This work investigated the suitability of a new tool for decision support in training programs of high performance athletes. The aim of this study was to find a reliable and robust measure of the fitness of an athlete for use as a tool for adjusting training schedules. We examined the use of heart rate recovery percentage (HRr%) for this purpose, using a two-phased approach. Phase 1 consisted of testing the suitability of HRr% as a measure of aerobic fitness, using a modified running test specifically designed for high-performance team running sports such as football. Phase 2 was conducted over a 12-week training program with two different training loads. HRr% measured aerobic fitness and a running time-trial measured performance. Consecutive measures of HRr% during phase 1 indicated a Pearson’s r of 0.92, suggesting a robust measure of aerobic fitness. During phase 2, HRr% reflected the training load and significantly increased when the training load was reduced between weeks 4 to 5. This work shows that HRr% is a robust indicator of aerobic fitness and provides an on-the-spot index that is useful for training load adjustment of elite-performance athletes.

This study aims to examine the impact of organizational environment (top management support, company-wide support, business process reengineering, effective project management, and organizational culture) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendor environment (ERP vendor support) on ERP perceived benefits. In order to achieve the study’s aim, a questionnaire was developed based on the extant literature to collect relevant data from the research informants. The population for this research consisted of all users of Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains (a typical type of enterprise system), which is frequently used in Jordanian companies in Amman City. A random sample of 30% of the research population was selected. The results revealed that business process reengineering, effective project management, company-wide support, and organizational culture have a positive correlation with ERP perceived benefits, whereas top management support does not. In addition, there is a significant positive correlation between vendor support and ERP perceived benefits. Academic and practical recommendations are provided.

Knowledge management and knowledge assets have gained much prominence in recent years and are said to improve organizational performance. Knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms enhance organizational memory and performance. However, knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms in higher education institutions are not well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms at Kisii University. This was a case study in which data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. Purposive sampling was used to determine interview participants while questionnaire respondents were selected through stratified random sampling. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using SPSS® student version 14; it revealed that there were various knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms at Kisii University. It was also established that the University encountered various challenges in knowledge capture and acquisition and lacked some essential knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms. In this regard, this study proposed knowledge capture and acquisition guidelines that may be adopted by the University to enhance its organizational memory and performance.

The purpose of this paper was to explore the current and potential use of Facebook for learning purposes by Jordanian university students. The paper attempted to compare such use with other uses of Facebook. Further, the paper investigated Jordanian university students’ attitudes towards using Facebook as a formal academic tool, through the use of course-specific Facebook groups. To that end, quantitative data were collected from a sample of 451 students from three Jordanian public universities. Findings indicated that the vast majority of Jordanian students had Facebook accounts, which echoes its popularity amongst Jordanian youth compared to other types of online social networking sites. While both “social activities” and “entertainment” were the primary motivators for Jordanian students to create and use Facebook accounts, a growing number of them were using Facebook for academic purposes too. Further, Jordanian students had a positive attitude toward the use of “Facebook groups” as an educational tool for specific courses, and under specific conditions. Based on its findings, the paper provides suggestions for Jordanian higher institutions to invest in the application of Facebook as a formal academic tool.

It can be argued that public organizations, in order to provide the public with sufficient services in the current, highly competitive and continuously evolving environment, require changes. The changes that become necessary are often related to the implementation of information systems (IS). Moreover, when organizations are faced with changes, a change management (CM) process needs to be put in place. CM theories that are currently available to practitioners and academics are often contradictory; they mostly lack empirical evidence and are supported by unchallenged hypotheses concerning the nature of the contemporary CM. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to identify critical success factors (CFSs) for CM in IS projects. In order to reach this aim an explanation of changes in public organizations and the nature of CM are presented. Following this, a framework of CFSs for CM in IS projects are identified based on the literature review. The paper also examines two IS projects and uses them to demonstrate CFSs influencing CM in IS projects in Polish pubic organizations. A discussion of the research findings is provided and the paper concludes with a presentation of the study’s contributions and limitations as well as the stream of future work.

Together, the fields of education and information technology have identified the need for an online solution to training. The introduction of e-learning has optimised the learning process, allowing organisations to realise the many advantages that e-learning offers. The importance of user involvement in the success of e-learning makes it imperative that the forces driving intention to use e-learning and satisfaction thereof be determined. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between the metrics influencing intention to use and the satisfaction of using e-learning in companies. The results of a survey distributed amongst a South African software development company’s customer base revealed that the 94 respondents have positive enjoyment and self-efficacy levels, and low computer anxiety levels. Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between enjoyment and self-efficacy and between enjoyment and satisfaction. Companies should therefore ensure that users enjoy using e-learning as it can directly influence satisfaction and self-efficacy.

