Factors affecting the success of management support systems: analysis and meta-analysis

This paper gives a traditional review and meta-analysis of the literature on management support systems (MSS) success. Based on an extensive survey ofpublished research in the problem domain factors, affecting MSS success as presented. Both a theoretical examination and an overview of empiricalresearch of each factor are provided. Correlations above r = 0.3 are found for user maturity of IS department, flexibility, realism of user expectations quality of user documentation, formal development, user training, management support, and user expectations. Thus far, user involvement is the mostwidely investigated variable in empirical research. In this paper, the author makes an attempt to distinguish objective user involvement from userinvolvement as experienced by the user. Effect sizes for the latter variable appeared to be larger than findings for the first. Indicating that a'feeling' of user involvement is more important than user involvement itself. A further analysis of the data shows effect sizes for laboratory studiesto be lower, and more homogeneous than findings of field research. Furthermore, correlation between the contingency factors and user informationsatisfaction appeared to be higher than findings which used usage as the independent variable. The relation between the contingency factors and usageappears to be diminishing over time. This may be caused by the fact that MSS less often fall below the level at which managers cease to use the systems

Spatially resolved spectra of 3C galaxy nuclei

We present and discuss visible-wavelength long-slit spectra of four low redshift 3C galaxies obtained with the STIS instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope. The slit was aligned with near-nuclear jet-like structure seen in HST images of the galaxies, to give unprecedented spatial resolution of the galaxy inner regions. In 3C 135 and 3C 171, the spectra reveal clumpy emission line structures that indicate outward motions of a few hundred km s$^{-1}$ within a centrally illuminated and ionised biconical region. There may also be some low-ionisation high-velocity material associated with 3C 135. In 3C 264 and 3C 78, the jets have blue featureless spectra consistent with their proposed synchrotron origin. There is weak associated line emission in the innermost part of the jets with mild outflow velocity. These jets are bright and highly collimated only within a circumnuclear region of lower galaxy luminosity, which is not dusty. We discuss the origins of these central regions and their connection with relativistic jets.Comment: 15 pages incl Tables, 12 diagrams, To appear in A

An Imaging Fabry-Perot System for the Robert Stobie Spectrograph on the Southern African Large Telescope

We present the design of the Fabry-Perot system of the Robert Stobie Spectrograph on the 10-meter class Southern African Large Telescope and its characterization as measured in the laboratory. This system provides spectroscopic imaging at any desired wavelength spanning a bandpass 430 - 860 nm, at four different spectral resolving powers ranging from 300 to 9000. Our laboratory tests revealed a wavelength dependence of the etalon gap and parallelism with a maximum variation between 600 - 720 nm that arises because of the complex structure of the broadband multi-layer dielectric coatings. We also report an unanticipated optical effect of this multi-layer coating structure that produces a significant, and wavelength dependent, change in the apparent shape of the etalon plates. This change is caused by two effects: the physical non-uniformities or thickness variations in the coating layers, and the wavelength dependence of the phase change upon refection that can amplify these non-uniformities. We discuss the impact of these coating effects on the resolving power, finesse, and throughput of the system. This Fabry-Perot system will provide a powerful tool for imaging spectroscopy on one of the world's largest telescopes.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journa

Transcription of Nonrepeated DNA in Neonatal and Fetal Mice

The transcription of nonrepeated DNA sequences was measured by hybridization of RNA from neonatal and fetal mice to mouse DNA using three different techniques. The measurements indicate that a large part (about 70%) of the rapidly-labeled fetal RNA is transcribed from nonrepeated DNA sequences. It appears that more than 12% of the single-copy DNA sequences are represented in the RNA of newborn mice

Fate of baby radio galaxies: Dead or Alive ?

In order to reveal the long-term evolution of relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), we examine the dynamical evolution of variously-sized radio galaxies [i.e., compact symmetric objects (CSOs), medium-size symmetric objects (MSOs), Fanaroff-Riley type II radio galaxies (FRIIs)]. By comparing the observed relation between the hot spot size and the linear size of radio source with a coevolution model of hot spot and cocoon, we find that the advance speed of hot spots and lobes inevitably show the deceleration phase (CSO-MSO phase) and the acceleration phase (MSO-FRII phase). The deceleration is caused by the growth of the cross-sectional area of the cocoon head. Moreover, by comparing the hot spot speed with the sound speed of the ambient medium, we predict that only CSOs whose initial advance speed is higher than 0.3-0.5c can evolve into FRIIs.Comment: 5 pages and 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomische Nachrichten (issue dedicated to the Proceedings of "The 4th Workshop on Compact Steep Spectrum and GHz-Peaked Spectrum Radio Sources" held at Riccione, Italy, 26-29 May 2008