greg Butler Regis University
MUT Military Utility of IT jrodger@iup.edu
James Rodger Indiana Unversity - Pennsylvania
MCM Mobile Commerce jussi.puhakainen@tukkk.fi Jussi Puhakainen & Ville Harkke Turku School of Economics and Business Administration
MPI Modeling Process Improvement mokw@email.uah.edu
Wai Yin Mok University of Alabama
SEG Social Issues and Ethics in Global IT jill.kammermeyer@unh.edu
Jill Kammermeyer University of New Hampshire
SIM Societal Impacts of Global IT Tai.Purcell@nbnz.co.nz
Fuatai Purcell National Bank of NZ
SAG Strategic Applications of Global IT mraising@gsm.udallas.edu
Mike Raisinghani University of Dallas
TGU The Global User Towards E-Culture kyeong@it.uts.edu.au
Kyeong-Soon Kang University of Sydney
TDF Transborder Data Flows and Privacy Laws douglas@walton.uark.edu
David Douglas University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

 

 

 

Applications of AI in Operations Management

In recent years, artificial intelligent tools, like Genetic Algorithms, Neural Networks etc. have become very popular as tools for optimization in the operations management field. Some of the applications are machine layout problems, assambly line balancing and workload smoothing where the use of more conventional methods results in exponential growth of computing time when the data set gets large. This track is organized to discuss innovative applications of AI in operations management. Case studies and/or other innovative research are especially welcome.

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Attitudes Toward EC in Newly Independent States

E-commerce is in various stages of acceptance and implementation throughout the world. This track focuses specifically on the newly independent states (NIS) in Russia and barriers to and facilitators of implementation there. Contributors to consumer/developer attitudes toward e-commerce acceptance/implementation include culture, government, mafia, IT infrastructure, religion, and knowledge.

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Buying Behavior on the Web

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Culture in the Diffusion, Acceptance, and Use of IT

In an increasingly global business environment, there is a growing need to utilize information technology (IT) to achieve efficiencies, coordination, and communication. Additionally, technology has been one of the driving forces behind the internationalization of commerce and service. However, the concept of culture has been has been little studied by information systems (IS) researchers. This track focuses on cultural issues and their impact on the diffusion, acceptance, and use of information technologies. The beliefs and values, regarding IT, that permeate societal groups can be examined from a variety of perspectives such as national, ethnic, organizational, and professional culture.

RECOMMENDED TOPICS

Papers (completed or in-progress: about 20 double spaced pages), extended abstracts (completed or in-progress research: about 4-6 pages), and panel and workshop proposals (2-4 pages) dealing with (but not limited to) the following topics are invited.  Please mention the name of this track on the cover page. 

Topics include, but are not limited to:

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Decision Support & Knowledge Management

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Diversity in Information Systems

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Doctoral Consortium

Doctoral Students are encouraged to apply to this International Doctoral Consortium. The conference organizers have graciously lowered the conference registration fee to $125 per student, which includes a copy of the conference proceedings.The Doctoral Consortium is based on the following requirements and rules:

 

1. Doctoral Consortium is open only to Doctoral Students who have started on their dissertation topic or research

2. Each applicant must submit a 2-3 page short paper on their primary research topic to the track chair by November 15, 2003.

Track chair e-mail: basuc@uww.edu Choton Basu at University of Wisconsin Whitewater.

3. If the paper is accepted for the International Doctoral Consortium you must register for the 2004 GITM World conference. However note highly reduced rates at $125 per student.

4. Please apply or contact the track chair immediately since only 12 spots are available for the conference.

 

Other requirements:

a) You will be required to make a 15 minute presentation at the conference during the doctoral consortium.

b) Each presentation will be followed by a discussion

c) The accepted short paper will be published in the conference proceedings.

d) Submit all papers in MS-Word or in PDF format. Possible outline may include Abstract, Research Objective, Research Design, Research Questions, Research Model (*strongly recommended), Expected Contribution

 

Please note that you are not expected to have your research completed. The goal of this doctoral consortium is to assist you and provide valuable feedback with your research. Also this is a perfect conference for you to network with international researchers and doctoral students who can provide assistance in data collection, contacts, collaboration and even translation and testing of  your work in other languages.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the GITM Doctoral Consortium Chair, Dr. Choton Basu at University of  Wisconsin at Whitewater. His e-mail is basuc@uww.edu or Work: 262-472-5005.

