The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368

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The Extractive Industries and Society

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Original article

A framework for measuring the maturity of real-time information

management systems (RTIMS) in the mining industry
Mulundumina Shimaponda-Nawa a, *, Glen T. Nwaila a, Steven E. Zhang b, Julie E. Bourdeau b
a
Wits Mining Institute (WMI), University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, 2050, Wits, South Africa
b
39 Kiewiet Street, Helikon Park, Randfontein, 1759, South Africa

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Real-time information management systems (RTIMS) are emerging for the mining industry. RTIMS are created to
Real-time information management systems enable minimal-latency (real-time) of information delivery and usage to enable dynamic and smart decision
Mining industry making. However, being an emerging concept, it is unclear what the target readiness of RTIMS should be. As a
Maturity assessment
result, system owners may face challenges identifying appropriate RTIMS performance models. In this study,
Business optimisation
RTIMS is treated as an integration of information, as a resource and as the systems for managing this resource, in
real-time, across all phases of the mining value chain. Consequently, the capability maturity assessment tool for
RTIMS must consider: information as the critical resource; the management systems for the critical resource; and
the access to the resource in real-time. Thus, a hybridised maturity model is proposed for the RTIMS maturity
target, which can be further optimised through stakeholder engagement. In our proposed framework, three el­
ements namely, people, the environment, and technology, have been identified as key enablers for RTIMS in the
minerals sector. In addition, we propose a six-level capability maturity model, with levels ranging from 0 to 5,
signifying the state of no recognition of the processes to an optimised state, where prevention and maintenance
are the norm.

1. Introduction
The mining industry is constantly under pressure to improve and
maintain a safe environment, throughout the lifetime of the mine. In
addition to mine safety, a clear business motivation, given the nature of
private companies and competition of the market, is operational effi­
ciency, which drives profitability, business sustainability and investor
interest. However, for maturing mines, finding a profitable balance be­
tween operational expenditures and revenue can be challenging due to
declining ore grades and greater haul distances from the excavation site
(Jacobs, 2017). These issues invariably result in increased operating and
development costs, as well as health and safety risks.
There continues to be a global drive in the areas of safety, efficiency,
productivity and gender inclusivity in the mining industry, particularly
outside of artisanal mining (Coulson and Christofides, 2020; Kansake
et al., 2021; Paschal and Kauangal, 2023; PricewaterhouseCoopers,
2021; Sasikala and Sankaranarayanan, 2022). Despite improvements,
there are still several challenges that remain within the mining industry,
especially regarding underground mines. In addition, the tendency to
move towards deeper depths exacerbates existing challenges and
renders many of the shallower depth solutions less efficacious (Ghor­
bani et al., 2023a). There is a sustained desire to continue making
mining safer, more environmentally- and human-friendly, as well as
scalable (Brisbois et al., 2019; Foster and Hoult, 2013; Ghorbani et al.,
2023a; Global Mining Guidelines Group, 2019). Some of the emerging
and evolving solutions to address these desires include: automation,
remote operation, digital technologies, and smart workforce manage­
ment. Associated with these solutions is the awareness of the need to
incorporate workforce education (or training) to maximise business
continuity, realise the value of modern solutions and essentially manage
change. A concomitant solution to existing challenges, but itself also a
significant driver, is the need for steady flows of modernised data (e.g.,
Zhang et al., 2023) from mining operations to dry laboratories, which
are dedicated entities that focuses on data-centric innovation and
experimentation (Ghorbani et al., 2022, 2023b). Any dry laboratory
serving the mining industry would be predicated on the existence of data
and information systems that are appropriate for modern uses.
Mining is a large global community with a long history that predates
modernity. As such, mining as an industry, exhibits strong cultural
inertia and is often viewed as conservative. Existing mining cultural and

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: mulundumina.shimaponda@wits.ac.za (M. Shimaponda-Nawa).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2023.101368
Received 23 February 2023; Received in revised form 18 October 2023; Accepted 18 October 2023
Available online 28 October 2023
2214-790X/© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al.
technical practices are potentially incompatible with, or hindersome to
the adoption of modern information and data systems, including sen­
sors, information systems and the use of data. For example, a lack of
modern data management and the existence of process-driven data silos
result in difficulties to realise value in data and information because
such practices hinder access to data and information in a timely and
accurate manner. This throttles the proliferation and widespread success
of fully modernised and connected mines, and prevents existing mines
from becoming modernised (Jacobs, 2017; PricewaterhouseCoopers,
2021). Accurate, timely and appropriate access to information is crucial
for management, but particularly management systems with a rapid
response rate. It is for these reasons that Ghorbani et al. (2022) observed
a need to break through existing silos that are gated by stages of the
mineral value chain, and use data in an integrated manner, both in the
sense of geometallurgy and data-driven practices.
Consequently, there is a growing emphasis that minimal-latency or
real-time information management systems (RTIMS) should become a
crucial component of modernised mines (Global Mining Guidelines
Group, 2019). The desire for RTIMS essentially stipulates a modern, and
perhaps one of the most technically onerous purpose, for which data and
information are generated. The purpose of data and information
consequently provides a basis for generating business requirements of
data, information, infrastructure, sensors and their usage, and man­
agement. For example, a business definition of the real-time nature of
information provides a necessary constraint on the timeliness of data
generation, management and storage, usage including information
derivation through data analytics, and presentation. For this reason,
mining companies have and continue to develop strategies on how to
effectively implement RTIMS across the value chain (Ganeriwalla et al.,
2021). Uniquely to underground mines, the Global Mining Guidelines
Group (2019) identified five challenge topics, namely:
• Communications and network infrastructure.
• Operational efficiency and process improvement.
• Asset visibility and management.
• Health and safety.
• Digitalisation and adapting to new technologies.
A key missing topic, as explicitly presented by the Global Mining
Guidelines Group (2019), is the notion of modern data, information
management and governance, which outside of the mining industry, is a
fully recognised business function that is essential in the modern context
(e.g., data management-data management body of knowledge (Hen­
derson et al., 2017; Sharma et al., 2021). This is because issues around,
specifically, data and its derived information, from the translation of
business requirements into specifications of quality and standardisation,
to their usage and security, are not traditional information and tech­
nology (IT) topics and in fact, are closely aligned with systems engi­
neering (e.g., data engineering and quality management systems). This
study considers both information and data as part of RTIMS as it would
be impossible to derive information in a modern context without mod­
ern data. Hereon, when we refer to information, we also assume that the
data component is implied (e.g., transport of information necessitates
transport of data).
Ladley (2010) stated that information management maturity1,2 in­
fluences the nature of ongoing governance, the size and characteristics
of projects, including the types of technology to be acquired. Similarly,
we submit that the maturity of an organisation’s information manage­
ment systems (IMS) influences decision-making, affects efficiency, im­
pacts service delivery and ultimately is an enabler in achieving business
1
Maturity being defined as “the state of being complete, perfect or ready”
(Lasrado et al., 2015; Mettler et al., 2010; Simpson et al., 1989).
2
Maturity is “a state in which, given certain conditions, it is agreed not to
continue any further action” (Proença & Borbinha, 2018).
2
The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368
goals. This assumed influence is linked to the understanding from the
work by Gomes & Romão (2018), where they state that: “the basic
concept underlying maturity is that mature organisations do things system­
atically, while immature organisations achieve their outcomes because of the
heroic efforts of individuals using approaches that they create and use
spontaneously”.
Mining is a multi-faceted business that contains a real-time compo­
nent, primarily its operational aspect. However, some business functions
that are sometimes optional, such as stockpiling, dynamic extraction
sequencing and environmental monitoring, are increasingly moving
away from static IMS into real-time. There is further awareness that even
the more fundamental scientific, engineering and geostatistical aspects
could become more online and therefore real-time, to deal with chal­
lenges associated with the present and anticipated future conditions (e.
g., Ghorbani et al., 2022, 2023; Nwaila et al., 2021). For example, vis­
ualisation of business processes and metrics, as well as market condi­
tions and projected company finances may be very useful, as data for
such visualisations would inevitably be available anyway.
As strategies to implement RTIMS in underground mines are devel­
oped, it is assumed that a component of the targeted RTIMS maturity,
against which the implemented systems will be evaluated, is included. A
further assumption is that RTIMS implementation strategies would have
included specific tools for assessing the performance of the implemented
RTIMS, in a particular mining company. While the assumptions of the
presence of an RTIMS maturity target and its assessment tool are made,
it is important to appreciate that RTIMS are an emerging concept,
especially in the mining sector whose digital maturity is about <40 %, in
comparison to sectors like automotive and chemicals (Ganeriwalla et al.,
2021). It is also important to appreciate that the mining environment
contains unique physical challenges (e.g., underground-specific tele­
communications infrastructure, complex operating environments such
as deep underground-specific challenges, see Ghorbani et al., 2023a)
that other industries may not be prone to. As such, many solutions from
other industries are not readily adaptable into the mining industry
without significant fundamental research and development.
A maturity model is one of the tools that has been used over the years
to evaluate an organisation’s performance in terms of processes, people
and culture, systems, as well as software (de Bruin et al., 2005; Gomes
and Romão, 2018; Proença and Borbinha, 2018). Maturity models bring
value to an organisation when they adequately identify weaknesses and
provide a definitive and implementable pathway to help an organisation
progress to the next maturity level (Pöppelbuß and Röglinger, 2011).
Despite literature containing thousands of articles on maturity
models in diverse domains, there is a notable lack of maturity models
addressing IMS and apparently none in the case of RTIMS in mining.
Nevertheless, similar approaches in literature, whose fundamental
principles have greatly influenced our work, have been presented in data
management and software engineering domains. Some of these ap­
proaches presented in detail under Section 4 of this work, include but are
not limited to:
(a) Maturity models for software development: The capability
maturity model (CMM) was developed in the 1980s with the aim
of improving the software development processes from concep­
tion to optimisation (Capability Maturity Model SM for Software,
Version 1.1, 1993). The CMM provides a framework for contin­
uous process software development by defining progressive
capability levels with specific capability features.
(b) The data management-data management body of knowledge
(DMBOK): This is a framework that was created to advance the
concepts and practices of data management (Henderson et al.,
2017) to guide various data professionals in principles processes,
and best practices.
(c) The data management capability assessment model (DCAM v2.2):
This framework is developed by the Enterprise Data Management
Council and mainly aims at providing a tool for examining
M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al. The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368

capability of the data management processes including the tools

used to analyse the data acquired data (Ge et al., 2020). The use
of this framework helps build confidence in the capabilities of
several data management features such as the data management
strategy, funding model, governance, architecture, technology
employed, as well as the resulting quality.
(d) Content management systems maturity model (CMSMM): To
ensure a single source of truth, content management systems
have been proposed to enable multiple users to create, edit and
share content. The CMSMM by TechWhirl (https://techwhirl.co
m/content-management-system-maturity-model/), was created
to guide and assist organisations improve their content manage­
ment practices.
(e) Information management maturity (IMM): Ladley (2010) states
that the IMM is not a scorecard but a relative measurement of
ability. Thus, The IMM model proposed by Ladley (2010) pro­
vides a guide of assessment areas and the factors affecting them.
Some of the outlined assessment areas include information and
content usage, leadership, collaborative potential and technology
readiness.
(f) The digital preservation capability maturity model (DPCMM): To
maintain accessibility to digital material, Charles & Lori (2015)
proposed a model that organises the digital preservation re­
quirements of the international organisation for standardisation
(ISO) standards into fifteen components with metrics to assess
maturity. Thus, providing organisation with insights on how to Fig. 1. Schematic overview of flow chart of this work.
track their performance from disorganised and electronic
information. 2. Drivers of RTIMS in mining

All the above highlighted maturity frameworks have specific links to The drivers of RTIMS in mining are either direct or indirect, but in
the RTIMS framework for the minerals industry proposed in this work. general can be divided into several categories: (a) physical, (b) market,
However, their industry-generalised approach poses a challenge of and (c) policy (Ghorbani et al., 2023a; Fig. 2). Physical drivers are those
implementation in industry such as the minerals industry that is in the that primarily relate to the physical world, such as resource availability,
early stages of modernisation. mineral deposit characteristics and technical capability. Market drivers
The absence of a defined RTIMS maturity target would render it are those that primarily relate to the evolving market conditions, such as
difficult for system owners to decide whether existing maturity models changing consumption patterns, global or local competition and supply
developed for information systems, engineering systems and other chain considerations. Policy drivers are those that primarily relate to
management functions, would adequately be applicable to RTIMS local or global policy conditions, such as the move towards renewable
implemented in the minerals and other extractive industries. Therefore, energy, or conditions of land use motivated by land stewardship.
to address the issue of a lack of RTIMS maturity frameworks and to assist Physical drivers for the use of RTIMS in mining include:
the minerals industry stakeholders, this work proposes a framework for
measuring the maturity of RTIMS, with a particular emphasis on the
mining environment.
To create a generic RTIMS maturity framework (scope, design,
populate, test, deploy and maintain), we adopted the suggestion by de
Bruin et al. (2005). This framework focuses on the first three phases of
the process (scope, design and populate), since the last three phases are
out of scope of this current work. We seek to provide critical base
knowledge in the RTIMS implementation strategies in the minerals in­
dustry. Accordingly, we consider the following research questions:
R1: What are the main drivers of mine modernisation necessitating
RTIMS implementation?
R2: What are the main enablers of mine modernisation related to
RTIMS?
R3: What tools are available for assessing the maturity of IMS?
The remainder of the work is organised as follows (Fig. 1): Section 2
summarises the drivers of RTIMS in mining; Section 3 summarises the
enablers of RTIMS in mining; Section 4 provides a general overview of
maturity models and provides the situation regarding the availability of
maturity models for data and information management systems. In
Section 5, critical considerations for defining the RTIMS target and
maturity models are presented. This culminates into the proposed
RTIMS maturity target and consequently provides capability re­
quirements for preceding levels before the proposed target RTIMS
capability level. The concluding remarks are presented in Section 6.
Fig. 2. Drivers of RTIMS in the mining industry.

3
M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al.
(a) Increasing depths of extraction for underground mines, which
necessitates better safety through rapid management response,
operational and geotechnical control, environmental and human
health monitoring, more automation and more efficacious
extraction and material separation (Ghorbani et al., 2023a).
(b) Decreasing deposit grades. In the year 1900, for example, the
average grade of economically viable copper was approximately
4 % Cu, while currently, the grades are near 0.5 %, with some
cases reaching 0.26 % (Mudd and Jowitt, 2018). This creates a
desirability for more granular and dynamic implementations of
strategic and tactical business objectives. Additionally, online
material profiling and in-situ grade estimations are important to
enhance extraction selectivity.
Market drivers for the use of RTIMS in mining include:
(a) The increasing overall demand for mining, which in turn in­
creases market competition for the mining industry overall
(Ganeriwalla et al., 2021; Ghorbani et al., 2023a; Phoke and
Khandelwal, 2021). This increases the desirability of more timely
and granular control of production variables, such as extraction
sequencing, stockpiling, scheduling, and dynamic cut-off grades
(Nwaila et al., 2021).
(b) Increasing desire to create transparent and trackable supply
chains (Ghorbani et al., 2022; PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2021).
This increases the need for real-time material tracking, supply
chain monitoring and more capable telecommunications infra­
structure and information management in general.
(c) Increasing desire to leverage modern data analytics, artificial
intelligence and automation to optimise business performance
and monitor the ambient environment (e.g., Ghorbani et al.,
2022). This necessitates modernised data generation (including
sensor deployment, infrastructure, and data engineering), trans­
port, management, and usage.
Policy drivers for the use of RTIMS in mining include:
(a) Increasingly more stringent regulation at the local and interna­
tional levels. This increases risk of business non-compliance,
which is mitigated by more sophisticated monitoring systems
that could include deployment of more sensors (e.g., for
contamination or hazard detection), automation and remote
monitoring, artificial intelligence and data management (e.g., for
data usage but also auditing). The integration of data and infor­
mation systems implies that RTIMS (e.g., the generation and
usage of online sensor information) would be unavoidable.
(b) Alignment with non-legislative social, environmental and
governance market requirements that require potentially addi­
tional commitments and reporting of mining operations,
including supply chain and operational data (e.g., social license
to operate; Prno and Slocombe, 2012; Meesters et al., 2021).
Tracking and monitoring of products, business operations and
environmental conditions (e.g., around managed waste sites)
requires sophisticated RTIMS.
(c) Rapid current and potential future shifts in national policy di­
rections regarding criticality of minerals and metals (European
Commission, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2020; Applegate, 2022). This can
cause mining companies to re-prioritise business resources and
production to coincide with forecasted supply chain demands (e.
g., Rachidi et al., 2021). Agility in the ability to analyse short
term positions and resource allocation may require rapid
response IMS.
3. Enablers of RTIMS in mining
At the organisation level, enablers of RTIMS in mining are
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The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368
characteristics of a present state of an organisation that, if some condi­
tions are met, then the adoption of RTIMS would be facilitated. As such,
identifying key categories of enablers allows the establishment of
maturity models. Enablers can be categorised by their origin. The origins
of most innovations in various domains point to three fundamental
components: people, environment, and technology. Specifically:
• People and culture: All innovation ideas, regardless of the domain,
originate from people. The people component is organisational and
spans from the executive level to the in-mine workers. Ideally, or­
ganisations require people who understand the value of RTIMS,
promote their adoption and usage, contribute to the maintenance
and evolution of IMS systems. The management in a particular
environment will also influence the trajectory of an organisation.
• Environment: The impact that business environment has on inno­
vation cannot be precisely quantified. Nevertheless, an environment
that enables appropriate collaboration and interaction among peo­
ple, or between people and machines, will typically yield favourable
innovation outputs. A favourable environment may include the
ability to seamlessly access a combination of capable telecommuni­
cations infrastructure and sensors, hardware and software, and the
existence of innovation and analytics laboratories.
• Technology: Technological advancement has been an enabler of
most innovations of the 21st century. Desirable organisational states
include the deployment of current and appropriate technology for
RTIMS, and a management foresight capability to invest in emerging
and potentially disruptive technology.
The impact of people and culture on RTIMS adoption or evolution is
controlled by the readiness of people and the culture of an organisation
to adopt and adapt to new technology, particularly pertaining to man­
agement capability, general staff skill level, change management, and
recruitment and talent retention policies. For older organisations, the
people and culture component may be a limiting factor because organ­
isational staff behaviour, expectations and policies may have become
entrenched status quo, and major changes may be slow and iterative.
The impact of the environment component on the readiness of an
organisation to adopt RTIMS depends on the organisation’s current
business structure and architecture of technical, operational and man­
agement aspects. For example, an organisation that dedicates a certain
percentage of its profit towards an experimental data analytics and
innovation laboratory essentially creates a sandboxed environment to
conduct risky activities. Compartmentalisation of risks would enable
innovations that would otherwise not be possible in a mining business.
The impact of the technology component on the readiness of an
organisation to adopt RTIMS depends on the organisation’s current
technological capability and the ability of the organisation to adequately
plan for and implement technological changes. For smaller or less
competitive mining companies, the technology component could be a
limiting factor because the existing technological state of the company is
unlikely to be the state-of-the-art and pervasive changes in business
capability may be prohibitive cost-wise.
Hence, assessments of the readiness of people and culture, technol­
ogy and environment can be used to directly determine an organisa­
tion’s RTIMS maturity. Unlike other industries that conduct their
operations in fully man-made structures, mining occurs in a confined
space that only exhibits some extent of human control through
geotechnical engineering. Because of this, much of the operations of a
mine from its conception to closure are fully planned, such as: extraction
sequencing, ventilation, and support structures. Therefore, mines are
not as conducive (or at all) to dynamic physical restructuring, revamp­
ing of infrastructure and long hiatuses without impacting the function­
ality of core systems, operational risks and business outcome. In
particular, the adaptability of mines toward RTIMS depends on their
age. For the mining sector, the three fundamental components will have
varying impact depending on the age of a mine, which can be measured
M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al. The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368

in the number of years that a mine has been in operation. For instance,
retrofitting existing, marginally profitable and old mines with RTIMS,
even if a business case is strong, may be challenging or impractical due
to significant overhauls of infrastructure.
Therefore, at the RTIMS design stage, the prescriptive purpose of use
for the RTIMS maturity model would have to account for the age of a
mine. It is possible to divide ages of mines into: new mines (0–5 years),
mature mines (5–10 years) and very mature mines, whose years of
operation exceed 10. Generally, to attain maturity of the implemented
RTIMS, mining companies would either have to focus on retrofitting
existing systems, system integration3 of the old and new, or focus on
systems restructuring; in some cases, both systems integration and
restructuring will be inevitable. Here, system restructuring refers to
significant changes made to systems, processes, and operational struc­
tures in a quest to achieve set goals.
In Table 1, we present key general factors relating to people and
culture, environment and technology that generally influence the digital
transformation success and will have an impact on the attainment of
RTIMS maturity. We link these factors with a digital pre-start checklist
proposed by Ernst & Young (2018), since the list applies to all mining
categories as well as all digital enablers.
4. Overview of maturity models
All areas and functions of a business require performance and
capability evaluation tools that permit an identification of areas of
improvement for teams, processes and systems. In addition, good tools
also provide specific road maps on how to achieve the targeted perfor­
mance and capability levels. As mentioned earlier, a maturity model is
one such tool that has been used over the years to evaluate organisa­
tional performance and capability in terms of processes, people, culture
and systems (including software). More importantly, the designation of
maturity uses one or more baselines that could be empirical, theoretical,
or pragmatic (but never ideological), providing a basis for business
comparison and introspection.
One of the important functions of maturity models is that any
assessment of the current state of an organisation provides a framing of
the organisation’s maturity against an effective and realistic baseline.
Therefore, maturity assessments present opportunities for continuous
improvements with regards to a team’s performance, processes and
systems (Becker et al., 2009). However, it should be noted that maturity
models alone, without actions from the organisation, do not fix the
identified issues. As such, management decisions including planning for
action are key to deriving value from maturity models. To effectively
benefit from maturity models, an organisation must be able to measure
the maturity of the domain under consideration by conducting assess­
ments with respect to the selected maturity model. Thereafter, between
the current and a future desirable maturity level, there must be an
implementable pathway. Unfortunately, RTIMS is narrow in focus in
terms of overall systems engineering and real-time systems. Despite the
abundance of existing literature on the maturity in domains such as data
management and software engineering, literature that solely focuses on
the maturity of RTIMS does not yet exist.

Table 1 4.1. Maturity models for software engineering

Key components and consideration factors for digital transformation relating to
RTIMS maturity.
Enabling Key consideration factors
components
People and Skills and training required for
culture connected mines.
Availability and retainment of
future work force.
Cultural change to embrace
connectivity.
Management and leadership
support.
Environment Accessibility, usability,
capability of existing data and
systems. Cyber security.
Health and safety.
Sustainability and market
demand.
Regulatory compliance.
Raw material location.
Technology Digital twin.
Non-contact sensors, virtual or
soft sensors, portable
instrumentation.
Automation, and remote
operations and monitoring.
Interconnected machinery.
Effective and optimised
telecommunications systems and
networks, enabling accessible
and timely flow of critical data
and information.
Efficacious deployment of
artificial intelligence (AI).
3
System integration is the process of connecting different sub-systems
(components) into a single larger system that functions as one. (https://www.
youredi.com/blog/what-is-system-integration).
Digital pre-start applying to
all enablers (Ernst and
Young, 2018)
Have a clear vision consistent
with business strategy.
Understand business levers
and how they drive
productivity.
Match digital opportunities to
high priority areas.
Complete a digital maturity
assessment to understand
organisational capability and
complete a gap analysis
against requirements.
Establish transformation
governance covering
elements such as project
management, innovation and
experimentation pilots,
organisational accountability,
data architecture and
business case development.
Have an appropriate
cybersecurity strategy in
place to keep pace with your
transformation.
Evolution of the digital
strategy
In engineering, iterative cycles of the application of engineering
principles, techniques and processes improve the desirability of solu­
tions. The concept of engineering is based on the premise that there exist
non-unique solutions to practical problems and a complex balance of
constraints is necessary to iteratively arrive at an efficacious and effec­
tive solution. This concept equally applies to systems that enable engi­
neering, such as quality management systems. Maturity models for
engineering are intended to gauge the maturity of engineering firms in
their practice. Earlier maturity models have been in existence in the
form of human needs, economic growth and information technology
progression (Röglinger et al., 2012). It is worth noting that prominent
engineering-related maturity models are usually traced back to the
Software Engineering Institute (SEI), founded by the U.S. Department of
Defence, in the 1980′s (Capability Maturity Model SM for Software,
Version 1.1, 1993). The maturity framework by the SEI, from 1987 to
1997, was referred to as the capability maturity model (CMM). Its main
goal was to provide guidance for software development process,
including capability evaluations of the developed programs (Capability
Maturity Model SM for Software, Version 1.1, 1993). The SE-CMM
model exhibits six levels (Level 0–5); namely: not performed, ad hoc/­
performed informally, planned and tracked, well defined, quantitatively
controlled, and continuously improving. At Level 0, there is a general
failure to perform the base practices in the process. There are no easily
identifiable work products or outputs of the process. While at Level 1,
base practices of the process are generally performed, and work products
of the process testify to its performance. Quantitative process effec­
tiveness and efficiency goals (targets) for performance are established,
based on the business goals of the organisation. Continuous process
improvement against these goals is enabled by quantitative feedback
from performing the defined processes and from piloting innovative
ideas and technologies. Based on the principles of the CMM, several
maturity models were developed and are now used in different in­
dustries and domains such as: health, manufacturing, engineering and
technology (de Bruin et al., 2005).

5
M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al.
4.2. Maturity models for data and information management
Maturity models pertaining to data management and governance
(Charles and Lori, 2015; Firmani et al., 2016; Taleb et al., 2021) are
relevant to RTIMS maturity models, because data is a product that is
engineered for a purpose. Therefore, data management maturity models
overlap with engineering maturity models. However, the overlap is not
complete and because there is also significant overlap between data and
information management concepts, data management maturity models
must be considered independently. RTIMS necessitates concepts like big
data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, IoT and sensors. For
pre-big data firms, the distinction between information and data man­
agement is implicit and could be vernacular. For big data-enabled firms,
the distinction is practical and important. Nonetheless, in the
data-driven scenario, information is derived from data. Hence, for the
purpose of an RTIMS-specific maturity model, we assume that any
practical modern (e.g., big data-enabled) information management
system must contain a robust data management system.
There is substantial literature centred around the concepts of data
management, governance and the tools, standards and business pro­
cesses required for these functions (Charles and Lori, 2015; Henderson
et al., 2017). Particularly relevant to the minerals industry, RTIMS topic
are big data management and digital assets preservation (Charles and
Lori, 2015; Firmani et al., 2016; Taleb et al., 2021). In this case, big data
refers to data that exhibits several characteristics and one specific
definition requires the 4Vs to be satisfied: volume, variety, velocity, and
veracity (Sharma et al., 2021). Essentially, big data is different from
pre-big data in the sense that data that is big cannot be handled using
pre-big data methods. For example, data that has high volume and ve­
locity cannot be stored, in the sense that pre-big data is likened to a finite
volume of water, whereas big data is like a continuous stream. Variety of
data refers to the internal structure of data, and for example, combined
ambient sensor and video stream data has two different internal struc­
tures, which complicates its usage. However, these concepts are key
components of the real-time aspect of IMS, because RTIMS makes use of
a copious amount of highly variable data across sensors, systems and
infrastructure to relay information in the pursuit of low-latency decision
making or monitoring. On the other hand, digital preservation refers to
long-term information assets managed in digitally encoded formats and
systems (Charles and Lori, 2015). Data curation of key snippets or
snapshots of big data, such that they are related to important events,
such as a hazard event, a loss of life, significant reconciliation issues or
environmental contamination is important to enable investigation,
reporting and auditing. This may be important for environmental, social
and governance (ESG) or regulatory compliance, as well as for scientific
and engineering reasons.
A general missing component in data management-specific maturity
models as they pertain to RTIMS is that, by design, they do not account
the origin of data generation. This means that all aspects related to how
a mine might deploy sensors, what to monitor, and where and how to
relay that data to the surface are unconsidered, as data management pre-
supposes the existence of data generation or else there would be little to
manage. Implicitly, expectations placed on data (e.g., of the timeliness
of data) are considered at the data-level only. Below, we summarise
some notable models that measure the maturity of data and information
management.
4.2.1. Data management-data management body of knowledge (DAMA-
DMBOK v2) (Henderson et al., 2017)
The DAMA model is designed for the data management domain, with
an emphasis on information technology and high-level considerations. It
has six levels (Level 0–5); namely: no capability, initial/ad hoc,
repeatable, defined, managed, and optimised. It has 11 knowledge areas
namely: data governance, data architecture, data modelling and design,
data storage & operations, data security, data integration and interop­
erability, documents and content, reference and master data, data
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warehousing and business intelligence, metadata, and data quality. All
of the knowledge areas related to data are either directly supportive of a
greater RTIMS implementation or are essentially the same as what may
be required for RTIMS. As with other data-focused models, consider­
ations regarding sensors and sensor-specific infrastructure (e.g., mostly
in-mine) is weak, implicit at best (e.g., subsumed under data generation
aspects of the data lifecycle in DAMA), or non-existent (e.g., hardware
engineering for sensors). However, it is a flexible sketch of a feasible
model that could be extended to incorporate unique RTIMS components
by more explicitly defining the data generation portion, as well as
environmental and operational challenges associated with infrastruc­
ture and data transport in a mining setting. Nevertheless, for our pur­
pose, the progression of maturity levels are the most relevant. Formal
and organised data management processes do not exist at Level 0,
whereas, little or no governance processes are defined at Level 1. On the
contrary, at the highest maturity level, processes are highly predictable
and data quality is prioritised. This leads to reduced risks since decisions
are made based on data.
4.2.2. The data management capability assessment model (DCAM v2.2)
DCAM was developed to provide a practical assessment model that
upholds core principles of data management that would be used by
practitioners, but also easily understood by non-specialists. Among
other things, DCAM intends to propel organisation maturity forward,
such that an organisation’s data can support digital transformation and
advanced analytics such as Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.
These goals are largely similar to those of our conception of RTIMS,
which makes the DCAM model highly relevant. DCAM also addresses
critical factors of data management such as strategies, technology and
organisational structures. It has six levels (Level 0–5) that address these
critical factors; namely: not initiated, conceptual, developmental,
defined, achieved, and enhanced. Data management is ad hoc at Level 0,
while at Level 1 initial planning session activities dominate. At the
highest maturity level, there is continuous improvement of data man­
agement capabilities, and the operations in an organisation are data-
centric.
4.2.3. TechWhirl content management systems maturity model (CMSMM)
(https://techwhirl.com/content-management-system-maturity-mo
del/)
The model focuses on Content Management Systems (CMS). It was
developed to assist organisations to determine their level of content
management, in terms of the flexibility and efficiency of their processes
and tools. Similar to information and data, content is a broad category
that is intended to provide some usability into either the data or infor­
mation domains (or both). It has four levels (Level 1–4); namely: very
low, low, medium, and high. The model has three main dimensions
(storage, efficiency and flexibility) and each dimension has three spe­
cific criteria. At the lowest level, there are no defined process for content
storage. Audits and reporting are non-existent, most processes are
manual or semi-automated and inconsistently applied. Business rules for
creating, updating or producing content are not identified. However, at
the highest maturity level, well-defined storage, reporting and auditing
process exist and are adhered to. Processes are also automated, and
content is easily located. Business rules are integrated into the CMS and
can be modified as needed. A caveat with the CMS model is that the
storage of big data is not technically suitable and in the context of
RTIMS, we assume that the stored data would be snapshots of a data
stream and not attempts to capture the stream entirely.
4.2.4. Information management maturity (IMM) (Ladley, 2010)
The IMM has five levels (Level 1–5), namely: initial, repeatable,
defined, managed, and optimised. The model considers several maturity
aspects including content, usage and management capability. The model
also provides assessment instruments to assist organisations determine
their maturity level. At the lowest maturity level, individuals have
M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al. The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368

