1. Howe School
FALL 2003
Forum DEVELOPMENTS, IDEAS & UPDATES
WESLEY J. HOWE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
Integrating Systems: A Research Approach 2
SATM – Stevens Alliance for Technology Management 4
The Stevens Bachelor of Science Program in 6
Business & Technology
Knowledge Mining - 12
The Quantitative Synthesis and
Visualization of Research
Results and Findings
2. The Dean’s
Corner
Our award-winning building is on schedule
and will provide both undergraduate and
graduate students an exciting place to study
and do research.
Jerry MacArthur Hultin, Dean
Wesley J. Howe School
of Technology Management
very handily to help its businesses compete You will truly enjoy the innovative spaces,
W
hether you are a student, a
corporate partner in our leading- against the behemoths of Asia and the rest of dramatic vistas, and functional design of the
edge research, or a graduate, we the global economy. new home.
strive to be as energetic, agile, and flexible as My dinner with the savvy chairman of a rap- Let me close with an observation and a
possible in meeting your needs. For example, idly expanding and award-winning energy challenge.
last fall the Howe School introduced three and communications group revealed the pro-
major new concentrations in our Master’s The observation: Executives of many of
found ambitions of Asian executives. He
degrees: MSIS in Pharmaceutical and America’s leading corporations continue to
intends to return blue skies over South Korea
Finance and new global management courses tell us that what they need most are managers
through the expanded use of natural gas and
throughout all of our programs. These new and executives who combine scientific and
alternative energy sources. Then to meet
initiatives already have large enrollments. technical knowledge with strong business and
China’s soaring need for clean energy, he has
leadership skills. Educating managers to have
This fall, we are introducing a new on-cam- plans to bring natural gas from the South
this combination of technology and business
pus MBA Program in Technology China Sea by building an underwater
skills is the heart of what the Howe School
Management and a Master’s Degree in pipeline that will run from Indonesia to
does. We call it Technogenesis®. Whatever
Telecommunications Management delivered Malaysia, Vietnam, and ultimately the major
word you use, it means the capacity to suc-
entirely over the Web. Each new program is markets of Hong Kong, Shanghai, and
cessfully take ideas from inception all the
designed to provide real value to you. beyond.
way to the market place.
Speaking of real value, I have just returned Notwithstanding the rising importance of
The challenge: Tell us what you believe is
from a week in South Korea where I had the China, nearly every executive I spoke with
the most important new management skill
honor of representing Stevens and moderat- still views the United States as the key mar-
you need. Is it learning to manage effectively
ing a global business panel on "creating mar- ket for the near-term. As such, Asian corpo-
in a virtual environment? Is it greater under-
ket value in turbulent times" at the Pacific rations are eager to be the "off-shore" partner
standing of global management and markets?
Rim Economic Council in Seoul. There were of US companies. With significantly skilled
Is it increasing your ability to manage large
over 300 CEOs present, most from major workforces and increasingly strong consumer
project or complex R&D programs?
Asian companies, but many were from Latin purchasing power, the Pacific Rim countries
Whatever you are seeking, there’s a solid
America, Canada, and the United States. provide a great opportunity for United States
chance the Howe School already is offering
companies and American brands.
Based on my conversations with Asian it. But if you cannot find what you want,
CEOs, Pacific Rim countries will increasing- Back home, if you have been on campus drop me a note with your desires. Don’t be
ly move their manufacturing to China. These recently – or on the Howe School web-site – surprised if you find your request as part of
countries are acting to gain competitive you have seen the six-stories of steel of the our newest offerings next fall!
advantage, just as we are in the United new Babbio Center rising into the air. Our
States. For instance, the Prime Minister of award-winning building is on schedule and
Thailand sounded like a graduate of the will provide both undergraduate and graduate
Howe School when he espoused the students an exciting place to study and do Dean Jerry MacArthur Hultin
"economies of speed" – agility, flexibility, research. I’ve already climbed onto the jhultin@stevens.edu
quickness – which Thailand is already using unfinished floors to check out the view.
