Managing Knowledge Security – Book Flyer Released

Engaged Knowledge Management featured by HP Blog

Stan Garfield of Hewlett Packard (HP) has written about one of my books on his weekly Blog - Weekly Knowledge Management blog by Stan Garfield (see http://h20325.www2.hp.com/blogs/garfield/). Stan featured, Engaged Knowledge Management: Engagement with New Realities (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005) (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1403945101), a book that I co-authored with Yukika Awazu, as the KM Book of the Week.

Pictures from the University of Chicago

I just returned from Chicago. During my visit, I spent a morning roaming around the University of Chicago with a good friend of mine. Here are some pictures…

Pictures from the University of Washington

One of the incidental benefits of hosting visitors to the University of Washington is the access to their pictures of the UW campus. Peter Baloh took some excellent pictures as he strolled around the campus. Here are a few pictures…

Bain & Company and My Two Books

Two of my books get listed in Bain & Company Management Tool Survey. According to Bain & Company, “Bain & Company launched a multiyear research project in 1993 to gather facts about the use and performance of management tools. Our objective was to help inform managers about the tools available to them and provide them with:
An understanding of how their current application of these tools and subsequent results compare with those of other organizations across industries and around the globe;
The information they need to identify, select, implement and integrate the right tools to improve their company's performance.” (see Bain & Company). The survey was conducted by Darrell Rigby.

The books listed are:

The Outsourcing Handbook: How to Implement a Successful Outsourcing Process (Kogan Page, 2006) (under Outsourcing Tools) [see Link]


Engaged Knowledge Management: Engagement with New Realities (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005) (under Knowledge Management) [see Link]

Peter Baloh at the University of Washington

My doctoral student, Peter Baloh (http://www.baloh.net/), from the University of Ljubljana(Slovenia) is in Seattle. He is here to attend the I3M (Institute for Innovation in Information Management) Spring Symposium. Peter has been working with me on issues of strategic innovation and knowledge management (see ideas4innovation.blogspot.com).
Peter took a few pictures as I was giving him the tour of the UW.

Chiang Mai University

I recently met with a delegation of scholars from Chiang Mai University (Thailand). Senior scholars from Chiang Mai University (http://www.cmu.ac.th/main_Eng.htm), along with a representative from Microsoft (Thailand), visited us at the Information School, University of Washington, to learn about our MSIM (Masters of Science in Information Management) program and I3M (the Institute for Innovation in Information Management). We explored collaborative opportunities, and I welcomed the opportunity to co-create solutions (and problems) with researchers and students from Chiang Mai University.

John Harvard’s Brew House

One of my favorite brew pubs – John Harvard’s Brew House (Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA)! Picture was taken during a business meeting. I think we were discussing new business proposals and innovative domains to explore. As far as I remember, I did not sign anything. If I did, do not hold that against me…By the way, this was during St. Patrick’s weekend…

Mobile Pictures...Recent Travels

I wanted to put my mobile phone to good use. So, I tried the camera…I was surprised by the quality of some of the pictures. Here is one from the islands to the north of Seattle.

Walking around in Seattle!	Flying around the world!
UCLA and Westwood	UCLA again...
Nittany Lion Inn at Penn State University	Univ. of Virginia

Modifications and Innovations to Technology Artifacts

New paper published:

Desouza, K.C., Awazu, Y., and Ramaprasad, A. “Modifications and Innovations to Technology Artifacts,” Technovation, 27 (4), 2007, 204-220.

Abstract:
What happens to a technology artifact after it is adopted? It has to evolve within its particular context to be effective; otherwise, it will become part of the detritus of change, like the many genes without a discernible function in a living organism. In this paper, we report on a study of post-adoptive behavior that examined how users modified and innovated with technology artifacts. We uncovered three types of modifications made to technology artifacts: personalization, customization, and inventions. Personalization attempts are modifications involving changes to technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user; customization attempts adapt the technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user’s environment; and inventions are exaptations conducted to the technology artifact. This paper presents a grounded theoretic analysis of the post-adoptive behavior based on in-depth interviews with 20 software engineers in one multi-national organization. We identify a life-cycle model that connects the various types of modifications conducted to technology artifacts. The life-cycle model elaborates on how individual and organizational dynamics are linked to the diffusion of innovations. While our research is exploratory, it contributes to a deeper understanding of post-adoptive behavior and the dynamic relationship between user innovations and organizational innovations.