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E-business

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E-commerce and E-services

In the digital economy, we continue to find new and innovative ways to serve and satisfy customers through the use of Internet technology.  Selling goods and consumer services via the Internet is an endeavor that has come into its own;  we are know investigating ways to optimize and expand this common business offering.  However, with the increasing diffusion of Internet technology among businesses and consumers, technologists are also finding new ways to deliver IT functionality by the network.  Called “app-on-tap,” or more commonly e-services or web services, this provision of computer applications on demand across the Internet is the emerging field of inquiry in e-commerce, as we begin to find ways to influence adoption and use of computer functionality provided via the Internet.  

Research that documents, investigates and explains the increasing use and utility of selling goods and services online is welcome, as is research that speculates on likely business models and adoption processes for emerging e-services offerings.  Submissions are encouraged in Microsoft Word or Adobe .pdf formats.  If submitting an Adobe file, be sure to remove author and affiliation information from the title page.

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Economics and Strategies of Global IT

Economics and strategies of GIT concerns economic and strategic problems with adoption and application of GIT, especially of how international factors affect the efficiency and performance of GIT and how GIT may influence global business development. The research problems can be as detailed as the economies of system interface that can convert bewteen different languages. There are many interesting strategic problems such as strategic impacts of GIT on global deployment of large companies.

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E-governance

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Emerging Global Learning Technologies

Information Technology has changed the way we teach and learn in organizations.  Online learning has provided companies with the opportunity to provide training to their employees worldwide.  This track is designed as a forum for the discussion an collaboration on research related to the technologies, and strategies related to global learning and training.

We welcome papers on topics including (but not limited to) the following:

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Enterprise Integration

Organizations are constantly struggling with the lack of integration between their information systems. Many have opted to purchase
enterprise software to solve integration problems. In many documented cases, however, such software has proven extremely expensive and
ineffective in terms of improvements in overall systems integration. The purpose of this track is thereby to offer a forum for research related
to alternative methods and cases that offer potential alternative solutions to integration of enterprise information systems.

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Exploring the E-Commerce Process

In this track participants will explore the entrepreneurial processes involved with electronic commerce. Specific electronic commerce topics include: fundamental skills and knowledge, opportunity identification, market research, competitive assessment, strategy development, finance development, risk assessment, technical development, web review, initial launch, and on-going innovation. This track will provide a "big picture" of the processes involved with electronic commerce.

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Global Business Process Management

In the global economy, the need to integrate business processes, technological innovations, and a country/organization's differentiated skills and talents in order to maintain economic competitiveness, is assuming increased importance. Whether driven by market demands, increased communication bandwidth, or emerging technologies, the management of business processes and human resources has increased in complexity and significance. The Global Business Process Management track focuses on the various approaches to technology and human resource management and development, over the world for processes that may have a multi-national or global perspective.

Potential Topics for this track may include (but are not limited to):

. Leading innovation and R&D teams and organizations

. Studies of Organizational Culture, National Culture or "Techno-Culture"

. Innovations in human resource management and organizational development in tech-centered organizations

. Knowledge management in global processes

. R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurship in global processes

. Entrepreneur, intrapreneur, venture capitalist for technological innovation of multi-national or global reach

. Managing multi-national/multi-cultural R&D talents or professionals

. Human resource management for innovation and change

. Selection, training, payment, motivation of knowledge workers in global enterprises

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Global Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

The Internet revolution changes the pattern of information flow and creates virtual business communities governed by new rules and interactions among participants across national borders. That is, the Internet revolution changes the way we think, produce, trade, and consume by creating new value-chains and reorganizing distribution channels the Internet revolution transforms. In addition, rapid advances in information systems and technologies including database and data warehouse technology make it possible to easily save and access a great amount of information of customers. In order to take advantages of Internet and IT innovation, many firms try to the integration of innovation in IT with the firm's overall strategic planning such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) program. 

Currently, many firms in various industries from the Internet banking to cell phones have been facing both internal and international competitors, and it is critical in a global business environment  to develop an effective and successful CRM program based on societal, cultural, and personal characteristics of customers. Clearly, knowledge about characteristics of potential markets and marketing programs tailored to potential buyers will provide multinational companies significant strategic advantages. Ultimately, well-planned CRM programs make the firm easily acquire, retain, and maximize customers' life time values. This track intends to boost the attention of researchers and practitioners on the importance of CRM, and hence will focus on understanding the sophistication of the global market and developing new algorithms and methodology of CRM programs in traditional brick-and-mortar business and e-Business. 