4. By Jeffrey Nickerson
and Edward Stohr
Integrating
Systems:
A Research Program TABLE 1
n the Howe school we are engaged in a whereas the information
I broad program of research related to the
way humans and machines interact. Our
systems groups that service
them deliver products in
Resource/
Integration Need
Organizational
Examples of
Integration Mechanisms
E-mail, collaborative
Enabling environ-
ment /Infrastructure
Units software, lateral teams
_______________
research builds on work that has focused on months. It is not surprising (Functions/Depart
ments) Top management strategy,
a common problem of an organization. As a traders always expect budgets, performance
metrics Organization
company grows, groups within the company quicker turn-around – their Policies/structure
Decision Makers E-mail, collaborative
tend to specialize on particular activities. The sense of time is different. software, knowledge
company differentiates. At some point, the management systems
_______________
specialized groups acquire their own culture. CONCEPTS Face-to-face meetings, job
design, performance met-
Some business event will occur that calls for rics
In looking at issues sur-
information or skills to be pulled together – Business Processes
rounding information man- Workflow, Collaborative Standards
this is the call for integration. Lawrence and (both internal & Systems, SCM, CRM,
agement, the authors have external to the Web Services
_______________
Lorsch studied this process inside companies,
System Architecture
firm)
created a conceptual Process Owners, teams,
and concluded that both differentiation and performance metrics,
System Integration
framework which includes service level agreements
integration are natural – and that, properly Networks
both the organizational Inter-process communica-
managed, a company can be both differenti- tion, RPC, Messaging, ERP,
and the technical aspects Applications Web Services
ated and integrated.
of integration. While origi-
Platforms
But managing integration, they found, was nal work in systems theory Data Dictionaries,
Data Databases, XML
difficult – the differences between groups can emphasized the human
be extreme, but remain hidden. For example, aspects of systems, much In this model, the emphasis is on integration across the levels. In a sense,
every level is at the service at the higher level. Data is supplied to applica-
in many financial services companies, recent work has separated tions. Applications are part of business processes. Business processes serve
traders can deliver products within seconds, these concerns. Currently, decision makers, who implement the objectives of larger organizational units.
2
5. the general understanding of a system only
includes the hardware, software and data.
APPLICATIONS
We are pursuing several research projects
which involve aspects of this conceptual
model. We show in the model that work-
flow provides a mechanism for the integra-
tion of business processes. Yet the interac-
tion between decision-makers and work-
flow systems is an area of active research.
Michael zur Muehlen, a Howe School
Professor, is looking at how the monitoring
of workflow systems relates to the overall
management of a company. In collabora-
tion with Jeffrey Nickerson, also a Howe
School Professor, they are considering how
these findings might apply to agent-based
monitoring of both business processes and
FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2
other more physical processes such as
those embedded in robots. Ted Stohr,
Associate Dean of the Howe School, and better how humans behave when they incident. You can send two different
Dr. zur Muehlen are looking at attitudes need to quickly integrate in an environment squads – but the one nearer to the acci-
toward workflow systems inside corpora- made of machines and people. dent has lost contact – do you wait for
tions, which will provide insights into how them to reconnect, or dispatch the other
Dr. zur Muehlen and Nickerson are focus- unit? These are the types of questions that
projects are initiated and how the
ing on the specific question of how we can Reilly, Nickerson, and Stohr are looking at
technology is perceived.
ask questions of machines. Figure 3 illus- in research they are doing as part of the
WESLEY J. HOWE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
The integration between humans and trates the way we might interrogate a UAV wireless security project. Most research on
robots is going to become a large societal with which we have lost contact. The inter- wireless mobility has focused on the purely
issue soon. Already, the increase in drone face uses simple what and why questions. technical levels- our belief is that the deci-
aircraft is challenging the policies of air sion-maker and organizational levels may
In a world where more and more commu-
traffic control, for it raises the question of provide insights into better ways of config-
nication is wireless, we have new opportu-
how one talks to a plane that is flying uring these new networks. s
nities to continuously integrate as we move
itself. Dick Reilly and Nickerson are focus-
around. But our continuous movement also
ing the issue of how machine autonomy jnickerson@stevens.edu
presents us with new forms of decisions.
changes the way humans interact in team estohr@stevens.edu
Imagine that you are dispatching a bomb
situations. In figure 1, the issue of training
squad to the scene of a possible terrorist
is illustrated – if one pilot trusts machines
over people, and the other people over
machines, then if instructions conflict, the FIGURE 3
two will choose differently and crash. In
UAV monitor
figure 2, the complexity of providing air
Q: What is the UAV doing?
traffic control for Unmanned Aerial A: The UAV is flying to Las Vegas.