authority over data, so processing is fragmented. There are few users and
any business rules or criteria for behaviour are non-existent; hence, it is
also chaotic. Data quality is far from being integrated, making data
handling costly. At the highest maturity level, there is no need to
determine if information assets are managed effectively because they are
woven into the fabric of the organisation. Real-time innovative use of
content is ubiquitous. There are effective measures in place, to allow
information management to be continuously improved to support
business innovation. Knowledge bases exist, and the distinction between
structured and unstructured data handling are no longer an issue.
4.2.5. Digital preservation capability maturity model (DPCMM) (Charles
and Lori, 2015)
This model was designed to help practitioners identify at a high level
the capabilities of their organisation relative to optimal digital preser­
vation capabilities; and to focus attention on digital continuity as a
discipline for proactively addressing digital preservation issues at or
near the time of the capture/creation of electronic records of long-term
value. The model has five levels (Level 0–4); namely: nominal, minimal,
intermediate, advanced, and optimal. The DPCMM consists of three
interdependent domains, which are: infrastructure, digital preservation
repositories, and services. At the lowest maturity level, most electronic
records that merit long-term preservation are at risk, whereas this is
eliminated at the highest maturity level. In addition, at the highest
maturity level, information is held in file formats which are and will
remain relevant to the applications that use this information. Therefore,
information can be used at any required instant.
4.3. Characteristics of applicable maturity models
Generalisation of both data management and engineering-related
maturity models needs to occur at a sufficiently high level, such that
structure and terminology are distilled and the idiosyncratic differences
between models are discarded. Based on our analysis of existing matu­
rity models that could be relevant to the building of a RTIMS maturity
model for the minerals industry, we standardise the component struc­
ture of existing maturity models and also the terminology. In general,
maturity models seem contain at the least the following components: 1)
systems engineering – improvements to organisational operations at the
system level, including processes, infrastructure and environment; 2)
performance assessment – auditing and benchmarking techniques; and
3) organisational introspection - reflection exercise to strengths, weak­
nesses and opportunities (Capability Maturity Model SM for Software,
Version 1.1, n.d.; Goksen et al., 2015; Henderson et al., 2017; Mettler,
2010; Mettler et al., 2010; Pöppelbuß and Röglinger, 2011; Proença and
Borbinha, 2018). In a review paper, Lasrado et al. (2015) provided a
vocabulary that could be used to standardise the basic parameters upon
which of maturity models are based. Additionally, Mettler et al. (2010)
provided a high-level summary of maturity models that can be adapted
to our identified components. The basic components of maturity models
can be divided into three, namely: general model attributes, model
design, and application purpose (Table 2).
Both the model application purpose and design are equally impor­
tant. This is because model purpose steers model design and all other
details of the model, such that resulting models are fit for purpose. For
example, the concept of maturity and model composition are influenced
and driven by the application purpose. Descriptive application purpose
emphasises model design and focuses on clearly defining the criteria for
each maturity level with a detailed description that is then adapted to
the organisation during model application. For the prescriptive appli­
cation purpose, the focus is on prescribing improvement measures to
achieve the next maturity level, given the current state of the organi­
sation (Pöppelbuß and Röglinger, 2011). The comparative purpose is
more inclined to certification for benchmarking purposes (e.g., ISO
standards) with similar organisations and more strongly invokes the
concept of performance baselines and standardisation.
Generally, any maturity model is segmented into N number of
maturity levels. These levels are a series of typically three to six steps of
increasing sophistication, as presented in Fig. 3. Each level is a defined
evolutionary plateau of improvement that indicates the presence of the
capability of a subset of processes, technology and people skills. The
general idea of dividing models into levels is facilitated by the ease of
acceptance of discrete categories, which psychologically facilitate con­
textualisation and comprehension relative to continuous categories. The
division of levels is based on the idea of punctuated equilibrium in
evolutionary biology. This idea is equally applicable to RTIMS. Hence,
separation of levels should also occur along typical evolutionary punc­
tuations of IMS components. Iterative or cumulative improvements
occur within individual levels and where substantial organisational
changes must occur (e.g., transformative change), the levels change. The
maturation or capability are measured by the achievement of specific
and generic goals associated with each predefined set of focus areas
(Akdil et al., 2018; de Bruin et al., 2005; Röglinger et al., 2012). The
adaptation of the generic goals to organisations occur at the time of
model deployment (e.g., an assessment). Each level of a maturity model
consists of descriptors that will differentiate one level from the other.
Under each descriptor, a summary of what characterises the whole level
is outlined, in terms of pre-defined processes and capabilities. Several
activities under each process or capability, are defined in a particular
level.

Table 2
General maturity model components. Adapted from Mettler et al. (2010).
Model composition Model design Application
purpose

• Name • Concept of maturity • Descriptive

• Acronym (process-oriented) • Prescriptive
• Primary and secondary sources • Composition (CMM- • Comparative
• Addressed domain like)
• Origin (academic or • Reliability (verified)
practitioners) • Mutability (form of
• Audience (internal or external to maturity model)
organisation of development or
both)
• Year of publication
• Access (free or charged)
Fig. 3. Maturity model structure and capabilities drivers.

7
M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al.
5. Considerations for an RTIMS maturity target and model for
the mining sector
5.1. RTIMS basic sub-systems
An excellent management system allows data and information to be
accessed in a timely and accurate fashion, thus enabling stakeholders
make informed and data-driven decisions. To facilitate access to such
data and information, we propose that the RTIMS must have six base
sub-systems. These sub-systems, presented in Fig. 4, are selected based
on the data and information value chain and data lifecycle. They are
namely: (a) data collection or generation; (b) data transfer; (c) data and
information management (storage, security, distribution, archiving,
etc.); (d) data analytics (insight and information generation); (e) data
and information visualisation; and (f) people. It is obvious that RTIMS
are complicated since these systems are integrated to ultimately achieve
the goal of providing information at all levels in real-time. However, in
general, these components invariably contain a full data pipeline from
generation to consumption, specific and modern consumption patterns
(e.g., analytics) and presentation of derived insight and information.
The requirement of real-time information at all phases of the value chain
is the desired goal in a mining operation. Thus, in Fig. 4, all phases are
placed around RTIMS to show their common dependence on techno­
logical advancements. The implication in terms of capability maturity
assessment is that, each phase of the mining value chain contributes to
the assessment score of each sub-system. While the proposed sub-
systems may not be exhaustive, they represent the basics for a mini­
mally capable RTIMS. Mining organisations may add to the architecture
according to their respective business strategies.
5.2. Target RTIMS capability maturity
An effective and minimally adequate RTIMS maturity model must
address three most important areas by summarising the functional
Fig. 4. Mining phases in relation to RTIMS elements.
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The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368
outcome of IMS sub-systems, namely: (a) data and information as a
resource; (b) adequacy of management systems for managing informa­
tion and data; and (c) the real-time factor of information and data
provisioning. Therefore, the RTIMS maturity model needs to address the
capability of its systems in terms of three element depicted in Fig. 5; i.e.,
capability maturity in terms of management of the data and derived
information; capability maturity in terms of the technology and the
defined processes, classified under the systems element; and finally, the
capability maturity of all time-based key performance indicators that
ensure real-time access to all data and information. Each of these ele­
ments are further detailed below.
5.2.1. Data and information as a resource
Access to information about mine operation and safety status is
critical in decision making and strategy formulation. Hence, to enable
mine digitalisation, access to information and data pertaining to the
mining value chain is critical. The real-time component places addi­
tional velocity constraints on the capability of the data pipeline, as well
as the response rate of its use and derivation of insights (to provide in­
formation). Data-driven decision-making (DDDM) has been defined as
the process of using data to inform the decision-making process and
validate a course of action before committing to it (Stobierski, 2019).
Andrieiev (2022) and Stobierski (2019) reported that organisations
whose senior executives make data-driven decisions, are three times
more likely to report significant improvements of their organisations’
performance as compared to those who rely less on data. In this sense,
DDDM is a data-version of a rapid business process-feedback and
correction mechanism that provides businesses with more granular and
timely control over their activities in the achievement of a common
objective. As a result, data and its derived information is considered a
critical resource to achieving business goals. For effective DDDM, there
are requirements on the characteristics of the organisation and its data.
For example, Ladley (2010) emphasises the need to assess organisational
culture towards the use of data, business environment in which the data
M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al.
Fig. 5. RTIMS capability consideration elements. KPI = Key performance indicator.
is generated, capability of information technology infrastructure, use­
fulness of the collected data, leadership’s attitude towards data,
organisational collaborative potential by available data and communi­
cation within the organisation. It should be stated that DDDM, by its
data-driven nature, is not sufficient to independently meet regulatory or
scientific needs, because there is no a-priori guidance (e.g., a regulation
or scientific hypothesis) on what type of data to gather. The impact is
that data that was gathered through DDDM may not support regulatory
compliance or scientific usage, if data was not engineered to meet those
needs.
5.2.2. Management systems
Mastery of processes in terms of procedural and guidance docu­
mentation, data integration, data specifications, data usage (e.g., to
derive information) and storage, is another critical component for the
adoption and evolution of RTIMS. These aspects of any IMS will influ­
ence the pace at which organisations achieve their goals. Furthermore, it
is likely to enable an innovative work culture among front-line em­
ployees because reactive tendencies to resolve issues would be elimi­
nated through utilising well-defined processes. Standardisation of data
and information is a key role of management to ensure that these re­
sources are maximally usable. In the data aspect alone, there is a strong
desire to standardise metadata, reference data, data schema, etc.
(Henderson et al., 2017). Another key functionality of management
systems is to ensure that resulting data and information are of high
quality (Henderson et al., 2017). This requires some form of formalised
quality control and assurance (or QA/QC). The assurance aspect pro­
actively ensures that all managed processes and outputs (e.g., data) are
engineered to specifications that are suitable to downstream usage. The
control aspect is reactive and allows for issues to be detected and miti­
gated before they propagate undesirable effects through DDDM.
Other areas of consideration for RTIMS capability include the tech­
nological capability and the skills of each stakeholder using information
enabled through RTIMS. Evident from modern technologies and con­
cepts like industrial internet of things (IIoT), cloud computing, open-
source platforms and virtual reality, there is no debate that the RTIMS
maturity target would need to account for the technological aspect of
maturity. In addition to well-defined processes and state-of-the-art
technologies, skills possessed by personnel at all stages of the mining
value chain are a function of the RTIMS capability. Thus, the RTIMS
assessment must equally account for personnel and technological
capability across the value chain.
5.2.3. Real-time access to data and information
Enabling access to real-time information for real-time operations,
analytics and visualisation is a key requirement to evolve from IMS to­
ward RTIMS. Mining operations occur continuously even though man­
agement decisions occur discretely. This situation implies that between
management decisions, there is a period during which, information is
gathered and synthesised to guide management and business processes
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The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368
occur according to prior management decision. Because of the desir­
ability of DDDM, the low cost of IIoT sensors (including virtual and soft
sensors), the availability of real-time technology, traditional IMS is
becoming less attractive, even without the drivers specifically for
RTIMS. Having the capability to access real-time information transforms
periodic oversight into a much more dynamic one. This benefits not just
business management but also other areas, such as environment and
safety (e.g., of hazards). Thus, real-time capability needs to be consid­
ered in the maturity model. Process in some sections of the value chain
may change from being designed around queued activities to real-time
and the organisation’s capability to evolve in this direction is a desir­
able target of RTIMS maturity.
With the above, we propose the base definition of the target capa­
bility maturity of RTIMS outlined as Level 5 in Table 3. The defined
target RTIMS capability maturity considers a maturity in information,
management systems and processes employed to manage the informa­
tion, and the real-time aspect of providing the said information. We
submit that the target RTIMS maturity is a state of effective integration
of processes, technologies and capabilities of the constituent sub-
systems to enable provision of information in real-time. The ultimate
goal is met when the organisation has effectively adopted the use of the
system to provide information for decision-making. The final outcome is
when skilled individuals at different levels and sections of the mine can
make decisions based on the output from data analysits and tools, which
is then projected on visualisation dashbords.
5.3. Proposed RTIMS capability maturity model
The proposed framework for measuring the maturity of RTIMS for
the mining industry is presented in Table 3. The scoping was based on
three main areas namely: (a) the business need for RTIMS; (b) the
composition of RTIMS in terms of constituent subsystems; and (c) the
ultimate goal of RTIMS, which is to enable dynamic and smart decision-
making. The design is based on three main target considerations for
achieving the RTIMS goal, which are: (a) data and information as a
resource; (b) management systems; and (c) the real-time aspect. Thus,
the design revolves around the maturity of these considerations. The
design of our maturity model harmonises existing.
The RTIMS maturity assessment can be conducted at multiple scales,
including per department or division, with, for example, the load and
haul division of the operations sections of the value chain. The effective
scale of assessment is important to ensure that the results are repre­
sentative of a system under assessment and not of an individual or loose
collection of related individuals or hardware. Other assessments can
consider an entire section of the mine or even a combined assessment
considering all the phases of the value chain. Fig. 6 provides a high-level
assessment scenario where each section of the value chain is assessed for
each sub-system of the RTIMS.
While the decision on the level of assessment lies with the mining
industry according to their priority, it is important that each assessment
M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al. The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368

Table 3 Table 3 (continued )

RTIMS capability maturity model. Systems capability Information
Systems capability Information maturity levels management maturity
maturity levels management maturity levels, with real-time
levels, with real-time aspect
aspect
either globally the silos of data and
Level Not performed At this stage, the organisation has not recognised the acceptable standards or information that exit
0 need for data-based decisions. organisation-wide within individual
There are no recognisable processes followed to enable standards. functions.
provision and access to information on which teams at Process documentation is The technology function
various levels can base their decisions. evident throughout the is strategically tasked to
Level Initial The organisation has Data resources are in data and information align data across the
1 realised the need and silos. management functions value chain.
value for data and Organisational processes across the value chain. Organisation-wide
information on data are non-existent, Unlike the preceding standards are developed.
management systems hence individuals have level, here the Data becomes less
and the required authority over the data. organisation is proactive, specialised, hence is
processes for enabling Completely no evidence then reactive. shared and reused across
data-based decisions. of data integration, a the value chain.
There is evidence of this case of several different Emphasis on data quality
recognition, but truths. is formalised and
processes are poorly Intra and inter function accountability is
controlled, decision-making is not demanded. As such, tools
unpredictable, and coordinated. to track data usage and
reactive. interpretation across
As such, some decisions functions are used.
are made based on some At this stage, the
available data and organisation realises the
information, regardless value of real-time access
of its quality and to data and information;
reliability. Hence, the technology
Nonetheless, there is no and processes to avail
commitment to making some critical data in real-
data-based decisions. time as opposed to
Hence, risks and weekly or monthly, are
inefficiencies are high. in place.
Experience is mostly Level Measurably and Performance is ’Real-time information’
used; hence results are 4 proactively measured, controlled becomes an
not repeatable. managed and analysed through organisation’s
Level Responsively Some issues are detected Sections/departments available processes. catchphrase.
2 managed before KPIs are across the value chain There is an organisation- The organisation
negatively impacted, recognise the impact of wide use of data to strategies and action
although failures are making decisions based predict and quantify align to enable access to
experienced at times. on the same data, single performance in all information in real-time,
First-line workers are source of truth. sections of the value at all levels.
trained and skilled to However, data usage is chain. Use of data, especially
prevent issues. Although still reactive. Issues are proactively real-time data,
information is still not Standardisation is mostly detected and resolved documentation and data
adequately and timely within each department/ before end users are management are
accessed. function; hence data is aware or priority KPIs integrated in the
Specified procedures are specialised. and areas are affected. organisation’s culture.
planned, tracked, and Results within a Past issues and There is intra and inter
verified. Therefore, department are resolutions are functional collaborations
results are repeatable. repeatable. automatically on content and data.
There is commitment to documented as To enable cross function
making decisions based learnings. collaboration, data
on data trends and The distinction from the quality is built into
critical decisions are preceding level is that defined processes.
tracked to establish their now defined processes Data security, storage
base. are quantitatively and backup processes are
Unlike the preceding understood. in place and
level, here the accountability is
performance of the demanded.
RTIMS is planned and Level Preventive & Computing and network There are effective
managed. 5 optimised communication systems and processes to
Though planned and infrastructure are enable smart and
managed, the processes flexible to manage and dynamic decisions
are not strictly based on transfer all data types. including remote mining.
standardised Non-contact sensors are Tools for blending
organisation-wide optimally used especially structured and
processes, but within for mine environments unstructured data are in
functions/departments. prone to safety risks. place.
As such, the organisation The use of common Real-time big data
is reactive. open-source tools and analytics and content
Level Well defined Processes are well At this level, the components is integrated visualisation are the
3 understood, defined and organisation is into all projects. organisation’s strength.
characterised based on determined to integrate Automation is achieved
in almost all operations
(continued on next page)

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M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al. The Extractive Industries and Society 16 (2023) 101368

Table 3 (continued ) 6. Conclusion

Systems capability Information
maturity levels management maturity In this paper, we established from literature that there are strong
levels, with real-time drivers toward low-latency, or real-time generation, transportation,
aspect analysis and management of data and its derived information, which
across the value chain. necessitates the RTIMS concept. RTIMS in mining would potentially
Almost all issues, improve: worker health and safety, operations efficiency, productivity,
including avoidable
environmental and social responsibility. Natural progression towards
potential disasters are
resolved and mitigated more challenging mineral deposits, harsher or deeper mining environ­
before affecting the ments, additional market competition, greater awareness of the envi­
priority KPIs and areas. ronment and social license to operate are some of the top drivers of mine
Stakeholders at all mine modernisation. In addition, three key enabling components of mine
operation levels are
skilled and fully
modernisation directly impacting the success of RTIMS implementation
empowered to resolve and maturity were identified as people and culture, environment and
current issues, prevent technology. We further found and highlighted the general lack of
future problems by maturity models that are precisely tailored for IMS, with particular in­
effective escalation
terest in RTIMS domain and even more so in mining, where challenges
processes.
Processes are stable and are numerous pertaining to the generation and transportation of data.
flexible in terms of This is due to mining-specific environmental and operational con­
improvement based on straints. Hence, it is important to create a mining-suitable RTIMS
measured performance maturity model, to enable business and sub-system maturity to be
against goals and values
of the organisation.
evaluated. Six sub-systems are proposed in our model that include: data
Innovative ideas collection; transmission; management; analytics; visualisation; and
encouraged and people. An integrated approach to measuring RTIMS maturity has been
attractively rewarded. proposed where input from multiple maturity models is required. Here,
Continuous ’process
the focus was placed on the RTIMS capability in terms of three assess­
refinement and
improvement’ is the ment areas namely, information maturity, process maturity and real-
main theme. time operations maturity. Precisely, six capability levels ranging from
level 0 to level 5, were proposed; where for example, level 0 is the lowest
stage, such that organisations manage RTIMS and the associated pro­
within a chosen section considers the maturity of each RTIMS sub- cesses through the heroic efforts of individuals, with undefined and ad
system, after which an overall score is obtained. To ensure that all hoc strategies. In addition, an assessment that considers RTIMS maturity
phases in the mining value chain are considered in the RTIMS maturity for each phase of the mining value chain was suggested to ensure that all
assessment process, a holistic assessment approach is advised. This stages of the chain can leverage accurate and timely information as a
approach considers the final maturity level of RTIMS based on scores critical resource.
from all mine phases per applicable RTIMS sub-systems. It is important
to score each sub-system independently with the scores across sub- Funding
systems not composited or aggregated, because technically, the sub-
systems are maximally-independent dimensions of RTIMS and a com­ Funding for this research was provided by the Minerals Council of
bined score of any type would disguise issues in sub-systems. The au­ South Africa and Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) through
thors acknowledge how complex and costly a holistic assessment can be, Mandela Mining Precinct’s Real-Time Information Management Sys­
especially if it is conducted by an external partner. As a result, devel­ tems (RTIMS) hosted at the Wits Mining Institute, University of the
opment of assessment tools that mining organisations can internally use Witwatersrand. Additional funding is from the DSI-National Research
are proposed as future recommended work to complement this frame­ Foundation (NRF) Thuthuka Grant (Grant UID: 121973) and DSI-NRF
work proposal. CIMERA.

Fig. 6. Example of an RTIMS assessment model. Each stage of the value chain is assessed for each applicable RTIMS sub-system.

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M. Shimaponda-Nawa et al.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial
interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence
the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank two anonymous reviewers for their
constructive comments which have greatly improved this study. Prof.
Gavin Hilson is also thanked for editorial handling.
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 International Journal of Thermofluids 20 (2023) 100458

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

International Journal of Thermofluids

journal homepage: www.sciencedirect.com/journal/international-journal-of-thermofluids

Evaluation on power information data asset management system based on

BP neural network
Yue Tian , Qingbo Kong *, Xinping Miao , Xun Li , Fangquan Wu
Information Center of Guizhou Power Grid Co. LTD., Guizhou 550000, China

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: With the popularization and development of the current power system, power information data asset manage­
Data asset management system ment plays a crucial role in modern power systems. However, traditional management methods have some
Back propagation neural network problems, such as low information processing efficiency, low prediction accuracy, and insufficient decision
Power information
support. In order to better promote its development and achieve efficient management of power information data
System design
Data processing
assets, this article aimed to use BP neural network (Back Propagation Neural Network) to design a power in­
formation data asset management system, achieving efficient processing and accurate analysis of power infor­
mation data. In the article, data preprocessing was achieved through data separation, data cleaning, and data
normalization processing. Compared with the traditional power asset management system, it has better man­
agement efficiency, lightens the difficulty of asset management and reduces the error rate. In this paper, the
power information data is modeled and trained by BP neural network modeling, and the performance index is
minimized by error back propagation, and the optimized BP neural network model is integrated into the power
information data asset management system to realize data processing and decision support. In order to verify the
performance of the power information data asset management system based on BP neural network, this paper
tested its system performance. The research results showed that the average processing accuracy of the system
under this method for basic data in 10 test cases reached 91.467 %, and the average rationality of decision
support reached 89.6 %. The average processing accuracy of real-time data reached 91.625 %, and the average
rationality of decision support reached 90.25 %. The average processing accuracy of application data reached
90.675 %, and the average rationality of decision support reached 90.2 %. The results showed that the system
under this method has higher accuracy in data processing and can better achieve decision support. This study
highlighted the important impact of BP neural networks on data processing, data prediction, decision support,
and data security in power information data asset management systems, providing more possibilities for
achieving efficient processing and accurate analysis of power information data.

Introduction comprehensively and from multiple perspectives, it can improve the

With the rapid development of emerging power systems and the
improvement of information technology, it is of great significance to
enhance the value of power information data assets through efficient
management, analysis, and utilization of continuously generated
massive business data [1]. At the same time, with the wider application
of artificial intelligence and other technologies, a large amount of het­
erogeneous power information data would be generated in the engi­
neering construction, equipment operation, and risk control of power
enterprises. If the scientific management and rational use of power in­
formation data can be carried out, and the deep internal value can be
direct economic benefits and external social benefits of power enter­
prises. To achieve scientific management and rational use of power in­
formation data, it is necessary to use power information data asset
management systems. However, traditional systems have problems such
as low data processing accuracy, low prediction accuracy, and high data
risks, which are difficult to effectively promote the better development
of power enterprises. Therefore, in order to better promote the devel­
opment of power enterprises and better implement their requirements
for power information data asset management, this article introduces
the BP neural network into the design of power information data asset
management system. It is hoped that the optimization of the BP neural

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: kqb2603@163.com (Q. Kong).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijft.2023.100458

Available online 11 September 2023

2666-2027/© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/4.0/).
Y. Tian et al.
network model can improve the system’s data processing ability and
prediction accuracy, and make the system performance more perfect
[2]. At the same time, it can also provide more theoretical basis for the
wider application of BP neural networks.The optimization model of BP
neural network can help more systems to analyze data accurately,
manage data accurately, judge and screen accurately, and improve data
accuracy.
As an important intangible asset in enterprises, data and information
resources need to be managed reasonably in order to achieve sustainable
ecological circulation. On this basis, managers should also use system­
atic methods to effectively evaluate their actual value. With the
increasing emphasis on data asset management, more and more scholars
are exploring it. Yufei et al. believed that data is increasingly becoming
an important strategic asset for enterprises. She elaborated on the design
ideas and main contents of a value realization oriented data asset
management system, showcased a complete data asset management
system, emphasized the important role of data operations, and con­
structed a practical path for data asset management system, summari­
zing the development trends of data asset management [3]. Guohe et al.
believed that building a data asset management system has become an
inevitable choice for enterprises to respond to the needs of the big data
era. He has conducted in-depth research on the data asset management
system from the organizational system, control system and system
platform, thus laying a solid foundation for the subsequent construction
of the data asset management system [4]. Aremu et al. introduced the
practice standard of using asset data to develop machine learning
analysis tools for predictive maintenance, and said that it can provide a
standard method to ensure the form of asset data and retain the asset
information required for optimal predictive maintenance during data
conversion [5]. Karim et al. used link data to transfer information data
from building information modeling to traditional or advanced asset
management platform in the context of asset management, and indi­
cated that this method can ensure effective data integration between
different fields [6]. These scholars’ research on data asset management
can enrich its theoretical content and provide certain support for the
establishment of data asset management systems or system platforms,
but there are also some shortcomings. It does not point out the short­
comings of the data asset management system, such as insufficient in­
ternal driving force, the existence of data islands that hinder internal
data sharing, and the low efficiency and agility of data development.
With the increasing attention paid to power information data, some
scholars have also paid attention to the importance of power informa­
tion data asset management. From the perspective of power data asset
management, they have explored the importance of their research and
analyzed the value of power data asset management. Centering on the
core concept of information ecology of electric power enterprises, Feifei
et al. proposed an ecological model of data asset control in electric
power enterprises and applied it to the management process of data
assets in power supply enterprises, pointing out that the model can
effectively evaluate and explore the deep application value of data assets
in power supply enterprises [7]. Zhi et al. believed that the data asset
management of electric power enterprises is the basis for the construc­
tion of enterprise data midrange architecture. He put forward the idea of
“data management”, and used it as a guide to build a “standardized” and
“refined” electric power data system, improving the overall competi­
tiveness of enterprises in the context of “big data interconnection” [8].
Scholars’ research on power data asset management can not only serve
as a basis for building a power information data asset management
system, but also provide more possibilities for optimizing power infor­
mation data. However, due to the lack of integration with the current
popular BP neural network and detailed explanation of the design
method of power information data asset management system, the
research cannot be well applied. Based on the research of the above
scholars, it can be seen that the current research on power information
data asset management systems is relatively shallow, and few scholars
have applied BP neural networks to the design of power information
2
International Journal of Thermofluids 20 (2023) 100458
data asset management systems, resulting in a relatively blank theo­
retical research.
In order to better improve the effectiveness of the power information
data asset management system, this article constructs the latest power
information data asset management system based on the modeling and
optimization analysis of BP neural network, combined with traditional
information data asset management systems. Through empirical
research, it is found that the system constructed in this article has higher
accuracy in data processing, more accurate prediction results, and
higher data security. Compared with traditional systems, the innovation
of this system lies in its focus on the effectiveness of BP neural network
in data processing, modeling, and prediction, and its application in
system optimization design. This helps to improve the management
effectiveness of power information data asset management systems,
ultimately achieving efficient processing and accurate analysis of power
data.
Design and implementation of power information data asset
management system based on BP neural network
System evaluation
System functional requirement
In constructing the electric power information data asset manage­
ment system, its primary goal is to promote the effective management of
electric power information data assets by electric power enterprises,
which can organically combine advanced technical methods with data
analysis content to better manage data, design and implement a com­
plete synergistic and pervasive data asset management body system, and
provide support for the effective operation of electric power enterprise
data assets. The main framework structure of the power information
data asset management system is shown in Fig. 1.
Logically speaking, the power information data asset management
system can be divided into three levels. The first layer is a data access
layer (or persistence layer), which is responsible for receiving data ac­
cess; the second layer is the business logic layer, which performs specific
operations on data and processes data business through specific logic;
the third layer provides users with a human-computer interaction
interface and a display layer for displaying and receiving information.
Therefore, the power information data asset management system can be
designed as data access layer, business logic layer and human-computer
interface. The data access layer is responsible for receiving data access,
and the business logic layer performs specific operations on data and
handles data business through specific logic.
The design and implementation of the power information data asset
management system has brought an efficient and collaborative data
asset management platform to power enterprises, which can better meet
the actual needs of data asset realization. According to the business
process, realization mode of the power enterprise and the demand
analysis of the demander, the system should have the requirements of
data storage, data security control, data processing, data application
management, business process management, data and information
visualization management, etc. Due to the large amount of power in­
formation data, a data storage platform needs to be established for data
management and storage. However, before storing the data, the data
should be processed, and after that, the data interface should be pro­
vided for the outside world. It should be ensured that it is consistent with
the outside world before it can be used by the users.
However, due to the high and more complex demand for power data
nowadays, its data asset management services are mainly applied to data
mining in data asset management systems. In order to better complete
data mining, based on the principle of safety and reliability, this article
would combine BP neural network to study the power information data
asset management system.
Y. Tian et al. International Journal of Thermofluids 20 (2023) 100458

Business module

Presentation layer Platform

management

Data application

Business process
Function
management

Business logic layer Platform visualization

Business
management

Data application
Logic
management

Database-
Data access layer
connection-pool

Fig. 1. The main framework structure of the power information data asset management system.