Recommended Topics:

Papers (completed or in-progress: about 20 double spaced pages), extended abstracts (completed or in-progress research: about 4-6 pages), panel and workshop proposals (2-4 pages) dealing with (but not limited to) the following topics are invited. Please mention the name of this track on the cover page. 

Topics include

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Global Electronic Commerce

Forrester research predicts that by the year 2004, the value of goods and services traded between organizations over the Internet will represent 4 percent of the global economy (approx. $1.3 trillion).  To survive and compete in the 21st century, companies need to identify new business models and redesign products that integrate with them. Only digital business models and products have the capability to fully leverage the power of e-commerce. This track will examine the future trends and emerging technologies, opportunities, and challenges of conducting business in the new millennium. This track focuses on the critical success factors for global e-commerce, the economics of e-commerce, and the practical issues and best practices involved with e-commerce in various applications.

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Global ERP Systems

The growth of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems in the global environment continues at a rapid pace.  Advances in electronic commerce have made the functionality provided by ERP systems a requirement to insure fulfillment, reverse fulfillment, customer resource management, material and production tracking, logistics, and other critical functions.  Configuration, implementation, and administration of ERP systems in the global environment has proven to be amongst the greatest challenges to IS departments.  Issues include but are not limited to: strategic fit to organization structure, cultural issues, system configuration, training, government rules and regulations, and control vs. coordination to name a few.  This track will explore the issues surrounding the current generation of ERP systems and extend the view of researchers and practitioners to the next generation of ERP, Enterprise Application Integration (EAI).

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Global IT Cases and Applications

This track is designed to relate the rationale used by the Department of Defense (DOD), for the military to adapt the principles of information technology (IT), to meet increasing global crises, and to find ways to more effectively manage manpower and time. For example, mobile IT packages have been developed by the DOD to collect and transmit near-real-time, far-forward medical data and to assess how this web-based capability enhances medical management of the battlespace.  IT has been successful in resolving uncertain organizational and technological military deficiencies and in improving medical communications and information management.  Deployable, mobile IT is the centerpiece of this package. The associated IT teams have the capability of inserting essential networking and communications capabilities into austere theaters and establishing an immediate means for enhancing health protection, medical decision support, collaborative planning, situational awareness, and strategic decision-making through web-based internet applications.

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Global IT Education

This track focuses on issues concerning the delivery of Global IT education to students at all levels and in every type of institution. It also provides an avenue to discuss many issues related to this expanding field.  Papers in this track can be research oriented but best practices, international case projects and other pedagogical material are also welcomed.  Panels and workshops are highly encouraged.  Topics include, but are not limited to: What is the theoretical foundation for global education, Methods for integrating Global IT material into our programs, Design, implementation, and assessment of GIT curricula within programs, Global IT course curriculum issues (what to cover, when), Best Practices, Solutions to global IT education challenges,  Case stories about teaching success or lessons learned from failures, Challenging and insightful global IT case studies for use in classes, Comparative studies, Customizing Global IT curriculum or course material to the local situations,  Diffusion of Internet-based education in Developing countries, and  Reviews of previous global IT literature.

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Global IT Outsourcing

IT Outsourcing - the transfer of IT development process, services, or systems maintenance to another organization - has become one of the most important trends in IT management in the last 10 years.  Companies are increasingly outsourcing business functions and their related IT operations.  This trend is fueled by a need to create more efficient organizations in the face of increased global competition and by mergers and acquisitions that create redundant systems.  Global IT outsourcing enables organizations to face these challenges on a global scale by allowing another organization to be an extension of your business operations. Theoretically, outsourcing has the potential to allow organizations to focus on what they do best and outsource the rest. 

RECOMMENDED TOPICS: 

Papers (completed or in-progress: about 20 double spaced pages), extended abstracts (completed or in-progress research: about 4-6 pages), panel and workshop proposals (2-4 pages) dealing with (but not limited to) the following topics are invited. Please note the name of this track on the cover page.