My Posting on Ideas4Innovation on Innovation...

Measuring Innovation: From Process to Stages to Capabilities to Measures to Business Value

Measuring innovation requires an organization to have a well-articulated innovation process. Without a process, measurement is impossible. During our research, we arrived at the following stages of innovation: (1) generation and mobilization, (2) advocacy and screening, (3) experimentation, (4) commercialization, and (5) diffusion and implementation. For each of these phases, we identified underlying capabilities that an organization must execute: (1) sources management, (2) analytics management, (3) interpretation management, and (4) action management. These capabilities are comprised of a series of activities. For instance, in sources management, (a) Identifying Sources, (b) Evaluating Source Characteristics, (c) Organizing Sources, (d) Retrieving Ideas from Sources, (e) Updating the Collection of Sources, and (f) Protecting Sources.

Once we are able to make the process of innovation explicit, we can develop measures for the process. We start by measuring the activities, then build composites for measuring capabilities, which in turn will help us measure each stage, and then the overall innovation process.

Using these measures, we can link innovation to business value measures, from process to output, and value measures.

More details will be forthcoming as we begin to release our working papers.

To measure is to know

In the 18th century, the renowned physicist Lord Kelvin remarked, “To measure is to know” and “When you can measure what you are speaking about, and can express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, then your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind”. Although he was not speaking about the field of knowledge and innovation management when he made these statements, there may be no better field for which these statements hold true, and his words may easily be applied to that which is missing from the extant literature on knowledge management.

There is a conspicuous absence of models to evaluate such efforts. A major concern for scholars and practitioners is how to measure the status of knowledge and innovation management in an organization –– i.e., its strengths and weaknesses Managers today have to rely on anecdotal descriptions to justify investments. Without a meaningful framework for describing its trajectory, knowledge, and innovation, management is viewed by many as a mere fad.

During the I3M meeting in April, I will be presenting our model for measuring the innovation process and linking it to business value...

Social Activism in Information Systems Research: Making the World a Better Place

I have a new paper published: Desouza, K.C., Ein-Dor, P., McCubbrey, D.J., Galliers, R.D., Myers, M.D., and Watson, R.T. “Social Activism in Information Systems Research: Making the World a Better Place,” Communications of the AIS, 19 (2007), 261-277.

Abstract
This paper reports on a panel held during the 2006 International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS). The panel titled, “Social Activism in IS Research: Making the World a Better Place,” was organized to question whether and how Information System (IS) research is making tangible impacts to our society. More specifically, each panelist was asked to address: (1) How can IS research, and researchers, make contributions to under-developed societies and underserved communities? and (2) How can IS researchers learn from the particularities of these communities to inform better research, teaching, and service? While each panel member had different perspectives to offer in relation to these two questions, all agreed that IS academe needs to raise its awareness and efforts considerably with a view to address the needs of underserved communities.

Contradictions in Innovation: The Critical Role of Librarians

I will be giving a talk to the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Special Libraries Association. The talk is titled, “Contradictions in Innovation: The Critical Role of Librarians”.

In order to innovate, organizations must find ways to manage their knowledge. Knowledge need to be created, utilized, shared, duplicated, and commercialized. However, the very same knowledge must also be protected and secured. Herein lies the contradiction: to share or not to share. How do we build organizational mechanisms where knowledge can be shared, while being secured! More importantly, how do we retain the high-energy and enthusiastic culture required for innovation, while still being respectful of the needs for security and compartmentalization? I will draw on examples from government intelligence operations, innovation programs in large organizations, and even my own entrepreneurial experiences to draw some tentative conclusions…

See (http://students.washington.edu/slauw/) and (http://units.sla.org/chapter/cpnw/index.html)

Institute for National Security Education and Research

I have a new Blog (http://uwinser.blogspot.com/) – the UW Institute for National Security Education and Research (UW INSER). I serve as the Director of this program. Please check it out to learn about my recent work. There is a lot of interesting stuff going on with INSER in the national security education and research space.

University of Virginia

During a recent trip to the University of Virginia…Having lunch with the little sister (a.k.a Karishma)…You have to check out this place – Marco & Luca…$2.50 for 6 Dumplings…

Wine and Meetings

My favorite Meeting Places…Wine Stores…Pictures are from a meeting that I had in San Francisco...