Power information data asset management process
In the power data information asset management system, informa­
tion organizers need to store external data of the enterprise in the en­
terprise’s data warehouse, and store real-time data generated by
producers in the production and operation of the enterprise in the real-
time collection data storage area [9]. After converting some of the
real-time collected data in the data storage system, it is stored in the
enterprise data warehouse. However, data with high retrieval fre­
quency, good data structure, and high application value in enterprise
data warehouses would be stored in hot data storage areas after
collection. In the data analysis stage, the organizer needs to conduct
offline and real-time analysis of data from various department control
systems. In the data application stage, users need to pay attention to the
efficiency, quality, and value of data assets, hoping to achieve the
maximum value of work results with the highest efficiency. Data
dissemination can build a data product system, and continue to improve
it iteratively, so as to realize data ecological openness, orderly compe­
tition, division of labor and cooperation, and mutual benefit. The pro­
cess of managing power information data assets is shown in Fig. 2.
Design of power information data asset management system
Data preprocessing
Electric power enterprises have a long history of development and
store a variety of data. Therefore, electric power enterprises must pay
close attention to data quality, identify clear data information visuali­
zation, and reduce the time of managers in data interpretation, so that
they can play a more important role in monitoring data sources [10].
There are four methods of data cleaning: dealing with incomplete data
values, detecting and calculating erroneous values, checking and elim­
inating duplicate records and detecting inconsistencies (within data
sources and between different sources).Data and information visuali­
zation management requirement objects also include many data sources,
which need to be monitored comprehensively, such as data quality. Data
preprocessing is an important step in ensuring data quality [11,12].
Therefore, when designing the system, it is first necessary to preprocess
the data. The data preprocessing process is shown in Fig. 3.
First, the data are separated from the traditional data asset
management system and a relatively independent database is estab­
lished. The collected power information data is used as an input to the
BP neural network, as the power information data signal is inevitably
affected by a variety of noise and causes fluctuations and jumps in the
measured current and voltage. To ensure the authenticity of measure­
ment results, relevant methods can be used for data cleaning [13].
Data cleaning is a very important step in data preprocessing [14]. At
the judgment point, in order to filter out noise interference at the
determined point, a recursive average filtering algorithm can be used for
filtering [15]. The formula is:
1∑ i
A(m) = A(m − j + 1) (1)
i j=1
Among them: i is the average filtered data length, which is the
number of measurements;
A(m) is the preprocessing result of sampled data;
A(m − j + 1) is the (m − j + 1) sampling data.
After the above preprocessing, the obtained data would be more
stable, laying the foundation for obtaining real and reliable network
training data.
Afterwards, there is data normalization processing. Because the
neural network is adjusting the weights, and the training samples
change by a large margin, its error increases, and the change in weights
gradually increases, making it difficult to adjust. Certain methods can be
used to obtain a compressed representation of the data set with the
certainty that the same analytical results can be produced. To facilitate
the training of the BP neural network, this article quantifies the input
sample data and trains the neural network, resulting in high accuracy.
Feature extraction
Electric power information data is extremely important, and it is
necessary to have strict requirements for the data and give sufficient
attention. Data can be deprivileged to achieve depriviletization before
being used by the outside world. The de-privatized data assets can be
better realized and are of great significance to the power information
data asset management system. Due to the uncertainty and universality
of data, it is necessary to have an interface that can modify rules. At the

3
Y. Tian et al. International Journal of Thermofluids 20 (2023) 100458

Data
data replication Data cleaning
preprocessing

Data
Data feature
Data statistics normalization
extraction
processing

Departments
Development and
Power information data involved
construction department
warehouse

Power dispatching
department
Model
BP modeling Data training
optimization
Finance department

Offline On-line
Data analysis analysis analysis Asset management
department

Marketing department

Data Data Data

application application application
sharing viewing review

Data
Application and management application
of data in the system management

Fig. 2. Flowchart of power information data asset management.

same time, due to the diversity of data sources, feature extraction is

1 ∑
necessary to ensure a unified interface for the data. This article adopts a q= q (3)
Mq q ∈Mq n
dual threshold detection feature extraction method to extract key fea­ n

tures from existing power data for subsequent data analysis and decision
The normal angle feature weight value eφ(qn,g) of the power infor­
support [16].
mation data sampling point in its g-neighborhood is defined as threshold
Assuming the obtained power dataset is Q = {qn = (bn,cn,dn) ∈ T3|n
1, which is the average normal angle in the power data sampling point
= 1, 2, ⋅⋅⋅, M}, then for each power data sampling point q, it is defined as
domain. The formula is as follows:
Mq = {qn|q ∈ Q|qn − q| < s, n = 1, 2, ⋅⋅⋅, g} in the g neighborhood with a
radius of s. 1∑
g
eφ (qn , g) = φ (4)
Accurate normal vector information is essential in power informa­ g o=1 no
tion data preprocessing, segmentation, feature extraction and surface
reconstruction. This paper estimates the scattered power data through If the mean curvature at qn is Kn, then in the adjacent area near the
the normal vector information, and constructs the covariance matrix: sample point g, the local characteristic weight value eK(qn,g) of its mean
curvature can be defined by the formula:
⎡ q1 − q ⎤S ⎡ q1 − q ⎤ √̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
g
1 ∑ ( ⃒⃒ ⃒⃒ )2 √̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
⎢ q2 − q ⎥ ⎢ q2 − q ⎥ eK (qn , g) = Kqn − K + (Kn − K) (5)
V=⎢ ⎥ ⎢
⎣ ⋮ ⎦ ⎣ ⋮ ⎦
⎥ (2) g n

qg − q qg − q Among them: K is the mean curvature in the neighborhood of sam­

pling point qn.
The degree of deviation of the neighboring points of power data The above method is used to obtain the feature weight value of the
sampling point bn from the center of gravity can be expressed by the normal included angle of the power information data samples and the
formula:

4
Y. Tian et al. International Journal of Thermofluids 20 (2023) 100458

Fig. 3. Data preprocessing process.

local feature weight value of the mean curvature at the sample points, ∑
which realizes the effective extraction of the key features of the power a=
̂ φs Zs (10)
information data and provides a basis for subsequent data analysis and
s

decision-making. Among them: ̂ a is the output variable of the neural network system;
φs is the weight coefficient.
BP neural network modeling The criterion function is:
BP neural network uses a large amount of historical data as the basis
[a − ̂a ]2 e 2
for calculation, which can mine deeper data information and undergo F= − (11)
repeated training to ultimately obtain predicted evaluation results [17]. 2 2
Therefore, the power information database can serve as the basis for Through the error BP, the performance index can be minimized to
training and verifying historical data. This article uses the BP neural the maximum extent. In order to ensure the stability of the system, the
network model to model and train a large amount of power information actual output a of the power information data asset management system
data in power enterprises, in order to achieve its prediction and decision is used as the feedback signal, and it is compared with the output a of the
support. neural network identifier, so that F < σ, of which σ is a small number. If
As the most commonly used neural network, the proportion of BP the demand cannot be met, the weight coefficient would be continuously
neural network in the entire neural network application is approxi­ adjusted to meet the demand. According to the backpropagation
mately 80 %. The BP neural network model is a multilayer feedforward calculation formula, the weight coefficient correction law can be ob­
neural network that uses the error BP to conduct supervised learning on tained, and the formulas are:
the neural network [18].
∂F
Assuming the input layer of the BP network is as follows: Δφs = − τ = τ[a − ̂
a ]Zs (12)
∂φs
Q = {q(1), ⋯q(x)} (6)
a ]h′(nets )φs Q
Δast = τ[a − ̂ (13)
Among them: q is power information data.
The hidden layers of the BP network are: Among them: τ is the correction rate (0 ≤ τ ≤ 1).
∑ After the training is completed, the training model needs to be
nets = ast Q (7) stored, and the power information data that needs to be predicted and
f
analyzed needs to be substituted into the model. Then, the optimized BP
Zs = p(nets ) (8) neural network model is integrated into the power information data
asset management system to achieve data processing and decision sup­
1 − e− q port functions. Finally, the testing interface of the power information
p(q) = q
(9) data asset management system based on BP neural network is shown in
1 + e−
Fig. 4.
Among them: ast is the weight coefficient;
This paper starts from the functional requirement of the system, and
p(q) is the system excitation function or transfer function.
designs the power information data asset management system into
The output layer of the BP network is:
business process management, platform visual management, application
management, data storage, data processing, and data asset security

5
Y. Tian et al. International Journal of Thermofluids 20 (2023) 100458

Fig. 4. Test interface diagram of the power information data asset management system.

control modules. According to its functional requirement, the data

application management module is divided into four sub modules: data Table 1
System test environment.
application sharing, viewing, auditing and management. The main
functions of the data application management module are to analyze Serial Environmental Detailed information Model
Number types
and view the system data, audit the data, and classify and manage the
system data. When a user applies information filtering to data that has 1 Operating Web server running Nginx Mainline
not passed the review, the system would judge whether the user has the environment version
2 Programming Python
permission to review the data. The final result shows that the user has language
this permission, and the user can review the data and apply it to the data 3 Database Structured query
list. Before users browse the data application, the system first verifies language
their identity and confirms it before users can browse information about 4 Development tool Visual studio
5 Running the operating Windows 10
the data application.
system
6 Client Environment System memory 8Gigabyte
Evaluation of power information data asset management system 7 Display resolution 1920×1080
based on BP neural network 8 System browser Chrome
9 Cluster Storage space 1Terabyte
10 Configuration Network Fast Ethernet
Experimental design and data sources

This article applies the optimized BP neural network model to the management test cases are shown in Table 2.
system, thus forming the latest power information data asset manage­ Among them, “yes” is represented by 1, and “no” is represented by 0.
ment system. To better demonstrate the role of this model in power From Table 2, it can be seen that the results of the system role
information data asset management systems, this article also needs to management test case were basically in line with expectations, with only
compare and test the accuracy of data processing, prediction results, a few results not meeting expectations.
decision support effectiveness, and data security of systems using BP The table of test case results for system data is shown in Table 3.
neural networks and traditional methods, in order to better verify the From Table 3, it can be seen that the results of the system’s data test
superiority of power information data asset management systems based
on BP neural networks. The system testing environment is shown in
Table 1. Table 2
To test the performance of the power information data asset man­ System role management test case results.
agement system based on BP neural network, this paper divided the Test Can a complete list of Can successful prompt Is it consistent with
power information data into three types: basic data, real-time data, and case roles be displayed information be set actual expectations
application data. A local power enterprise was selected as the research 1 1 1 1
object, and 10 sets of power information data from the enterprise were 2 0 1 1
randomly selected as test cases. The accuracy, prediction accuracy, de­ 3 1 1 1
4 1 0 0
cision support effect, and security of the system in this paper were
5 1 1 1
compared with the traditional system for the processing of basic data, 6 1 0 1
real-time data, and application data in 10 sets of test cases to draw 7 1 1 1
relevant conclusions. However, before testing the system, this article 8 0 1 1
still needs to analyze 10 sets of test cases from two aspects: system role 9 0 1 1
10 1 1 1
management and system data application. The results of system role

6
Y. Tian et al. International Journal of Thermofluids 20 (2023) 100458

Table 3 indicating that the system still had many shortcomings. As shown in
System data application test case results table. Fig. 5(B), the system’s processing accuracy for the basic data in Test Case
Test Can data Can data Can data application Is it consistent 1 under the proposed method was 90.75 %; the processing accuracy for
case application be management be with the actual real-time data was 91.77 %; the processing accuracy for application data
sharing be edited carried out results was 90.52 %. The processing accuracy of basic data in Test Case 10 was
achieved
94.25 %; real-time data processing accuracy was 94.22 %; application
1 1 1 1 1 data processing accuracy was 92.08 %. The average processing accuracy
2 1 1 1 1 of basic data in 10 test cases was 91.467 %; the average processing ac­
3 0 1 1 1
4 1 1 1 1
curacy of real-time data was 91.625 %; the average processing accuracy
5 1 0 1 1 of application data was 90.675 %. From it, it can be seen that the overall
6 0 1 1 1 processing accuracy of the system under the method proposed in this
7 1 1 1 1 article was relatively high, mostly around 90 %. The average processing
8 1 1 1 1
accuracy of the three types of data in 10 test cases was also above 90 %,
9 1 1 1 1
10 1 1 1 1 which meant that the data processing performance of the system in this
article was good and can better meet the actual needs of the current
power information data asset management system for data processing.
cases were consistent with expectations, indicating that the selected test
cases can be used as system test samples. Comparison of prediction accuracy
After comparing the accuracy of the two systems, this article also
Evaluation of experimental results needs to test the prediction accuracy of the two systems. Prediction
accuracy is also an important manifestation of system performance. The
Comparison of data processing accuracy higher the prediction accuracy of a system, the stronger its ability to
Accuracy is the most direct manifestation of measuring the perfor­ manage power information data and provide better support for subse­
mance of power information data asset management systems. The quent decision-making. Generally speaking, prediction accuracy is
higher the accuracy, the stronger the data processing ability of the usually represented by errors. Therefore, this article compared the
system and the more superior the system. This article compared the relative errors of two systems for three different power information data
processing accuracy of the power information data asset management in 10 sets of test cases, as shown in Fig. 6.
system for basic data, real-time data, and application data in 10 sets of The horizontal coordinates in Fig. 6(A) and (B) are test cases and the
test cases using two different methods. The results are shown in Fig. 5. vertical coordinates are relative errors.
The horizontal coordinates in Fig. 5(A) and (B) are test cases and the From Fig. 6(A) and (B), it can be seen that the relative error of the
vertical coordinates are accuracy results. traditional method system for predicting the basic data in Test Case 1
From Fig. 5(A), it can be seen that the system under traditional was 9.88 %; the relative error of real-time data prediction was 9.37 %;
methods had an accuracy of 81.21 % for processing basic data in Test the relative error of application data prediction was 8.41 %. The system
Case 1, 77.65 % for real-time data, and 80.23 % for application data. The under this method had a relative error of 3.15 % for basic data predic­
processing accuracy of basic data in Test Case 10 was 80.29 %; the tion in Test Case 1, 2.94 % for real-time data prediction, and 3.23 % for
processing accuracy of real-time data was 78.98 %; the processing ac­ application data prediction. Compared to the system under traditional
curacy of application data was 79.57 %. The average processing accu­ methods, the relative error of the system under this method for basic
racy of basic data in 10 test cases was 80.17 %; the average processing data prediction in Test Case 1 was 6.73 % lower; the relative error of
accuracy of real-time data was 77.78 %; the average processing accuracy real-time data prediction was 6.43 % lower; the relative error of appli­
of application data was 79.018 %. Overall, under traditional methods, cation data prediction was 5.18 % lower. In Test Case 10, under tradi­
the system’s processing accuracy for all three types of data was not high, tional methods, the relative error of the system in predicting the basic
and its accuracy was basically controlled to fluctuate around 80 %, data in Test Case 10 was 8.22 %; the relative error of real-time data

Fig. 5. Comparison of data processing accuracy between two systems.

(A): The processing accuracy of the system under traditional methods for basic data, real-time data, and application data. (B): The processing accuracy of the system
under the method of this article for basic data, real-time data, and application data.

7
Y. Tian et al. International Journal of Thermofluids 20 (2023) 100458

Fig. 6. Comparison of prediction accuracy between two systems.

Fig. 6(A). The prediction accuracy of the system under traditional methods for basic data, real-time data, and application data.
Fig. 6(B). The prediction accuracy of the system under this method for basic data, real-time data, and application data.

prediction was 9.21 %; the relative error of application data prediction
was 7.27 %. The system under this method had a relative error of 2.15 %
for basic data prediction in Test Case 10, 2.89 % for real-time data
prediction, and 3.05 % for application data prediction. Compared to the
system under traditional methods, the relative error of the system in this
article for basic data prediction in Test Case 10 has been reduced by
6.07 %; the relative error of real-time data prediction has been reduced
by 6.32 %; the relative error of application data prediction has been
reduced by 4.22 %. From it, it can be seen that the relative error of the
system under this method for data prediction was much lower than that
under traditional methods. This means that the prediction accuracy of
this system is higher, and its ability to manage power information data is
stronger, which can better provide support for subsequent decision-
making. Compared to traditional systems, the use value of the system
in this article is higher. The reason is that the system in this article ap­
plies the BP neural network model during system optimization. By
modeling and optimizing the BP neural network model, it improves its
prediction accuracy and achieves better data prediction.
Comparison of decision support effectiveness
The effectiveness of decision support is the most important role of
power information data asset management systems. Generally speaking,
the effectiveness of decision support was evaluated based on rationality.
This article compared the rationality of two systems for three different
types of power information data decision support in 10 sets of test cases,
and the results are shown in Fig. 7.
The horizontal coordinates in Fig. 7(A) and (B) are both test cases,
and the vertical coordinates are both decision support rationalizations.
From Fig. 7(A) and (B), it can be seen that the average rationality of
decision support for basic data in 10 sets of test cases using traditional
methods was 79.44 %, 76.51 % for real-time data decision support, and
78.59 % for application data decision support. The average rationality of
the decision support for the basic data in 10 sets of test cases in the
system under this method was 89.6 %; the average rationality of real-
time data decision support was 90.25 %; the average rationality of de­
cision support for application data was 90.2 %. Compared to the system
under traditional methods, the decision support rationality of this

Fig. 7. Comparison of decision support rationality between two systems.

Fig. 7(A). The rationality of decision support for basic data, real-time data, and application data in the traditional method system.
Fig. 7(B). The rationality of decision support for basic data, real-time data, and application data in the system under the method proposed in this article.

8
Y. Tian et al.
system for basic data, real-time data, and application data was higher,
and the decision support rationality of this system for all three types of
data was basically controlled at over 87 %. Overall, the decision support
rationality of the system in this paper is higher, which means that the
decision support effect of the system under this method is better, and can
provide more assistance for power enterprises to make correct decisions.
Safety comparison
There is a large amount of data stored in the power information data
asset management system, so special attention should be paid to system
data security. High security data is not only conducive to protecting the
normal operation of the power system, but also helps power companies
make decisions. Usually, the security of data is reflected through its
ability to resist attacks. This article compared the anti attack perfor­
mance of two systems against three different types of power information
data in 10 sets of test cases, and the results are shown in Fig. 8.
The horizontal coordinates in both Fig. 8(A) and (B) are the test cases
and the vertical coordinates are the attack resistance of the data.
In Fig. 8(A), the basic data in Test Case 8 had the highest attack
resistance at 86.6 %, while the basic data in Test Case 5 and Test Case 6
had the lowest attack resistance at 79.6 % and 78.3 %, respectively. The
Test Case 6 had the highest real-time data attack resistance, with an
attack resistance of 85.2 %. The Test Cases 4 and 5 had the lowest attack
resistance, with an attack resistance of 78.5 % and 79.7 %, respectively.
In terms of application data security, Test Case 4 had the highest resis­
tance to attack, with a resistance of 85.6 %. The Test Case 7 had the
lowest resistance to attack, with a resistance of 79.4 %. Overall, the data
in traditional methods’ systems is not highly resistant to attacks, and
there are significant security issues with their data. In Fig. 8(B), the basic
data in Test Case 3 and Test Case 10 had the highest attack resistance,
with 95.4 % and 95.5 %, respectively. The basic data in Test Case 4 and
Test Case 8 had the lowest attack resistance, with 89.7 % and 89.9 %,
respectively. The Test Case 6 had the highest real-time data attack
resistance, with an attack resistance of 95.3 %. The Test Case 1 had the
lowest attack resistance, with an attack resistance of 87.9 %. In terms of
application data security, Test Case 2 had the highest attack resistance,
with an attack resistance of 94.1 %. The Test Case 5 had the lowest
attack resistance, with an attack resistance of 88.2 %. Compared with
traditional methods, the overall anti attack performance of the data in
the system under this method was higher, with a basic level of over 87
Fig. 8. Comparison of data security between two systems.
Fig. 8(A). Security of basic data, real-time data, and application data in the system under traditional methods.
Fig. 8(B). Basic data, real-time data, and application data security in the system under the method proposed in this article.
9
International Journal of Thermofluids 20 (2023) 100458
%. This indicated that the power information data security in the system
under this method is higher, which can better achieve the management
of power information data assets and help store enterprises make better
decisions.
Conclusions
Due to the more comprehensive development of the current power
system, power information data asset management has attracted more
attention from people. The focus of this article is on the power infor­
mation data asset management system based on BP neural network.
Firstly, the relevant background of the research was introduced, and the
strengths and weaknesses of previous scholars’ research on power data
asset management were comprehensively analyzed. Afterwards, the
design and implementation of the power information data asset man­
agement system were mainly discussed. In the process of designing the
system, this article introduced the currently widely used BP neural
network. By modeling and optimizing the BP neural network, it was
integrated into the power information data asset management system to
achieve functional optimization of the system. Finally, in order to verify
the performance of the power information data asset management sys­
tem constructed by introducing BP neural network, this paper compared
it with the system under traditional methods. The research results
showed that the system in this paper has higher accuracy in data pro­
cessing, better prediction accuracy, better decision-making support ef­
fect, and higher data security, which can better meet the actual needs of
power information data asset management in today’s power enterprises.
It has a wide range of application value. However, there are also some
shortcomings in this study, and further research is needed in the future.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Yue Tian: Writing – review & editing. Qingbo Kong: Writing – re­
view & editing. Xinping Miao: Writing – review & editing. Xun Li:
Writing – review & editing. Fangquan Wu: Writing – review & editing.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors confirm that the content of the manuscript has not been
published or submitted for publication elsewhere. The authors declared
Y. Tian et al.
no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, author-
ship, and/or publication of this manuscript.
Data availability
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this
published manuscript. The data that support the findings of this
manuscript are available upon reasonable request.
Funding statement
No funding was used to support this manuscript.
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 International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

International Journal of Information

Management Data Insights
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jjimei

An enriched decision-making satisfaction model for student information

management systems
Cannur Gürkut a, *, Alev Elçi b, Müesser Nat a
a
Management Information Systems, Cyprus International University, Mersin 10, Haspolat, Lefkoşa, Türkiye
b
YÖMEGA Higher Education Professional Development Network, Çanakkale, Türkiye

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Managers in every organization are responsible for making prompt and precise decisions to achieve organiza­
Information Systems tional goals. Similar to other institutions, higher education institutions use student information management
IS success systems to collect and organize various data at the student, faculty, and institutional level. These data are used to
Higher education institutions
obtain meaningful information that supports the Decision-Making Process. Furthermore, integration and sharing
Tactical decision-making
Strategic decision-making
of this information promote creativity and learning within the institution, which has a positive influence on the
institution’s performance. This research aims to develop an enriched decision-making satisfaction model for
student information management systems that supports the tactical and strategic Decision-Making Processes of a
higher institution in Northern Cyprus. The results obtained by analyzing the data from 263 academic and
administrative managers show that System Quality, Information Quality, and System Intelligence factors; Un­
certainty, Risk, and Complexity have a positive influence on decision-making satisfaction. Findings also show
that Internal Factors and External Factors have a significant direct impact on decision-making satisfaction. This
research is expected to set a broad framework for the research needed to improve SIMS for future applications
from the decision-making satisfaction perspective with an artificial intelligence add-on towards the System In­
telligence with technological innovations.

Introduction displacement of machines but also the human workforce. AI can be

As businesses face the ever-evolving landscape of competition, it
becomes increasingly important to stay ahead of the curve and embrace
new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). With more dynamic
and collaborative business processes, efficient information management
is critical for making informed decisions that drive success.
Managers in all organizations have the responsibility to make
informed decisions to attain the established objectives (Abubakar et al.,
2019). Today, with the use of advanced digital technologies like AI,
organizations can utilize a vast amount of data to improve their DMP
(Musti, 2020).
According to Soni et al. (2020), the development of AI which is
currently at advanced levels in some regions of the world, leads “AI
divide” comparable to the digital divide. This divide will aggravate
inequality in social, economic, and cultural areas, creating a big gap
between those with access and those without. For this reason, organi­
zations must keep up to date with the latest technologies to remain
competitive. Also, concerns about AI includes not only the potential
leveraged to augment, rather than substitute for, the teams as they come
together to make business decisions better (Metcalf et al., 2019) While
AI-powered tools can provide valuable insights and analysis, human
judgement and collaboration can utilize the strengths of both humans
and technology to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Today, supplying fast and valuable information to the management
for better decisions creates pressure in organizations. Evolutions of the
decision support systems with the advancements in Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs) are being widely researched. Dur­
ing and after the Covid-19 epidemic, the importance of technology in
education is inevitable (Al-Mamary, 2022a, 2022b). Negash (2004)
states that enhancement of the timing and excellence of input in the
DMP facilitate management work. Similarly, information integration
and exchange support learning within the organization which has a
positive influence on organizational performance (Abubakar et al.,
2019). Similarly, Inusah et al. (2023) report the necessity of data mining
techniques in an Expert System to make easier predictions for
decision-making accuracy of management.

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: conoral@ciu.edu.tr (C. Gürkut).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jjimei.2023.100195

Available online 29 August 2023

2667-0968/© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/4.0/).
C. Gürkut et al.
Like all other organizations, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) use
student information management systems (SIMS) to manage educa­
tional and student data to obtain meaningful information that impacts
the DMP (Iyengar et al., 2016). Continuously increasing the number of
students, departments, faculty members, and administrative staff also
increases the amount of data to be kept and processed by the system.
However, there are some challenges that managers face when they need
to analyze these data. Goldstain (2005, (p.1)) states that “producing
meaningful, accessible, and timely management information has long
been the holy grail of higher education administrative technology”.
Whether HEIs acquire the information they require, or not, and whether
the collected data is sufficient to prepare a report for decision-makers or
not, are the vital questions.
As a result of global competition, most HEIs are now under great
pressure to improve student retention rates and help students to com­
plete their degrees in less time. Therefore, they are increasingly using
Information Systems to gain insights about their students’ performance.
This is also done in the interest of national and international accredi­
tation bodies and government agencies that are constantly looking for
ways to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of HEIs. Given these
facts, according to Goldstein and Katz (2005) the quality of the provision
of successful information for the measurement and evaluation becomes
critical to decision-making. The quality of information and the system,
and how it is presented have all been examined as factors affecting the
decision-making satisfaction on web-based decision support systems.
The results indicate that while the presentation of information does not
significantly affect DMP, the quality of the system and information do
positively affect users’ DMP. (Bharati & Chaudhury, 2004). The de­
cisions made by HEIs are very critical since they directly affect various
stakeholders. However, it is widely known that the majority of organi­
zational decisions involve some level of conflict or dissatisfaction.
Therefore, SIMS play a significant role in HEIs to support short and
long-term managerial decisions by providing real-time data about stu­
dents’ academic activities. Considering this, factors that influence user
satisfaction with the Decision-Making Process need to be investigated to
support the continuous improvement of the SIMS. Similar studies in the
literature include environmental factors, and Internal and External
Factors (ElBanna & Child, 2007a, 2007b; Krishnan & Singh, 2004;
Papadakis, Lioukas, & Chambers, 1998; Rajagopalan et al. 1993; Soe­
tanto & Dainty, 2009) and it is widely accepted that External Factors
have more power on DMP than Internal Factors (Elbanna & Fold, 2016).
In the literature, perceptions of academic and administrative man­
agement satisfaction with the DMP in SIMS have not been investigated
in depth. Moreover, Risk, Uncertainty, and Complexity factors which are
considered External Factors, and their impact on DMP are not consid­
ered in previous studies. Previous researches have investigated students’
or customers’ satisfaction on either a web page or an Information Sys­
tem. Therefore, this research attempts to fulfil this gap by developing an
enriched model with External Factors to investigate their impact on
DMP in SIMS based on prior IS success and satisfaction models. Since the
reports produced by SIMS support administrators’ Decision-Making
Processes, this research aims to understand their needs during the
DMP. The findings will lead the researchers to develop new models by
following the technological innovations considering the needs of the
administrators.
Therefore, this study aims to answer the following research question.
Research questions:
1 How do System Quality, Information Quality, System Intelligence,
Risk, Uncertainty, and Complexity factors influence DMS?
2 How do Internal Factors and External Factors influence DMS?
The structure of the article starts with a literature review of the In­
formation Systems (IS), the use of IS in HEIs, the Decision-Making
Process, IS Success and Satisfaction Models, and a comparison of IS
Models based on factors. Then the hypotheses define the proposed
2
International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195
research model. The methodology part describes the method, context of
the study, sampling, data collection, tools and measures, analysis, and
modelling method used in this research. Finally, the findings, discussion,
and conclusion will continue.
Literature review
Although being in too many innovations may cause techno-stress
Information Systems (IS) are an essential component of both personal
and professional life, and technology is involved in every aspect of
people’s lives (Asad et al. 2023). IS acquires a strategic place in all kinds
of organizations for data processing to help businesses to gain a
competitive advantage (Gürkut & Nat, 2017). IS have interconnected
mechanisms that work together to gather, process, store, and circulate
information to support coordination, analysis, control, visualization,
and DMP in an organization (Laudon & Laudon, 2014).
Use of Information Systems in HEIs
The HEIs which are the core learning institutions are also moving
away from their traditional structures towards transformation. “Ad­
vances in technology have paved the way for higher education in­
stitutions to incorporate innovative methods into their learning system.”
(Alfalah, 2023). The complexity and size of HEIs alert for efficient and
fast methods of planning, analysis, and communication of their man­
agement tasks since the demand for university enrolment increases day
by day Sanyal (1995). Frackmann (2007) emphasizes the essentiality of
IS for HEIs since they have to follow up a vast number of academic
programs with a given curriculum, and the specific qualifications of the
graduates are stated in educational outcomes. Sanyal (1995) also pro­
poses the idea that the data should be kept in the central system in in­
tegrated files where data is entered only once and accessible from any
part of the university. It would provide a suitable amount of
well-organized, detailed information where the authorities have the
right to make fundamental organizations and decisions. Kutten’s (2014)
study Management Information System in Higher Education, introduces
e-Management Portal in Higher Education. The portal is mainly created
to support the management processes, utilizes a data warehouse, and
transfers the implementation of the strategy throughout the institution.
The portal also provides information about courses, curricula, and ac­
ademic departments/programs offered by the faculties/schools. Simi­
larly, Siddiqui et al. (2018) developed a web-based group decision
support system to support the academic term preparation work which
includes course offerings, instructor assignments, and the preparation of
the relevant timetables.
SIMS is used by academics, administrative staff, and students. For
example, the number of students registered in each department and the
number of sections for each course are reported on by coordinators.
Similar reports are used by the Registrar’s Office to determine the total
number of students as well as any departmental or overall changes in
enrolment. This information can then be utilized to decide about closing
a program or improving the needs of the department. Similarly, de­
partments use statistical information for accreditation issues, such as the
percentage of domestic and international students, to understand cul­
tural differences. Course advisors use SIMS to decide which courses
students need to register based on their past performance or the total
number of students in each group. Finally, students use SIMS to register
for courses online, view their class schedule, exam schedules and results,
and access their transcripts (Gürkut & Nat, 2017). As it can be seen,
SIMS plays a significant role for the effectiveness of daily tasks and
institutional tactical and strategic decision-making.
Decision-Making Process
Nooraie (2012) claims that DMP is a process that involves the
decision-maker choosing from the available options, comparing the
chosen options amongst themselves and finally evaluating those choices
C. Gürkut et al.
with the derived outcomes. The author also adds that people’s activities
are formed by their decisions and each activity involves decisions. High
quality information and its management are imperative for successful
operations and decision making finally (Price & Shanks, 2004). It fol­
lows that the required sophisticated skills and general data quality un­
derstanding skills are essential to understand how the decisions are
made to collect the required data. They also claim that these skills are
used to develop strategies needed to improve data quality. In order to
better the timing and quality of decisions, decision-makers need data to
support their actions. Negash (2004) created a framework and high­
lighted a promising topic of research in this regard. Organizations need
to collect data and ensure the quality of their knowledge since strategic
and tactical DM depend on reliable data. A growth in the usage of data
warehouses to gather and combine data from diverse sources to enhance
data mining to its utmost level highlights an organization’s vulnerability
to poor data quality (Bharati & Chaudhury, 2004).
The effectiveness of daily tasks and organizational DM is critical for
every organization (Begam, 2015). Not only day-to-day decisions, but
Hambrick and Snow (1977) also claim the importance of strategic de­
cisions; either through their long-term implications and/or through the
scope of their impact. In their research, they specify and discuss the main
contextual factors that affect strategic DM in organizations. The context
for the next "cycle" of managerial perceptions and decisions is the result
of the future organizational performance of the previous cycle. Their
model shows that “Past and Current Strategy and Performance”, “The
Environment” and “Power and Influence Patterns” have effectiveness on
“Managerial Perceptions” which has effectiveness on “The Strategic
Decision-making” and end with “Future Organizational Performance”.
Future organizational performance of the previous cycle with the cur­
rent strategy and performance becomes feedback to the managerial
perceptions of the next cycle, which means that the strategic
decision-making output of the first step becomes an input to the next
step. Sometimes the knowledge and information available to make an
effective decision may be incomplete, uncertain, or even distorted
(Yurtseven & Buchanan, 2016). They also state that the personality and
characteristics of authority such as perspective, aims, preferences and
culture might be influencing the DMP. There is increasing pressure on
HEIs to justify the DMP besides ensuring better distribution of resources,
increasing accountability, evaluating objectives, and operating trans­
parency (Sanyal, 1995).
DMP takes a variety of time and energy without an IS. Quality DM
and strategic planning are the way to the success of any organization.
Today, the use of IS, whether in organizations or HEIs, has a significant
role in supporting the DMP. Such systems are used within the entire
organization by all departments that supports managerial DMP. There­
fore, the success and satisfaction of the IS need to be measured. Although
Fig. 1. Timeline of IS success and satisfaction models.
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International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195
it is claimed that contextual factors affect DMP, the number of re­
searches that have been conducted to explain how contextual factors
affect DMP in HEIs is very rare.
Information System success and satisfaction models
DeLone and McLean (1992) describe the success model as an IS in­
fluence at the organizational and individual level. As a result, six basic
dimensions of IS success model have been revealed; system quality, in­
formation quality, usage, user satisfaction, individual impact and
organizational impact (DeLone & McLean, 1992). The model has been
updated with the new variables in 2003 as: Information Quality, System
Quality, Service Quality, Intention to Use, Use, User Satisfaction, and
Net Benefits after ten years (Delone & McLean, 2003). One of the most
popular constructs used to assess the success of IS is user satisfaction and
it establishes the user’s responsiveness to the efficient usage of IS
(Al-Hattami, 2022). It is inevitable to use IS for better performance when
considering the rapid changes and complexities in the environment or­
ganizations operate. In parallel with the rapid advancement of infor­
mation and communication technologies, DSSs are widely being
invented and investigated by various researchers. Fig. 1 shows the In­
formation System success and satisfaction models including factors
considered which are developed by various researchers. The most
commonly used factors highlighted in red.
According to the literature, contextual factors have an impact on
DMP. It is observed that internal and External Factors that affect DMP
are defined as environmental factors (Hannan & Freeman, 1977; Jemi­
son, 1981; Bagheri, 2016; Elbanna & Child, 2007a, 2007b; Elbanna &
Fadol, 2016). Many researchers placed uncertainty under the umbrella
of External Factors which have a valuable impact on DMP in different
forms of organizations. Besides, since complexity and financial situation
have impact on businesses, they are also categorized under External
Factors when DMP is considered. Considering the previous studies and
models, Internal Factors affect DMP include technological factors,
mission objectives, management support, flexibility, and project team
skills. These factors include system quality, information quality, and
information presentation in the models proposed by Bharati and
Chaudhury (2004). Also, Hawking and Sellitto (2010), documented
various studies from 1998 to 2010 and listed Critical Success Factors of
Business Intelligence to show which factors are defined as critical by
other researchers.
Furthermore, today, innovative technologies are arising almost every
day. “Tools are improving and becoming more sophisticated in collect­
ing and storing (real time) data, and in visualizing and analyzing these
data (e.g., data warehouses, dashboards, data lockers, data analytics,
data mining tools, machine learning), moving beyond the stop light
categories” (Mandinach & Schildkamp, 2021). Considering the recent
C. Gürkut et al. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195