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Global IT Research Strategies

The scope of the track is to explore and propose Global IT Research Strategies. Themes may cover a wide spectrum of areas from multinational corporations to public sector and from cross-cultural to specific regional issues. This track encourages new thinking and conceptual frameworks in Global IT themes.  Also welcomed will be papers covering innovative management strategies related to Global IT.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

- What have been the main strategies of Global IT Research (e.g. journal reviews)
- What should be the future themes of Global IT Research
- Creation or evaluation of Global IT research frameworks

- Innovative management strategies applied to Global IT

- Global IT Research in specific areas e.g. ERP, E-commerce, Education,

- What research methodologies are most appropriate to Global IT
- How can cross-country teams conduct Global IT Research

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Global IT Research: Issues and Challenges

1.        Have we established a theory or theories, which have a clear set of definitions and methods that define this area?

2.        Do we have a consensus on what we are trying to measure while we conduct research in this area?

3.        What are the common threads of research in the global IT area and is there continuity in the research being conducted?

4.        What are the future implications for researchers in this area and are there any concepts that need to be integrated with existing frameworks that would help              define this area of research?

 In our attempt to address all or some of the above questions we are inviting papers ranging from conceptual frameworks, models, theoretical reasoning and support.  We would like to encourage author(s) to extend their work beyond examining artifacts in global IT. Please note that we are looking for articles that present radical ways to address the area of global IT or sub-areas within this domain of research. Manuscripts raising new research questions and assumptions (challenging existing ones), presenting innovative ways of investigating global IT and finally resulting in articles that can stand the test of time. We are not interested in articles that stop at examining current issues in global IT. Author(s) need to dedicate a major effort in extending the current models, frameworks and assumptions in global IT and emerge as visionaries. We are also keenly aware that given the nature of this special issue the manuscripts will range from theoretical or conceptual to case studies and may involve more data driven methodologies. Author(s) are encouraged to support their efforts with anecdotal evidence (where appropriate).

RECOMMENDED TOPICS  

Papers (completed or in-progress: about 20 double spaced pages), extended abstracts (completed or in-progress research: about 4-6 pages), panel and workshop proposals (2-4 pages) dealing with (but not limited to) the following topics are invited.  Please mention the name of this track on the cover page.

It is also important to note that all of the above articles can be applied to any (sub) area within the global IT domain. The editors strongly recommend that author(s) submit a 2-page proposal to receive initial feedback.

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Global IT Threats and Security

After 9-11, the notion of Information Technology (IT) security changed from malicious acts of individuals and groups against an organization’s data and information to threats against the whole information security in the society and environment.  This broader interpretation includes social, economic, political, and environmental threats that not only come from local and surrounding areas of the organization and society, but also from anywhere around the world. 

We will discuss and define our concerns of Global IT threats and security and will provide suggestions and solutions in preventing and solving the problems. We will have to identify and define the threats and security problems that could potentially damage the whole information system of society, also the area in the world from where the threats and security problems came or potentially could come. To prevent and resolve the global threats and security problems will involve many facets of the society and environment including technology, management, organizational policy, governmental regulations, and international treaties and agreements. These will cover a very large body of knowledge and disciplines. Therefore, we will accept any paper that studies or discusses any part and any angle of the global IT threats and security problems and solutions for our next GITMA conference.

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Global Software Development

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ICT in Small Island Developing States

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Intelligent Systems for Global Application

Market globalization and the diffusion and growth of ICT has modified companies structures and their inter-organizational relationships. Companies belongs more and more to transnational networks made up by quasi independent units operating on the global market. There are many potential drivers inducing companies to build this kind of networks, and they are not only limited to the necessity to enlarge market scope at the international level, but they include, for example, the management of complex supply chain involving partners from all over the world, the construction of technological competence networks aimed at exchanging and integrating specialized know-how, the optimization of the purchasing process performance on a global scale market.

ICT can contribute to provide useful means for the coordination and the management of both intra and inter organizational networks, nevertheless it is proven that ICT alone represent nothing but a high potential platform. Actually, it emerges more and more the necessity to implement on such platforms intelligent tools able to manage and elaborate large quantity of information, mainly deriving from computer and network transactions in geographically dispersed areas, and able to support decision making both at the operational and at the strategic level for organizations operating in a global environment.

