-------- Original Message -------- Subject: [AISWorld] JGIM 19(2) April-June 2011 Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2011 07:46:12 +1200 From: Felix Tan felix.tan@aut.ac.nz To: aisworld@lists.aisnet.org

The contents of the latest issue of: Journal of Global Information Management (JGIM) Official Publication of the Information Resources Management Association Volume 19, Issue 2, April-June 2011 Published: Quarterly in Print and Electronically ISSN: 1062-7375 EISSN: 1533-7995 Published by IGI Publishing, Hershey-New York, USA www.igi-global.com/jgim

Editor-in-Chief: Felix B. Tan, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Special Issue: Knowledge Management in a Local-Global Context

Guest Editors:

Samuel K.W. Chu, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Patrick Y.K. Chau, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

PAPER ONE

Contextual Factors, Knowledge Processes and Performance in Global Sourcing of IT Services: An Investigation in China

Rong Du, Xidian University, China Shizhong Ai, Xidian University, China Pamela Abbott, Brunel University, UK Yingqin Zheng, De Montfort University, UK

In this paper, the authors explore the influences of two major contextual factors—supplier team members’ cultural understanding and trust relationship—on knowledge processes and performance in global sourcing of IT services. The authors discuss a joint investigation conducted by a cross-cultural research team in China. Cultural understanding is measured by individualism with guanxi and mianzi, two Chinese cultural concepts, and trust relationship is measured by adjusting trust, a notion reflecting the uniqueness of the Chinese people. Knowledge processes are characterized by knowledge sharing. Performance is measured by the outcomes of global sourcing, which is represented by product success and personal satisfaction. Data are collected in 13 companies in Xi’an Software Park, with 200 structured questionnaires distributed to knowledge workers. The results of quantitative data analysis indicate that cultural understanding influences trust relationship greatly, as well as knowledge sharing and performance in global sourcing of IT services. Trust relationship significantly impacts knowledge sharing, whereas trust relationship and knowledge sharing have no impact on performance. This study suggests that special aspects of the Chinese context have significant direct impacts on knowledge processes while no direct and immediate impacts on performance in global sourcing of IT services.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below. http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/article.aspx?titleid=52806

PAPER TWO

Knowledge Transfer in Offshore Outsourcing: A Case Study of Japanese and Vietnamese Software Companies

Nguyen Thu Huong, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan Umemoto Katsuhiro, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan Dam Hieu Chi, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

This paper discusses the knowledge transfer process in offshore outsourcing. The focus is a case study of software offshore outsourcing from Japan to Vietnam. Initial results confirm that willingness to cooperate and good impressions facilitate the knowledge transfer process. In addition, communication barriers, cultural differences, lack of equivalence in individual competence, and lack of common rules slow down the transfer process. The study also identifies the Bridge System Engineer (Bridge SE)-a type of coordinator who mediates and enhances the relationship between Japanese clients and Vietnamese service providers. Employing a Bridge SE is an effective way to fill the communication gap, the cultural gap, and generally improve the business relationship. Bridge SEs use their background of higher education and long-term residence in Japan to give advice to Vietnamese software teams on Japanese cultural characteristics, such as the apology culture and the separation between work and private time. In other situations, Bridge SEs use their IT background and communication skills to verify and adjust communication contents before information is sent from one side to another.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below. http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/article.aspx?titleid=52807

PAPER THREE

Factors Affecting Usage of Information Technology in Support of Knowledge Sharing: A Multiple Case Study of Service Organizations in Hong Kong

Ngai-Keung Chow, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

This study explores key factors affecting the usage of information technology (IT) tools in support of knowledge sharing in service organizations in Hong Kong. In a case study of five firms, the usage of IT tools is influenced by an array of factors acting as enablers, barriers, and motivators. The findings support extant theories on knowledge management (KM). This research discovers relationships between multiple factors and the usage of IT tools for knowledge sharing at various hierarchical levels. Operational factors like perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, staff capability, and nature of work induce higher usage of IT for knowledge sharing. These findings and related analyses have managerial implications for firms engaging in service business.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below. http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/article.aspx?titleid=52808

PAPER FOUR

Influence of Knowledge Management Infrastructure on Innovative Business Processes and Market-Interrelationship Performance: An Empirical Study of Hospitals in Taiwan

Wen-Ting Lee, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan Shin-Yuan Hung, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan Patrick Y. K. Chau, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Knowledge management (KM) infrastructure is the foundation for managing and embodying valuable knowledge in firms. Based on the resource-based view (RBV) and process level analysis, this study investigates how KM infrastructure influences market interrelationship performance through innovative business processes. The study collected a sample of 126 hospitals in the Taiwanese healthcare industry. The results suggest that technological capability and cultural capability positively affect market interrelationships via innovative business processes. Cultural capability is associated with market interrelationship performance whereas structural capability is unrelated to innovative business processes. The findings advance understanding of the influence of KM infrastructure on market interrelationship performance as well as provide managerial insights on the influence of innovative business processes on market interrelationships performance.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below. http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/article.aspx?titleid=52809

***************************************************** For full copies of the above articles, check for this issue of the Journal of Global Information Management (JGIM) in your institution's library. This journal is also included in the IGI Global aggregated "InfoSci-Journals" database: http://www.igi-global.com/EResources/InfoSciJournals.aspx. ***************************************************** CALL FOR PAPERS

Mission of JGIM:

Prospective authors are invited to submit manuscripts for possible publication in the Journal of Global Information Management (JGIM).

The journal publishes original material concerned with all aspects of the development, use and management of information technology (IT) in a global context. The mission of JGIM is to be the primary forum for researchers and practitioners to disseminatethe evolving knowledge on global IT. Original contributions concerning any aspect of global information management from both scholars and practitioners are welcome.

Submission Categories and Themes:

The journal accepts submissions in the following categories: a. Research Article - Contributions to this section are full papers reporting completed research b. Research Note - Research frameworks, exploratory studies and methodological papers c. Research Review - Reviews are carefully crafted articles that conceptualize research areas, synthesize prior research as well as help identify and develop future research directions

Authors are encouraged to develop articles that are consistent with the following themes: a. Cross-National Studies. These need not be cross-culture per se.These studies lead to an understanding of IT as it leaves one nation and is built/bought/used in another. b. Cross-Cultural Studies. These need not be cross-nation. Cultures could be across regions that share a similar culture. They can also be within nations(subcultures, ethnicities...etc). c. Single nation studies from under-represented nations. The idea here is to look at existing literature from the better represented nations and compare it to the findings in the under-represented nation. Authors are also encouraged to weave the country context (ie. culture, firm strategies, government policies, laws ...etc) in the development of the research problem and in explaining the results. d. Studies of the development, implementation, management and use of IT in multinational, transnational, inter-national and global organizations.

Interested authors should consult the journal's manuscript submission guidelines at www.igi-global.com/jgim

All inquiries and submissions should be sent to: Editor-in-Chief: Professor Felix B. Tan at jgim@aut.ac.nz

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