Universities have traditionally been leaders in the field of knowledge production, research, and societal development. They are expected to be drivers of innovation, thereby contributing to the development of a learning society. The array of challenges facing universities in Nigeria and other developing countries forces one to question their levels of innovation. While knowledge management has been identified as a strategy for driving innovative processes in business organizations, there is a paucity of literature on its application in Nigerian universities. This paper, therefore, proposes a conceptual model which Nigerian universities could adopt, in order to drive innovation and performance. As the paper is conceptual in nature, a literature survey was conducted to examine the concept of knowledge management and its application in higher education institutions. Findings from the literature informed the development of a conceptual model describing ways in which universities can adopt knowledge management practices and strategies in order to drive innovation and improve performance. The conceptual model proposed in this paper could serve as a basis for empirical investigations on knowledge management processes in universities. The paper concludes that, while knowledge management has the potential for improving performance within universities, the proposed model must be subjected to empirical validation for further amendments and improvements.

Efficient knowledge and information management is essential for companies to prosper in the rapidly changing global environment. This article presents challenges of a large Finnish multinational company relating to their current knowledge and information management practices and systems. The focus is on New Product Introduction (NPI) process. The study is based on interviews and facilitated workshops in the Research and Development (R&D) and Production departments. Furthermore, the identified challenges are reflected to the findings presented in knowledge and information management literature. The results gained from the company case study were well in line with the findings in the literature. Three main topics, which can be generalized to cause challenges for knowledge and information management in most companies, were recognized: 1) Issues related to human behavior, individual characteristics and capabilities, different backgrounds, and professional vocabulary; 2) Codifying tacit knowledge into explicit information, which can be saved to company information system; 3) Lack of interoperability between different information systems. The study provides the management of the case company, and other similar organizations, focus points while seeking for better knowledge and information management. From a scientific perspective, the main contribution of this article is to give practical examples of how the theoretical findings presented in literature manifest themselves in real industrial practices.

A general belief is that Mobile Money (mMoney) has the catalytic effect of spurring mCommerce growth and driving financial inclusion in developing nations like Nigeria. In Nigeria, mMoney service is certainly a new financial service innovation in the country, and as a result critical issues surrounding its early critical mass adoption, including its perceived usefulness, remain largely opaque. In this paper, our aim was to explore factors influencing perceived usefulness of mMoney by using the extended technology acceptance model (TAM) as the theoretical underpinning of our work. This work is based on a usable sample of 127 respondents from two major cities in Nigeria. Overall, the study’s results indicate that perceived regulator assurance, service affordability, convenience, proximity to the nearest bank branch, and worry over ease of use are significant predictors of mMoney perceived usefulness. The work helps shed new insights about the significant factors that are closely related to the consumer’s perception of the relevance of mMoney services (to his/her financial needs). In sum, the study is an initial step to addressing the issue of perceived usefulness of mMoney service, including its pivotal importance to laying a solid foundation for mCommerce growth in Nigeria and similar sub-Saharan African (SSA) coun-tries.

This paper reports on research with a broad objective to examine the relationship between two organizational entities, the formally structured organization and informal organizational structures, in a changing operational environment, more specifically during military deployments. The paper draws on organizational and complexity paradigms; based on empirical evidence obtained through qualitative techniques, it describes mechanisms that enable a symbiotic relationship between these two organizational structures in a complex operational landscape. Substantive findings provide insights into the dynamics of the interactions between these structures and illuminate the relationship between three enabling factors – accountability, responsible autonomy, and command and control arrangements – that need to be considered to fully exploit the strengths inherent in both formal and informal structures. Based on these findings, a model for enhancement of organizational agility in response to changes in a complex operational environment is described. The model is predicated on feedback and mutual adjustment of the organization, institution and individual through sensemaking; it illustrates the dynamic nature of interactions that are required for such a response.

A central premise for the creation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) is ensuring the portability of patient health records across various clinical, insurance, and regulatory entities. From portability standards such as International Classification of Diseases (ICD) to data sharing across institutions, a lack of portability of health data can jeopardize optimal care and reduce meaningful use. This research empirically investigates the relationship between health records availability and portability. Using data collected from 168 medical providers and patients, we confirm the positive relationship between user perceptions of expected satisfaction with EHR availability and the expected satisfaction with portability. Our findings contribute to more informed practice by understanding how ensuring the availability of patient data by virtue of enhanced data sharing standards, device independence, and better EHR data integration can subsequently drive perceptions of portability across a multitude of stakeholders.