The huge amount of available data collected through network transactions, the possible geographic dispersion of such information, the necessity of interfacing and coordinating different networks systems belonging to different companies belonging to the network, create new management problems usually not solvable through traditional tools and methodologies. Furthermore, and probably even more important, information is not only quantitatively rich but also its content becomes more and more complex; thus, in many cases, its the semantic aspect of information that has to be managed, as it happens with language-based information and interaction on the world wide web. Information management becomes more and more difficult because it involves the management of both syntactic and semantic aspects and it requires an approach more oriented to Knowledge management than to traditional Information Systems one.

By keeping into account the remarkable progresses obtained in the field of advanced computation and Artificial Intelligence in the recent years, one may asks if the development of intelligent technologies based on the integration of ICT and computational techniques can provide interesting and promising solutions for the management of organizational networks in a global environment.

The focus of this track is to collect interesting contributions in this direction involving the development and the design of innovative IT tools based on the application of advanced computational techniques for the resolution of problems related to the coordination, knowledge and information management, operations management in complex networked organizations.  

RECOMMENDED TOPICS

Papers (completed or in-progress: about 20 double spaced pages), extended abstracts (completed or in-progress research: about 4-6 pages), panel and workshop proposals (2-4 pages) dealing with (but not limited to) the following topics are invited.  Please mention the name of this track on the cover page.
 

Topics in this track include, but are not limited to:

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Internet & Web Related Issues

The emergence of the Internet has a profound effect on the way people live their lives. It allows people to communicate and make transactions in a more effective manner. It also helps people adjust themselves to today's lifestyles. Organizations are using the Internet and Web technologies to sell products and services globally. It is predicted that in the U.S. alone, more than 50 percent of households has Internet access (http://www.esa.doc.gov/508/esa/anationcharts.htm). This number is almost doubled from the one in 1998. While people and organizations are recognizing the growing importance of the Internet, there appears to be several of myths of how the Internet has affected us. People outside the US may have a similar or different view of the Internet. They may use the Internet for different purposes and scopes. This track attempts to collect international perspectives of how the Internet is viewed and adopted by people and organizations. IS researchers around the world are encouraged to participate in this exciting track. Below is the list of recommended topic to be submitted to this track.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

- Applications of Internet and Web technologies

- Cases in global uses of Internet and WWW

- Global and Strategic issues

- Regulating the Internet on an International Level

- International Internet Regulation

- Distance Learning and instructional uses of the Internet

- Intranets and Extranets

- Information Resource Management

- Security issues

- On-line credit card fraud and alternate consumer payment options

- Internet taxation

- Accessibility issues

- Social issues and public policy

- Accounting for Legal and Cultural issues

- Telecommuting

- Global Internet infrastructure

- Developing Web-base systems

- Wireless Internet and Mobile technologies

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IT for Government and National Development

Use of IT to improve national economies; e-Government initiatives; B-G and G-B electronic commerce; use of IT to foster transparency and democracy in government; government intervention and standards for national IT; intergovernmental IT; socio-political development and IT; the international digital divide; effects of IT on economic well-being and income distribution; national IT policies; political entities and multinational
corporations; transborder data flow.

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IT in Africa

Innovative uses of IT in Africa or for Africa; teaching IT in Africa; special considerations for system development or management in Africa; international IT issues involving Africa; E-commerce in Africa; African national development issues affected by IT; specialized African information
technology; economic and social issues connected with IT introduction and use in Africa.

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IT in Asia

IT has played a major role in the rapid development of the Asian "tiger economies" and this fact has not been lost on Asia's newly emerging economies.  Yet while a number of Asian governments are now building their national development plans around IT, others have only just obtained a connection to the Internet.  While the region's major industrial and financial institutions are deploying IT in their bids to brace themselves for a global competitive stance and have proved that leapfrogging exists in IT development, the vast majority of Asians have yet to make a phone call, much less use a computer.  The track on IT in Asia seeks to showcase IT/IS research and implementations that address these and other issues relating to the use of IT in Asia.

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IT in China

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IT in Japan

The diffusion of information technology (IT) in Japan has been driven by both bottom-up and top-down forces.  The Japanese government has been
actively involved in spreading the use of IT and Japanese companies have been quick to respond.  Much research is needed at all levels of analysis
and across organizations to understand how Japanese culture, infrastructure, and government policies influence the degree to which IT is adopted in
Japan.  
 
RECOMMENDED TOPICS 
Papers (completed or in-progress: about 20 double spaced pages), extended abstracts (completed or in-progress research: about 4-6 pages), panel and
workshop proposals (2-4 pages) dealing with (but not limited to) the following topics are invited.  Please mention the name of this track on the
cover page.
 