developments in artificial intelligence, the use of artificial intelligence H2. Information Quality has positive influence on DMS.
can liberate educational leaders from the daily grind of busily accu­
System Intelligence (SI) is a measurement of information analyzed,
mulating data (Wang, 2021). Therefore, business intelligence or artifi­
displayed and integrated with other systems. Correll and Gleicher
cial intelligence can be considered as Internal Factor since today it is
(2014) believe that knowledge visualization becomes meaningful. Ac­
commonly used to resolve problems of modern organizations (Kissi, Nat
cording to Bresfelean and Ghisoiu (2009), developing suitable analytic
& Idowu, 2017) and enhance the applicability and problem-solving
tools to collect, analyze and assess related data and present information
capacity of the system for real-world decision support (Kim, Park, Suh,
for effective decision-making is one of the major aims at the beginning of
2020). As it can be observed from the literature, there is insufficient
creating a DSS in higher education. According to Gorgan (2015, p.2),
research on how factors such as organizational and environmental affect
“The success of a data-driven model relies on straightforward and rapid
DMP.
access to a large volume of accurate, well-organized multidimensional
data.” Dwivediet et al. (2021) states that significant development of
Hypotheses
technological innovation has made it possible to transform many
According to the literature, some of the biggest obstacles to making
manual tasks and processes that existed for decades. Adding that for
data-driven decisions are a lack of training, a lack of data analysis
many workers who had reached the limits of their physical capacity,
expertise amongst administrators, and a lack of user-friendly tools for
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now offering this same transformative po­
assessing test results at the institutional level. Also, visualization (in­
tential for replacement of human workforce tasks. Advances in AI
formation presentation), analytical capabilities of the system, and its
technology such as algorithmic machine learning and autonomous
integration with other systems affect the satisfaction level of users.
decision-making have generated new possibilities for innovation.
Managers need to get accurate and complete reports through the system
Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed.
for successful DMP to achieve organizational goals. The capability of
integration with other systems to share data and having the capability to H3. System Intelligence has a positive influence on DMS.
analyze the big amount of data and visualize the required report/in­
Risk (R) is a measurement of financial situation, lack of user expe­
formation is considered as the System Intelligence part. Thus, the pro­
rience, and nature of the task. Yuniningsih et al. (2017) underline that
posed Student Information Management Systems Decision-Making
investors must take into consideration many factors for decision-making
Satisfaction (SIMS-DMS) Model, shown in Fig. 2, includes the System
in investment both the short and long term, also with the nature of in­
Intelligence factor with the items of analytics, visualization for infor­
vestment assets as well as financial investment. Therefore, the following
mation presentation and integration with other systems.
hypothesis is proposed.
In addition, considering the related literature all of the variables that
have impact on DMP are organized under two factors, Internal and H4. Risk has a positive influence on DMS.
External. The Internal Factors include System Quality, Information
Uncertainty is a measurement of technical innovation, technical se­
Quality, and System Satisfaction; the External Factors include Risk,
curity, and unexpected problems. Multifaceted difficulties can also be
Uncertainty, and Complexity with their corresponding items measured
categorized under uncertainty that need be noted in the Decision-
which are shown in Table 1 and Fig. 2.
Making Process (Ascough II et al., 2008; Durbach & Stewart, 2012;
Considering the literature, six hypotheses are developed to analyze
Podinovski, 2014). It is stated in “The higher the uncertainty, the higher
the effectiveness of each factor on Decision-making Satisfaction (DMS):
the risk of supporting mistaken, or at least ill-suited decisions” (van der
System Quality (SQ) is one of the measurements for the information
Kleijet al, 2003). Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed.
processing system itself (DeLone & McLean, 2003) and it is a manifes­
tation of system software and hardware (Bharati & Chaudhury, 2004). H5. Uncertainty has a positive influence on DMS.
Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed.
Complexity is a measurement of problem/task complexity and in­
H1. : System Quality has a positive influence on DMS. formation complexity. According to Beers et al. (2006), dealing with
complex problems is a growing organizational challenge. Therefore, the
The quality of the information (IQ) is a measurement of the value of
following hypothesis is proposed.
the information offered to the user. The user perception of the value of
Gallagher’s (1974) Information System was used to determine the H6. Complexity has a positive influence on DMS.
quality of information in the system. Therefore, the following hypothesis
The following two hypotheses are developed to capture the full view
is proposed.
of the model.
H7. Internal Factors have a positive influence on DMS.

H8. External Factors have a positive influence on DMS.

Methodology

This section explains the methodology used in this study including

sampling procedure, research instruments, data collection process, and
analysis of data.

Preliminary study

As a preliminary study, Bharati and Chaudhury’s (2004) model was

Fig. 2. Proposed SIMS decision-making satisfaction model.
used to propose a Decision-making Satisfaction Model for SIMS,
considering the factors reported in the literature that have an impact on
the Decision-Making Process. In order to capture the full view of this
model, it is tested at an HEI with 32 faculty coordinators. The results
obtained from this study were in line with Bharati and Chaudhury’s
study, which shows system quality and information quality have a

4
C. Gürkut et al. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195

Table 1
List of utilized items of SIS-DMS proposed model.
Factors Variable Variable name Item Items measured Reference
type no.

INTERNAL Independent System Quality 1 System reliability (Srinivasan, 1985)

FACTORS 2 Convenient to access (Bailey & Pearson, 1983)
3 System ease of use (Belardo, Karwan & Wallace, 1982)
4 System flexibility (Srinivasan, 1985)
Independent Information Quality 5 Information accuracy (Bailey & Pearson, 1983), (Mahmood, 1987), (Miller & Doyle, 1987), (
Srinivasan, 1985), (Ge & Helfert, December 2015)
6 Information completeness (Bailey & Pearson, 1983), (Miller & Doyle, 1987)
7 Information relevance (Bailey & Pearson, 1983), (King & Epstein, 1983), (Miller & Doyle, 1987),
(Srinivasan, 1985)
8 Information content needs (Doll & Torkzadeh, 1988)
9 Information timeliness (Bailey & Pearson, 1983), (King & Epstein, 1983), (Mahmood, 1987), (
Miller & Doyle, 1987), (Srinivasan, 1985)
Independent System Intelligence 10 Analytics Al-ma’itah (2013), Berneveld (2012); Zeng et al. (2006)
11 Visualization (Information Valdez et al. (2016), (Swanson, 1985), (Vessey, 1994)
Presentation)
12 Integration with other Işık et al. (2013), Al-ma’itah (2013)
systems
EXTERNAL Independent Risk 13 Financial Impact Cleland and King (1983), Kim et al. (2008)
FACTORS 14 Lack of user experience (Barki et al. 1994; Ewusi-Mensah, 1997
15 Nature of tasks Morris and Hough (1987)
Independent Uncertainty 16 Technical Innovation Morris and Hough (1987)
17 Technical Security Feng et al. (2014)
18 Unexpected problems Pinto and Slevin (1989)
Independent Complexity 19 Problem Complexity / Task Beers et al. / Pinto and Slevin (1989); Barki et al. (1994)
Complexity
20 Information Complexity Valdez et al. (2016)
Dependent Decision-making 21 Decision confidence (Goslar, Green & Hughes, 1986), (Gueutal, Surprenant & Bubeck, 1984), (
Satisfaction Zmud, Blocher, & Moffle, 1983)
22 Decision effectiveness (Chervany, Dickson & Kozar, 1972)

positive effect on decision-making satisfaction when the items are
considered within themselves. Although Bharati and Chaudhury (2004)
reveal that information presentation does not affect decision-making
satisfaction, the preliminary study results show that information pre­
sentation has a positive effect on decision-making satisfaction when the
item is considered by itself. In today’s global and highly competitive
environment organizations need to respond to users’ needs as fast as
possible in order to survive. Therefore, any technology that supports and
improves decision-making is crucial for organizations (Gürkut & Nat,
2016).
After capturing the full view of the model, as a next step Gürkut and
Nat (2017) tested again by separating decision-making and satisfaction
to understand the direct and indirect effect of factors on system satis­
faction in general. These models are tested with 96 instructors’ data
from an HEI. Results show that all variables, system quality, information
quality, and information presentation have significant direct effects on
satisfaction. It is assumed that academic and administrative staff are
satisfied with the complete implementation of the system when all
variables work together.
Context and sampling
The sample of the study consists of the academic and administrative
staff of HEIs in Northern Cyprus. According to the Higher Education
Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation, and Coordination Council
(YÖDAK, 2023), there are 23 active HEIs in Northern Cyprus. These HEIs
have more than 100,000 students from more than 100 different coun­
tries. The convenience sampling method is used considering the char­
acteristics of the population and the objectives of this study. This
method is a non-probability sampling technique that is used to choose
the sample of subjects from a population that applies to both qualitative
and quantitative studies. The method puts the main importance on
generalizability to confirm that the knowledge increased is representa­
tive of the population.
Since a great number of HEIs in the Northern Cyprus context are
newly established and may not have a sufficient number of students to
use an automated student Information System, the survey instrument
has been submitted to 8 of 21 HEIs. The number of academics and
administrative staff who participated in the survey was 263 out of 320.
Eleven of the responses were excluded because of the incomplete sur­
veys. After this exclusion process, a total of 252 surveys were accepted
giving a response rate of 82.1%. The questionnaire was distributed and
collected during the 2020–2021 academic year spring semester. The
distribution of participants’ demographic data which is based on their
position in the management structure, year of experience, gender, age,
and faculty are presented in the next section.
Data collection and analysis
Data collection
The main data are collected through a questionnaire adopted from
Bharati and Chaudhury (2004) and inspired by various studies (i.e.
Bailey and Pearson (1983); Belardo et al. (1982); Chervany et al. (1972);
Goslar et al. (1986); King and Epstein (1983); Srinivasan (1985); Zmud,
Blocher, & Moffle (1983); Vessey (1994)) as shown in Table 1. In this
study, Baharati and Chaudhury’s (2004) DMS model is used as a basis
and updated considering the latest technologies used by organizations
for DM.
The questionnaire had two main sections; the first section included
demographic data related to participants and their position in the
management structure, such as year of experience, gender, age, and
faculty distribution. The second section is grouped into two: Internal
Factors and External Factors. Internal factors are system quality, Infor­
mation Quality, and System Intelligence, External Factors are risk, un­
certainty, and complexity. Internal and External Factors are
independent variables. The dependent variable of the model is decision-
making satisfaction. The questionnaire included 66 questions using 1 to
5 Likert-type scale (5-Strongly Agree, 4-Agree, 3-Neutral, 2-Disagree, 1-
Strongly Disagree). A preliminary study which is mentioned earlier was
conducted with 32 faculty coordinators who are dealing with the course
scheduling of their faculty. The results of preliminary study helped to

5
C. Gürkut et al.
make the final changes and finalized the survey and model. After the
revision of the questionnaire, 18 questions have been removed to avoid
overlap between questions that included similar meanings, and the
wording of a few explanations was changed to help to clarify under­
standing. The final number of questions in the second section of the
survey was 48. A set of questionnaires is prepared to be distributed to the
participants of this study.
The survey instruments are prepared as both pencil-and-paper sur­
veys and online surveys by using Google Forms. 300 pencil-and-paper
surveys were distributed and 202 were collected and 61 participants
filled out the online survey. Shannon, Johnson, Searcy, & Lott (2002)
claimed that pencil-and-paper surveys have a higher response rate than
electronic surveys. The pencil-and-paper surveys have been distributed
by the researcher personally to all key staff of the faculties and de­
partments. Some of the faculties were visited more than 3 times to reach
faculty members who were not present at their offices. In order to
overcome this problem, the researcher tried to get in contact with the
faculty members by phone or e-mail. In some cases, the researcher
handled the survey to the research assistant of the faculty member to be
able to reach the faculty members. Although this was a difficult process,
more than 20% of the data was collected in these ways.
Data analysis
Exploratory Factor Analysis, Reliability and Regression Modelling
Tests were used and applied in SPSS V24. Besides, Confirmatory Factor
Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling are used and applied in
AMOS V24. The application and results of the analysis are described and
explained in the following section.
Demographic data
The participants’ distribution according to the position in the man­
agement revealed that academic staff is 157 (62.3%), the academic
manager is 59 (23.4%), the administrative staff is 26 (10.3%) and the
administrative manager is 10 (4%). Their experiences in years are
distributed as 131 (52%) is 5 years and below, 47 (18.7%) is between 6
and 10 years range and 74 (29.4%) is over 10 years. There is an even
distribution of the genders with 139 (55.2%) female and 113 (44.8%)
male respondents. The faculty distribution is as follows; 56 (22.2%) in
Faculty of Engineering, 31 (12.3) in Faculty / School of Health Sciences,
28 (11.1%) in Faculty of Education, 17 (in 6.7%) Faculty of Communi­
cation, 13 (5.2%) in School of Applied Sciences, 22 (8.7%) in Faculty of
Economics and Administrative Sciences, 18 (7.1%) in Faculty of Arts and
Sciences, 24 (9.5%) in Faculty of Fine Arts, 17 (6.7%) in School of
Foreign Languages, 17 (6%) in Faculty of Law, 4 (1.6%) in School of
Tourism and Hotel Management, 1 (0.4%) in School of Physical Edu­
cation and 1 (0.4%) in Vocational School.
Reliability and factor analysis
A Reliability Test is conducted to define the Cronbach Alpha values
of the variables. Each variable is analyzed one by one to ensure a
satisfactory level of alpha value. Nunnally (1978) indicated that Cron­
bach Alpha value is acceptable at the level of 0.60. The estimation of
Exploratory Factor Analysis is based on a chain of Chi-Square (χ2) dif­
ference tests exploiting items for each dimension. Items that represent
each variable were then forced into a single factor solution following
this fit. Results from the Chi-Square test were significant for each of the
measurement items. A Chi-Square difference test has one degree of
freedom for all purposes. The significance level for chi-square is 0.001.
Parameter estimations that are equal to or greater than 0.40 are
acceptable (Anderson & Gerbing, 1988).
1) Internal Factors
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International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195
Factor Analysis was applied to test whether all measured items
represented their corresponding variable to test the SIMS-DMS proposed
model. Bartlett’s test and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test are applied to
the variables of System Quality, Approx. Chi-Square is 1017.673 with a
significance of 0.0 with the 0.609 KMO value for system quality, which
is between 0.5 and 1.0 and it is considered adequate for correlation.
These results show that the data can be used for Factor Analysis. Bar­
tlett’s test is also applied to other variables. The chi-square is 1718.139
with a significance of 0.0 with 0.935 the KMO value for Information
Quality variables. The approximate chi-square is 617.665 with a sig­
nificance of 0.0 with the 0.844 KMO value for System Intelligence.
System Quality, Information Quality and System Intelligence are cate­
gorized as Internal Factors. Chi-square is 3914.397 with a significance of
0.0 with the 0.902 KMO value for Internal Factors. The results of the
Reliability Test for System Quality are 0.704, for Information Quality is
0.934, for System Intelligence is 0.786 and for Overall Reliability of
Internal Factors is 0.883 which indicates a high reliability of the survey
instrument.
2) External Factors
The Bartlett test and KMO are applied to all variables of the External
Factors, which include Risk, Uncertainty, and Complexity. The Chi-
Square is 388.265 with a significance of 0.0 where the results show
that KMO for Risk is 0.777. Approx. Chi-Square gives 645.849 with a
significance of 0.0 and KMO is 0.807 for Uncertainty. The approximate
Chi-Square is 215.815 with a significance of 0.0 with the 0.602 KMO
value for Complexity. The results show that the Chi-square is 3282.716
with a significance of 0.0 and the KMO value is 0.926 for Complexity.
The Reliability Test results of Risk are 0.827, Uncertainty is 0.867, and
Complexity is 0.665. The overall Reliability result of Internal Factors is
0.888 which shows the high reliability of the survey instrument.
3) Decision-Making satisfaction
Finally, KMO and Bartlett’s test is applied for DMP and satisfaction
which has the result of Approx. Chi-Square 1243.337 with a significance
of 0.0 and KMO is 0.910. These results show that the data were sufficient
for factor analysis. The Reliability Test result of DMS is 0.886, which
shows the high reliability of the survey instrument.
Exploratory Factor Analysis
Exploratory Factor Analysis is conducted to determine if the
measured items are divided into the number of variables that are shown
in the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model. The rotated component matrices are
shown in Table 2 and Table 3 for both Internal and External Factors.
Items that have Factor Loadings under 0.40 are excluded from the model
fit statistics. The items were sorted by the highest value of Chi-square.
The Scree Plot is a diagram drawn with the identical eigenvalues of
items measured, which is used for determining the number of items to
extract (Hinton et al., 2004). Scree Plot charts below (Fig. 3 and Fig. 4)
show the discrimination of the Internal and External variables.
1. Internal Factors
The measured items are divided into 3 groups as they are defined in
Table 1. Items that have Factor Loadings under 0.40 are excluded from
the model fit statistics. The final view of the Internal Factors before
Confirmatory Factor Analysis is shown in Table 1 and the Proposed
SIMS-DMS Model (Fig. 2).
After excluding the questions that have low Factor Loading less than
0.4, the Exploratory Factor Analysis conducted for the Internal Factors
of the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model. The Internal Factors are divided into
three parts as it is proposed in the model.
Scree Plot is obtained by combining the eigenvalues of graphical
C. Gürkut et al. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195

Table 2
Rotated component matrix of Internal Factors.
Component

Information Quality System Quality System Intelligence

P2Q16 .819
P2Q14 .808
P2Q9 .755
P2Q15 .750
P2Q10 .713
P2Q11 .710
P2Q17 .690
P2Q12 .677
P2Q13 .676
P2Q18 .515
P1Q7 .789
P1Q3 .725
P1Q6 .723
P1Q2 .699
P1Q5 .695
P1Q1 .488
P1Q8 .413
P3Q23 .834
P3Q20 .773
P3Q21 .765
P3Q22 .707
P3Q24 .700 Fig. 3. Scree plot of Internal Factors.
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 5 iterations.

Table 3
Rotated component matrix of External Factors.
Component

R_U C

P5Q35 .826
P5Q32 .777
P5Q34 .767
P5Q33 .750
P4Q26 .728
P5Q31 .724
P4Q27 .719
P4Q28 .712
P4Q29 .559
P6Q40 .850
P6Q37 .813

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. Fig. 4. Scree plot of External Factors.
a. Rotation converged in 3 iterations.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis is shown in Table 3 and Fig. 4.

items and high acceleration in the graph. Vertical breakpoints on the
line chart determine the factor numbers. These points with high accel­
eration and rapid decline indicate the differentiation and effectiveness
of the factors. Values that are below 1 and more horizontal are not
considered to be a factor (Bryman & Cramer, 1999).
The Scree Plot of Internal Factors shows that 3 variables are sepa­
rated at the Internal Factors of the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model.
2. External Factors
The measured items are not divided into three groups as they are
defined in Table 1. Items that have Factor Loadings under 0.40 are
excluded from the model fit statistics. Risk and Uncertainty measured
items are combined and become one variable with the name of “Ris­
k_Uncertainty”. Two questions of Complexity are excluded since of the
lower level of Factor Loading. The rest of the two questions are retained
to check at Confirmatory Factor Analysis since they have a strong Factor
Loading value of over 0.7. The final view of the External Factors before
After excluding the questions that have a low Factor Loading of less
than 0.4, the Exploratory Factor Analysis is conducted for the External
Factors of the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model. The External Factors are
divided into two parts with the combination of two proposed variables:
Risk and Uncertainty. These variables are combined and created as one
variable together, and the other variable is the same as the Proposed
SIMS-DMS Model. Two items of Complexity are kept due to the high
Factor Loading value.
The Scree Plot of External Factors shows that 2 variables are sepa­
rated at the External Factors of the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model.
3. Decision-Making satisfaction
The measured items are divided into 2 groups as they are defined in
Table 1. The final view of the External Factors before Confirmatory
Factor Analysis is shown in Table 4 and Fig. 5.
The Exploratory Factor Analysis is conducted for DMS which is a
dependent variable of the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model. Table 4 shows

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C. Gürkut et al. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195

Table 4 have a positive influence on DMS (H5), so an improvement of these

Rotated component matrix of decision-making satisfaction. measured items will cause a decrease in Uncertainty and this result will
Component lead to an increase in DMS. H5 is accepted. Complexity (Single Test-7),
with problem/task complexity, and information complexity, has a pos­
1 2
itive influence on DMS (H6), so an improvement of problem complexity
P7Q44 .899 and information complexity will cause to decrease the complexity, and
P7Q46 .861
P7Q42 .845
this will guide to increase in DMS. H6 is accepted. External Factors
P7Q45 .843 (Single Test-8) altogether have positive influence on DMS (H8), so an
P7Q41 .822 increase in External Factors guide to an increase in DMS. H8 is accepted.
P7Q43 .795 After the single Regression Modelling test, multiple Regression test
P7Q48 .896
has been conducted to analyze the relationship amongst dependent and
P7Q47 .712
more than one independent variable. Multiple Test-1 includes both
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. System Quality and Information Quality together, and it shows that
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. System Quality and Information Quality both have a positive influence
a. Rotation converged in 3 iterations.
on DMS. System Quality and Information Quality together have a higher
impact on DMS with the 37%. Multiple Test-2 includes System Quality,
Information Quality, and System Intelligence together. System Quality
becomes insignificant when Information Quality and System Intelli­
gence are added to the analysis however the impact on DMS increase to
41%. Information Quality is the most effective variable amongst Internal
Factors. Multiple Test-3 includes Risk and Uncertainty together, and the
analysis result shows that Risk and Uncertainty both have a positive
influence on DMS. Both have 50% impact on DMS. Multiple Test-4 in­
cludes Risk, Uncertainty, and Complexity together, and analysis results
show that all variables have a positive influence on DMS. Altogether
they have 55% impact on DMS. A comparison of Internal and External
Factors’ impact confirms that External Factors have a higher impact on
DMS which is in line with the related literature.
The Proposed SIMS-DMS Model includes Internal and External Fac­
tors, and Regression Test is applied for the Internal and External vari­
ables together (Multiple Test-5) to find out the effectiveness to the DMS.
Results show that Internal and External Factors both have a positive
influence on DMS.

Fig. 5. Scree plot of decision-making satisfaction. Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Confirmatory Factor Analysis has been conducted to peruse the

that items are divided into two parts as is proposed in the Model. model fit statistics by using AMOS 24 and GFI, NFI, CFI, AGFI, NNFI,
The Scree Plot of DMS shows that 2 items are separated in the model. RMSEA values are analyzed.
According to ECU (1988) and Jackson et al. (2005) “NFI” and “CFI”
Single and multiple Regression tests values of over 0.9, preferably 0.95, represents a well-fitting model. “The
Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA)” presented by Steiger
Single Regression Modelling test is conducted to accept or reject the and Lind in 1980 (Albright & Park, 2009) which is another popular
hypotheses and declare the relationship between a dependent variable measure, is mentioned to be 0.05 or lower than 0.05 (Kyle, 1999) or
and one independent variable. even 0.06 or lower (Kahn, 2006) to be accepted as a good fit. PCLOSE is
System Quality (Single Test-1) has a positive influence on DMS (H1), expected to have a P-value greater than 0.50 (Hiers et al., 2007). Ac­
i.e., an increase in system quality leads to an increase in DMS. H1 is cording to Hu and Bentler (1999) and the above-mentioned studies, the
accepted. Information Quality (Single Test-2) has a positive influence on cut-off criteria of the stated statistics are shown below in Table 5.
DMS (H2), i.e., an increase in Information Quality leads to an increase in
DMS. H2 is accepted. System Intelligence (Single Test-3) has a positive Table 5
influence on DMS (H3), so an increase in the System Intelligence guides Cut-off criteria.
to an increase in DMS. H3 is accepted. Internal Factors altogether (Single Measure Terrible Acceptable Excellent
Test-4) have a positive influence on DMS (H7), and so an increase in
CMIN/DF >5 >3 >1
Internal Factors guides to an increase in DMS. H7 is accepted. CFI <0.90 <0.95 >0.95
Risk (Single Test-5) has a positive influence on DMS (H4), so an in­ NFI <0.90 <0.95 >0.95
crease in risk guides to a decrease in DMS. Risk as a variable has a SRMR >0.10 >0.08 <0.08
RMSEA
financial impact, lack of user experience and nature of the task as an >0.08 >0.06 <0.06
PClose <0.01 <0.05 >0.05
item measured. Positive improvement will cause a decrease in Risk so
that DMS will increase. H4 is accepted. Uncertainty (Single Test-6), with
technological innovation, technical security, and unexpected problems

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C. Gürkut et al. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195

Table 6 Table 8
Confirmatory factor analysis result of Internal Factors. Structural Equation Modelling of the proposed SIMS-DMS model.
Measure Estimate Threshold Interpretation Measure Estimate Threshold Interpretation

CMIN 306.882 – – CMIN 866.895 – –

DF 193.000 – – DF 502.000 – –
CMIN/DF 1.590 Between 1 and 3 Excellent CMIN/DF 1.727 Between 1 and 3 Excellent
CFI 0.966 >0.95 Excellent CFI 0.929 >0.95 Acceptable
NFI 0.915 <0.95 Acceptable NFI 0.849 <0.9 Terrible
SRMR 0.050 <0.08 Excellent SRMR 0.176 <0.08 Excellent
RMSEA 0.048 <0.06 Excellent RMSEA 0.054 <0.06 Excellent
PClose 0.586 >0.05 Excellent PClose 0.148 >0.05 Excellent

1. Internal Factors

The goodness of fit indicates that the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model does
not fit the data well. Modification Indices indicated that the error vari­
ance between items should be corrected. Therefore, the error variance
between items is corrected. After the correction, the goodness of fit
statistics showed that the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model fixed the data well.
The Model Fit Summary (Table 6) of Internal Factors demonstrates that
the measured values of CFA, CMIN/DF, CFI and PCLOSE values are
considered as excellent fit since they are over the related cut-off value.
Besides, SRMR and RMSEA are considered excellent fit since they are
under the cut-off value, and NFI is considered an acceptable fit with a
value that is less than the cut-off acceptable value. The model fit is
excellent.