Managing Knowledge Security

"Desouza provides cogent and compelling real world examples that immediately grab your attention. CIO's can not afford to become complacent in times where the most mundane event – a courier's misplacement of a data tape for example – can have expensive if not catastrophic consequences. There are bad guys out there willing and able to profit at the expense of the unwary custodian of information. Desouza's provocative examples will make even the most fastidious CIO think twice about the security of his/her company's data in a time when very real threats are present in cyberspace. In an age where Information Technologies are ubiquitous and easily acquired, sustainable competitive advantage is achieved through the cultivation and application of intellectual assets, not technology. However, as Desouza points out, 'Intellectual Asset Management' is not yet a common college course. This book is your best bet to galvanize your team and your organization. This is must reading for CXO's in every firm. If you read one management book this year, this is the one to read and to act on – immediately!"

Mike Williams
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Parsons Brinckerhoff

"Desouza has done an impressive job of taking an issue that's worrying CXOs at companies around the world and simplifying it. While reading this book I was actually scared - our intellectual property is in many cases unprotected and this book is doing a good job by showing how important this issue is to the senior management of any company. A must read…"

Roshan D'Silva
Chairman & CEO
Myzus

Special Issue on IT and Terrorism

Along with Winston Koh (Singapore Management University) and Aris Ouksel (University of Illinois at Chicago), I have edited a special issue on IT and Terrorism for Technology Forecasting and Social Change.

Citation: Desouza, K.C., Koh, W.T.H., Ouksel, A.M. “Information Technology, Innovation and the War on Terrorism,” Technology Forecasting and Social Change, 74 (2), 2007, 125-128.

Here is a portion of the introduction:

The horrific scale of destruction of the 9/11 terrorist attacks has ushered in a period of global uncertainty on various fronts: political, economic, military and technological. In essence, terrorism involves the use of violence to achieve political objectives, by deliberately trying to inflict mass casualties or cause other forms of costly damage against civilian populations. It is a form of psychological warfare, as the terrorist acts are designed to frighten targeted populations and attract global attention. Terrorism may also be viewed as theatre to focus attention on terrorists' aims and incite discontented masses.

The use of the term “war on terrorism” has a political basis. Terrorism is a means rather than an end. It is a tactic being used by extremist Moslems who, at the moment, see it as their most effective tool in countering the Western democracies. There is, of course, a long history of Islamic confrontation with the West and the U.S. war in Iraq has once more shown the glaring disparity in military strength between the two sides. Terrorism is now a significant weapon for the radical Islamists as the inevitable response to it draws more moderate fellow Moslems to their side, furthering their long-term aim of a resuscitated Islamic caliphate. The term “war on radical Islamism” would therefore be more appropriate; although it is being avoided by the Bush Administration. This special issue confines itself to the narrower subject of dealing with the terrorism threat from a technological viewpoint, analogous to analysis of means to counter Soviet ICBMs in the Cold War. It does not address the larger problem of strategies to confront radical Islamism.

I have a new paper published - Desouza, K.C., and Wang, T-Y. “Impeding Insurgent Attacks: The Information Management Agenda,” Technology Forecasting and Social Change, 74 (2), 2007, 211-229. This paper was co-authored by an undergraduate student in my INFO 300 (Intellectual Foundations of Information) class. Here is the abstract

Recent confrontations in Iraq between coalition forces and insurgents have caused much havoc in the way of economic and political reforms. Insurgents use a wide range of tactics, from suicide bombings to kidnappings, to cause tension between the local factions and the Iraqi populace, and between the locals and the coalition forces. The strength of the insurgent strategy emerges from the nature of their attacks: highly erratic, yet potent. All-out assault on these insurgents is impossible as they cloak themselves and exploit the advantages of guerrilla warfare tactics. In this paper, we will highlight the informational issues that the coalition forces must appreciate in order to curb and curtail these insurgent attacks. While we do not aim to propose any grand strategy to eradicate all insurgent attacks, we do believe that the true weapon that needs to used optimally (effectively and efficiently) against such attacks is information. Whether the insurgents or the coalition forces, the side that is more successful at managing and deploying information potently and with intent will ultimately prevail.