Vehicles is shown. A pilot will probably Q: More specific, please?
What is the UAV doing? A: The UAV is currently three miles
refuse to trust communication directly with out of Los Angeles, heading South.
a robot, along path one. The pilot will
Satellite Q: Why is the UAV doing it?
More specific
A: The UAV is planning to fly to
insist on communication to a ground pilot Las Vegas, but it needs to redirect
who can control the UAV, along path 3. More general south around a storm.
Q: Why is it doing that?
But that pilot needs to control multiple A: To get to its destination safely.
Why is the UAV doing it?
UAVs, and will also be answering calls UAV Q: And why is it doing that?
A: It needs to land in Las Vegas by
from a ground controller, along path 2. In And why is it doing that? noon for a demonstration.
this case, a generalized distrust of the C2 Q: What might the UAV do next?
What might the UAV do next? A: Go east, then north to get back
machine may actually make flying more on plan.
dangerous. Our research will perform
human subject experiments to understand
3
6. SATM
Stevens Alliance for Dr. Lawrence Gastwirt, Director
Technology Management
The Stevens Alliance for Technology Management (SATM) was formed in 1991
as one of the early outreach initiatives of the Stevens Department of Management,
the forerunner of the Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management.
Through the research funding it provided and its role in founding the Executive
Master in Technology Management (EMTM) program, SATM was instrumental
in attracting leading teachers and research scholars to Stevens, and played a criti-
cal role in the formation of the Howe School.
S
ATM is an industry-university partnership. Its
mission is to improve the business impact of WHO WE ARE – Current members of the Alliance "Sponsors":
technology, by identifying and facilitating the • Stevens Institute of Technology
implementation of more effective practices for the • Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science
development and utilization of technology. The • AT&T • ISO
emphasis is on improving the processes involved in • Lucent Technologies • Teknor Apex
bringing new products and technologies quickly and • Unilever Bestfoods
effectively to the marketplace. • US Army Research, Development, & Engineering Center at
Picatinny Arsenal
The term "Technogenesis®" -- the
process by which faculty, students and WHAT WE DO –
colleagues in industry jointly nurture • Annual Conference Series -- issues confronting technology-intensive
new technologies from conception to marketplace organizations
realization -- had not yet been coined by Stevens • Bi-monthly Roundtable discussions -- interactive forum to share learnings
when the Alliance was formed. The Alliance is nev- and best practices
• Periodic Symposia and Seminars -- detailed treatment of special topics
ertheless recognized today as one of the earliest
• Quarterly Newsletter Publication -- Current Issues in Technology
manifestations of this strategic Stevens thrust.
Management
The Alliance fulfills its mission by conducting confer- • Research Sponsorship -- on topics of Sponsor interest
ences, roundtable forums, and seminars, and by
Our fourteenth annual conference, on Business Process Redesign, jointly spon-
sponsoring research, on all aspects of the manage-
sored with the Executive Leadership Institute, was held in May. Past conference
ment of technology. The EMTM program at Stevens,
topics, listed below, provide a good indication of the broad range of issues that
developed through the SATM education initiative,
the Alliance has grappled with over the past dozen years.
has educated 600 master’s graduates to date, and
was the first graduate program in the nation to be Annual Conference Topics
awarded the Academic Leadership Award of the Business Process Redesign Portfolio Management
American Society of Engineering Management. E-commerce Knowledge Management
Achieving Radical Breakthroughs Managing Innovation
The issues dealt with by the Alliance include many
Project Management Intellectual Property Mgmt.
of the major issues confronting technology-intensive
organizations, since conference topics are selected Processes for Product Conception New Product Team Performance
by the SATM Sponsors. Conference keynote speak- The New Paradigm in R&D Project Selection
ers have included such prominent authorities as Metrics for Measuring R&D Effectiveness
Mary Good, former Undersecretary of Commerce
for Science and Technology, John Mayo, former
4
7. president of Bell Laboratories, Laurence Prusak, Executive Director of the Institute for Knowledge Dr. Lawrence Gastwirt has been
Management, Robert Cooper of "Stage-Gate" process fame, and Martin Stankard, President of leading the Alliance since 1992. Larry
the Productivity Development Group. came to Stevens after a 30-year career
Besides the annual conference, a major Alliance mechanism for disseminating knowledge is the as an executive in the chemical industry,
Roundtable meeting. These are held at approximately bimonthly intervals on topics selected by where he managed large multi-national
Sponsors and relevant to their current needs. The July 2003 meeting was the fiftieth such forum R&D organizations and technology-
conducted since the series was initiated in November 1992. intensive business operations of global
scope.