2. External Factors

The Model Fit Summary (Table 7) of External Factors demonstrates

that the CMIN/DF, CFI, NFI, SRMR, RMSEA and PCLOSE values which Fig. 6. Structural Equation Modelling of SIMS-DMS.
are measurement values of CFA, are considered as the excellent fit since
they are at the range of related excellent cut-off value. values of measured items of variables which can be interpreted as high
impact on variables.
Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) Fig. 7 shows the final view of the SIMS-DMS Model after Confirma­
tory Factor Analysis results and Structural Equation Modelling. Risk and
According to the comparison table of “PLS-SEM” (Chin and; News­ Uncertainty showed as one variable as the External Factors reduced to
ted, 1999) and the recommendation of various researchers, the two factors with the Exploratory Factor Analysis. Other variables are the
“CB-SEM” analysis technique has been taken into consideration since the same as the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model shown in Fig. 2.
proposed specific model needs confirmation and has a high number of
participants (n = 263) (Bollen, 1990; Kelloway, 1998). Findings
The Structural Equation Modelling (Table 8) has been conducted
after the Confirmatory Factor Analysis results which show that both The main aim of this research is to propose a new DMS model for
Internal and External modelling are an excellent fit. The model fit HEIs by considering recent technological advancements and environ­
summary of the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model demonstrates that the mental factors. In terms of technological innovations, analytics, visual­
CMIN/DF, SRMR, RMSEA and PCLOSE values are considered an excel­ ization, and system integration have been added under System
lent fit since they are at the range of related excellent cut-off values. Intelligence with other variables (System Quality, and Information
Besides, CFI is considered acceptable since it is in the range of acceptable Quality) which are considered as Internal Factors. In terms of External
cut-off value. However, NFI is considered terrible within the range of Factors effectiveness on DM; Risk, Uncertainty, and Complexity were
related terrible cut-off value. Although some modification indices have considered. In general, the results reveal that individually all variables
been conducted, the model fit result did not change to excellent fit. The positively influence DMS.
model fit is acceptable. The following results of the analyses include the influence of each
The final view of SEM results of the SIMS-DMS model is shown in variable on DMS. The findings show that System Quality has a positive
Fig. 6 with the modification of error variance, and the Factor Loading influence on DMS, i.e., an increase in system quality leads to an increase
in Internal Factors and DMS. Information Quality has a positive influ­
ence on satisfaction, so an increase in Information Quality leads to an
Table 7
Confirmatory factor analysis result of External Factors. increase in Internal Factors and the DMS. Both Information Quality and
System Quality have a positive influence on satisfaction. System Intel­
Measure Estimate Threshold Interpretation
ligence has a positive influence on DMS as one of the measured items of
CMIN 57.896 – – Internal Factors, so an increase in the System Intelligence guides to an
DF 40.000 – –
increase in DMS. To extend the model, Information Presentation is
CMIN/DF 1.447 Between 1 and 3 Excellent
CFI 0.985 >0.95 Excellent included under System Intelligence and results reveal that System In­
NFI 0.954 >0.95 Excellent telligence has a positive influence on DMS at the 5% level with an impact
SRMR 0.033 <0.08 Excellent of 0.288. The “analytics” and “integration with other systems” parts of
RMSEA 0.042 <0.06 Excellent System Intelligence have a positive effect on System Intelligence and
PClose 0.688 Excellent
DMS. The Regression Test result shows that adding System Intelligence
>0.05

9
C. Gürkut et al.
Fig. 7. Student information management system decision-making satisfaction
model (SIMS-DMS Model).
as a factor cause the System Quality to become insignificant, only In­
formation Quality and System Intelligence together are significant at the
5% level.
The extended model of SIMS-DMS had Risk, Uncertainty, and
Complexity as External Factors before the Exploratory Factor Analysis
test. However, Risk and Uncertainty become one variable at the Factor
Loading. The Regression Modelling test result shows that Risk has a
positive influence on DMS. Also, Uncertainty has a positive influence on
DMS. So, a decrease in Uncertainty will cause an increase in DMS.
Finally, Complexity has a positive influence on DMS. Besides, full
implementation of the External Factors, the findings of the second
research, is expected to satisfy academic and administrative staff when
all factors are considered together. The Regression Modelling test was
conducted for the main factors of the Proposed SIMS-DMS Model. The
result shows that both academic and administrative staff are satisfied
when all the factors are interrelated. The Internal Factors are significant
with an influence of 0.341 at the 5% level and the External Factors are
significant with an influence of 0.475 at the 5% level.
Discussions
The result of System Quality positively influencing DMS is consistent
with the findings of substantial research (Bharati & Chaudhury, 2004;
Dooley et al., 2018; Ghobakhloo & Tang, 2015; Mkinga & Mandari,
2020; Nelson et al., 2005). Considering the attributes of System Quality
such as system reliability, convenience to access, system ease of use, and
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International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195
system flexibility; it is widely accepted that good system performance
affects the willingness of use. Information Quality that includes relevance
of information, content of information, accuracy of information, timeliness of
information and completeness of information influenced DMS, which are
also considered by Bharati and Chaudhury (2004) for the DMS in a
web-based decision support system. Therefore, SIMS should provide
complete, relevant, timely and accurate information to enhance user
satisfaction. According to Zaineldeen and Hongbo (2021) and Çelik and
Ayaz (2022), Information Quality does not have effectiveness on satis­
faction. But in this study, Information Quality has a positive influence on
satisfaction, so an increase in Information Quality leads to an increase in
Internal Factors and the DMS. The finding of the positive influence of
Information Quality on satisfaction is consistent with previous studies
(Gürkut & Nat, 2016, 2017; Tian & Xu, 2017) whose results also show
that Information Quality and System Quality have a positive influence
on satisfaction. The latter finding is also in line with the findings of
another research (Bharati & Chaudhury, 2004; Dooley et al., 2018;
Ghobakhloo & Tang, 2015; Nelson et al., 2005). Information Quality is
the most effective variable on DMS as an Internal Factor which means
that users are more satisfied when they get accurate information from
the system since this is the main source for making the right decisions.
Also, an increase in the System Intelligence guides to an increase in
DMS. Dwivedi et al. (2021)’s claim that AI decisions made within the
next few years will impact the lives of all of us and the future genera­
tions, are in line with this finding. To extend the model, Information
Presentation is included under System Intelligence with analytics and
integration with other systems which have positive effect on System
Intelligence and DMS. According to Bharati and Chaudhury (2004),
Information Presentation is one of the factors that affect the DMS, and
the findings of the research revealed that Information Presentation
didn’t have a positive influence on DMS. These results are consistent
with Gürkut and Nat (2016; 2017), who report that System Quality,
Information Quality, and Information Presentation have a positive effect
on DMS in terms of visualization. The “analytics” and “integration with
other systems” parts of System Intelligence have a positive effect on
System Intelligence and DMS. The most effective questions of System
Intelligence were P3Q23- “The system provides a multidimensional
view of information” and P3Q20- “The system provides an opportunity
to choose reporting style” which means that users are interested in the
reporting style and the view of the information provided by the system.
This result can be explained as Information Quality and System Intelli­
gence is sufficient for users to be satisfied with the Information System.
The result of adding System Intelligence factor cause the System Quality
to become insignificant where only Information Quality and System
Intelligence together become significant. This can be explained as In­
formation Quality and System Intelligence is sufficient for users to be
satisfied with the Information System. This shows that people request
information that meets their needs and understanding. They are not
interested in System Quality if they cannot find what they need. Addi­
tionally, according to Carnoy (2004), some of the main obstacles to the
use of ICT-based management tools in educational management include
a lack of training, a lack of data analysis expertise amongst adminis­
trators, and a lack of user-friendly software for analyzing test results at
the university level. Nevertheless, the full implementation of Internal
Factors which is the findings of the first research question, is expected to
satisfy academic and administrative staff when all factors considered
together.
The External Factors of the SIMS- DMS Risk, Uncertainty, and
Complexity have positive influence on DMS. However, Risk and Un­
certainty become one variable at Factor Loading which means that un­
certainty create a risk for the organization. So, a decrease in Uncertainty
will cause an increase in DMS. Most of these factors cannot be directly
controlled by organizations, however, can be eliminated by measuring
the risk factors which can be controlled. Besides, full implementation of
the External Factors, the findings of the second research question, is
expected to satisfy academic and administrative staff when all factors
C. Gürkut et al.
considered together.
The result of proposed SIMS-DMS Model Regression Modelling test
showing that all staff were satisfied with interrelated factors is consis­
tent with the findings of Elbanna and Fold (2016) who found that
External Factors have a greater impact than Internal Factors on DMP.
Theoretical and practical implications
This study commits advancements in today’s technologies (i.e.,
Artificial Intelligence, visualization) that facilitate Decision-Making
Process based on well-designed presentations with visuals. This study
contributes to literature by considering the perceptions of academic and
administrative managers about DMP on SIMS. Various critical factors
impacting the users’ perspective regarding the Artificial Decision-
Making Systems, which also affect their receptions (Kushwaha et al.,
2022). HEI Management can utilize the developed model to improve
their Decision-Making Process by considering the organizational needs
and users’ preferences. IS teams can design systems by considering the
items that have impact on DMP to support the preparations of the re­
ports for managers to achieve organizational goals.
Limitations and future work
The sample of the study is limited with a specific country and can be
applied to a wide range of area in the world. This research is expected to
set a broad framework for the research needed to improve SIMS for
future applications. It also helps the developers of SIMS to design a
system that takes into account the needs of the decision makers.
Alfalah (2023) discuss that AI and ChatGPT technologies can be
effective in decision support systems in light of advancing technological
developments. However, despite this, experimental research studies
indicate that Chatbot is not yet adequate for this purpose. Therefore, as a
future work, to improve the developed model, the impact of AI Divide
and techno-stress on decision making process can be considered as
External Factors. Additionally, the developed model can be utilized to
evaluate other systems used for decision making since the considered
factors are common for Information Systems.
Conclusion
HEIs use SIMS to collect, organize, and manage all student data,
courses offered in each semester, faculty data, and classroom data to
provide meaningful information that influence DMP and daily activities.
Reports derived from SIMS are used to support decision-making by ac­
ademic and administrative staff. There are various IS Success models
developed and tested in different fields. Most of the models are designed
based on IS Success Models. However, very few studies have investi­
gated the perspectives of academic and administrative staff including
managers. Therefore, besides considering the technological innovations,
this study takes into account the managers’ perspective of HEIs in terms
of DMS.
According to the results of this study External Factors include the
most effective variables than Internal Factors in terms of DMS. External
Factors include Risk, Uncertainty, and Complexity which are usually
cannot be controlled by organizations. For instance, technological ad­
vancements which are the main focus of this research cannot be easily
predicted and followed by organizations. Besides, adaptation to such
advancements requires a great amount of time as well as resources.
Also, from the findings, it can be observed that Information Quality is
the most effective variable amongst Internal Factors variables. Without
accurate information, IS cannot produce accurate reports, and this can
cause wrong decisions which can affect the organizational performance.
Wrong decisions taken by management can cause serious problems in
organizations.
Bharati and Chaudhury (2004) demonstrate that the importance of
the information’s presentation in the DMP is negligible. The graphical
display of information, according to Nyhan and Reifler (2018), lessens
misconception. Making judgments based on visual (clear and graphical)
representation is now possible thanks to technology developments and
changes in people’s thinking. In order to make an informed selection,
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International Journal of Information Management Data Insights 3 (2023) 100195
users are interested in discovering current and comprehensive infor­
mation. This study demonstrates that, depending on whether they are
directly or indirectly satisfied, individuals’ choices for data visualization
and presentation may vary from their preferences for information. Thus,
some extra factors were taken into consideration to increase the DMS.
Considering these, this study suggests that systems that support DM
should put emphasis on information visualization by incorporating
various presentation styles considering user’s preferences. “The data
must be gathered, organized, made interpretable, and then analyzed and
acted on to provide any meaningful information. This is where
data-visualization steps in and allows the organizational leaders to ac­
cess and interpret data in real-time so that they can make highly
informed decisions quickly” (Visualr, 2018, p.1).
System Quality has a positive influence on satisfaction. System
Quality, Information Quality and System Intelligence are categorized
under Internal Factors. The result shows that Internal Factors have
effectiveness on DMS. Internal Factors can be controlled and enhanced
by organizations so they should continuously monitor their systems and
consider the needs of uses to get the full benefit from their system. This
also highlights the importance of organizational support needed for such
systems. Improvement of Information Quality will increase the satis­
faction level of managers in terms of DM.
Another extension was External Factors that have effectiveness on
DMS. Risk, Uncertainty, and Complexity are categorized under External
Factors. However, Risk and Uncertainty became one variable at the
Factor Loading which means that uncertainty creates a Risk for the or­
ganizations. Most of these factors cannot be directly controlled by or­
ganizations, however, can be eliminated by measuring the Risk factors
which can be controlled.
Besides the directly involved stakeholders such as students and ac­
ademics, Decision Support Systems can also be used by government
offices, and accreditation committees who are indirectly impacted by
the success of an educational system.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial
interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence
the work reported in this paper.
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 Project Leadership and Society 4 (2023) 100094

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Project Leadership and Society

journal homepage: www.sciencedirect.com/journal/project-leadership-and-society

Empirical Research Paper

Linking information systems team resilience to project management success

João Varajão a, *, Gabriela Fernandes b, António Amaral c, d
a
University of Minho, ALGORITMI Research Centre/LASI, Campus de Azurém, 4804-533, Guimarães, Portugal
b
University of Coimbra, CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pólo II, Rua Luis Reis Santos, 3030-788, Coimbra, Portugal
c
INESC TEC - Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology, and Science, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
d
Polytechnic Institute of Porto, School of Engineering, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4249-015, Porto, Portugal

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Team resilience is a critically essential contributor to team effectiveness. However, the impact of team resilience
Team resilience on project management success has been little studied. This article aims to investigate the influence of team
Project management success resilience on project management success in the context of information system projects. Using a quantitative
Information systems
study, we show that there is a significant positive relationship between project team resilience and project
Unstable environments
Disruptive events
management success. As a result of this finding, we stress the importance of developing actions to promote team
COVID resilience to increase the likelihood of project management success, particularly in unstable environments.

1. Introduction resilience in teams (Duchek et al., 2021) and, in particular, little is

An Information Systems (IS) project is a temporary endeavor un­
dertaken to improve an organization (e.g., a company) through the use
of Information Technology (IT) (Varajão, 2018; Varajão et al., 2022). A
major attribute of IS projects is their socio-technical nature, and they can
take on many forms, such as digital transformation endeavors (Escobar
et al., 2023), IT/IS custom development (Cadle and Yeates, 2008), IS
consulting (Cadle and Yeates, 2008), or commercial off-the-shelf appli­
cation deployment (Meneses and Varajão, 2022).
Effective teams are one of the most influential success factors of IS
projects (Rehman et al., 2020), and in recent years there has been a
growing interest in studying team resilience contributors (Chapman
et al., 2020). Team resilience is defined here as a project team’s ability to
recover from and adapt to shocks and potentially improve performance
(Linkov and Trump, 2019).
Different tiers of resilience analysis have been developed based on
empirical studies (Aldrich, 2012). For example, recently, Pavez et al.
(2021) have shown that affect-based trust and group potency positively
relate to project team resilience, and Linkov et al. (2018) propose an
approach for resilience assessment that can be integrated into the
existing regulatory processes.
Despite the growing interest in studying resilience, there is still a
limited understanding regarding project team resilience (Alliger et al.,
2015; Chen and Zhang, 2021; Hartmann et al., 2020a,b; Naderpajouh
et al., 2020; Thomé et al., 2016); in fact, little attention has been paid to
known about the impact of team resilience both on team performance
(Naderpajouh et al., 2020) and on project management success. This gap
is particularly noticeable in the IS arena.
Moreover, the magnitude and degree of environmental instability
affect the likelihood of major disruption events that might affect the
projects’ lifecycle execution, project management performance, and the
attainment of the project’s predefined outputs, outcomes, and benefits
(Blay, 2017). Disruption can be seen as a large-scale event that can
profoundly affect the organization’s or endeavor’s performance (Fasey
et al., 2021). Those events pose increasing challenges to organizations’
lasting prosperity and development over time (Chen et al., 2021a,b), and
teams are typically charged with creating and enacting organizational
responses to them (Kaplan and Waller, 2018). One example of a
large-scale global disruptive event was the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020,
whose multifaceted impacts we are still experiencing today. Thus, if it is
important to understand the relationship between team resilience and
project management success under the so-called “normal” or “stable”
environmental conditions, it is then critically vital in the context of
“high clock speed” environments (Pinsonneault and Choi, 2022) and
disruptive times like the one we are currently experiencing, where
events such as pandemics are constantly challenging project teams’
resilience (Floetgen et al., 2021).
This article aims to fill the literature gap by presenting a study on the
influence of team resilience on project management success. The un­
derlying research question is: Does team resilience influence project

* Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: varajao@dsi.uminho.pt (J. Varajão), gabriela.fernandes@dem.uc.pt (G. Fernandes), sal@isep.ipp.pt (A. Amaral).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plas.2023.100094
Received 26 February 2023; Received in revised form 9 August 2023; Accepted 23 August 2023
Available online 25 August 2023
2666-7215/© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/4.0/).
J. Varajão et al.
management success in information systems projects? We hypothesize
that project team resilience is correlated to project management success
(i.e., to the degree of efficiency and effectiveness of the management
process), and the effect size varies according to the project’s environ­
mental stability.
The research approach is quantitative within a cross-sectional study
(Neuman, 2014; Saunders et al., 2019). Three questionnaire-based sur­
veys were administered to collect data for the theoretical model’s
empirical validation in stable and unstable project environments. Team
members from IS projects carried out in an academic setting between
February 2019 and May 2021 were contacted (at the end of their pro­
jects) to invite them to participate in the survey. Despite the context’s
specificities, since projects were carried out by teams of students
enrolled in a master’s program, the projects shared the same charac­
teristics as other professional projects: they have a context and the
objective of improving real organizations (i.e., they were not a mere
assignment which a professor then marked), with project management
success being indexed to stakeholder satisfaction (primarily client
satisfaction). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential
statistics.
Organizations are increasingly geared toward implementing their
strategic objectives through projects. However, the incidence of
disruptive events limits organizations’ ability to implement their pro­
jects. In fact, these events can profoundly affect project technical
feasibility, budget execution, planned time to market, and even, in some
cases, the need to abort the project. The absence of a resilience-oriented
organizational culture for the project team can greatly hamper the or­
ganization’s ability to achieve success and, at the same time, constrain
the project’s contribution to creating value and generating benefits
(Rahi, 2019). Therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand the
influence of team resilience on project management success in both
stable and disruptive contexts. Our results contribute to a better un­
derstanding of this phenomenon.
The remaining content of the paper proceeds as follows. We first
review the relevant literature and develop the hypotheses of the impact
of team resilience on project management success. After outlining the
research method, we describe and discuss the empirical findings from
the statistical tests performed. Finally, the article concludes by pre­
senting the main implications of these findings on theory and practice,
its limitations, and future work.
2. Background
2.1. Team resilience
The personal ability to properly overcome setbacks and deal with
unexpected events by focusing on a set of actions to compensate for the
effects of damaging circumstances requires a specific set of compe­
tencies, experience, and attitudes (Furniss et al., 2011), which can be
designated as individual resilience (Zautra et al., 2010). Resilience
shortens the recovery period for individuals and ensures a strengthened
will, as well as an increased repository of resources for future situations
(Carmeli et al., 2013).
Individual resilience is related to team resilience (Hartwig et al.,
2020), and some mechanisms of team resilience are similar to those
pointed out at the individual level. To successfully overcome disruptive
situations, teams need to develop resilience capabilities (Duchek et al.,
2019). However, the dimension of teamwork and the interactions
among its members raise new aspects that need to be adequately
considered to measure their dependency and impact on the team per­
formance (Mathieu et al., 2008; Varajão et al., 2021).
Resilience has been recognized as an important phenomenon for
understanding how individuals and teams overcome difficult situations
(Bowers et al., 2017). Team resilience can be defined as the team’s
intrinsic ability to deal with problems (Carmeli and Markman, 2011),
overcome obstacles, or resist excessive pressure caused by adverse
2
Project Leadership and Society 4 (2023) 100094
situations (e.g., the loss of a team member) without collapsing (Leng­
nick-Hall and Beck, 2009); this capacity allows the team to successfully
adjust to a new set of tasks and increase reliability, longevity, and
overall performance (Bandura, 1997). Resilience can be improved
through a set of actions that make the team more or less resilient
(Amaral et al., 2015), protecting it from the potential adverse effects of
stressors or disruptive events it may encounter throughout the project
lifecycle (Morgan et al., 2015).
Team resilience can also be defined as an emergent state reflecting a
team’s capacity to bounce back from adversities or setbacks (Brykman
and King, 2021; Stoverink et al., 2020). Bowers et al. (2017) conclude
that resilience is the result of a dynamic process that affects and is
affected by other salient team variables. The level of team bonding can
empower teams to overcome issues that might impact the project’s
goals; these bonds can also improve learning possibilities and provide
insights to boost adaptability when experiencing disruptions or setbacks
(Morgan et al., 2015; van der Beek and Schraagen, 2015).
Some authors propose theoretical models and scales suitable for
measuring team resilience. van der Beek and Schraagen (2015) present
ADAPTER, a questionnaire driven by four essential abilities of resilience
(responding, monitoring, anticipating, and learning). Stoverink et al.
(2020) propose a theoretical model of team resilience that aims to clarify
the meaning of the work team resilience construct and illustrates how it
emerges in an interdependent fashion via critical team-level resources
and how it unfolds over time through team processes. Sharma and
Sharma (2016) present a scale to assess the team resilience capacity via
four major constructs: mastery approaches, group structure, social
capital, and collective efficacy. Varajão et al. (2021) propose a theo­
retical model for explaining team resilience and a scale that includes the
factors of trust and solidarity, focus on results, commitment, manage­
ment and accountability, embracing conflicts, work conditions, and
skills and behaviors. In our study, we adopted the scale by Varajão et al.
(2021) since it was empirically tested with IS projects data, as is the case
of our research.
2.2. Project success and project management success
Dvir et al. (2003) emphasize three main points for measuring a
project’s success (or failure): the implementation process, the project’s
perceived value, and the client/customer satisfaction level with the
project’s outputs. Moreover, according to Shenhar et al. (1997), there
are four dimensions of success: project efficiency, impact on cli­
ent/customer, business success, and preparation for the future.
The project efficiency dimension is a short-term metric that focuses
on how efficiently each project process was managed. It highlights
projects that were completed on time and within budget. While this is a
mark of quality in project management, it does not ensure enhanced
benefits, which are vital to achieving long-term project success (Slevin
and Pinto, 1987; Varajão et al., 2022).
The impact on clients/customers and/or end-users is deeply related
to the perceived value obtained by ensuring fulfillment of the needs and
requirements defined by them (Pereira et al., 2022). Client/customer
satisfaction can also be related to follow-up approaches to facilitate
feedback on projects or even new versions of the same product or out­
puts that can improve the organization’s success.
According to the Project Management Methodology (EU, 2018), the
success of a project is achieved when objectives are realized, and all
deliverables are produced and accepted by the project client. Turner and
Xue (2018) consider that a project is successful when there are relevant
benefits, based on deliverables and schedule and budget compliance.
Other authors include the quality (in addition to schedule and budget) to
measure project success (Collins and Baccarini, 2004; Yeong and Lim,
2010).
Baccarini (1999) bases success on two components: product success
and project management success. On the one hand, project management
success focuses on the management process and mainly on the successful
J. Varajão et al.
execution of the project in the three dimensions of scope, time, and cost,
which indicates its degree of efficiency and effectiveness. On the other
hand, product success mainly focuses on the effects of the project results
in the post-project stage. This article focuses on project management
success following Baccarini (1999)’s perspective by considering the
triple constraint and stakeholder satisfaction in evaluating success.
3. Research model and hypotheses
Our research addresses the influence of team resilience on the suc­
cess of IS project management. As shown in Fig. 1, the conceptual model
is composed of two main variables: Project Management Success – the
dependent variable – regards scope, time, and cost compliance, as well
as deliverables quality and stakeholder satisfaction (mainly client
satisfaction) (Baccarini, 1999; Pereira et al., 2022); the independent
variable, Team Resilience, relates to team resilience in relation to trust
and solidarity, focus on results, commitment, management and
accountability, embracing conflicts, work conditions, and skills and
behaviors (Varajão et al., 2021). In Fig. 1, the effect of environmental
stability on the relationship between team resilience and project man­
agement success is also considered. The arrows in the figure represent
the hypotheses to be tested empirically.
Projects are becoming more complex, which gives rise to a context of
adversity (Morcov et al., 2020). Being resilient in such an environment
entails having the necessary skills to deal with the unknown trans­
formation and adjust processes (Klein et al., 2015). To maintain progress
and achieve success in project management, project teams must be able
to recover from setbacks, i.e., they need to be resilient (Karlsen and Berg,
2020). Hence the following hypothesis:
H1. Team Resilience is positively related to Project Management
Success.
Problems in a project are common and often affect performance,
primarily due to unforeseen scenarios and situations that increase un­
certainty (Huemann and Martinsuo, 2016). Thus, the influence of team
resilience on project management success is expected to be positive even
in the case of projects carried out in (more) stable environments, such as
the pre-pandemic context. On the other hand, considering that team
resilience is a key attribute when organizations are faced with emer­
gencies and need to implement suitable responses to ensure desired
Trust &
Solidarity
Focus on
results
Commitment
Management &
Accountability Team Resilience
Embracing
conflicts
Work
conditions
Skills &
Behaviors
Fig. 1. Conceptual model.
3
Project Leadership and Society 4 (2023) 100094
outcomes before and after a crisis (Trijp et al., 2018), we hypothesize
that the effect of the positive influence of team resilience on project
management success is greater in such unstable contexts (e.g., projects
carried out in person, forced to move to remote work due to a disruptive
event such as COVID-19 that brings uncertainty to the project execu­
tion). Thus, the following hypotheses:
H2a. The relationship between Team Resilience and Project Manage­
ment Success is stronger when working in unstable environments.
H2b. The relationship between Team Resilience and Project Manage­
ment Success is weaker when working in stable environments.
4. Method
4.1. Measurement
The measurement items used in our research are based on relevant
literature. We adopted items identified in previous studies to enhance
validity (by using tested and proven measures). Team resilience was
measured using the scale proposed by Varajão et al. (2021) to calculate a
Team Resilience index for each surveyed project. A Project Management
success index was also calculated, taking as criteria scope, time, and cost
compliance, as well as the quality of deliverables and stakeholder
satisfaction (including sponsor and client satisfaction), following the
work of Baccarini (1999) and Pereira et al. (2022). The measuring items
presented in Table 1 were taken and adapted from the original sources to
create the research instrument (questionnaire). For instance, the item
“Ensuring adequate working conditions” was presented in the ques­
tionnaire as “Adequate working conditions were ensured in your proj­
ect.” The items used in this study were measured using a seven-point
Likert-type scale (1 = “I strongly disagree” to 7 = “I strongly agree”).
4.2. Measurement assessment
Although our study used identical items to those in Varajão et al.
(2021), Baccarini (1999), and Pereira et al. (2022), thus taking advan­
tage of previous validation, we examined the context validity of the
questionnaire before the survey was conducted. Four IS and project
management professors and five IS project managers pilot-tested the
surveys. Considering the feedback obtained, we concluded that no
Scope
Time
Cost
Quality
Satisfaction
J. Varajão et al.
Table 1
Measuring items.
Constructs Items
Team Resilience Team Resilience index (calculated)
Trust & Solidarity Minimizing individualistic behavior in
favor of teamwork results
Empowering project team (give
decision-making power to team
members)
Promoting solidarity between project
team members during work
development
Encouraging project team members’
autonomy and versatility
Promoting collaboration among
project team members
Developing project team building
Focus on results Establishing specific indicators
regarding project results
Ensuring systematic feedback on
project results
Focusing team effort on project results
Seeking to minimize project
ambiguities
Commitment Helping each team member to
perceive the usefulness of their work
Ensuring that low-performing team
members feel the need to improve
Involving the project team in project
plan development
Encouraging all project team members
to put forward their ideas and making
them feel that their ideas are taken
into account
Aligning all project team members
with the project’s objectives
Implementing a philosophy of
participatory project management
Implementing proper motivation
systems
Management & Minimizing disturbances during the
Accountability project lifecycle (e.g., lack of
information, rumors, etc.)
Reporting priority activities to each
team member
Controlling project progress and
highlighting any default by the team
Performing project control in close
proximity to the project team
Avoiding bureaucracy in project
management
Identifying the best strategy for project
execution
Implementing project risk
management processes
Helping the team to manage change
properly
Implementing effective
communication processes
Embracing Identifying and clarifying acceptable
conflicts and unacceptable behaviors of team
members (e.g., sarcasm, bias, etc.)
Identifying and eliminating barriers to
project execution (e.g., physical
environment conditions such as
temperature, noise level; interpersonal
relationships; unsolved issues from the
past; antisocial behavior, etc.)
Promoting active listening by all
project team members
Placing team interest always before
personal interest
Encouraging project team members to
recognize their weaknesses and
mistakes
Promoting requests and acceptance of
excuses among project team members
Project Leadership and Society 4 (2023) 100094
Table 1 (continued )
Constructs Items Adapted from
Adapted from
Reinforcing the need for team
Varajão et al. members to always give the benefit of
(2021) the doubt before drawing negative
conclusions
Work conditions Ensuring redundancy of non-human
resources (e.g., equipment)
Establishing a flexible work schedule
to address the needs of each team
member
Providing opportunities for project
team continuous learning
Stimulating a positive and loyal
project team environment
Ensuring adequate working conditions
Skills & Behaviors Setting up teams with the necessary
competencies to perform project
activities
Providing training to develop the
necessary competencies for the project
Developing individual resilience of
project team members
Identifying the most important
behavioral characteristics of each
team member to “strengthen” the
project team
Identifying the most important
behavioral characteristics of each
team member that can “weaken” the
project team
Promoting the ability of project team
members to learn from mistakes
Encouraging assertiveness among
team members (e.g., “talk about what
should be said”)
Promoting recognition, appreciation,
and use of the talents and
competencies of each team member
Project Project Management Success index (Baccarini, 1999;
Management (calculated) Pereira et al.,
Success 2022)
Scope
Time
Cost
Quality
Satisfaction (stakeholders)
refinements to the questionnaire were needed.
Cronbach’s Alpha was computed to test the reliability and internal
consistency of the responses. Cronbach’s Alpha ranged from 0.756
(Team Resilience – Focus on results) to 0.930 (Team Resilience –
Commitment), which is considered a good value since all constructs
scored above 0.7 (Cohen, 1988), indicating a high degree of internal
consistency of responses.
4.3. Data
Hypotheses testing is based on a cross-sectional sample of informa­
tion systems projects. This data was collected at three different points in
time over three years. The project teams of 71 IS projects developed in
an academic setting were contacted to participate in the survey in 2019
(dataset 1: pre-pandemic projects carried out 100% in-person), 2020
(dataset 2: projects carried out in-person in the first month during the
pandemic, and then conducted via remote working due to the Corona­
virus outbreak, facing high uncertainty in the wake of this disruptive
event), and 2021 (dataset 3: “post”-pandemic projects carried out 100%
via remote working).
Despite the context’s specificities, since projects were carried out by
teams of students enrolled in the project management course of a mas­
ter’s program on information systems engineering and management, the
projects shared the same characteristics as other professional projects,
4
J. Varajão et al. Project Leadership and Society 4 (2023) 100094

with project management success being indexed to stakeholder satis­ years) to test hypothesis H1. Then, it was calculated using each year’s
faction (primarily client satisfaction). Projects were carried out in a project data separately to verify if environmental stability influences the
“real” environment: all the projects had a client, which could be internal effect size of the correlation (to test hypotheses H2a and H2b). The data
(from the university) or external (e.g., a company); and the main collected were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics software package.
objective was to contribute to improving an organization. In each team,
one student assumed the role of project manager, following project 5. Results
management best practices (including classical, agile, and hybrid ap­
proaches, depending on the project characteristics). The project teams 5.1. Descriptive findings
ranged from five to six members (for a total of 376 members), all having
a degree in IS engineering and IT proficiency. Descriptive statistics were computed to summarize and describe the
The completion of this project management course in the master’s data collected. The most relevant statistics used included the mean,
program not only facilitates student mobility beyond the university but median, mode, and standard deviation. For a given variable, the mean is
also exposes them to an environment conducive to honing skills that the average score assigned by respondents (the sum of responses/scores
extend beyond academia (Benson and Chau, 2019). Moreover, it en­ given divided by the number of responses), which can be affected by
hances the likelihood of students securing employment as project extremely high and low values. So, in general, this is complemented by
managers upon course completion (Hurn, 2016). other measures of central tendency, such as the median. The median is
Participants were asked to fill out an online questionnaire regarding not sensitive to outlying or abnormal values and represents the score for
team resilience in their projects, and strict confidentiality of individual a variable above and below which half of the responses fall. The mode
responses was assured. As in many other studies, this data-gathering represents the score for a variable’s most frequently occurring score
method can be a source of bias, mainly response bias (in this case). (when multiple modes exist, the SPSS software package only reports the
This occurs when participants do not answer the questionnaire accu­ smallest mode). Data analysis is enriched if all three measures are used.
rately due to factors such as social desirability. For instance, respondents Finally, standard deviation measures dispersion around the mean
may lie or omit information to avoid judgment. This was minimized by (Varajão et al., 2020). Table 3 presents the descriptive statistics of the
clearly communicating the research objective and clarifying that it does surveyed projects.
not influence the project evaluation. The mean values of the team resilience index vary between 5.8945
The project management success index for all projects was reported (2019) and 6.3253 (2021). The standard deviations show values ranging
by the project evaluators (two professors responsible for the projects), between 0.32094 (2021) and 0.46496 (2020), indicating the answers’
who were the same for all the projects. Note also that the used criteria variability. Overall, it is noted that the project teams seem more resilient
and evaluation procedures were the same in all reported years after the pandemic. Regarding the project management success
(including listening to the client).
A total of 373 team members completed the questionnaire. Thirteen
of these questionnaires were not used in the analysis due to incomplete Table 3
responses or outliers (resulting in removing three projects), thus Projects – descriptive statistics.
yielding a final response rate of 95.75% (corresponding to 360 valid Dataset 1 Dataset 2 Dataset 3 Total
questionnaires and 68 projects). Table 2 presents the demographics of (2019) (2020) (2021) data
participants and projects. Valid 25 19 24 68
Most of the respondents are male (68.9%). The respondents partici­ Team Resilience index
pated in projects classified into three types: IT/IS custom development Minimum 4.90 4.90 5.63 4.90
(50.0%); IS analysis (27.9%); IS consulting (22.1%). The project’s Maximum 6.73 6.80 6.85 6.85
Mean 5.8945 5.9674 6.3253 6.0669
average duration was three months.
Median 5.8667 6.0083 6.4083 6.0646
Mode 4.90a 4.90a 5.63a 4.90a
4.4. Data analysis Std. 0.44012 0.46496 0.32094 0.44795
deviation
Project Management Success index
The unit of analysis in our study is the project team. After collecting Minimum 13.27 16.49 12.35 12.35
data, the team resilience index was calculated for each project as an Maximum 18.89 18.75 18.98 18.98
average of all project team members’ responses (to improve reliability). Mean 16.0508 17.6482 17.0850 16.8621
Median 16.2100 17.8100 17.5300 17.2100
Correlations were computed to investigate if there was any statistically
Mode 16.33 16.49a 12.35a 16.33a
significant association between team resilience and project management Std. 1.61029 0.73568 1.53777 1.52468
success. Since the assumption of normality of the variables was violated, deviation
the nonparametric Spearman rho statistic was calculated (Cohen, 1988).
a. Multiple modes exist. The smallest value is shown.
The Spearman rho was first calculated using all the data (from the three

