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Robert G Fichman - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • going beyond the Dominant Paradigm for information technology innovation research emerging concepts and methods
    Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 2004
    Co-Authors: Robert G Fichman
    Abstract:

    Research on information technology (IT) innovation is concerned with identifying the factors that facilitate or hinder the adoption and diffusion of new IT-based processes or products. Most of this research has been conducted within the confines of a Dominant Paradigm wherein innovations are assumed to be beneficial, and organizations that have greater innovation-related needs and abilities are expected to exhibit a greater amount of innovative activity. This essay suggests that the Dominant Paradigm may be reaching the point of diminishing returns as a framework for supporting ground-breaking research, and urges researchers to adopt a more innovative approach to the study of IT innovation itself. Toward this end, I present seven opportunities for conducting new kinds of research that go beyond the Dominant Paradigm.

  • Going Beyond the Dominant Paradigm for Information Technology Innovation Research: Emerging Concepts and Methods ∗
    Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 2004
    Co-Authors: Robert G Fichman
    Abstract:

    Research on information technology (IT) innovation is concerned with identifying the factors that facilitate or hinder the adoption and diffusion of new IT-based processes or products. Most of this research has been conducted within the confines of a Dominant Paradigm wherein innovations are assumed to be beneficial, and organizations that have greater innovation-related needs and abilities are expected to exhibit a greater amount of innovative activity. This essay suggests that the Dominant Paradigm may be reaching the point of diminishing returns as a framework for supporting ground-breaking research, and urges researchers to adopt a more innovative approach to the study of IT innovation itself. Toward this end, I present seven opportunities for conducting new kinds of research that go beyond the Dominant Paradigm.

Parasharmanish - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Sandy Cairncross - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Editorial: Household water management: refining the Dominant Paradigm
    Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH, 2004
    Co-Authors: Thomas Clasen, Sandy Cairncross
    Abstract:

    Diarrhoeal diseases kill an estimated 2.5 million people each year, the majority being children under 5 years (Kosek et al. 2003). An estimated 4 billion cases annually account for 5.7% of the global burden of disease and place diarrhoeal disease as the third highest cause of morbidity and sixth highest cause of mortality (Pruess et al. 2002). Among children under 5 years in developing countries, diarrhoeal disease accounts for 21% of all deaths (Parashar et al. 2003). By inhibiting normal consumption of foods and adsorption of nutrients, diarrhoeal diseases are also an important cause of malnutrition, leading to impaired physical growth and cognitive development (Guerrant et al. 1999), reduced resistance to infection (Baqui et al. 1993) and potentially long-term gastrointestinal disorders (Schneider et al. 1978). Infectious agents associated with diarrhoeal disease are transmitted chiefly through the faecal-oral route (Byers et al. 2001). A wide variety of bacterial, viral and protozoan pathogens excreted in the faeces of humans and animals are known to cause diarrhoea. Many of these are potentially waterborne – transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated water (Leclerc et al. 2002). Accordingly, a number of interventions have been developed to treat water. These include (i) physical removal of pathogens (e.g. filtration, adsorption and sedimentation); (ii) chemical treatment (e.g. assisted sedimentation, chemical disinfection and ion exchange); or (iii) heat and ultra violet (UV) radiation. Because of the risk of recontamination (Clasen & Bastable 2003), interventions to improve water quality also include steps to maintain the microbiological quality of safe drinking water, such as piped distribution, residual disinfection and improved storage. These efforts are expected to receive additional priority as a result of the United Nation’s commitment to reduce by one-half of the 1.5 billion people without sustainable access to improved water, one of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (United Nations 2000), and by the World Health Organization’s steps to accelerate the health gains of safe water to the remaining population by improved treatment and storage of water at the household level (Sobsey 2002). Health authorities generally accept that safe water plays an important role in preventing outbreaks of diarrhoeal disease (Hunter 1997). Accordingly, the most widely accepted standard for water quality allows no detectable level of harmful pathogens at the point of distribution (WHO 1993). However, in those settings in which diarrhoeal disease is endemic, much of the epidemiological evidence for increased health benefits following improvements in the quality of drinking water has been equivocal (Esrey & Habicht 1986; Lindskog et al. 1987; Cairncross 1989). As many of these same waterborne pathogens are also transmitted via ingestion of contaminated food and other beverages, by person-to-person contact, and by direct or indirect contact with infected faeces, improvements in water quality alone may not necessarily interrupt transmission (Briscoe 1984). As a result of this variety of risk factors, interventions for the prevention of diarrhoeal disease not only include enhanced water quality but also steps to (i) improve the proper disposal of human faeces (sanitation), (ii) increase the quantity and improve access to water (water supply), and (iii) promote hand washing and other hygiene practices within domestic and community settings (hygiene). As in the case of studies of water quality, there is a wide range in the reported measure of effect on diarrhoea morbidity of each of these other environmental interventions (Esrey et al. 1985). Even more fundamentally, there are also questions about the methods and validity of studies designed to assess the health impact of such interventions (Briscoe et al. 1986; Imo State Evaluation Team 1989). As part of a larger evaluation of interventions for the control of diarrhoeal disease (Feachem et al. 1983), Esrey et al. (1985) reviewed 67 studies to determine the health impact from improvements in water supplies and excreta disposal facilities (Esrey et al. 1985). The median reduction in diarrhoeal morbidity from improved water quality was 16% (range 0–90%). This compared with 22% for Tropical Medicine and International Health

Cairncross S - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Household water management: refining the Dominant Paradigm [editorial]
    Tropical Medicine & International Health, 2004
    Co-Authors: Cairncross S
    Abstract:

    Infectious agents associated with diarrhoeal disease are transmitted chiefly through the faecal-oral route. A wide variety of bacterial viral and protozoan pathogens excreted in the faeces of humans and animals are known to cause diarrhoea. Many of these are potentially waterborne – transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated water. Accordingly a number of interventions have been developed to treat water. These include (i) physical removal of pathogens (e.g. filtration adsorption and sedimentation); (ii) chemical treatment (e.g. assisted sedimentation chemical disinfection and ion exchange); or (iii) heat and ultra violet (UV) radiation. Because of the risk of recontamination interventions to improve water quality also include steps to maintain the microbiological quality of safe drinking water such as piped distribution residual disinfection and improved storage. These efforts are expected to receive additional priority as a result of the United Nation’s commitment to reduce by one-half of the 1.5 billion people without sustainable access to improved water one of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals and by the World Health Organization’s steps to accelerate the health gains of safe water to the remaining population by improved treatment and storage of water at the household level. (excerpt)

Schmidtcristina - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.