Roundtable meetings typically begin with a brief survey of the current state of the field, usually pre- email: lgastwirt@aol.com
sented by an authority such as a Howe School faculty member. This is followed by a discussion of phone: 212-794-3637
current issues, progress, and problem areas at sponsor organizations, facilitated by one or more
sponsor representatives. The attendance level is controlled -- typically about 15 -- to ensure an inti- Dr. Lemuel Tarshis, who has also been
mate forum that encourages interaction. Participants at these meetings typically include R&D direc- with the Alliance virtually from its
tors (up to and including chief technology officers) and business unit managers responsible for tech- beginning, is the director of manage-
nology development. Following the meeting, the presentation charts, along with brief "takeaway" ment technology transfer. Lem has had
summaries of the main points, are distributed to attendees electronically for further dissemination in an industrial career of over 25 years of
their organizations. Some of the many topics discussed at past Roundtable meetings include: responsible positions in general man-
agement, new product development,
Metrics for R&D Effective Multi-disciplinary Teaming
project management, strategic planning
Non-traditional Reward Systems Technology Strategic Planning
and R&D management. His experience
R&D Portfolio Balancing Business Process Re-engineering
is diversified, international and multi-
Motivating Innovation The "Fuzzy Front End" of Innovation
functional, in the communications, elec-
Maintaining Critical Competencies Knowledge Management
tronics, consumer products, materials
Project Management Achieving Breakthrough Products
Portfolio Management and related industries.
Dr. Jack McGourty, Associate Dean of
As the list indicates, many of the conference topics have also been addressed in the more informal
the School of Engineering and Applied
venue of the roundtable meetings, to allow for more in-depth discussion and information sharing.
Science at Columbia University, rounds
Thus, the conference dealing with project management was bracketed, before and after, by a year
out the Alliance team. Jack has also
of bi-monthly Roundtable meetings and a workshop, through which the Alliance "peeled back the
been with SATM since 1992, serving as
onion" on project management and delved into various avenues of sponsor interest. Specific sub-
Senior Research Associate and editor of
topics discussed under the general theme of project management were the use of the stage-gate
our quarterly publication. Prior to
process in new product development, the application of the theory of constraints to project man-
WESLEY J. HOWE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
embarking on an academic career, Jack
agement (in turn followed by an intensive two day workshop on this subject), the identification and
had 13 years of business experience, ris-
sharing of exemplary sponsor practices, best methods for killing a project, and the identification
and discussion of critical factors for success in project management. ing to become president and chief oper-
ating officer of a $25 million company
The Roundtable meetings are currently in the midst of a group dealing with the broad subject of providing retail products and services.
achieving breakthroughs. The third in the series, in July, addressed keys to achieving "blockbuster"
new products. Dr. Gary Lynn, co-author of the recent book on the subject, facilitated the meeting.
The September Roundtable meeting will follow up on the symposium on Creativity under Time Pressure that the Alliance co-sponsored in June,
with emphasis on application of the concepts learned.
From its beginnings, the Alliance has benefited from Howe School faculty involvement in its Roundtable meetings and Conferences, and the
Alliance supports faculty research, in the form of seed money grants administered by the Center for Technology Management Research. In
addition to providing funds, SATM Sponsors also provide data for the research studies. Sponsors take part in the project selection process,
with an important criterion being relevance to sponsor interests. Projects funded in the past year have dealt with the determinants and impli-
cations of conflict in project teams, transactional versus transformational approaches to project leadership, and web interfaces to sensor-
actuator networks.
The issues dealt with by the Alliance are, clearly, broad and complex. Dealing with them is somewhat akin to painting the George
Washington Bridge -- when you reach what you think is the end, it’s time to start over at the other side. Still, progress continues to be
made, and the Alliance has brought new tools and uncovered fresh approaches to the more effective management and utilization of
technology. Most importantly, it has facilitated the sharing of learnings and best practices among its Sponsors.
