AJIS Vol. 7 No. 1 Sept 1999

EDITORIAL

This is the first issue of volume 7 of the Australian Journal of Information Systems. This issue is divided into
two sections. The first section contains papers submitted through the normal channels of the journal, the second
contains two papers judged the best papers from the recent EFIS 99 conference.
Our first paper - Discourse Strategies Model: An Initial Phase for Discovery of the Fact-Based Statements from
Descriptive Text - Bruce Calway & Ross Smith, Swinburne University of Technology - examines the resource
of fact modeling and its use to the systems analyst. The paper provides a discourse strategy model which
processes descriptive text and provides an example of its use.
Steve Howard, Swinburne CHI laboratory, Swinburne University, provides our second paper entitled - Using
QFD to Tame Wicked Information System's Requirements. The paper argues that information system's
requirements can be in tension with both themselves and their context and presents a response to that problem
using Quality Function Deployment. A case study is used to illustrate the application of QFD.
Our third paper - Strengthen and Support the Maintenance of Object Oriented Software - Ming-Chi Lee,
National Ping Tung Institute of Commerce, Taiwan, Timothy Shih & Teh-Sheng Huang, Department of
Computer Science and Information Engineering, Tamkang University - examines the concept of inheritance
hierarchies in object-oriented languages. The paper shows that the difficulties often lie in the lack of effective
detection tools for inheritance and provides mechanisms for detection and resolution of redundant inheritances.
Out fourth paper - Advances in Research Direction in Data-Warehousing Technology - Mukesh Mohania,
School of Computer and Information Science, University of South Australia, Sunil Samtani, Department of
Computer Science Telecommunications, University of Missouri-Kansas City, John Roddick, School of
Computer and Information Science, University of South Australia, Yahiko Kambayashi, Department of Social
Informatics, Kyoto University - presents an overview of data warehousing, multi-dimensional databases, OLAP
and data mining technologies. The paper also discusses recent developments in view modeling, indexing
schemes and parallel query processes.
Jeanette Van Akkeren, Department of Information Systems, University of the Sunshine Coast & Angele Cavaye,
Department of Information Systems, University of Southern Queensland present our next paper - Confusion
with Diffusion? Unravelling IS Diffusion and Innovation Literature with a focus on SME's. This paper
examines various models of adoption and diffusion of IT and their relevance to SME's.
An editorial for the last two papers is provided by S. Conrad, Magdeburg University, W. Hasselbring, Tilburg
University & G. Saake, Magdeburg University.
Uwe Hohenstein, Corporate Technology, Siemens presents our next paper - A Generative Approach for
Building Database Federations. This paper presents a specification-based approach to building database
federations. The approach centres on a number of generators which provide flexibility with respect to schema
modification.
Our last paper - Constructing Multidatabase Collections Using an Extended ODMG Object Model - Adrian
Skehill & Mark Roantree, Interoperable Systems Group, Dublin City University - examines the ODMG and
cnaonical models and extends these into a more powerful collection mechanism allowing the construction of
federated collections from distributed data sources.
A book review of 'Information Rules A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy' by Carl Shapiro & Hal
Varian is presented by Tim Coultman AGSM.
Once again I would like to pass on my thanks to the authors and consulting editors for the high quality of
material in this issue. I would like to thank Lily Soh, Ted Gould and Deborah Bunker for their continued
assistance with the journal and David Dodds for the maintenance of the Home Page.

Rob MacGregor
Editor
http://www.uow.edu.au/ajis/ajis.html