Topics include, but are not limited to:

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IT in Manufacturing

Manufacturing firms have shown great interest in developing flexible and agile manufacturing systems because of the increasing global market competition. In order to delight customers and success in the competition, manufacturing firms are seeking enable techniques to produce the right product, with the right quality, in the right quantity, at the right price, and at the right time. Correct and timely information is key to meeting these goals, and information technology, such as database management systems, data communication, enterprise resource planning systems, simulation, and computer-aided design and manufacturing tools, has become indispensable to most manufacturing enterprises. Information technology not only supports manufacturing processes, but also is one of the catalysts for process and product change. In the past decade, there are a lot of changes in production processes in a number of manufacturing industries, such as the appearance of virtual enterprise and CAD/CAPP/CAM integration. Authors are invited to submit papers related to information technology in manufacturing. The nature of the papers could be theoretical, and practical, based on surveys or case
studies.

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IT in Mexico

The focus of the IT in Mexico Track is to explore concepts, methods, frameworks, design, implementation and assessment of information, technology and communication systems in Mexico. In particular, we invite papers that present innovative approaches in:

1. Architecture, Systems, Telecommunications and Infrastructure
2. Management of IT - Strategy, Planning, Policies
3. Virtual Communities and Virtual Organizations
4. Economic, National, and Societal Issues (Economic Value, Digital Divide, NIS, e-Government)
5. Teaching and Research Cases on IT Issues in Mexico

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IT in Middle Eastern Countries

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IT in Multinational Companies

This track focuses on a range of issues to do with IT in multinational companies, including: Communication patters (virtual teams, virtual communities, virtual organizations), production issues (supply chain management across borders, across regions, across cultures). Issues such as outsourcing, IT Governance and IT management within multinational companies would also fit within this track.

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IT in Newly Industrialized Countries

While the recent switch from agricultural to industrial economies is the main shared feature among the newly industrialized countries (NIC's) they are nevertheless characterized by witnessing high rising incomes and high growth rate. Most of the NIC are also actively involve in production and consumption of information Technology. Cases of organizations in NIC could result into theories that could explain IT implementations and other related issues in least developed countries (LDC). The particular progress made by NIC's in harnessing IT in their development process shows the possibility of digital leapfrogging and the role of IT in national development. We encourage submission of papers that specifically focus on IT issues in NIC's (e.g. Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea, India, Mexico and South Africa)
and how IT has contributed to the local and global developments. Paper that compares (or that can be used to compare) IT issues in NIC's with other countries (outside NIC's) is also of particular interest to the track.

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IT in North America

Being strong players in the global political and commercial environments, governments and organizations in the United States and Canada are looked to for leadership in the development and application of IT for enhancing competitiveness. This reality will constitute a major focus for this track. Yet, with Mexico also being part of the North American region, the purpose of this track must be more inclusive and efficacious. Research and theories concerning trends and issues of IT in these three North American nations generally are therefore encouraged, as are those that reflect our responsibility for including its more human aspects.  Philosophical, historic and/or futuristic perspectives concerning how we need to be thinking and what we need to be doing to become the standard bearer for global information technology management in the new millenium are especially encouraged. This may include, but is not limited to, systemic thinking and the ethical, aesthetic and spiritual dimensions of developing and implementing IT initiatives in North America.

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IT in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

The "IT in Small to Medium Size Enterprises"  track attempts to address the dynamics of IT innovation and management within small and medium-sized enterprises 
(SMEs) in the global context and address the nature and impact of their unique IT needs. In doing so it seeks to provide some in-depth insights for SME researchers 
and practitioners.  Globalisation, rapid technological change and public and private funding initiatives to assist IT innovation in SMEs are driving many of these new 
opportunities for SMEs to broaden their marketplace and compete with larger firms.  However, globalisation may not always be advantageous to SMEs and electronic 
commerce is not risk free for small companies as they often lack the resources, knowledge and understanding to take full advantage of new technologies and maintain them.  
Papers that focus on different aspects of globalisation of SMEs are particularly encouraged along with those on all aspects of IT resources, knowledge and understanding 
needs of SMEs.