This is an exciting and productive time for the Alliance. We’ve partnered with the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI), one of the newest
outreach initiatives of the Howe School. ELI and SATM have in common the objective of improving the business impact of technology,
and as our first collaboration, the annual conference was co-sponsored with ELI in May. Continued on page 15
“I believe that the Alliance brings to its membership some of the most current, relevant, and usable
educational topics that have real impact on the management of technology and business in our
highly unstable and risk-filled world. The mix of experienced academic and business participants
at the meetings always makes for interesting and worthwhile discussions. Much learning occurs as
real people deal with real issues. It is probably one of the most efficient uses of educational funds.”
Roy S. Nicolosi, Sr. Vice President and Chief Information Officer, ISO
5
8. NEW PROGRAMS
PHOTO BY JOHN KEATING
The Stevens Bachelor of Science Program in
Business & Technology
T
he businesses of the future are
clamoring for a new breed of
"The Business and Technology Program teaches students
"bilingual" managerial and execu- what they need to know and how to apply it to core
tive talent – confident, entrepreneurial
people who understand both the lan-
business problems. They learn how to think broadly,
guage of business and the language of analytically, and technically within a global strategic
science and technology in today’s increas-
ingly complex global society. This core environment. They develop in themselves those life-long
belief as to the future needs of American skills so critical to success in the business world –
business is the basis of a new undergrad-
uate program offering a Bachelor of teamwork, leadership and an ability to communicate their
Science Degree in Business and ideas to others. In short, they see the business world
Technology.
from the inside throughout their years at Stevens."
August 2000 marked a new milestone era
for both Stevens and the Howe School of Louis A. Laucirica,
Technology Management as thirty-three Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs and Program Champion
freshmen, new members of the Class of
2004, enrolled in the inaugural Business
and Technology program. Designed to that enables the student to learn through Stevens Trustee and President/Chief
graduate students who understand the "real-world" experiences, about the reali- Executive Officer of the Norton
core aspects of business, science and ties of the business world and connect Performance Plastics Corporation, a bil-
technology, and to make an immediate them with the more structured disciplines lion dollar global enterprise, Louis recog-
contribution upon graduation in solving typically taught in an academic class- nized a gap in the education of today’s
many of the problems facing business room. Upon graduation, students are well college students. He saw people through-
today, the program now is three years versed to think analytically, broadly, strate- out the organization either comfortable
strong, with a total enrollment of 110 stu- gically, and technically about the prob- with business-related issues or technolo-
dents in the classes of ’04, ’05 and ’06. lems they will face once they begin their gy-related issues, but not both.
business careers. Employees were not well versed in how
Through a solid foundation of innovative to translate problem-solving opportunities
courses, the student learns how to inte- How It Got Started from technical areas to business areas
grate the fundamentals of business with Louis Laucirica was the founder of the and then back again. Graduates were
the latest developments in technology and Business and Technology Program at the trained in either business or technology.
science. This learning is greatly reinforced Howe School of Technology However, there lacked a program from
through encouraging the students to par- Management. In his position as a which to draw a unique talent; students
ticipate in a summer internship program that, from the outset of their career, could
6
9. easily move between business and technology issues
and strategies within the corporate setting. PROGRAM TESTIMONIALS
Hal Reveché, Stevens’ president, agreed and an advi-
sory board was formed. Executives from AT&T, IBM
and other organizations joined in expressing concern One barometer of a program’s success is to ask
over the lack of professionals able to operate comfort-
ably and effectively in a business setting that also
those who have hired a Business and Technology
required technical prowess and problem solving. So student. A small sample of such comments follow:
together, Louis, the advisory board and faculty helped
to shape the unique offering in business and technolo-
gy at the Howe School. They felt it was important to
offer rigorous coursework in business, technology and
"…the Stevens Program produces trained and polished young
science, but that was not enough. In order to reach
the goal of a truly integrative program, the curriculum professionals who are prepared to present and articulate com-
was grounded through a due diligence business plan plex subjects clearly and concisely. This most coveted quality
mechanism. The business plan educational spine further distinguishes the Stevens’ intern among undergraduate
ensures that throughout the four-year curriculum, stu- students."
dents develop business plans that require problem solv-
ing in all of the disciplines. Combined with internships, Program Director,
the Stevens Business and Technology students enter the WebSphere Studio Marketing – Stevens Alumnus
workforce prepared to be the liaisons that are needed IBM
in corporate America.
