Mini Tracks – Calls for Papers

ICT issues as they specifically affect SMEs
Performance Evaluation in Further and Higher Education
Enterprise Integration Anxiety: Too much data, too little visibility
Evaluation of Information Management for Social Development
Determinants of Information Technology Adoption and Diffusion in Firms

Read the author guidelines

Mini track on ICT issues as they specifically affect SMEs
Track chair: Dr David Barnes, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

The contribution of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) sector to the social and economic life of Europe is now well-recognised. SMEs, including micro-business (with less than 10 employees) represent 99 % of all enterprises in the EU, provide around 65 million jobs and are significant contributors to entrepreneurship and innovation. The sector is subject to increased attention from researchers, consultants, governments and other policy makers.  In particular, the effective adoption and use of ICT in the SME sector is seen as vital to the future competitiveness of European industry and to the development of a knowledge-based economy.  In the past, much of the provision of hardware and software has been aimed at large businesses. SMEs have often felt themselves disadvantaged as they have limited expertise in selecting, implementing, using, and evaluating ICT solutions. However, many of the major suppliers of ICT goods and services are now seeking to address the distinctive needs of SMEs.

This mini-track will provide an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to address ICT issues as they specifically affect SMEs. Topics may include, are not limited to:

For mini track submission details, see the call for papers page.

David Barnes

Mini track on Performance Evaluation in Further and Higher Education
Track chair: Dr Milena Bobeva, Bournemouth University, UK

Evaluation of institutional effectiveness has been recognised as a key strategic issue for colleges and universities.  There have been different initiatives at national and local level to support the move towards developing performance evaluation systems accounting for the views and values of key stakeholders.

This session invites reviews of current practice and position papers on how educational establishments within the FHE sector have addressed the challenges of the highly competitive educational programmes market. Contributions are expected from both public and private sector providers and could focus on overall performance management and evaluation of programmes, or on a specific aspect of the educational value chain.

Suitable topics may include, but are not limited to:

• Assessing the effectiveness of performance evaluation systems within FHE and the set of key performance evaluation indicators they operate
• Evaluating frameworks and models of best practice for developing, launching, integrating and sustaining performance evaluation systems in FHE
• Management of performance evaluation systems within FHE, including dealing with perceptions, attitudes when introducing new performance evaluation indicators and systems.
• Selecting and sustaining effective computer-based solutions for integrated performance evaluation within HE
• The role of government and businesses in FHE performance management.

For mini track submission details, see the call for papers page.

Milena Bobeva

Mini track on Enterprise Integration Anxiety: Too much data, too little visibility
Track chair: Fergal Carton, University College Cork, Ireland

The abundance of software tools, content and data delivery mechanisms available to today’s manager should make for increased efficiency and effectiveness. However, the abundance of data and its ubiquity does not lead to better decision making, as managers don’t have the attention span or the know-how to extract its meaning. Evaluating the value of information to managers remains theoretical until evidence of tangible benefits can be presented. More fundamentally, managers lack the vocabulary to describe their dilemma. A framework is required for conceptualising the integration of enterprise systems with managerial decision processes, and particularly how to reconcile the flexibility required by managers and the rigidity of enterprise data structures.

Some examples of topics that could be addressed in this track include, but are not limited to:

§  Approaches and frameworks for evaluating the fit between information systems and managerial decision processes

§  Difficulties in designing adaptive data models that truly support managerial decision making (eg. Data warehouse / BI projects)

§  Contribution of structured data to common business decision processes

§  Understanding the potential of real-time information with respect to managerial decisions

§  Relationship between different sources of enterprise information (SCM, ERP, CRM, DW, BI, …) and the business decisions they support

§     Case studies which evaluate the specific contribution of information systems to decision making

For mini track submission details, see the call for papers page.

Fergal Carton

Mini track on Evaluation of Information Management for Social Development
Track co-chairs: Eduardo Diniz, Fundacao Getulio Vargas – Sao Paulo, Brazil and Tania Christoupolos, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil

This mini track invites submissions focused on evaluation of the role played by ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in enhancing social development, either in developing or developed economies. Papers are expected to reflect upon the (potential) contributions on evaluation of a variety of ICT which can be regarded as enabling tools in fighting poverty, accelerating economic growth, improving human welfare, fostering of good governance practices and contributions to the achievement of a sustainable development around the globe.

Some examples of topics that could be addressed in this track include, but are not limited to:

§  How can free or low-cost  ICT foster  activities related to the poverty fighting in organizations?

§  How do ICT tools and internet-based services facilitate social and societal improvements?

§  How do Web 2.0 applications contribute to the social development?

§  How can ICTs used in social development bridge the gap between practitioners and researchers, and thus reconcile academic with professional concerns?

§  How are governments addressing the potential of ICTs to accelerate economic growth, improve human welfare and foster good governance practices?

§  How can the role of ICT tools be evaluated as part of the United Nations development goals?

For mini track submission details, see the call for papers page.

Eduardo Diniz


Tania Chrisoupolos

Mini track on Determinants of Information Technology Adoption and Diffusion in Firms
Track chair: Tiago Oliveira and Maria Fraga O. Martins, ISEGI, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

Recent contributions to the literature have shown that ICT intensive firms are more productive and that ICT adoption is important to promote economic growth. In these circumstances, a critical question arises: what are the factors that influence ICT adoption and diffusion at the firm level?

This min-track will be useful for academics and practitioners. For academics it is an excellent opportunity for finding the determinants of the new ICT and how these determinants affect the new ICT adoption. For practitioners seeking to help firms become more effective in moving from a traditional channel to the new ICT by identifying the profile of early new ICT adopters, it provides a mechanism for self-evaluation.

Suitable topics may include, but are not limited to:

§  ICT adoptions in SMEs

§  Patterns of ICT adoption and diffusion

§  CRM and Business Solutions adoption and diffusion

§  Health ICT adoption and diffusion

For mini track submission details, see the call for papers page.

Tiago Oliveira


Maria Fraga O. Martins