Table 2
Demographics of participants and projects.
Dataset 1 (2019) Dataset 2 (2020) Dataset 3 (2021) Total data

Number % Number % Number % Number %

Projects
Number of projects/teams 25 36.8 19 27.9 24 35.3 68 -
Team elements 129 35.8 97 26.9 134 37.2 360 -
Participant gender
Male 91 70.5 69 71.1 88 65.7 248 68.9
Female 38 29.5 28 28.9 46 34.3 112 31.1
Project type
IT/IS custom development 12 48.0 10 52.6 12 50.0 34 50.0
IS analysis 7 28.0 5 26.3 7 29.2 19 27.9
IS consulting 6 24.0 4 21.1 5 29.8 15 22.1

5
J. Varajão et al. Project Leadership and Society 4 (2023) 100094

normalized index, the mean values range from 16.0508 (2019) to towards enhancing resilience and thus improving performance. Another
17.6482 (2020). The standard deviations range from 0.73568 (2020) to study by Meneghel et al. (2016)a,b shows that job social resources are
1.61029 (2019). It is worth mentioning that project management suc­ related to team performance, and team resilience is a significant medi­
cess reached slightly higher levels in the 2020 projects, which were ator. The results suggest that organizations should develop social re­
impacted by a major disruption (the coronavirus outbreak). However, it sources of work to enhance team resilience and, consequently, team
should also be noted that in 2020 the number of projects was also lower performance. Chen and Zhang (2021)’ research also shows a strong link
than the other years surveyed. between team resilience and team performance in the context of new
venture teams. Qamari et al. (2020) present a conceptual model of
transformative interaction capability. Along with the quality of work life
5.2. Hypotheses testing
and transformative interaction capability constructs, the conceptual
model links team resilience to teamwork performance; it was found a
To find if there is a significant association between team resilience
positive relation between team resilience and teamwork performance.
and project management success in information systems projects, as well
Duchek et al. (2021)’ research shows that training focused on team
as any effect on the relationship with environmental stability, the
building and resilience achieves the best results concerning group dy­
Spearman rho statistic was computed. The results are presented in
namics and resilience behavior. Oh and Teo (2006) also conclude that
Table 4.
more resilient organizations exhibited better organizational
The results indicate a statistically significant positive correlation
performance.
between the team resilience index and the project management success
Although none of the mentioned studies directly address the rela­
index r(68) = 0.510, p<0.01. According to the guidelines by Cohen
tionship between team resilience and project management success or are
(1988), the effect size is large. Moreover, as expected, the effect size of
focused on the context of IS projects, the overall results align with our
team resilience is larger when disruptive events occur, such as the
findings since, in all cases, resilience directly or indirectly influences
Coronavirus outbreak, which mainly affected the surveyed 2020’s pro­
performance. Our study expands previous research by discussing team
jects. The correlation coefficient during this period has a large effect size
resilience as an influencer of project management success and proposing
r(19) = 0.591, p<0.01, while in the surveyed 2019’s projects (the first
and examining a conceptual model tested under different conditions
dataset), the correlation coefficient has a medium effect size r(25) =
(stable and unstable environments) within the context of IS projects.
0.400, p<0.01. According to Cohen (1988), the r coefficient between 0.3
Note that projects carried out in a more stable environment occurred
and 0.5 is a medium or typical correlation, while the r coefficient be­
in teams working 100% in-person (2019 projects) and working 100%
tween 0.5 and 0.7 is large or larger than typical. Therefore, we can
remotely (2021 projects). In both cases, the effect size is medium, which
conclude that developing team resilience in IS projects is even more
shows that the work regime may not significantly affect the influence of
important in unstable environments, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
team resilience on project management success. Our results are aligned
with Neirotti et al. (2012)’ study since they did not find differences in
6. Discussion labor productivity in the case of home-based telework practices. On the
one hand, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges and de­
6.1. Theoretical contributions mands to individuals and organizations since it was necessary to adapt
quickly to unique circumstances, such as intensively carrying out work
In an increasingly dynamic and unexpected business environment, from home using IT/IS (Soares et al., 2021). On the other hand, Schoch
studying resilience is fundamental to understanding how individuals (2023) states that remote working self-efficacy generally increases
and teams successfully handle adversity (Hartmann et al., 2020a,b). performance for remote work. This may explain our results (at least
However, despite the vital role of teamwork in organizations, the con­ partially) since all the surveyed team members have a degree in IS en­
ceptual development of team resilience is still in its infancy (Hartmann gineering and IT proficiency.
et al., 2020a,b; Hartmann et al., 2020a,b). Our research brings impor­
tant theoretical contributions to the body of knowledge. On the one
6.2. Managerial implications
hand, it contributes to increasing the knowledge of resilience and project
management by showing a positive correlation between project team
The research has practical management implications relevant to
resilience and the success of project management in IS projects; on the
temporary organizations, highlighting the need to focus more on pro­
other hand, it shows that the effect size of team resilience is larger in
jects’ social and human elements rather than technical ones, which
unstable environments when major disruptive events impact projects.
aligns with Hernes (2014). This research also provides new evidence to
Some previous studies have linked resilience with performance. For
practitioners on the importance of developing systematic actions to
instance, Meneghel et al. (2016)a,b investigated the relationship be­
promote project team resilience, as other authors advocate (e.g., Varajão
tween collective positive emotions at work, team resilience, and in-role
et al. (2021); Zemba et al. (2019).
and extra-role team performance. The results emphasize the importance
Team resilience is a multilevel phenomenon (Linkov and Trump,
of developing positive emotions within teams to support their evolution
2019) that requires clear identification of key factors and appropriate
stimulus to enable its emergence and systemic development in in­
Table 4 dividuals, teams, and organizational culture (Gucciardi et al., 2018).
Hypotheses testing. Therefore, organizations should promote a better work-life balance
Dataset 1 Dataset 2 Dataset 3 All data quality to enhance project team members’ transformative interaction
(2019) (2020) (2021) capabilities, thus positively affecting team resilience and overall per­
Correlation r = 0.400* r = 0.591** r = 0.455* r= formance (Qamari et al., 2020). Dimas et al. (2018) highlight the
Coefficient 0.510** importance of adopting transformative leadership behaviors to increase
Sig. (2-tailed) p = 0.048 p = 0.008 p = 0.026 P<0.001
the viability and overall effectiveness of the team. Leaders need to know
(<0.05) (<0.01) (<0.05)
N (projects/ 25 19 24 68 their signature strengths and use them wisely and assertively to increase
teams) the resilience level of teams (Karlsen and Berg, 2020).
Hypotheses Supported Supported Supported Supported Organizations should develop strong values (Coutu, 2003), a strong
Effect size Medium Large Medium Large sense of purpose, a clear vision, and assertive and strategic communi­
*Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). cation (Lengnick-Hall and Beck, 2009). Increasing team resilience in­
**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). volves strengthening the group structure, supporting the incorporation

6
J. Varajão et al.
of common rules and values, adopting shared transformational leader­
ship, and creating meaningful interactions amongst team members,
particularly during unexpected events, as well as promoting proactive
awareness focused on team improvement (Morgan et al., 2015; van der
Beek and Schraagen, 2015).
7. Conclusion
Instability and uncertainty in business environments are rising,
forcing organizations to adopt new working strategies to sustain their
ability to thrive and compete globally and enhance their resilience to
deal with sudden disruptions that may affect their strategic efforts
(Fridgeirsson et al., 2021). According to Chen et al. (2021)a,b, empirical
studies suggest that resilient organizations are much more flexible and
able to adapt to change, even if the business environment is complex and
disruptive (Sakurai and Chughtai, 2020).
Project teams are fundamental in this context. However, work teams
frequently face various adverse conditions and, as a result, can experi­
ence process breakdowns and performance declines, even leading to
team failure (Stoverink et al., 2020). Our research shows that project
team resilience has an important role as a main contributor to the suc­
cess of project management in IS projects. This is even more evident in
the case of major disruptive events that impact projects.
The main limitation of this research concerns the data sample. The
data was collected in the context of IS projects carried out by teams of
master’s students. For this reason, the generalizability of these results to
other project contexts is somewhat limited. Gordon et al. (1986) discuss
this limitation, mentioning the “controversy over using students as
subjects in research” since there are risks of the sample not being
representative of a general population. However, the same authors
suggest some ideas that may improve external validity, including relying
on trained experimental subjects and involving subjects with de­
mographic and interest profiles similar to the nonstudents to whom
researchers wish to generalize, which was the case of our research. The
authors also mention several studies in which MBA students and non­
students were used as subjects in identical experiments with similar
results. Furthermore, to reduce the risk of bias, our results are grounded
in projects carried out in different years under different environmental
conditions. Nevertheless, future work could involve collecting data from
other contexts to identify potential project context dependency. At the
same time, other important aspects could be considered by studying the
influence of some personality types on team resilience or even collab­
oration or motivation mechanisms promoted by team leadership.
Another limitation is related to the measurement items used. We
adopted well-known measures from the literature to take advantage of
previous validation and enhance validity. However, alternative scales
could be used, such as the one proposed by Sharma and Sharma (2016)
for team resilience or additional measures for project management
success, as described by Pereira et al. (2022). Therefore, it is necessary to
investigate further the diverse interpretations of team resilience and
project management success.
Additionally, the ability to be resilient is not just an attribute
inherent to project teams – it can be developed and managed (Amaral
et al., 2015; Naderpajouh et al., 2018; Varajão et al., 2021) to ensure
that its key dimensions are incorporated and thus improve the resilience
of project teams and organizations experience the benefits gained over
time. In our study, the results of team resilience after the critical year of
pandemics (2021) are higher when compared to the pre-pandemics re­
sults (2019). This may be due to the learning effects; this assumption is
supported by Stoverink et al. (2020, p. 395)’ work, as they theorize “that
work team resilience strengthens over time through mastery experi­
ences, functioning as a self-reinforcing gain spiral.”
Therefore, there is great potential for future research on how to
develop resilient project teams to increase the likelihood of project
success (for instance, by exposing teams to disruptive events in simu­
lated situations). The ability to assess and monitor the frequency and
7
Project Leadership and Society 4 (2023) 100094
extent of disruptions experienced, combined with the maturity of project
management and the expertise level of team members, will allow early
detection of potential risks and enhance the capability to create ad­
justments rapidly, thus avoiding impacting project execution and value
creation.
Finally, digital transformation and the tendency to adopt IT towards
increasing the data available to support decision-making will continue
influencing project management in the future. Creating augmented and
virtual reality simulations (supported by artificial intelligence) may help
prepare teams to overcome unpleasant situations and their impacts. This
can be combined with the adoption of transformational leadership and
team engagement to gain greater awareness and accelerate quality
response time to unstable events or situations. Being prepared to deal
with challenging scenarios and prepare responses in advance could
enhance team resilience and the ability to overcome difficulties, thus
achieving higher success levels.
Declaration of competing interest
The authors have no interests to declare.
Data availability
The data that has been used is confidential.
Acknowledgments
This work was been supported by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e
Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope (UIDB/00319/2020).
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 Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery: Advanced Techniques and Case Management 29 (2022) 101587

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery: Advanced Techniques

and Case Management
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/inat

Case Reports & Case Series

Awake craniotomy with intraoperative open magnetic resonance imaging

under anesthesia management using an anesthesia information
management system via a wireless local area network: Case report
Tsuyoshi Ikeda a, Shima Taguchi b, *, Michiyoshi Sanuki c, Toshiaki Haraki d, Takahiro Kato b,
Yasuo M. Tsutsumi b
a
Department of Anesthesiology, Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
b
Department of Anesthesiology, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
c
Department of Anesthesiology, Kure Medical Center and Chugoku Cancer Center, Hiroshima, Japan
d
Department of Anesthesiology, JA Hiroshima General Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords Awake craniotomy with intraoperative open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) requires special anesthesia
Anesthesia information management system management, wherein the use of an anesthesia information management system (AIMS) is important. However,
Open MRI automatic recording using AIMS is generally difficult because of potential noise from electronic devices affecting
Awake craniotomy
magnetic resonance images and device malfunction due to magnetic fields emitted during MRI. At our hospital,
we have confirmed that wireless local area network (LAN) radio waves do not cause noise during MRI, and have
designed a shielded box to house the wireless transmitter and electronic devices that allow a wireless LAN to pass
through but shield the electronic devices from noise, thus enabling AIMS recording via a wireless LAN, even
during MRI. We demonstrated the usefulness of this system with a wireless LAN connection in three cases of
awake craniotomy with open MRI.

1. Introduction established in 2016. Currently, we are working towards utilizing AIMS

In surgery for malignant brain tumors, various measures have been
adopted to excise the tumor to the maximum extent while minimizing
neurological complications. Awake craniotomy with intraoperative
open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one such technique. Intra­
operative open MRI confirms tumor localization and maximizes tumor
resection. An anesthesia information management system (AIMS)
constantly records the patient’s vital signs and predicted drug blood
levels, which is advantageous for preventing complications, early
detection of complications when they occur, intraoperative response,
and verification of equipment operation after surgery. Awake crani­
otomy with intraoperative open MRI requires special anesthesia man­
agement [1–7], and AIMS [8] is benefit. However, automatic AIMS
recording is generally challenging owing to the potential noise from
electronic devices affecting the images and device malfunction due to
the magnetic fields emitted. Electronic devices, such as biological
monitors and syringe pumps, are limited to MRI-compatible devices [9].
At our hospital, an operating room with an open MRI system was
[10]. Herein, we report three cases of anesthesia management for awake
craniotomy with open MRI, with written consent from the patients.
2. Case description
Awake craniotomy with OPEN-MRI was performed on three patients
with brain tumors near the language area.
2.1. Equipment
At our hospital, we adopted a 0.4-T open MRI system manufactured
by Hitachi (Tokyo, Japan). If the device is not brought close to the 5-
gauss line, it can be operated even if it is not an MRI-compatible de­
vice. However, even outside the 5-gauss line, noise from non-MRI-
compatible devices is mixed into the image and affects the diagnosis.
Conversely, even with an MRI-compatible device, noise is generated in
the image if a metal wire is used for the external transmission of data
from the device. Therefore, before surgery with open MRI, we created an

* Corresponding author at: Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
E-mail address: yohtamam@hiroshima-u.ac.jp (S. Taguchi).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inat.2022.101587
Received 5 March 2022; Received in revised form 27 April 2022; Accepted 14 May 2022
Available online 17 May 2022
2214-7519/© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/4.0/).
T. Ikeda et al. Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery: Advanced Techniques and Case Management 29 (2022) 101587

environment in which images could be automatically recorded on AIMS

without causing noise [10]. We confirmed that the 2.4-GHz band
wireless local area network (LAN) (IEEE802.11 g) does not become a
noise source for the images and decided to use the wireless LAN to ac­
quire information from non-MRI-compatible devices. In addition, to
shield the noise of non-MRI-compatible devices, we created a shielded
box (sBOX) composed of non-magnetic stainless steel and confirmed that
it allows wireless LAN radio waves to pass through. In the sBOX, the
Telfusion® infusion pump LM type, SS type, target-controlled infusion
(TCI) pump TE-371 (Terumo, Tokyo, Japan), wireless LAN transmitter,
and battery were stored in advance. Fabius MRI® (Drager, Lubeck,
Germany), supporting MRI, was used as the main body of the anesthesia
machine. However, because the data communication of the anesthesia
machine does not support MRI, a second sBOX for storing the wireless
LAN transmitter was installed next to the anesthesia machine. Through
the wireless LAN transmitters in these two sBOXes, the electronic device
and anesthesia machine information in the sBOXes were automatically
recorded in the AIMS via the wireless LAN. Additionally, two biological
monitors were used. When MRI was not performed, data were acquired Fig. 2. (a) Open-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), anesthesia machine, and
shielded box (sBOX) during MRI imaging. All equipment is placed outside the 5-
via a wired connection using B850 (GE, Boston, MA, USA), which was
gauss line; however, the intravenous line and snake tube from the anesthesia
not compatible with MRI, and data were acquired via wireless LAN using
machine are placed with sufficient space to reach the patient. The door of the
In vivo Expression® (PHILIPS, Amsterdam, Netherlands), compatible
sBOX is closed and the MRI-compatible monitor is hidden behind the anesthesia
with MRI. Furthermore, the AIMS terminal of the notebook PC (FMV machine. (b) The sBOX when MRI is not performed. Four infusion pumps and
NN6H3E2® [Fujitsu, Tokyo, Japan]) was put to sleep and wrapped in a syringe pumps are stored in the sBOX, and a wireless local area network (LAN)
shield cloth (Ixol Mesh® [Toyama Denki Building, Toyama, Japan]). transmitter and uninterruptible power supply are stored at the bottom of
Because of these measures, keyboard input to electronic recording was the box.
not possible; however, information on the syringe pump, monitor, and
anesthesia machine was automatically recorded and integrated into the was removed while awakening. After tumor resection, while awake, the
AIMS in real-time, even during MRI (Figs. 1 and 2). The predicted blood patient’s head was closed under spontaneous breathing, airway man­
concentration (Cp) of propofol and dexmedetomidine was calculated agement, and controlled ventilation.
and recorded using AIMS over time based on the drug administration MRI was performed before and, if necessary, after the tumor resec­
rate of the syringe pump. The Marsh and Dyck models were used for the tion. The blood concentration of the drugs was predicted based on the
Cp calculation of propofol [11] and dexmedetomidine [12], information integrated into the AIMS, and anesthesia management was
respectively. performed while using such parameters as a reference when starting
arousal and extubation.
2.2. Anesthesia procedure
2.3. Case 1
After propofol, remifentanil, and rocuronium administration, the
airway was secured using a supraglottic device (i-gel® [NIHON KODEN,
A 68-year-old man (height, 162 cm; weight, 72 kg) presented with
Tokyo, Japan]). Dexmedetomidine administration was initiated at the
symptomatic epilepsy and obstructive ventilatory impairment preoper­
start of the surgery. After MRI before tumor resection, propofol and
atively. Anesthesia was introduced with TCI of propofol and remi­
remifentanil were discontinued, and dexmedetomidine was continu­
fentanil at target blood concentrations of 3.0 and 0.23 µg/kg/min, which
ously administered or discontinued, depending on the case. The i-gel
were maintained at 3.0 µg/mL and 0.13–0.23 µg/kg/min, respectively.
Dexmedetomidine administration was initiated at 0.30 µg/kg/h from
the start of surgery; the dose was reduced to 0.11 µg/kg/h after MRI, and
propofol and remifentanil were discontinued for awakening. The Cp at
extubation was 0.66 µg/mL for propofol and 0.17 µg/mL for dexmede­
tomidine; dexmedetomidine was continued during tumor resection.
From MRI after tumor resection to the end of craniotomy, sedation was
performed at target blood concentrations of 0.4–0.8 µg/mL for propofol
and 0.30 µg/kg/h for dexmedetomidine; spontaneous breathing was
induced without reinsertion of the i-gel (Fig. 3).

2.4. Case 2

A 48-year-old woman (height, 153 cm; weight, 50 kg) presented with

Fig. 1. Position of open- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), anesthesia ma­
chine, and non-magnetic stainless-steel shielded box (sBOX) during MRI.
symptomatic epilepsy preoperatively. Anesthesia was induced and
maintained in the same manner as in Case 1. After MRI, administration
of all three drugs was discontinued, and the patient was awakened. The
Cp at extubation was 0.87 µg/mL for propofol and 0.20 µg/mL for
dexmedetomidine. After tumor excision, propofol and remifentanil were
administered, and i-gel was inserted close to the head.
A 29-year-old man (height, 170 cm; weight, 93 kg) presented with
preoperative obesity and liver dysfunction. Anesthesia was induced and
maintained in the same manner as previously described. After MRI,

2
T. Ikeda et al. Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery: Advanced Techniques and Case Management 29 (2022) 101587

Fig. 3. Anesthesia record from an anesthesia information management system (AIMS) in Case 1. First stage: Automatic recording from the biological information
monitor when MRI is not taken. Second stage: Automatic recording from the biological information monitor during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is displayed
on an MRI-compatible monitor (In vivo Expression® [PHILIPS]) and transferred to an AIMS via a wireless local area network (LAN) for recording. The bottom two
steps: Propofol target controlled infusion (TCI) and dexmedetomidine drug-predicted blood levels are constantly calculated and displayed from syringe pump in­
formation during and without MRI imaging.

propofol and remifentanil were discontinued, and the dexmedetomidine
dose was reduced to 0.07 µg/kg/h for awakening. Cp at extubation was
1.02 µg/mL for propofol and 0.12 µg/mL for dexmedetomidine. Dex­
medetomidine was continued at a dose of 0.06–0.07 µg/kg/h during
tumor resection. Anesthesia was reintroduced, the i-gel was inserted,
and the head was closed.
In all cases, awakening and extubation were rapid, and language
tasks during tumor resection were performed promptly. No untoward
events or complications occurred such as body movements, seizures,
nausea and vomiting, or respiratory depression.
3. Discussion
In malignant brain tumor surgery, the higher the resection rate, the
longer is the survival time [13,14]. Therefore, measures are undertaken
to maximize tumor resection using a navigation system and MRI while
minimizing the neurological complications via electrophysiological
monitoring and awake craniotomy. Awake craniotomy identifies the
localization of motor, language [1,2,4–7], and higher brain functions in
real-time; its use is particularly widespread for tumors approximating
the language field. In Japan, guidelines for awake craniotomy anesthesia
management were published in 2012 [3]. Propofol should be adminis­
tered via TCI. Continuous dexmedetomidine administration during
awakening has also been reported [6,7]. In any case, it is important to
control complications or untoward events, such as body movements,
convulsions, nausea and vomiting, and respiratory depression, and take
immediate action when complications occur by immediately awakening
the patient and adjusting the depth of anesthesia to a level that permits
reliable brain function monitoring [1,3–5]. Therefore, AIMS, which
integrate information, such as biological monitors and the Cp of drugs,
and allow automatic recording, are considered particularly useful for
anesthesia management in awake craniotomy [8]. Conversely, the
boundary between malignant brain tumors and normal tissues is un­
clear, and the excision range is difficult to confirm using only preoper­
ative MRI owing to brain shift after craniotomy; therefore, the number of
facilities using intraoperative MRI is increasing [1,2,9,14]. Recently,
operating rooms equipped with open MRI systems with narrow magnetic
field leakage ranges have been introduced. In open MRI operating
rooms, normal monitors and pumps can be used when MRI is not per­
formed, and the data can be automatically recorded from the device to
the AIMS. However, during MRI, automatically recording information
from non-MRI-compatible devices is challenging in existing AIMS. At
our open MRI operating room, biomonitoring information can be
automatically recorded in the AIMS via a wireless LAN, even during
MRI, facilitating the integration of information on biomonitoring and
the prediction of blood drug concentrations before and after MRI. This is
particularly useful in awake craniotomy, which requires rapid awak­
ening and reliable brain function monitoring. Additionally, constant
automatic AIMS recording is considered useful for complication pre­
vention, early complication detection, intraoperative response, and de­
vice operation verification after surgery. However, during MRI, it is not
possible to monitor electroencephalogram signals, input surgical

3
T. Ikeda et al. Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery: Advanced Techniques and Case Management 29 (2022) 101587

information from the keyboard, or change the electronic device settings agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
in the sBOX, which are issues associated with this system, which must be
addressed in future research. References

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grants from funding

4
 Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Computers in Industry
journal homepage: www.sciencedirect.com/journal/computers-in-industry

Integration of TLS-derived Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) with a

Decision Support System (DSS) for digital twinning and asset management
of bridge infrastructures
Masoud Mohammadi, Maria Rashidi, Yang Yu, Bijan Samali *
Centre for Infrastructure Engineering, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: In the current modern era of information and technology, the concept of Building Information Modeling (BIM),
Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) has made revolutionary changes in different aspects of engineering design, construction, monitoring, and
Bridge Management System (BMS) management of infrastructure assets, especially bridges. In the field of bridge engineering, Bridge Information
Decision Support System (DSS)
Modeling (BrIM), as a specific form of BIM, includes digital twinning of bridge assets associated with geometrical
Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS)
Digital twinning
information and non-geometrical inspection data. BrIM has demonstrated tremendous potential in substituting
Digital infrastructure traditional paper-based documentation and hand-written reports with digital bridge documentation/trans­
formation, allowing professionals and managers to execute bridge management more efficiently and effectively.
However, concerns remain about the quality of the acquired data in BrIM development, as well as lack of
research on utilizing these information for remedial actions/decisions in a reliable Bridge Management System
(BMS), which are mainly reliant on the knowledge and experience of the involved inspectors, or asset managers,
and are susceptible to a certain degree of subjectivity. To address these concerns, this research paper presents a
comprehensive methodology as an advanced asset management system that employs BrIM data to improve and
facilitate the BMS. This innovative BMS is comprised of a precise Terrestrial Laser Scan (TLS)-derived BrIM as a
qualitative digital replica of the existing bridge, incorporating geometrical and non-geometrical information of
the bridge elements, and equipped with a requirement-driven framework in a redeveloped condition assessment
model for priority ranking of bridge elements based on their health condition. In another step ahead, the pro­
posed BMS integrates a Decision Support System (DSS) to score the feasible remedial strategies and provide more
objective decisions for optimal budget allocation and remedial planning. This methodology was further imple­
mented via a developed BrIM-oriented BMS plugin and validated through a real case study on the Werrington
Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge in New South Wales, Australia. The finding of this research confirms the reliability
of BrIM-oriented BMS implementation and the integration of proposed DSS for priority ranking of bridge ele­
ments that require more attention based on their structural importance and material vulnerability, as well as
optimizing remedial actions in a practical way while preserving the bridge in a safe and healthy condition.