Faculty
Our unique blend of a business and technology cur-
riculum required that faculty be carefully selected. Pure "As a result of their unparalleled undergraduate training in
academics would not able to give the students the per- market research, liaising between business and technology
spectives they would need in the context of the course
areas, as well as their excellent communication skills, the
content. Pure business professionals are not always
familiar with appropriate levels of academic rigor to interns truly added unique value to Taratec."
WESLEY J. HOWE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
ensure that educational programs meet the highest
level of standards in this area. So, staffing the faculty President & COO – Stevens Alumnus
for the program also required a new approach; to find Taratec
professionals who had a good mix of both business
and academic experience.
Today’s program reflects this effort. The faculty are a
unique blend of business executives who are also
trained and experienced in university settings. This
unique blend of business executives with highly sought- "She was an amazingly quick learner as demonstrated by her
after academic experience offers the students the best
ability to work on several of our mainframe computer systems
of both worlds. The integrative skills we set forth as our
most important goal could only be delivered through after being trained one time. (She) met and exceeded our
such a combination of faculty talent. expectations through her excellent performance."
What the Students Learn Program Manager
Business Core. At the core of the program are busi- Con Edison
ness fundamentals. The formal areas covered include
Economics, Finance, Calculus, Probability & Statistics,
Accounting, Marketing, Market Research, Corporate
Finance, Management, Business Law and Ethics,
Organizational Behavior & Entrepreneurship. The pro-
gram utilizes case studies, guest lecturers and labora- "Always displaying a positive attitude and eager to seek new
tory settings to demonstrate and develop critical think- tasks and responsibilities, (the student) was critical to our
ing skills needed to solve complex business problems.
program managing the myriad of part costs, cost reduction
With class sizes kept at approximately 25 students,
interactive learning with fellow students, faculty and initiatives, and targeting of suppliers for new initiatives."
other key participants is optimized.
Cost Reduction Manager
Technology. Unlike other business curricula, the pro- Pratt & Whitney Engine Programs
gram uses technology and its’ applications as part of
Hamilton Sundstrand Engine Systems
the business core. While there is a formal course in
Continued on page 14
7
10. Howe School
Wall Street Technology Association
seats Leslie A. Stevens as a mem-
News nership by also offering the MSIS program
in Paris. EPITA is part of a group of French
demia and industry in the field of telecom-
munications management. The develop-
ber of the WSTA Advisory/Content universities that have approximately ment of the communications infrastructure
Committee 10,000 graduate/undergraduate students. is vital for the growth of Chinese industry
The Wall Street Technology Association and for continued progress in creating an
Over the last three years, each January
(WSTA) has selected Leslie A. Stevens, who open society in China. Stevens is at the
fifteen to twenty new French students came
directs the Center for Global Technology forefront of contributing to this educational
to Hoboken to earn their MSIS degree
Management at Stevens Institute of revolution.
(Computer Science Concentration). With
Technology, to sit on the WSTA
the success the students have experienced
Advisory/Content Committee for 2003.
and the strong relationships that have been Aaron Shenhar will be the first
Her membership became effective in
built, 25 European students will complete winner of the PMI Research
April 2003.
their MSIS between May and August each Achievement Award.
"As a member of
PHOTO BY BEN CURRY
year. Bon voyage to the team spending
the WSTA com- their Spring and Summer in wonderful As reported in the PMI Today, July 2003 --
mittee," said Jo Paris. Dr. Aaron J. Shenhar, Institute Professor of
Ann Cooper, Management at the Wesley J. Howe School
executive director of Technology Management was honored
of the WSTA, as the first recipient of the Project
Howe School Continues To Go
"Leslie brings Management Institute (PMI) Research
Global Audrey Curtis, PhD
years of experi- Achievement Award. The PMI is the leading
ence in manag- Director Graduate Programs in professional associa-
ing global tech- Telecommunications Management tion in project man-
nology blended with expertise from the agement, with
There is "an educational revolution con-
academic world. Her know-how will help 100,000 members
vulsing the more prestigious of Chinese
the WSTA develop educational content and
institutions…the internationalization (sic) of in more than 120
added value for its member programs.