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the interrelationship among the quality measures of information system success, including system quality, information, quality, and service quality, that eventually influence accounting information systems effectiveness. Background: It is generally believed that investment in an information system offers opportunities to organizations for business process efficiency and effectiveness. Despite huge investments in accounting information systems, banks in Nigeria have not realized the full potential benefits of using these systems because of persistent failures. Few studies have been conducted to address the problem. Methodology: A survey research design was used to collect data, and a total of 287 questionnaires were retrieved from respondents in the Nigerian banking sector. Contribution: This study contributes to the understanding of the most important antecedent factors of the quality measures, the interrelationship among the quality measures, and the influence of these measures on the accounting information systems effectiveness. Findings: The result of the study revealed that security, ease of use, and efficiency are key features of system quality, while the information quality dimension includes accuracy, timeliness, and completeness. The result of the study further revealed that information quality and system quality have significant influences on accounting information systems effectiveness. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study provides practitioners with important measures for evaluation of AIS effectiveness in the context of Nigerian banks. Recommendation for Researchers: Future researchers may build on the findings of current study to conduct fur-ther research in the area of AIS effectiveness in different contexts. Future Research: This study examines only three quality measures of Delone and Mclean model and antecedents of information and system quality measures, neglecting contingency factor. Therefore, future study should include other factors to the AIS effectiveness model to help in developing more specific theory in AIS domain.

Aim/Purpose: Facebook has made it possible for organisation to embrace social and network centric knowledge processes by creating opportunities to connect, interact, and collaborate with stakeholders. We have witnessed a significant increase in the popularity and use of this tool in many organisations, especially in the private sector. But the utilisation of Facebook in public organisations is at its infancy, with many also believing that the use of Facebook is not a common practice in many public organisations in Nigeria. In spite of this fact, our discernment on the implications of Facebook usage in public organisations in Nigeria, especially organisations at the local level, seem to be remarkably limited. This paper specifically sought to ascertain if Facebook usage influenced inward and outward knowledge sharing in the selected local government councils in Delta State, Nigeria Methodology: The qualitative method was adopted. The study used interview as the primary means of data gathering. The study purposively sampled thirty-six employees as interviewees, twenty from Oshimili South and sixteen from Oshimili North local government councils respectively. The thematic content analysis method was used to analyse interview transcripts. Contribution: This research made distinct contributions to the available literature in social knowledge management, specifically bringing to the fore the intricacies surrounding the use of Facebook for knowledge sharing purposes in the public sector. Findings: The local government councils were yet to appreciate and utilise the interactive and collaborative nature of Facebook in improving stakeholders’ engagement, feedback, and cooperation. Facebook was used for outward knowledge sharing but not for inward knowledge sharing. Recommendations for Practitioners: Local government councils should encourage interaction via Facebook, show willingness to capture knowledge from identifiable sources, and effectively manage critical knowledge assets in order to build trust, cooperation, and confidence in the system. To gain strategic benefits from the use of Facebook for synchronous communication of knowledge, local government councils should ensure that the use of such technology is aligned with strategic plans and that directional change is in line with the new knowledge economy, where interaction and collaboration through technology are seen as strategic imperatives for continued success and sustainability. In addition, local government councils need to train stakeholders on effective use of Facebook for knowledge sharing, with special emphasis on how, why, who, when, and where to use such tool for knowledge sharing activities.

Aim/Purpose: This study investigates the factors that affect the post implementation success of a web-based learning management system at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA). Background: UPSA implemented an LMS to blend Web-based learning environment with the traditional methods of education to enable working students to acquire education. Methodology: An explanatory sequential mixed method was adopted, under the pragmatic paradigm, to investigate the level of acceptance of web-based learning by students. The effects of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and other social factors were investigated. In all, 4500 final and third-year undergraduate students of UPSA made up the population. A sample size of 870 was used for this study. Contribution: This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by identifying the factors that hinder post-implementation of LMS at the tertiary level in Ghana and adds to the general literature available. Findings: The level of acceptance of LMS seems very low due to poor IT infrastructure, inadequate training, and the relevance of the system to quality lecture delivery. However, students’ intention to use LMS and the usefulness of LMS were perceived to be high, especially among students in higher levels. Recommendations for Practitioners: The authors recommend that IT infrastructure, especially reliable and fast internet connectivity, and adequate training should be provided. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research should be done to confirm if the provision of a more reliable internet system will boost students’ internet proficiency, which in turn will improve their utilisation of the LMS. Impact on Society: Help create awareness of schooling while pursuing a career and also improve interactions between students and lecturers. It will also improve enrolment and possibly reduce the cost of education in the long-run. Future Research: Researchers can look at the possibility of implementing total virtual learning systems at the tertiary level in Ghana.