1. Introduction infrastructure. Therefore, negligence in proper maintenance and man­

Bridge infrastructures are among the vital component of the built
environment and road network. Over time, during bridge operation and
exposure to the environment and service loads, the health of infra­
structure deteriorates. If the process of deterioration is not controlled or
managed, a situation can arise where the infrastructure ceases to serve
its purpose or becomes obsolete. In this case, the bridge infrastructure
may be decommissioned, repurposed/degraded, or replaced with a new
agement or delayed action, particularly for bridge infrastructure, may
result in high future expenditures, degraded assets, and, in the worst-
case scenario, lead to catastrophes such as the Morandi bridge (Calvi
et al., 2019) and Taiwan’s Nanfang’ao bridge (Horgan, 2019) collapses.
As the number, and age of these infrastructures increase, so does the
need to monitor the health, management, and maintenance of these
important structures. Just as bridges are an integral part of society, it is
important that new technology is given consideration towards

* Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: Masoud.Mohammadi@westernsydney.edu.au (M. Mohammadi), M.Rashidi@westernsydney.edu.au (M. Rashidi), Yang.Yu@westernsydney.edu.
au (Y. Yu), B.Samali@westernsydney.edu.au (B. Samali).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2023.103881
Received 9 January 2023; Received in revised form 17 February 2023; Accepted 19 February 2023
Available online 25 February 2023
0166-3615/© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/4.0/).
M. Mohammadi et al.
improving the way in which these infrastructures become inspected,
managed, and maintained (Elfgren et al., 2007).
For many years, bridge management approaches and condition as­
sessments have been based on long-established manual paperwork and
information retained from on-site inspectors and engineers (Rashidi
et al., 2020). These approaches have been primarily paper-based and
significantly limit the ability to be readily transferred to asset managers
or be referred after a few years. However, the development of Building
Information Modeling (BIM) in recent years, has led to a transformation
in the digitalization of structural assets and their information in form of
a digital twin, which in the field of bridge engineering pertains to the
Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) (Kaewunruen et al., 2020; Perno
et al., 2022; Semeraro et al., 2021). Chan et al. (2016) were among the
researchers who emphasized that it is currently essential for bridge
owners to make use of BrIM as a database to store various sources and
types of information such as bridge drawings, inspection records,
rehabilitation activities, condition state of elements, records of remote
sensors, and history of decisions with a timestamp and reference. In
general, BrIM is a shared database/platform, that often consists of the
bridge geometrical 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) models, as digital
representation of the physical characteristic of the bridge asset, as well
as non-geometrical information as digital documentation such as visual
inspection reports, damage locations and maintenance histories, remote
sensors’ records, diagnostic test results, element’s material, and other
specifications (Mohammadi et al., 2022; Wenner et al., 2021). With a
BrIM, this information can then be widely shared/disseminated amongst
the stakeholders involved, assisting bridge manager, and assessors, as a
reference for their future decisions. Despite the fact that BrIM is an
innovative method for storing varied information, two concerns remain
in terms of: 1) creating an accurate digital representation and collecting
remote and reliable information, 2) utilizing BrIM data for management
purposes in a reliable Bridge Management System (BMS).
To address the first concern, BrIM development extracted from
remote data collection was initiated as a reliable and qualitative concept
in studies conducted by Lubowiecka et al. (2009), Tang and Akinci
(2012), and over time, this concept has seen exponential growth in its
application, and scope (Sacks et al., 2018; Mohammadi et al., 2022). In
general, determining changes in geometry, detection of defects, and the
overall condition assessment of bridges were carried out through visual
inspections, which were reinforced by inspection procedure manuals
and guidelines developed by roads and traffic authorities (Tfnsw, 2007).
However, these inspections were prone to subjectivity, impacted by the
experience and knowledge of the inspectors engaged, labour-intensive,
time-consuming, and in most cases were not traceable (Riveiro and
Lindenbergh, 2019). These inspections also require special tools and
equipment, such as lifting units, scaffolding, or rope climbing, with its
associated risks, to get access to areas that would otherwise be inac­
cessible. In recent years, in order to tackle this risk and ease the data
capture process, emerging technologies such as Terrestrial Laser Scan­
ning (TLS) and Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry have
been utilized, and have made a significant impact on remote data
collection and qualitative inspection of the bridges (Dorafshan and
Maguire, 2018; Mohammadi et al., 2021b; Mohammadi et al., 2021a).
These technologies have eliminated the inefficiencies and risks of site
inspections in favor of detailed office inspections based on high-quality
data obtained. Although these technologies have the capability of
remote data collection and inspection, each has strengths and weak­
nesses in terms of flexibility, geometrical accuracy, and data quality,
which may need to be varied based on the requirements of a bridge
project to the next (Mohammadi et al., 2021b). When compared to other
technologies, TLS, being the ground-based and most prevalent form of
laser scanning technology, delivers benefits through rapid and qualita­
tive capture of an object’s surface topography via the reflection of the
emitted laser beams (Mohammadi et al., 2021b; Chen et al., 2019). In
the process of scanning, a TLS captures and stores three-dimensional
(3D) data points, namely the x, y, and z coordinates of object’s points,
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Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881
all in a short time frame. Many thousands of these points, each one
corresponding to a different location on the physical object, can be
amassed to form a file named point cloud. This file may subsequently be
utilized for a variety of applications, after post-processing and optimi­
zation, including bridge inspection and assessment (Fuchs et al., 2004;
Tang et al., 2007; Chen, 2012; Mizoguchi et al., 2013; Teza et al., 2009;
Kim et al., 2015; Conde-Carnero et al., 2016), and Bridge Information
Model (BrIM) development (Barazzetti, 2016; Xiong et al., 2013;
Mohammadi et al., 2022).
In terms of bridge inspection, Fuchs et al. (2004) were among the key
researchers who employed a laser-based instrument for bridge assess­
ments of several highway bridges in the United States of America in
2004. In their research study, they employed the former technology of
laser scanning to measure the deflections of bridge girders under static
loading. In a similar strategy, Tang et al. (2007) employed this approach
to expedite the collection of bridge geometrical information, such as
vertical clearance, which was required for assessing bridge functional
efficacy as specified by the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) program
developed by American transportation authorities. In a research study,
Mizoguchi et al. (2013) proposed a practical approach for using TLS data
in quantifying surface damages such as mass loss and scaling. They
utilized this approach to calculate the depth and area of damages caused
by freeze–thaw cycles on an ancient concrete bridge. Similar method­
ologies were also explored for different damage detections in studies by
Kim et al. (2015) and Teza et al. (2009) for structural elements’ damage
quantification, however, research remains fairly lacking a comprehen­
sive methodology for estimating the overall condition state of the bridge
structure using these valuable data.
In respect to bridge assessment, Conde-Carnero et al. (2016) utilized
the acquired TLS-based point cloud to create a Finite Element (FE)
model of a pedestrian bridge and assess its load-bearing capability
following additional upgrades. In an interdisciplinary bridge assess­
ment, Pérez et al. (2018) combined TLS technology for detailed
geometrical identification and Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) to
determine composition of fillers and structurally examine/analyze an
ancient Roman bridge. Despite significant research efforts that resulted
in empirical testing of more efficient models, most TLS-based bridge
inspections were not utilized to develop a management system.
In terms of BrIM development using TLS point cloud, known as TLS-
derived BrIM, Tang et al. (2007), Hinks et al. (2013), Riveiro and Lin­
denbergh (2019), Mohammadi et al. (2022) proposed methodologies
that have meaningfully improved the efficiency of automated data
extraction, accelerated the creation of bridge 3D CAD models, and
resulted in a better means of both recording detailed bridge information,
as well as serving as a reliable source of information for future reference
and decisions.
However, in response to the second concern, research remains rela­
tively limited to the development of BrIMs, and current Bridge Man­
agement Systems (BMSs) as well as designed software rely on
frameworks that lack an optimized management planning endorsed by a
decision support system, which this process was originally vulnerable to
subjectivity due to the varying experience and expertise of the engineers
involved (Rashidi et al., 2016a; Li et al., 2021). Although there are
several BMSs available on the market, the majority of them are in­
ventory asset management platforms with insufficient and subjective
procedures, resulting in limited decision-making and asset management
outputs.
Therefore, this research paper provides a thorough methodology to
not only use valuable benefits of having a detailed TLS-derived BrIM but
also present an innovative BMS integrated with a multi-criteria Decision
Support System (DSS), targeting a powerful bridge asset management
system with more reliable bridge management decisions in remediation
strategy planning using BrIM data. During this study, a redeveloped
approach for calculating Priority Rating Condition Index (PRCI) of
bridge elements is elaborated. This approach is then expanded to a DSS
for optimizing major bridge maintenance plans within acceptable safety,
M. Mohammadi et al.
functionality, and sustainability boundaries. This methodology is
further implemented in a designed BMS plugin and validated using a real
bridge case study, Werrington Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge in New
South Wales, Australia.
2. Research methodology
With the growth in the number of bridge inventory worldwide,
bridge monitoring, condition assessment and management have become
increasingly essential and challenging. Although many BMSs have been
developed to date, the most recent update is the approach of BrIM-
oriented BMS (Saback de Freitas Bello et al., 2022; Nguyen et al.,
2022; Shim et al., 2019). This approach utilizes a virtual bridge repre­
sentation that includes lifetime and updated non-geometrical data, also
known as the BrIM, that is linked to a management system, resulting in
the digital transformation of structural assets to form a digital twin
(Boyes and Watson, 2022). BrIM itself is often formed of a 3D geomet­
rical representation of the bridge linked to non-geometrical data such as
elements’ condition states, maintenance records, monitoring data, and
reports. As bridge condition constantly changes over time, it is necessary
to update the BrIM to replicate the ‘as-is’ condition of its physical
counterpart. Given the time and effort involved in updating the BrIM,
amassing accurate and reliable information, can be a time-consuming
task, especially if data collection is performed manually. Therein, this
research study employs laser scanning as an efficient means of
measuring the geometry within the bridges as well as reliable and ac­
curate data for bridge condition assessment in a TLS-derived BrIM
development. This information model is indeed a fundamental source in
supplying proper inputs to any management system. Following this, a
collaborative management system is introduced to utilize the advan­
tages of the TLS-derived BrIM and provide better services for bridge
maintenance and management planning. This system introduces a
concept of element-based Priority Rating Condition Index (PRCI) com­
bined with a DSS to not only bring additional holism to current condi­
tion assessment techniques, but also provide more objective decisions
for remedial planning. The concept of employing this system/­
methodology is then explored in the development of a BrIM-oriented
BMS plugin. The workflow of this methodology is depicted in Fig. 1
and is divided into two main subsections: the first comprises an over­
view of TLS-derived BrIM development and the second is its incorpo­
ration with novel BMS workflow as the focus of this research study,
which is detailed in the following sections. TLS-derived BrIM develop­
ment is divided into two phases of CAD model creation, and data
assignment, as outlined in another study of our research team conducted
by Mohammadi et al. (2022). To further describe the entire process and
demonstrate the reliability of the proposed methodology, and developed
plugin, the research is extended to an actual bridge case study after
TLSing the Werrington Bridge located in Penrith, New South Wales
(NSW), Australia.
2.1. Integration of BrIM into BMS
Nowadays, bridge health assessments are determined using a long-
established inspection manual report developed by road authorities
worldwide (TfNSW, 2007; Fhwa, 2018; Ri-Ebw-Prüf, 2017; Chase et al.,
2016).
During the progress that has been made in recent years, these reports
have also been converted to electronic documents and are now stored in
existing management systems. However, concerns remained on the
quality of inspections and applicability of the acquired information in an
effective bridge management system which requires reliable data for
making reasonable and correct decisions to determine the best remedi­
ation strategy or budget allocation. Therefore, the proposed approach of
TLS-derived BrIM integration into BMS can not only provide a unique
solution for a quick, intelligent, and reliable bridge inspection over
traditional methods, but it can also provide a rich database for
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Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881
management purposes. In another step ahead, the proposed BMS of this
research is designed to be based on a requirement-driven framework in a
redeveloped Priority Ranking Condition Index, PRCI, for evaluating
bridge elements. This index is a supplement ranking system that in­
corporates not only the general condition state of bridge elements but
also takes additional variables such as their structural importance, and
material vulnerability into consideration. In addition, PRCI reduces the
subjective nature of personal inspections in terms of safety and
serviceability, while also improving the consistency of management
decision and remedial actions for each element. As shown in Fig. 1, using
this ranking system, bridge element types with greater PRCI will be
given more attention in terms of bridge structural efficiency, and will be
subjected to a risk assessment procedure in a decision-making system to
evaluate the possible remedial actions and their costs. In general,
management decisions are based on the experience of bridge managers
or established rules of thumb achieved over the years. These decisions
may also be prone to potential inaccuracy and lack adequate reliability
or compulsion that may aggravate dilemmas related to funding and
infrastructure needs. Therefore, bridge asset manager needs to get more
reliable supports that can assist them in identifying suitable actions and
strengthening their credibility with prospective stakeholders. Therein,
this research study proposed the integration of a DSS, thereby evaluating
the risks and criteria involved and then devising alternative remedial
strategies and budget-based planning.
2.2. Designed BrIM-oriented BMS plugin
The designed BrIM-oriented BMS plugin of this research study,
consists of three main layers of 3D CAD model generation, application
development, and report compilation. The first layer is 3D CAD model
generation of the bridge using the captured TLS point cloud and the
proposed novel sliced based algorithm described in the study conducted
by Mohammadi et al. (2022). Using this algorithm in Python language,
the bridge point cloud is divided into several point cloud slices, which
were then imported into Tekla Structures (Trimble Solutions Corpora­
tion, 2021) CAD software for 3D solid modelling using general plane
fitting and extrusion techniques. The extracted bridge model is then
segmented based on their element types and exported to an exchange­
able 3D format such as Industry Foundation Class, IFC. The second layer,
application development, consists of user interface design and the
implementation of functional modules in Microsoft Visual Studio using
Tekla open API (Application Programming Interface). These functional
modules are meant to be completed based on expert user input for each
bridge element before performing BMS assessment tasks in the evalua­
tion module. The evaluation module is based on the redeveloped con­
dition rating system and integrated DSS, which are explained in Section
3. This plugin is a cloud-based data storage system/platform that allows
bridge users, inspectors, and managers to reach documents at various
levels of access. In the last layer, report compilation, the output of the
BMS plugin assessment is imported back into the Tekla Structures soft­
ware and visually presented as well as a paper report produced. Fig. 2
illustrates the workflow of the BrIM-oriented BMS plugin.
3. Key points of novel BMS
The two key operations in the proposed BMS of this research study
are based on a redeveloped condition rating system followed by a DSS
evaluation, which is elaborated in this section.
3.1. Redevelopment of bridge condition assessment concept
The bridge condition or health index is a valuable means of deter­
mining a bridge’s structural or functional health. This index is generally
determined using the structural conditions of the bridge elements and
the bridge service supplied, identifying the most deteriorated elements,
and determining the necessary repairs in bridge remedial actions (Chase
M. Mohammadi et al. Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881

Fig. 1. TLS-derived BrIM and BMS integration workflow.

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M. Mohammadi et al. Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881

Fig. 2. The workflow of BMS plugin.

et al., 2016). To be consistent with current trends in both Australian and ∑

(CI e × IF e × MV e × CF e )
global bridge inspection standards, as well as bridge inspection pro­
CI = e ∑ (3)
cedure manuals established by road authorities such as Transport for IF e × MV e × CF e
NSW (TfNSW) (TfNSW, 2007), the proposed Priority Ranking Condition e

Index (PRCI) of this research study attempts to use not only the four
where i is defined as the number of condition states, qi is the quantity of
general qualitative Condition Indices (CI), provided in Table 1, but also
the elements in ith condition state, and CIi is the condition state index
to tackle the subjective nature of this process and reduce the uncertainty
corresponding to the ith condition state.
using a set of weighting factors for ranking bridge elements. This
approach not only provides a detailed picture of how degradation IF e MV e CF e
We = × × (4)
spreads across bridge elements, but it also serves as an effective index to IF MV CF
assist bridge engineers to prioritize maintenance and planning rehabil­
As determining the weighting factor and its parameters often re­
itation for bridge assets.
quires special knowledge and field testing, particularly for material
In this research study, three factors are considered to be used in the
vulnerability and structural assessments, the inspector can rely on the
procedure for evaluating the influence of technical indicators and
proposed systematic approach of this research investigated through a
determining a much more reliable bridge maintenance plan. Therefore,
semi-structured field interview/survey with experts and engineers in the
the element weighting factor (We ) is defined, consisting of element
field of bridge engineering and management. In the following sub­
Importance Factor (IFe ), multiplying by element Material Vulnerability
sections, these factors are elaborated.
(MV e ), and Casual Factor (CFe ) scaled by their overall weighted average.
The PRCIe incorporates all the factors/parameters mentioned that in­
3.1.1. Importance Factor (IF)
fluence structural performance and is calculated by following formula:
As previously indicated, the current condition state evaluation alone
CI e may cause some distortion in evaluating the overall bridge health con­
PRCI e = × We (1)
CI dition. A minor element with worse condition may unreasonably raise
the values and jeopardize the judgments (Dabous and Alkass, 2010;
where CIe is the element condition state and CI is the overall bridge Gorji Azandariani et al., 2022). Therefore, this problem is resolved using
health index, which can be calculated using Eq. (2) (Jiang and Rens, the quantified element’s structural Importance Factor (IF), which is not
2010) and 3, respectively. Eq. (4) also computes the weighting factor, dependent on the current condition of bridge components. Based on the
We , where e is the number of elements, and IF, MV, CFare their overall above-mentioned expert survey, the bridge components are classified
weighted averages. into four categories of primary, secondary, tertiary, and other elements.
∑ As shown in Table 2, the higher the value, the greater the influence of
(qi × CI i )
the elements on the load-bearing behavior and safety of the bridge
CI e = i ∑ (2)
qi structure.
i

3.1.2. Material Vulnerability (MV)

Understanding the vulnerability of various materials can contribute
to the durability of the elements under varying hazards throughout time.
Table 1 Although this parameter deserves comprehensive research for various
General qualitative conduction indices (TfNSW, 2007).
CI Descriptions Table 2
1 The element shows no deterioration. As-new condition or defects has no Structural Importance Factor (IF) (Dabous and Alkass, 2010).
significant structural and functional effects.
IF Bridge elements
2 Minor defects and early signs of deterioration with no reduction in element
functionality. 1 Other elements; including but not limited to barriers, kerbs, footway, joints
3 Moderate defects and deterioration with some loss of expected functionality. 2 Tertiary elements; including but not limited to foundation, abutment, wingwall
4 Severe defects with significant loss of functionality or element on the verge of 3 Secondary elements; including but not limited to deck, bearings, cables
failure. 4 Primary elements; including but not limited to beams, girders, piers, pylons

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M. Mohammadi et al. Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881

hazards, especially for bridge elements, in general an element made of Table 4

steel is more prone to deterioration than a precast reinforced concrete Causal Factor (CF) index (Rashidi and Gibson, 2011).
element in terms of durability in a harsh environmental condition. CF Causal factors
Following the studies conducted by Valenzuela et al. (2010), as well as
Environmental Age factor Road type & loading Inspection
validating the expert surveys conducted, Table 3 shows the vulnerability Aggression (A) (R) level (I)
of common materials used in bridge construction. (EA)

1 Mild Recently Minor Initial

3.1.3. Casual Factors (CF) and calibration
Over time, as the infrastructure used, and is exposed to loading and
environmental mechanisms, the health of bridge and its components
deteriorates. If this process of deterioration is not well managed, the
situation can arise where the bridge ceases to serve its purpose. Besides
pre-existing factors, such as design and construction, several post-
existing factors such as the environment where the bridge is located,
the length of time the bridge has been in service (age), the functional
performance that the bridge supports (road type), and the quality of
inspection can all have an impact on the bridge’s structural efficacy.
Although these factors may be comparable for a bridge and its elements,
the bridge elements may have different experiences in some circum­
stances. A bridge element can be upgraded over time, or it can be sub­
jected to harsher environment than others. These factors can
subsequently be used to evaluate overall bridge priority rankings when
combined with overall functional efficiency factors, political consider­
ations, and other relevant variables. Table 4 lists four categories of these
factors, each of which is introduced by certain terms introduced in the
following paragraphs.
Environmental aggression factor includes but is not limited to the
natural environmental mechanisms that trigger chemical or physical
deterioration to structural elements (Rashidi et al., 2016a). The level of
these damages and the time frame for paying them off may vary
depending on the severity of the environmental aggression. Sometimes a
trace of the aggression or damage might be imperceptible at times,
requiring a lab test to identify. Climate change, air, soil, or water
pollution, chemical reactions, and human causes are all instances that
may be classified at different levels and affect the overall structure’s
remaining lifetime (Byun et al., 2021). Moreover, other deterioration
triggers, such as fatigue induced by repeated load applied to a structural
element over the course of a bridge’s lifetime, can promote cracks and
fracture expansions. Therefore, the age factor and Annual Average Daily
Traffic (AADT) associated with road type, as well as the road importance
in network are generally recognized as key considerations not only for
bridge design but also for evaluating element durability and bridge
remaining lifetime. Besides, bridge inspection and its frequency are
critical factors that must not be neglected. In this regard, four different
levels of bridge inspection including initial, routine, detailed, and spe­
cial inspection are defined in this research study. Initial inspection refers
to the first inventory inspection following construction for data-driven
preparation; however, routine inspection is typically focused on visual
observations for general condition assessments. Aside from on-site vi­
sual observation, detailed inspection reinforced with non-destructive
testing, and special inspection is supplemented with additional struc­
tural analysis when a serious incident occurs. It is worth noting that,
regardless of the level of inspection, TLS application presented in this
research study may be utilized for all different levels of inspection.
Following the implementation of the research studies conducted by
Valenzuela et al. (2010), Rashidi and Gibson (2011), the CF index is
calibrated using the results of the aforementioned survey of bridge
Table 3
Material Vulnerability (MV) (Valenzuela et al., 2010).
MV Element Material
1 Precast concrete, non-structural elements
2 Reinforced concrete
3 Steel, iron, and other materials
4 Timber
built ( AADT ≤ 150)
(0–25
years)
2 Moderate New Local access Routine
(25–50 (150 < AADT ≤ 1000)
years)
3 Harsh Old Collectors Detailed
(50–75 (1000 < AADT ≤ 3000)
years)
4 Very Harsh Very old Arterials Special
(75–100 (AADT > 3000)
years)
engineers specialists rating the importance intensity of the casual fac­
tors. This rating process was based on the Saaty’s nine relative impor­
tance scales and development of a pairwise matrix (Saaty, 1990), part of
the Analytical Hierarchy Model (AHM), provided in our research team
study conducted by Rashidi et al. (Rashidi and Gibson, 2011; Rashidi
et al., 2016a), which is not the main concern of this study. Based on the
rating process and the importance scales, the mathematical formulation
for predicting the CF was developed as presented in Eq. (5).
CF e = 0.12EA + 0.41A + 0.11R + 0.36I (5)
3.2. Integration of a Decision Support System (DSS)
Multi-criteria decision-making approaches are among the most
robust and reliable analytic systems that have the potential to be inte­
grated into a BrIM-oriented BMS. These approaches frequently use a
qualitative relative comparison, to provide a systematic mechanism for
weighting the multiple criteria, such as several risks involved, to eval­
uate and rank feasible alternatives (Wang et al., 2008; Grabot and
Letouzey, 2000). In this regard, the Simple Multi-Attribute Rating
Technique (SMART) and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) are two
approaches that are widely utilized in many aspects of engineering and
have the potential to be integrated into bridge infrastructure manage­
ment (Abu Dabous and Alkass, 2008; Abu Dabous and Alkass, 2010;
Rashidi et al., 2018). In this research study, a reasonable balance has
been made between the simplicity of SMART and complexity of the AHP.
In this case, a combined method of AHP-SMART with the capability of
AHP’s pairwise comparison of criteria and SMART’s cardinal rating of
each alternative has been utilized. Using this combined method, the
limitation of restarting all calculations after adding a new alternative
has been eliminated. During this process, bridge elements with the
highest PRCI scores, outlined in Section 3.1, are subjected to
AHP-SMART analysis after a risk assessment to evaluate the possible
remedial alternatives.
Through the AHP-SMART process, the problem is subdivided into a
hierarchy which includes three main levels of an overall goal, a group of
alternatives for accomplishing the goal, and a set of criteria that tie the
alternatives to the goal. In general, a criterion may not to be equally
defined throughout this process, and thus may be graded/weighted
based on several aspects of importance in terms of bridge engineering,
management, and clients’ constraints (Abu Dabous and Alkass, 2008).
These weights can vary between projects and must be established by the
individual involved in decision-making using the relative pairwise
comparison embedded in Saaty’s AHP method (Saaty, 1990). Moreover,
alternative selection, which in the case of bridge rehabilitation refers to
remediation alternatives/actions, entails a case-by-case risk assessment
of alternatives and is tied to their associated course of actions. Therefore,

6
M. Mohammadi et al.
bridge maintenance planners require to establish a balance between the
relevance of the project’s criteria and feasible alternatives.
3.2.1. Criteria, remedial strategies, and budget optimization
The primary concept of employing criteria is to evaluate the per­
formance of each alternative in relation to the main goal based on a
numerical scale. In the case of bridge rehabilitation, these criteria can be
bounded into inclusion of subjective constraints such as functionality,
sustainability, and reliability of the structural elements. In this case, the
functionality can be extended through the operational efficiency of the
elements that can affect the service life of the bridge, or the level of
maintenance necessary to avoid the closure of a strategic route. How­
ever, the sustainability refers to the extension of such a service beyond
having an effective work operation with a reasonable cost. Besides, el­
ement’s reliability or safety depends on structural compliance with the
applicable standards while causing less damage to the infrastructure and
improving the structural capacity in return.
The majority of real-world decisions involve a combination of
Fig. 3. Werrington Bridge case study.
7
Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881
alternatives, and solutions out of various possible choices which require
a careful evaluation of their pros and cons, the costs involved in making
each choice, and the relative benefits (or disadvantages) of each option.
Therefore, in terms of bridge rehabilitation, a range of satisfaction al­
ternatives or remedial strategies has to be implemented to make it more
feasible to ensure the functional, rational, effective and safe environ­
ment for people to travel across the bridges. In this regard, a potential
remedial strategy can be classified into three levels (i) major alterna­
tives, (ii) intermediate alternatives, and (iii) sub-alternatives. Major
alternatives refer to the fundamental operational functions (including
regular maintenance, minor rehabilitation, major rehabilitation, and
replacement of the bridge elements), intermediate and sub-alternatives
may refer to supplementary (including sub-structure redesign or specific
engineering services) or provisional actions. The provisional actions of
the sub-alternatives can be evaluated based on a fit to purpose classifi­
cation after the fundamental/major alternatives have been carried out
and endorsed in the form of a technical specification framework. This
framework acts as a basis to evaluate various structural problems that
M. Mohammadi et al.
may arise or can be found in bridges of different types, as detailed in
research studies conducted by Rashidi et al., (2016b, 2017, 2021), and
Byun et al. (2021).
Road authorities across the world are dealing with an increasing
number of deficient bridges, while their budgets for maintenance are
generally limited, making necessary greater investigation and detailed
risk assessment. In this respect, identifying vulnerable bridge elements,
and providing a reliable maintenance plan with a number of prioritized
alternatives can allow for not only a better knowledge of the bridge
condition but also budget optimization and prioritization to preserve
bridge safety in a secure state.
4. Werrington bridge case study
In order to further evaluate and demonstrate the procedures dis­
cussed, a real case study was conducted to collect the point cloud of a
bridge named Werrington bridge which links the north and south
campuses of the Western Sydney University (WSU), Werrington campus,
built in 1992. The bridge, shown in Fig. 3, serves as a passageway for
motor vehicles and pedestrians across the Great Western Highway, in
Werrington, west of Sydney, Australia.
The Werrington bridge is an award-winning architectural structure
with an asymmetric cable-stayed system designed out of an A-frame
steel pylon with two legs and a composite deck with a reinforced con­
crete slab and an underlying steel frame. The composite deck is sup­
ported by two abutment walls, the pylon’s beam, and a set of eight stay
cables connected to the pylon’s top end. In this research study, Wer­
rington bridge case study is defined as a part of an asset management
project for development of a TLS-derived BrIM, as well as assigning and
assessing the soundness of the proposed methodology and implementing
the designed BrIM-oriented BMS plugin for future bridge maintenance
and management planning.
4.1. TLS survey and CAD model extraction
The scanning of the Werrington Bridge took place using Z + F
IMAGER 5016 terrestrial laser scanner, shown in Fig. 4, following an
initial site survey and investigation to identify the appropriate scan
positions and parameters for the scan day strategy plan. Following that,
the acquired data points from multiple scan positions have undergone
filtration, registration, and colorization processes using the Z + F Laser
Control V9 software (ZOLLER + FRÖHLICH GMBH, 2019).
The outcome of these procedures was an optimized point cloud with
around 525 million discrete points, requiring approximately 15 GB of
computer storage space, shown in Fig. 5(a). In the following, using the
approaches presented by Mohammadi et al. (2021b), the quality of the
point cloud data was checked with the as-designed drawings and as-is
measurements conducted on different bridge elements that showed a
millimeter-level of relative geometrical accuracy for the captured Wer­
rington bridge point cloud. In the next step, the automatic slice-based
algorithm introduced by Mohammadi et al. (2022), was utilized to
Fig. 4. Werrington bridge data acquisition via TLS.
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Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881
generate a CAD model extraction of the bridge. Using this algorithm, the
bridge point cloud is divided into several point cloud slices, which were
then imported into Tekla Structures (Trimble Solutions Corporation,
2021) CAD software for 3D solid modelling using general plane fitting
and extrusion techniques. Details of the Werrington bridge 3D CAD
model extraction is beyond the scope of this paper, and are reported
thoroughly in a research study by Mohammadi et al. (2022). The Wer­
rington bridge CAD model is illustrated in Fig. 5(b).
4.2. Werrington BrIM development
In this stage as illustrated in Fig. 2, the extracted 3D CAD model (IFC
model) serves as the core of the BrIM, and different non-geometrical
information, such as the parameters described in Section 3, were allo­
cated to the bridge and its elements to create an information model of
the Werrington Bridge. It is worth noting that data assignment was
performed in the designed plugin, after a thorough review of the bridge,
employing either the clash detections algorithm (Trimble Solutions
Corporation, 2021; Javidan and Kim, 2022; Dorafshan and Azari, 2020)
or off-site measurements and observations using TLS-based data, or
existing reports from an expert engineer. The clash detection and
progress tracking algorithms enable bridge engineers to discover
changes in the bridge model or TLSed data over time, and the results
could be a reliable source of information for bridge assessment at
different levels of inspection. For instance, considering the concrete
bridge deck of the bridge as the reference, the deviation of the 3D CAD
model and point cloud was analyzed using Tekla Structures’ built-in
clash detection algorithm, resulting in the vertical deformation of the
bridge illustrated by color counters in Fig. 6(a). In the case of the
Werrington Bridge, the designed BrIM-oriented BMS plugin was then
utilized to assign these sorts of engineering team’s TLS data assessments
and existing manual inspection reports to support digital transformation
(digital twinning) of the bridge as a record. Overall distribution of
allocated data into various bridge element types is shown in Table 5 and
illustrated in Fig. 6(b). In this regard, the element codes, descriptions,
units, and condition state interpretations were considered based on the
Australian bridge inspection procedure manual developed by Transport
for NSW (TfNSW, 2007).
In this procedure manual, the units rely on the exposed surface area
or the number of exposed elements. The elements condition index, CIe ,
was derived using Eq. 2, and the IFe and MV e were specified using their
element codes, respectively. Moreover, the CFe was defined based on
previous maintenance records, exposed environmental condition, and
level of inspection performed, as this factor was identical to all elements
of this case study.
5. Result of BMS plugin Implementation
In this section, in order to further investigate the applicability of the
proposed BrIM-oriented BMS plugin and DSS integration, the procedures
from priority ranking of elements to rehabilitation strategy planning of
the Werrington bridge are described.
5.1. PRCI-based priority ranking
In the case of the Werrington Bridge, the priority ranking of element
types was carried out while calculating the PRCI. Table 6 demonstrates
the element types in descending order of PRCI. As indicated in Table 6,
the steel beams, bearing pads, and steel cables have the greatest PRCI
among all other types of bridge elements, with 2.60, 2.00, and 1.80,
respectively. Hence, those elements require specific attention in terms of
budget allocation and remedial actions.
5.2. Scoring the remedial alternatives and budget-based prioritization
Following the priority ranking of element types, the SMART-AHP
M. Mohammadi et al. Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881

Fig. 5. Werrington bridge point cloud and CAD model.

Fig. 6. Werrington Bridge digital transformation.