the curricula…it is also indicative of a countries. The
Leslie will also play a vital role in helping
drive (in China) to harness intellectual award was created
to formulate the WSTA's strategic direc-
energy to commercial ends." Financial to honor an individ-
tion." For more than 35 years, the WSTA,
a non-profit educational organization, has Times, March 27,2003, page 20 "A revo- ual who has signifi-
been a highly regarded forum for financial lutions stirs in the willow groves". cantly influenced the
technology professionals. Members are field through professionally conducted
Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) of the
accorded opportunities to stay on top of research, which has an enduring and sub-
People’s Republic of China will be the host
information about current and emerging stantial practical impact. This award recog-
university for Stevens’ first graduate mas-
technologies, best business practices and nizes Shenhar as the leading scholar in the
ters program outside the US. In the Fall of
operational approaches. Through its varied field today. "One of the highlights of Dr.
2003, we will launch the first term for 50
programs and website, the WSTA offers Shenhar’s research is the study of more than
Chinese graduate students to pursue a
members easy access to the information 600 projects to determine strengths and
master’s in Telecommunications
they need to be successful in their business. weaknesses... The award was presented in
Management from Stevens, in Beijing.
The Hague, The Netherlands at the PMI
Stevens’ faculty and BIT faculty will deliver
Global Congress 2003.
the program. The Stevens faculty will teach
Stevens Invades France
4 courses while resident at BIT, and 4
Beginning this Spring, Stevens will be con- courses using Stevens’ Web Campus. New Books by MS-IS Director
ducting its Masters of Science in All courses will be taught in English, and Jerry Luftman
Information Systems (MSIS) in Paris. After students will receive their degree from
several years of sending students to Stevens. Professor Jerry Luftman's book, Managing
Stevens, Hoboken campus, EPITA (Ecole the Information Technology Resource:
This is an exciting step in establishing sub- Leadership in the Information Age co-
Pour l’Informatique et les Techniques
stantial collaboration with the Chinese aca- authored with Christine Bullen, Elby Nash,
Avancees) has agreed to expand its part-
Continued on next page
8
11. Events
SATM-ELI Annual Advisory Board Meeting at Lucent Technologies, Nov. 17, 2003
"The Virtual Office" facilitated by Brad Allenby VP of Environment, Health & Safety at AT&T
Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) August 2004
The Howe School of Technology Management is the host for this conference, which will attract
over 1,000 information systems academics and practitioners.
SATM-ELI Annual Conference May 2004
News continued
WESLEY J. HOWE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
Carl Neumann, Researchers receive grant to study scholars: Dr. Michael Pennotti, Industry
Donald Liao, has network-centric solutions in the Professor at the Schaefer School of
just appeared in "campaign against terrorism" Engineering; Dr. Harlan Ullman, national
print. security expert and Distinguished Visiting
by Patrick A. Berzinski
This book pro- Scholar at the Howe School; and Ms.
Stevens Institute of Technology has Leslie A. Stevens, Program Director,
vides an under-
received major funding for a research Center for Global Technology
standing of the
project that will develop a common, inter- Management, at the Howe School. The
way companies
operable framework for integrating public time frame for the project is July 2003-
align, partner
and private sector resources across the March 2004.
and communi-
local, state and federal levels to deal with
cate through "The old method of keeping information
technology to grow their business. crisis response, deterrence and preven-
quarantined and making decisions in hier-
tion. The researchers will use port security
Professor Luftman's other book, about to archical organizations puts our nation at
as the case study, and will draw on tech-
be released Competing in the Information risk," said Hultin. "If we are to have a
niques of "network-centric" operations,
Age: Align in the Sand. Contributors to chance of avoiding another attack like
used by successful businesses, the US
the book include that of Sept. 11, we need new methods
Navy and the New York City Police
Howe School facul- for anticipating threats and responding to
Department.
ty members Tim attacks that speed the movement of infor-
Koeller, Jeffrey The principal investigator for the project is mation to those who need it, allow dis-
Nickerson the dean of the Wesley J. Howe School of parate pieces of data to be assembled
and Ted Stohr. Technology Management, Jerry MacArthur into a coherent operational picture, and
This book outlines Hultin, who as an Under Secretary of the then increase the agility of ‘first respon-
how to match infor- Navy helped direct the transformation of ders’ as they help us recover from the
mation systems the war fighting and management opera- attack." s
with business strat- tions of the Navy using network-centric
egy to forge a principles.
strong competitive
Working with Dean Hultin on the project,
edge and bring powerful solutions to bear
titled "Network-Centric Operations
on real-world problems.
