UIC News Tips - UIC RESEARCHERS TACKLE NEW WAVE OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

University of Illinois at Chicago Office of Public Affairs (MC 288)
601 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60607-7113, (312) 996-3456, www.uic.edu/depts/paff

September 12, 2000

Contact: Jeffron Boynés (312) 413-8702; jboynes@uic.edu

UIC RESEARCHERS TACKLE NEW WAVE OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

New research being conducted over the next 12 months at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Center for Research in Information Management (CRIM) may soon provide corporate information and technology managers with new skills and new ways of working in today's fast-paced economy.

Sponsored by one-year grants offered through the center, the research will focus on projects initiated and run by CRIM researchers, who also hold faculty appointments in UIC's business school. The research is aimed at identifying untapped resources for chief information officers worried about efficiently managing their company's information systems. Most of all, the grants are a springboard for the researchers to publish their findings in academic and industry journals next year for the benefit of computing practitioners, according to CRIM associate director Herbert Zuegel.

"The importance of research in information systems and technology, especially in this economy, is well known," Zuegel said. "Our research findings will hopefully allow chief information officers to do a better job running their businesses and give them insight on how to best streamline that function."

Funded by contributions from its 24 member organizations, CRIM, which is housed in the UIC College of Business Administration, had its genesis in 1990 with a grant from AT&T. Beginning in 1996, the center began offering UIC faculty grants to conduct applied research in the fields of management and information systems.

"In many ways, CRIM is the only center of its kind in Chicago," Zuegel said. "There is no other active research center for information management anywhere else in the city. As the largest undergraduate business school in the city, it makes good business sense for UIC to share its information and talent pool to help local companies do better jobs running their organizations."

The 2000 CRIM grant winners and their research are:

Byungtae Lee and Beomsoo Kim, (department of information and decision sciences), "In Search of the Best Distribution Channels" - In addition to a myriad of brick-and-mortar distribution channels, the spectrum of e-channels appears wider than ever. The focal point of the research is the ability to predict outcomes of different market mechanisms. From this, a prototype revenue management system for e-business will be developed.

Mary Beth Manheim, (department of information and decision sciences), and Cheryl Nakata, (department of management), "A Marriage of Strange Bedfellows" - The purpose of this study is to examine the MIS (management information systems)/marketing relationship for the first time, and in the context of both new- and old-economy companies. While there has been recognition for some time that MIS can play a strategic role in organizations, most MIS units have viewed themselves - and have been viewed by marketing departments - as service providers. This study will be important to both business practitioners and researchers, and shed light on both new- and old-economy firms' inner workings.

Beomsoo Kim (department of information and decision sciences), "Analysis of the Efficiency of Certifications" - This research will concentrate on the value of third-party certification of digital goods. In the real world, companies certify that the electric lamp you buy in a store is safe, meeting some sort of established/agreed-upon standard. However, with digital goods, there is an inherent problem of uncertainty regarding quality and how well they fit the buyer's requirements.

For more information on the Center for Research in Information Management, please contact the center at (312) 996-2676 or visit www.uic.edu/cba/crim/

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