9
M. Mohammadi et al. Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881

Table 5
Distribution of allocated data for various bridge element types.
No. Element code (TfNSW, Element description (TfNSW, Total quantity, Unit Estimated quantity in each CIe IFe MVe CFe
2007) 2007) q condition index, CI

1 2 3 4 EA A R I

1 SBGI Steel Beam/Girder 332 m2 270 48 14 0 1.23 4 3 1 2 1 2

2 SCBT Steel Cables 16 ea 10 4 2 0 1.50 3 3 1 2 1 2
3 SPIR Steel Pier (Pylon) 198 m2 193 5 0 0 1.03 4 3 1 2 1 2
4 SCOD Steel Corrugated Deck 285 m2 243 18 24 0 1.23 3 3 1 2 1 2
5 SCGP Steel Connection Gusset 26 m2 18 3.5 4 0.5 1.50 3 3 1 2 1 2
Plates
6 CDSL Concrete Deck Slab 290 m2 243 18 24 5 1.28 3 2 1 2 1 2
7 CABW Concrete Abutment 81 m2 67.7 5 3.8 4.5 1.32 2 2 1 2 1 2
8 RCON Concrete Railing 92 m 82 0 5 5 1.27 1 1 1 2 1 2
9 RMET Metal Railing 92 m 45 25 12 10 1.86 1 1 1 2 1 2
10 JASS Assembly Joint/Seal 12 m 4 0 0 4 1.67 1 1 1 2 1 2
11 BELA Elastomeric Bearing Pad 12 ea 8 0 4 0 1.67 3 3 1 2 1 2
12 WY Waterway 5 ea 5 0 0 0 1.00 1 1 1 2 1 2
Weighted Average 1.38 2.83 2.66 1.77

Table 6
PRCI-based ranking of Werrington bridge element types.
No. Element Code Element description CIe CIe /CI IFe /IF MVe /MV CFe /CF PRCIe
(TfNSW, 2007) (TfNSW, 2007)

1 SBGI Steel Beam/Girder 1.23 0.89 1.65 1.77 1 2.60

11 BELA Elastomeric Bearing Pad 1.67 1.21 1.24 1.33 1 2.00
2 SCBT Steel Cables 1.50 1.09 1.24 1.33 1 1.80
5 SCGP Steel Connection Gusset Plates 1.50 1.09 1.24 1.33 1 1.80
3 SPIR Steel Pier (Pylon) 1.03 0.74 1.65 1.33 1 1.62
4 SCOD Steel Corrugated Deck 1.23 0.89 1.06 1.33 1 1.25
6 CDSL Concrete Deck Slab 1.28 0.93 1.24 0.89 1 1.03
7 CABW Concrete Abutment 1.32 0.96 0.82 0.89 1 0.70
9 RMET Metal Railing 1.86 1.35 0.41 0.45 1 0.25
10 JASS Assembly Joint/Seal 1.67 1.21 0.41 0.45 1 0.22
8 RCON Concrete Railing 1.27 0.92 0.41 0.45 1 0.17
12 WY Waterway 1.00 0.73 0.41 0.45 1 0.13

was employed to evaluate the major remediation alternatives/strategies

for each bridge element type. Considering the goal of Werrington Bridge
rehabilitation, these alternatives were considered to be evaluated using
a set of criteria, based on client preferences, which were defined and
weighted to maximize safety and service life while minimizing traffic
disruption and costs. Throughout this procedure, as explained in Section
3.2, these constraints/criteria were articulated quantitatively by the
experts in this area using Saaty’s nine relative importance scales (Saaty,
1990). In this respect, Table 7 displays the generated pairwise com­
parison matrix, which includes the main client criteria identified as well
as the relative importance scales of pairs assessed by experts’ judgments
in relation to the overall bridge rehabilitation objective. In the case of
Werrington bridge, this matrix shows the strong importance of safety in
the rehabilitation process, over the service life criteria. Moreover, Fig. 7
depicts the procedure’s hierarchical structure used.
Following this procedure, the criterion weights are determined, as
shown in Table 8, which reveals that safety and cost have the greatest
contributions. Moreover, the consistency check resulted in a Consistency
Fig. 7. Three-level hierarchical framework for remedial planning of Werring­
Ratio (CR) of 0.0043, which is less than 0.1, indicating that the
ton Bridge.
completed judgement is consistent. With respect to each criterion,
expert judgments were also used to compare the major alternatives for
each element type using Saaty’s nine relative importance scales (Saaty, 1990). This evaluation needs to be conducted for the element types with
the highest PRCI, generally for elements with greater than two scores,
which may be varied based on client preferences between projects. For
Table 7
the Werrington bridge, two element types of steel beam/girder, SBGI,
Pairwise matrix of main criteria in respect to Werrington Bridge remediation.
and elastomeric bearing pad, BELA, were candidates to be examined.
Service Life Safety Cost Traffic disruption Table 8 shows the score of the major remedial alternatives for these two
Service Life 1 1/5 1/3 3 element types. During this procedure, the Overall Alternative Score
Safety 5 1 3 7 (OAS) of each activity for specific element types was determined to be
Cost 3 1/3 1 5
utilized for optimized remediation planning after the budget allocation.
Traffic disruption 1/3 1/7 1/5 1

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M. Mohammadi et al. Computers in Industry 147 (2023) 103881

Table 8
Scoring the major remedial alternatives for element types with the highest PRCI.
Criteria Criteria Weights SBGI, Major remedial alternatives BELA, Major remedial alternatives
(%)

Regular Minor Major Repl. Regular Minor Major Repl.

Maintenance Rehab. Rehab. Maintenance Rehab. Rehab.

Service Life 12.19 1 2 5 5 1 1 1 6

Safety 55.79 1 2 3 5 1 2 2 5
Cost 26.33 3 4 5 2 2 4 4 3
Traffic 5.69 5 5 5 2 5 5 5 2
Disruption
OAS 175.4 269.7 388.4 403.9 149.1 257.5 257.5 442.5

As shown in Table 8, OAS for SBGI and BELA replacement were higher
than for other activities; nevertheless, for the BELA, similar scores were
obtained for minor and major rehabilitation, indicating that BELA major
or minor rehabilitation was in same level of effectiveness in terms of
Werrington bridge rehabilitation.
Following that, budget optimization was accomplished by estab­
lishing possible action combinations, calculating the cumulative OAS
and actual cost of each combination, and then comparing it to the annual
bridge budget. Therefore, the final optimal remedial plan would be a
combination of actions with the highest OAS, which can result in more
improvement, and a cost within the annual budget range. If the budget
was unlimited and sustainability was not a priority, the combination of
remedial actions with the highest OAS would be chosen. In this respect,
and in the case of the Werrington Bridge, the combination of major SBGI
rehabilitation and BELA replacement resulted in a total OAS of 830.9,
met the annual bridge budget request. This information can be trans­
ferred directly to the project’s asset manager for future remedial plan­
ning and management.
5.3. Visual condition report and remedial plan
During all these procedures, the designed plugin is utilized to assess
all the aforementioned information and update the Werrington BrIM by
assigning the analyzed information to each component of the digital
model. The system has the ability to colorize the bridge element types
with respect to overall maximum interpreted PRCI, shown in Fig. 8, as
well as CI values individually, shown in Fig. 6(b). Using this plugin, not
only can help with identification of the locality and severity of defects
through assignment of geometrical and non-geometrical information of
the model, but also can generate a reliable report containing several
combinations of remedial actions that can be chosen while keeping the
allocated budget optimized.
Fig. 8. Visual condition report of Werrington Bridge, PRCI of element types.
6. Discussion and future directions
This research study established a comprehensive methodology and a
pathway for addressing two concerns of having a reliable digital replica
of the bridge with geometrical and non-geometrical information and
employing these data in a reliable and objective management system for
remedial planning. In these regards, this study introduced the valuable
use of state-of-the-art TLS technology in capturing precise geometrical
information of the bridges that can be utilised for 3D CAD model
extraction, and digital inspections. Unlike paper-based information,
these can be stored in a digital format as a reference for future in­
vestigations and are particularly valuable in the development of inno­
vative solutions in detecting damages and identifying risks using clash
detection algorithms, which can assist bridge engineers or managers in
gaining a better understanding of how the bridge interacts.
The study also made an effort to systematize the bridge management
in a practical way, further providing a management system that can be
linked to the proposed BrIM and offers asset managers with the ability to
use the assigned data to more effectively and objectively evaluate the
bridge’s health condition. In this system, three supplementary factors
were taken into consideration to form a Priority Ranking Condition
Index (PRCI), which was used to select those bridge element types that
may require more attention in terms of their structural importance,
material vulnerability, or other causal factors such as their age or
interaction environment.
Besides, a Decision Support System (DSS) was developed to accom­
pany this management system conducting the risk assessment and
verifying that the bridge rehabilitation is properly managed. In this re­
gard, a SMART-AHP analysis tool was introduced that integrates asset
management system with dynamic risk analysis and strategy mapping
for bridge elements, in order to provide a more accurate and objective
measure of bridge maintenance plan.
In a subsequent step, the proposed methodology of this research
study was then implemented into a software plugin to make this pro­
cedure more applicable in terms of Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) and digitalization. Eventually, this methodology was
further evaluated and validated in a real bridge case study on a cable-
stayed bridge named Werrington Bridge in New South Wales,
Australia. In this case study, the process from bridge survey through TLS
application was covered, and then the general procedure of BrIM
development, as well as setting up an asset management plan using DSS
was described.
Considering the proposed methodology and findings of this research
study, future research could potentially target the incorporation of
sustainability into the strategic remedial planning, as well as integration
of different methods of real-time data extraction and analysis leveraging
Artificial Intelligence (AI) (Liu et al., 2021; Truong-Hong and Linden­
bergh, 2022; Yu et al., 2022; Zhen et al., 2022; Yu et al., 2021) to form
dynamic bridge digital twins, as well as digital platforms to enable
network level asset management and boost capabilities for smart cities
and intelligent urban transformation. Implementation of Internet of
Things (IoT) in bridge asset management system (Scianna et al., 2022;
Wu et al., 2022; El Kadiri et al., 2016), through using remote sensors as a

11
M. Mohammadi et al.
supplement is a suggested solution that not only improves real-time data
collection, but also allows for centralizing and correlating data for
efficient sharing with network partners and other stakeholders.
7. Conclusion
This paper proposes a novel BrIM-oriented BMS framework with DSS
integration which not only incorporates the significance of TLS appli­
cation for precise bridge inspection, 3D model extraction, as well as
supporting the BrIM development in digital transformation of bridge
information, but also provides a comprehensive methodology for using
BrIM information in a redeveloped element-based condition assessment
system while implementing a DSS in decision making that can assist with
maintenance planning. This methodology was then employed to develop
a software plugin, which was evaluated on a real bridge case study in
Australia. The main findings are as follows:
(1) TLS application demonstrates its potential as a ground-based
remote system capable of acquiring precise and sufficient data in a
timely manner for geometrical bridge inspections. TLS data allows
precise surface interpretation, which improves the surface condition
assessment, as well as 3D CAD model extraction.
(2) Through the proposed BMS framework, the bridge management
system has been greatly improved not only by the BrIM-oriented
geometrical and non-geometrical information, but also by the pro­
posed priority ranking and decision support systems. This system sur­
passes traditional inventory management concepts by providing a visual
condition report and proposing a budget-based remedial strategy.
(3) The BMS plugin described in this study provides a new generation
of digital documentation system/platform with the flexibility, visuality,
and capability to support bridge information for each element that can
be readily transferred/shared and be utilized for long-term bridge con­
dition assessments.
(4) The redeveloped condition index concept and proposed PRCI of
this research study generated acceptable results in the priority ranking
of the Werrington bridge elements. Using PRCI, element types with
higher structural importance and material vulnerability received
increasing attention with higher PRCI scores.
(5) The integration of DSS into BMS allows higher level of objectivity
in decision-making and asset management. This potential has been
validated throughout the case study of Werrington Bridge with aim of
cost-effective, safe and functional remedial planning.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare the following financial interests/personal re­
lationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:
Masoud Mohammadi reports administrative support and article pub­
lishing charges were provided by Western Sydney University.
Data availability
Data will be made available on request.
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank the valuable advice of Adam Mas­
ters, and great technical supports of Jason Carpenter from BuildingPoint
Australia Pty Ltd, as well as Transport for NSW (TfNSW), Australia,
during this research study.
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 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
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Procedia Computer Science 225 (2023) 2835–2844

27th International Conference on Knowledge-Based and Intelligent Information & Engineering

Systems (KES 2023)
27th International Conference on Knowledge-Based and Intelligent Information & Engineering
Systems (KES 2023)
Revolutionizing Management Information Systems with Natural
Revolutionizing
LanguageManagement Information
Processing for Systems with Natural
Digital Transformation
Language Processing for Digital Transformation
Muhammad Arslana*, Zainab Riazb, Christophe Cruza
Muhammad Arslana*, Zainab Riazb, Christophe Cruza
Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne (ICB), Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
a

b
Marketing, Operations
a and Information
Laboratoire Systems
Interdisciplinaire department,
Carnot Abu Dhabi
de Bourgogne University,
(ICB), UniversitéZayed City, Abu Dhabi,
de Bourgogne, United Arab Emirates
Dijon, France
b
Marketing, Operations and Information Systems department, Abu Dhabi University, Zayed City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Abstract
Abstract
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a rapidly growing field with immense potential to transform Management Information
Systems (MIS) andProcessing
Natural Language drive digital transformation
(NLP) is a rapidly ingrowing
businesses.
field To
withexplore
immense the potential
possible applications
to transform of NLP for MIS,
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(MIS) and state-of-the-art research by examining
drive digital transformation the top-tier
in businesses. journals
To explore theinpossible
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cover several
realized scenarios, Therefore,
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boosting marketing
study aims to fill campaigns, enhancing the
this gap by discussing supplier
potentialrelationship
applications management,
of NLP for MIS.detecting
We
misinformation,
cover using competitive
several scenarios, includinganalysis
boosting to gain insights,campaigns,
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management, The
detecting
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demonstrate
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terms, and enhancing BI systems. digital
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main Throughvarious
goal of presenting this exploration
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potential researchers
of NLP and practitioners
in transforming to further explore
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the potential of Through
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this exploration unlock
various new possibilities
scenarios, we hope to forinspire
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researchers operations, decision-making,
practitioners to further exploreand
strategy
the development
potential of NLP for in the
MIS context of digital
applications andtransformation.
unlock new possibilities for enhancing business operations, decision-making, and
strategy development in the context of digital transformation.
© 2023
© 2023 TheThe Authors.
Authors. Published
Published byby ELSEVIER
Elsevier B.V.B.V.
This
This is an
is an open
open access article
accessPublished under
article under the CC
the CC BY-NC-ND
BY-NC-ND license
license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
© 2023 The
Peer-review Authors.
under responsibility by of
ELSEVIER B.V.committee
the scientific of the 27th International Conference on Knowledge Based and
Peer-review
This is an under
open responsibility
access article of
under the scientific
CC committee
BY-NC-ND of KES
license International
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Intelligent Information and Engineering Systems
Keywords:
Peer-review Competitor Profiling; Digital
under responsibility Transformation;
of the Management
scientific committee Information
of KES Systems; Natural Language Processing
International
Keywords: Competitor Profiling; Digital Transformation; Management Information Systems; Natural Language Processing

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +33 6 28 43 08 01

* Corresponding muhammad.arslan@u-bourgogne.fr
E-mail address:author. Tel.: +33 6 28 43 08 01
E-mail address: muhammad.arslan@u-bourgogne.fr
1877-0509 © 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V.
This is an open
1877-0509 access
© 2023 Thearticle under
Authors. the CC BY-NC-ND
Published by ELSEVIER license
B.V.(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review
This under
is an open responsibility
access of the
article under the scientific
CC BY-NC-NDcommittee of KES
license International
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of KES International
1877-0509 © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 27th International Conference on Knowledge Based
and Intelligent Information and Engineering Systems
10.1016/j.procs.2023.10.276
2836 Muhammad Arslan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 225 (2023) 2835–2844
2 M. Arslan et al./ Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000

1. Introduction

Digital transformation is the process of using digital technology to fundamentally change how an organization
operates and delivers value to customers [1]. This transformation may involve automating processes, leveraging data
analytics, and implementing new digital tools and platforms [1]. Digital transformation has become an increasingly
important aspect of modern business operations, as companies seek to adapt to the ever-changing technological
landscape. NLP can play a crucial role in this transformation by providing businesses with the tools they need to
analyze and leverage the vast amounts of unstructured data that are generated every day [2]. NLP is a subfield of
Artificial Intelligence (AI) that focuses on enabling machines to understand, interpret, and generate human language
[2]. It involves the use of computational algorithms and techniques to process and analyze large volumes of natural
language data (e.g., text).
With NLP, businesses can automate certain processes, such as data analysis for other critical tasks [3]. By
integrating NLP into their MIS, businesses can gain a competitive edge by improving their ability to collect, process,
and analyze data for decision-making and strategic planning [3]. MIS refers to a set of tools, technologies, and
processes used by businesses to optimize their operations, improve performance, and gain a competitive edge in the
market [4]. MIS includes various technologies and systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems,
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, Business Intelligence (BI) systems, Supplier Change
Management systems and Knowledge Management systems [4].
Exploring the benefits of NLP for MIS aiming at the digital transformation of business operations is a critical area
of research that has gained increasing attention in recent years. There is immense potential for NLP to supplement
MIS with valuable data analysis [5]. There are numerous use cases where NLP can provide unique insights into
customer preferences, supplier performance, and other critical aspects of business operations. This article highlights
six specific scenarios where NLP can enhance MIS. By leveraging the power of NLP, businesses can gain a
competitive advantage by unlocking previously untapped sources of data and gaining new insights into their operations
and customers.
Section 2 of the paper provides an overview of the study's background, while Section 3 introduces the proposed
scenarios. A detailed discussion is presented in Section 4, and the conclusion is provided in Section 5.

2. Background

2.1. Recent research statistics of studies on NLP for MIS

We conducted a targeted search to identify recent developments in NLP for MIS. We focused on research articles
published in the last six years in three top-tier MIS journals. Using a set of carefully selected keywords related to NLP
including computational linguistics, text analytics, natural language generation, textual analysis, sentiment analysis,
speech recognition, Part-of-Speech (POS) tagging, Named Entity Recognition (NER), and Information Retrieval, we
searched for relevant keywords in titles and abstracts, and reviewed their abstracts and keywords to ensure their
relevance. The number of identified articles related to NLP is presented in Table 1, providing valuable insights for
future research in this area.

Table 1. Number of publications related to NLP for MIS.

No. Journal Name - ISSN Impact Factor 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
(5Y)
1 Management Information Systems Quarterly - 0276-7783 12.803 2 0 4 0 3 1
2 Information Systems Research - 1047-7047 7.83 2 2 6 2 7 0
3 Journal of the Association for Information Systems - 1536-9323 7.79 1 2 1 2 4 0

Upon examining Table 1, it becomes apparent that there is a lack of research related to NLP in the context of MIS
for digital transformation. This may be attributed to the fact that the selected journals primarily focus on research
related to MIS systems from a business and management perspective, which may not necessarily encompass the latest
developments in NLP. Although there are instances where NLP is being adopted in MIS systems, the current number
 Muhammad Arslan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 225 (2023) 2835–2844 2837
M. Arslan et al./ Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000 3

of research publications in this area is not substantial, which may indicate a need for further exploration and
investigation of the potential of NLP in enhancing digital transformation.
While a significant amount of research has been published on NLP for different information management case
studies, which can be found in interdisciplinary journals (e.g., Information Technology and People, Journal of
Information Technology, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems, etc.) that showcase
technological advancements. But there is still a gap in the literature when it comes to exploring NLP from a business
perspective. Specifically, the literature lacks studies that investigate the potential of NLP in enhancing business
processes and boosting overall organizational performance. Addressing this gap can help to enhance the understanding
of how NLP can be leveraged to drive digital transformation and improve business outcomes.

2.2. Existing relevant literature

NLP technologies are used to analyse and understand human language [3]. Some key NLP technologies include
named entity recognition (NER) (i.e., identifying proper nouns in text), sentiment analysis (i.e., determining the overall
emotional tone), topic modelling (i.e., identifying the main themes), and contextual keywords extraction.
NER is a technique in NLP that can be performed using various methods, including gazetteer-based, rule-based,
and deep learning-based techniques such as BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) [6].
NER has proven useful in a variety of domains. For example, researchers have proposed an NER-based approach to
extract key information related to bank accidents, using a BERT-based model [7]. Similarly, NER has been
investigated as a means of information extraction from drone flight logs for forensic analysis [8]. Additionally, an
NER system has been developed to identify entities mentioned in English business telephone conversations [9].
Sentiment analysis is another area where NLP techniques have been applied. For example, researchers have
proposed using sentiment analysis for production prediction based on news [10]. Another study proposed customer
review analytics for BI by classifying review sentences as praise or complaint [11]. Yet another study analyzed the
emotions and real reactions in Twitter data to gain business insights [12].
When it comes to topic modeling, BERT-based and LDA (Latent Dirichlet Allocation) are both popular approaches.
For instance, researchers have used LDA topic modeling to cluster business organizations based on textual data [13].
However, BERT-based [14] is often preferred over LDA because it is a more advanced and powerful language model
capable of understanding context and meaning to a greater degree. One study even proposed extracting business
insights through dynamic topic modeling and NER [15].
In the field of textual keyword extraction, researchers have explored various techniques [16] for identifying
keywords. The most used method is the term frequency–inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) approach [16].
Another popular technique is the TextRank algorithm [17], which has found application in text processing. In recent
years, many researchers have combined TF-IDF with TextRank to enhance the effectiveness of keyword extraction
[17]. Additionally, an approach called KeyBERT has been proposed [18], which leverages BERT embeddings to
generate keywords that are contextually relevant to the document. This minimal and user-friendly technique has
several advantages over previous methods, including a greater focus on contextual relevance [18].

3. Showcasing the potential of NLP in MIS through scenario-based presentations

To demonstrate the diverse advantages of NLP in MIS and its potential to support the digital transformation of
business operations, we present a comprehensive exploration of six distinct scenarios. These scenarios have been
carefully selected after doing an extensive relevant literature review to showcase the varied capabilities of NLP in
different aspects of MIS, and to highlight its potential to revolutionize traditional approaches to data processing and
analysis. We will study these scenarios as mentioned below.

3.1. Scenario 1: Boosting marketing campaigns through competitor profiling with news data insights.

Imagine a scenario where a company wants to gain an edge over its competitors in the market. By leveraging NLP
techniques to extract insights from news data, the company can better understand its rivals' marketing strategies. For
example, they could use NLP to extract information about the types of content their competitors are promoting, the
2838 Muhammad Arslan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 225 (2023) 2835–2844
4 M. Arslan et al./ Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000

channels they are using to distribute this content, and the target audience they are reaching. By performing competitor
profiling with news data insights, the company can identify trends and gaps in the market, allowing them to tailor their
marketing campaigns accordingly.

Fig. 1. Using NER for competitor profiling

To conduct competitor profiling for businesses (see Fig. 1), the first step is to gather news data, which can be done
using web scraping techniques. Next, NER [19] can be performed to identify key entities such as locations,
organizations, and persons (see Fig. 2). By extracting these entities, we can gain insight into the latest contextual
information concerning a company. For example, we can see that Puma is partnering with French manufacturers to
launch a new collection.

Fig. 2. Identifying named entities using NER

One advantage of using NER is that data analysts do not need to read the entire content of news articles, allowing
large collections of articles to be processed efficiently to extract essential information. The results of this analysis can
be integrated into the organization's MIS, specifically the ERP system used by marketing and sales teams. This
integration provides a comprehensive view of competitors' data, enabling companies to optimize their marketing
campaigns and stay ahead of the competition in today's dynamic business landscape.

3.2. Scenario 2: Enhancing supplier relationship management through the collection of updated suppliers’ data.

A company manufacturing fire safety equipment that relies on a network of suppliers to provide the raw materials,
components, and services required for its operations. However, the procurement department has been struggling to
manage the supplier relationships effectively due to the lack of updated information related to the suppliers' business
practices, financial stability, and other important factors.
To address this challenge, the company decided to implement a supplier relationship management program that
includes the use of news data sources such as industry publications, press releases, and social media posts. By
leveraging NLP techniques such as NER and topic detection, the organization can automatically identify and extract
relevant information from these sources, including the names of suppliers, their products or services, and any recent
news or events related to them (see Fig. 3).
One way to find relevant articles for a company's area of interest is to use topic modeling [5]. This technique can
identify key themes within news articles, allowing the latest news to be categorized under the most relevant topics.
For example, a news article about FireSafety Inc.'s reputation could be categorized under Topic 4 (see [14] to
implement topic modeling) (see Fig. 4). To extract more information, NLP techniques such as NER [19] can be used
to validate details such as the company's existence and offered services from the news text (see Fig. 5).
 Muhammad Arslan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 225 (2023) 2835–2844 2839
M. Arslan et al./ Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000 5

Using this data, the company creates real-time supplier profiles that are accessible to the procurement department
and other stakeholders. These profiles provide valuable insights into the suppliers' business practices, financial
stability, and any potential risks or opportunities. For example, if a supplier is facing financial difficulties or has been
involved in a scandal, the procurement department can quickly identify the potential risks and take appropriate action,
such as diversifying its supplier network or renegotiating contracts.
By leveraging these insights, the company can make more informed decisions regarding its supplier relationships,
ultimately improving its procurement processes and driving better business outcomes. In addition, the supplier
relationship management program can help build stronger partnerships with suppliers by promoting transparency,
trust, and collaboration.

Fig. 3. Collecting updated suppliers’ data using NLP

Fig. 4. Identifying the topic of a news article based on the company's existing areas of interest.

Fig. 5. Identifying named entities using NER

3.3. Scenario 3: Detecting misinformation to prevent reputational harm.

A company that manufactures fire safety equipment (as discussed in Scenario 2) is concerned about potential
misinformation being spread about their products. They have been receiving reports of negative news articles and
2840 Muhammad Arslan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 225 (2023) 2835–2844
6 M. Arslan et al./ Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000

social media posts that criticize their products and damage their brand reputation. To address this issue, the company
decides to leverage NLP techniques (see Fig. 6) to detect and respond to misinformation in news articles.
To start, the company's data science team collects news data from various sources and uses news classification
algorithms [20] to categorize the articles as positive (in-favor) or negative (against) towards the organization's products
or brand (see Fig. 7). This step helps the team quickly identify articles that may contain misinformation and require
further analysis. Next, the team applies topic detection techniques [14] and NER [19] (see Fig. 4 and Fig. 5) to identify
the main topics associated with the organization's products and track any changes that may indicate the spread of
misinformation. For instance, if a company's new product is receiving negative feedback in the news, the topic
detection algorithms and NER can help identify the specific aspects of the product that are causing the negative
sentiment.
Identifying misinformation in news articles is crucial for several teams within the organization. The public relations
(PR) and communications teams can use this information to craft messaging that addresses any inaccuracies and
clarifies the organization's stance on the issues raised in the news. Marketing teams can also use the insights gained
from NLP techniques to adjust their campaigns and messaging to counter any negative perceptions in the market. The
legal team can leverage the data collected from NLP techniques to identify and respond to any false claims made in
the news that could potentially harm the organization's reputation. Additionally, the executive team can use this data
to make data-driven decisions and implement strategies to address any issues that may arise. By detecting and
addressing misinformation early on, organizations can protect their brand reputation and make informed decisions to
respond appropriately.

Fig. 6. Identifying misinformation for business

Fig. 7. News text classification

3.4. Scenario 4: Using competitive analysis to gain insights and improve market positioning.

Imagine a business analyst working for a company that sells office equipment. His job is to help the company
improve its market position by conducting a competitive analysis. To do this (see Fig. 7), he starts by collecting online
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M. Arslan et al./ Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000 7

annual reports of the competitors and uses NER [19] (see Fig. 8) to identify key entities such as company names,
financial metrics, products, services, and industry terms.
Once he has collected and analyzed the data, he will be able to gain valuable insights into the competitors'
performance and market positioning. He discovers that one of your competitors is growing rapidly and has introduced
a new line of products that are gaining popularity among customers. Another competitor is struggling to keep up and
has experienced a decline in revenue over the past year.
By comparing the company's performance metrics with those of your competitors, he identifies areas of
improvement and develops a strategic plan to stay ahead of the competition. To ensure that this information is easily
accessible and actionable, he suggest that the company integrates a business dashboard into its MIS, providing a
centralized location for competitive analysis, industry trend monitoring, and real-time strategic planning. With these
tools at their disposal, the company can make data-driven decisions that lead to continued growth and success, staying
ahead of the competition.

Fig. 8. Implementing competitive analysis on annual reports of companies

Fig. 9. Using NER to detect relevant entities from a report.

3.5. Scenario 5: Identifying related contextual terms to enrich business taxonomies for MIS Systems.

A large organization that collects vast amounts of data from various sources. However, they are struggling to extract
useful insights from their data due to the ever-increasing amount of data being generated. They realize that they need
to enrich their business taxonomy with related terms and keywords to create a more comprehensive and accurate
understanding of their data by catering to the needs of dynamic business markets.
To achieve this, the organization has decided to leverage NLP methods (see Fig. 9) such as word embedding
analysis. For instance, they used Sense2Vec [21] and GloVe [22], which are both popular algorithms used for NLP.
Sense2Vec allows you to capture multiple senses of a word [21]. Whereas GloVe stands for Global Vectors for Word
Representation and is designed to capture the meaning of words based on their context [22]. These algorithms help to
automatically identify and extract key terms from large volumes of text-based data.
By semantically enriching their business taxonomies (see Table 2) with related terms and keywords, the
organization gains a better understanding of how their products and services are related to each other [23]. This
information can be used to optimize their products and services offerings, improve marketing strategies, and ultimately
improve sales.
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8 M. Arslan et al./ Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000

Fig. 10. Finding relevant business terms.

Table 2. Semantic enrichments of business concepts.

No. Business concept Semantic enrichment
1 Health insurance Medical insurance, health coverage, medical coverage
2 Renewable energy Biofuels, biomass renewables, clean energy, green energy, sustainable energy, fossil fuels
3 Foreign affairs Foreign relations, foreign policy, international affairs

3.6. Scenario 6: Enhancing BI systems with relevant information retrieval.

This is a large organization that collects vast amounts of data from multiple sources to support their business
operations. They are searching for ways to identify similarities and patterns across disparate data. One approach they
take is to enrich their MIS systems by identifying the relevance of different texts to each other.
The organization uses NLP techniques to identify shared characteristics between different texts (see Fig. 10). For
example, if two texts cover similar context, they may be considered relevant to each other. The organization uses this
information to create a more comprehensive understanding of the topic at hand. Similarly, if two texts relate to the
same geographic location or occurred within a similar time frame, they may be considered relevant to each other. The
organization uses this information to identify patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. Additionally, if two texts
are related to the same organization or written by the same author or group of authors, they may be considered relevant
to each other. The organization uses this information to track the performance of different business units, identify
potential opportunities for collaboration, or gain deeper insights into the thought processes of key stakeholders.

Fig. 11. Finding relevant business terms.

- Industrial machinery
-Agricultural applications
-Tractors

-Healthcare company
-Wellness products
-Dietary supplements

Fig. 12. (a) Identifying named entities (e.g., organizations and locations) [19] in business text (left); (b) Identifying the context using keywords
[18] of business texts.
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M. Arslan et al./ Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000 9

For instance, both texts (in Fig. 11) are about different products from companies with similar names and are in the
same city. The first text is about industrial machinery, specifically tractors for agricultural use, while the second text
is about dietary supplements for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By identifying the relevance of different texts to each
other, the organization gains a more comprehensive understanding of their operations and can make better-informed
decisions.

4. Discussion

With the exponential growth of digital data, businesses are finding it more challenging to extract meaningful
insights from the vast amounts of unstructured data available. This is where NLP comes in, allowing businesses to
analyze and interpret large volumes of text data in real-time, providing valuable insights that can be used to drive
business decisions.
By supplementing MIS with NLP, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of their customers, suppliers, and
competitors, which can help them make more informed decisions. For example, by analyzing news data, businesses
can gain insights into market trends, enabling them to adjust their marketing campaigns and improve their market
positioning. In addition, NLP can help businesses manage their supplier relationships more effectively by analyzing
data from multiple sources. This data can provide insights into supplier performance, potential risks, and other factors
that can impact a business's supply chain. Moreover, NLP can help businesses prevent reputational harm by identifying
and addressing misinformation before it can damage their brand reputation.
Another way NLP can enhance MIS is by identifying related contextual terms that can enrich business taxonomies.
By analyzing text data, NLP can identify related terms and concepts, improving the accuracy and relevance of business
taxonomies. Finally, by enhancing BI systems with NLP, businesses can gain more accurate insights from unstructured
data. This can help them make more informed decisions and improve their overall business performance.
To demonstrate the proof-of-concept demonstration of different business scenarios, the article mentions the use of
NER, topic modeling, and word embeddings techniques. While the implementation of NLP techniques is not
discussed, an overview is provided to showcase the utility of NLP for MIS in digital transformation. The researchers
and practitioners are open to use any technology if they serve the same purpose of information extraction.

5. Conclusion

Digital transformation is crucial for businesses to remain competitive in today's fast-paced technological landscape.
NLP can be a game-changer in this transformation by providing businesses with powerful tools to analyze and leverage
the vast amounts of unstructured data generated every day. By integrating NLP into MIS, businesses can gain a
competitive advantage by improving their ability to collect, process, and analyze data for decision-making and
strategic planning. NLP can enable MIS to process and analyze unstructured data, leading to better decision-making
and more effective strategy development. The potential use cases of NLP for MIS are numerous, including boosting
marketing campaigns, enhancing supplier relationship management, detecting misinformation, using competitive
analysis to gain insights, identifying related contextual terms, and enhancing BI systems. By leveraging NLP,
businesses can unlock previously untapped sources of data and gain new insights into their operations and customers,
ultimately leading to improved performance and a better competitive edge in the market.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the French government for the plan France Relance funding.

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