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The Journal of the Southern Association for Information Systems

Introduction

The Journal of the Southern AIS is pleased to announce publication of volume 10, issue 1 which comprises three regular research papers.

The first paper is entitled: Establishing a Data Science for Good Ecosystem: The Case of ATLytiCS by Thema Monroe-White (Berry College), Beverly Wright (Burtch Works), William Hulsey (Berry College), Eric Kushins (Berry College), and Amy Hord (Kennesaw State University).

Data science for social good (DSSG) initiatives have been championed as worthy mechanisms for transformative change and social impact. However, researchers have not fully explored the systems by which actors coordinate, access data, determine goals and communicate opportunities for change. We contribute to the information systems ecosystems and the nonprofit volunteering literatures by exploring the ways in which data science volunteers leverage their talents to address social impact goals. We use Atlanta Analytics for Community Service (ATLytiCS), an organization that aids nonprofits and government agencies, as a case study. ATLytiCS represents a rare example of a nonprofit organization (NPO) managed and run by highly-skilled volunteer data scientists within a regionally networked system of actors and institutions. Based on findings from this case, we build a DSSG ecosystem framework to describe and distinguish DSSG ecosystems from related data and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

 

The second paper is: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Agile Manifesto on its 20th Anniversary by Adarsh Kumar Kakar (Alabama State University)

The Agile Software Development (ASD) method is guided by the Agile manifesto which consists of an Agile philosophy and a set of 12 principles. However, despite the indisputable impact of Agile philosophy and principles on software development around the world, the phenomenon of its popularity has not received requisite attention by researchers. In this article we use the rhetorical analysis by focus group of eight industry experts and academics to understand the appeal and attractiveness of ASD to the software development community. We discover that the time was ripe for its introduction with many paradigms and established approaches getting challenged due to rapid pace of technological changes and rise in business uncertainties. The Agile manifesto and its principles tapped into the mood of the moment and perhaps unwittingly through an amalgamation of popular theories of the time from management and manufacturing created a movement generally welcomed by the software developers, but which intrigued many among the software engineering community who were traditionally strong adherents of Taylorism and its principles.

 

Our third paper is: What more can Software Development learn from Agile Manufacturing? Some pointers on the 20th anniversary of the Agile Manifesto by Ashish Kakar

The concept of agility originated in manufacturing and was later adopted by the software development discipline. In this article we argue that in the process some important aspects of the agility theory have been either ignored or misinterpreted. A historical review of the evolving paradigms and practices in software development and manufacturing on the 20th anniversary of the Agile Manifesto (2001) suggests that if the ideas and principles underlying agility are faithfully implemented it would lead to significant improvement in the software development process.

 

Michael Cuellar, Editor

https://doi.org/doi:10.17705/3JSIS.19007