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IT in South and Central America

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IT in the Pacific Region

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IT Management in Europe

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IT Training Transfer

Discussions and presentations about transfer of IT/IS knowledge, skills, abilities, and dispositions from the learning environment to the work place 
(whether the training occurred in a college classroom or a corporate setting), including research and evaluation results, research in progress, successful 
models and methods for enhancing transfer, and other related issues.

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Meeting the Diverse Needs of Global IT Education 

The purpose of this track is to provide an opportunity to share and discuss the practice of teaching information technology and research into the teaching of information technology to meet the diverse needs of a global population.

Suggested topics include the effective use of distance education and classroom technology in teaching information technology, innovative approaches to teaching information technology, studies identifying pedagogical and andragogical techniques that are effective for facilitating learning of various IT topics, integrating ethics into IT coursework, addressing the learning needs of diverse student populations, and enhancing students' life-long learning skills.

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Military Utility of IT

This track is designed to relate the rationale used by the Department of Defense (DOD), for the military to adapt the principles of information technology (IT), to meet increasing global crises, and to find ways to more effectively manage manpower and time. For example, mobile IT packages have been developed by the DOD to collect and transmit near-real-time, far-forward medical data and to assess how this web-based capability enhances medical management of the battlespace.  IT has been successful in resolving uncertain organizational and technological military deficiencies and in improving medical communications and information management.  Deployable, mobile IT is the centerpiece of this package. The associated IT teams have the capability of inserting essential networking and communications capabilities into austere theaters and establishing an immediate means for enhancing health protection, medical decision support, collaborative planning, situational awareness, and strategic decision-making through web-based internet applications.

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Modeling Process Improvement

We are interested in original researches that are concerned with modeling, engineering, developing and improving existing and new business processes.
Applying rigorous modeling techniques, such as UML and Petri Nets, and heuristics in soliciting requirements from users and improving existing
business processes are welcomed.  Papers in business workflows and in related areas, particularly in applying information technologies in solving
problems of business processes, are strongly encouraged.

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Mobile Commerce

Co-Chair :

Ville Harkke, Åbo Akademi, Finland.

E-Mail : ville.harkke@abo.fi                   

Mobile Commerce is defined as an extension of electronic commerce from wired to wireless computers and telecommunications, and fixed locations to anytime, anywhere and anyone, i.e. the use of mobile technologies and devices to provide, sell and buy services and products. The customers of mobile commerce can be found from various groups, for example B2B, B2C, B2E and P2P (peer-to-peer).

The Mobile Commerce Track encourages the submission of quality papers, dealing with (but not limited to) the following topics: Case Studies of Wireless and M-commerce Implementations, Success Factors and Guiding Principles to Successful Implementation, Application Development for Handheld and Wireless Devices, Technology enablers for mobile applications, Usability and Human Computer Interaction issues related to mobile devices and applications, Wireless business models and their impact on different sectors of commerce.
 

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Social Issues and Ethics in Global IT

Emphasis has been placed on the technical issues of information technology.  For this reason only a narrow segment of social issues and ethics in information technology has been seriously considered; yet a wide spectrum of issues impact the way information technology is viewed and practiced.  The Social Issues and Ethics Global Information Technology Track is intended to explore this spectrum.  These issues include, but are not limited to, unauthorized access to information, privacy, software piracy, inappropriate use of resources, knowledge hoarding, inappropriate sharing of information, freedom of speech, censorship, intellectual property, use of non-traditional workers, cross cultural impacts, education of information technology professionals, and 24/7 implications for managing personal and professional boundaries.

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Societal Impacts of Global IT

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Strategic Applications of Global IT

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The Global User Towards E-Culture

The track invites papers dealing with national culture and e-commerce user issues. Related issues are user trust, user satisfaction, social/political and 
cultural impact of e-commerce, web interface design, and case studies and empirical studies. 

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Transborder Data Flows and Privacy Laws

Free trade and economic growth as well as many other factors such as education depend heavily upon the cornerstone of free flow of information.  The massive Internet 
and its growth have the potential to contribute significantly to the welfare of society but there are technical, political, cultural, and especially legal challenges that make 
international transfer of data difficult or impossible.  Privacy is also a major concern and impacts transborder data flows when part of the data contains personal information.
This track seeks papers that shed light on transborder data flows and privacy laws.  Topics can include the current state and trends, cases, and proposed theories and 
approaches to these challenges to data flows by governments and industries.

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