Applied to the Campaign against
Terrorism," will be several Stevens Institute
9
12. Stevens 2002 fall symposium:
"Guarding
Your Business"
from cyber attack Dr. Edward (Ted) Stohr was a principal the founder as well as the Commanding
"Never has the need for organizer of the major fall Stevens sympo- Officer of the Computer Crimes
security been so great," sium, "Guarding Your Business: Enterprise Investigation Unit with one of the largest
Architectures for Security." Over the three law enforcement organizations in the world.
says Dr. Edward A. days, Oct. 22-24, the symposium examined The other keynoter on Wednesday was
Stohr, Associate Dean in detail the threats and risks faced by busi-
ness in the post-9/11 era, featuring presenta-
Sallie McDonald. Ms. McDonald serves as
the Assistant Commissioner for the Office
for Research and tions by a spectrum of leaders in the cyber-
security field. The event is one of a series of
Academics at Stevens Management of Technologies Symposia that
Institute of Technology’s will be presented by the Howe School. The
symposium was sponsored by AT&T,
Howe School of Informs Online, BENS, CSO, ISSA, IEEE,
Technology ACM, and Kluwer Press.
The opening day included expert tutorials in
Management. "And "Security Principles for Managers."
of Information Assurance and Critical
Infrastructure Protection in the Federal
never has it been so hard Speaking on the first day were Dr. Sumit
Technology Service, an agency of the
Ghosh, Director of the Department of
for management to Computer Engineering Stevens; and Dr.
General Services Administration. Over three
years, McDonald has spearheaded a number
Manu Malek, Director of the Certificate in
understand the require- Cybersecurity Program in Stevens’
of critical infrastructure protection projects
for the federal
ments and to allocate the Department of Computer Science. Ghosh
government.
and Malek were also on the committee
needed resources to safe- organizing the symposium. The keynoter for
guard the organization." Jerry MacArthur Hultin, Dean of the Howe
Thursday was
Susan W. Brenner,
School, delivered welcoming remarks at the
Associate Dean
Wednesday session. Among the guest
and Professor of
speakers were two distinguished keynoters.
Law, University of
Opening the Wednesday proceedings was
Dayton School of
Yalkin Demirkaya, an expert who has been
Law. Themes during successive days of the
responsible for the formation of national
symposium include "Risks and Threats to
policies and investigative procedures in the
the Organization," "Legal and Cultural
area of computer crime. He holds 15 years
Issues," "Understanding Organizational
of law enforcement experience as a detec-
Requirements," "Protecting Software
tive and a detective squad commander. He
Applications and Data," and "Protecting
also possesses 22 years of computer experi-
Hardware and Networks." s
ence as a white hat hacker. Demirkaya is
10
13. Babbio Center Update
PHOTO BY JOHN KEATING
View towards lower Manhattan of the new Lawrence T. Babbio, Jr., Center for Technology Management under construction. Pictured here are Hank Dobbelaar and Jerry Hultin.
ccording to Hank Dobbelaar, Vice President for Facilities and Support Services, building construction
A remains on schedule with occupancy slated for the summer of 2004 prior to the start of the Fall semester.
With its award-winning design, the Babbio Howe School, demonstrating its commitment
Center will serve as the new home for the to excellence and leadership in all aspects of
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology the field of global technology management
Management at its completion next year. and innovation and will help spark creative
This "jewel in the crown" of the overall mas- solutions to the critical business challenges of
ter plan for the Stevens campus features an
our time.
impressive glass atrium with New York sky-
Funding for the building has been provided
line views, as well as lecture halls and class-
rooms, a library, faculty and administrative by a generous gift from Lawrence T. Babbio,
WESLEY J. HOWE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
offices, and an executive education center. Jr., ’66, along with additional major financial
contributions from Verizon, Lucent
According to Dean Jerry Hultin, the building’s
Technologies, AT&T, the State of New Jersey,
design will serve as the focal point of the
as well as Stevens alumni. s
Celeste A. Oranchak:
A seasoned professional for the Howe School
By Patrick A. Berzinski
Having worked as a highly successful development officer for several performing arts organizations,
Celeste A. Oranchak has taken a new position in Stevens’ Office of Development and External Affairs.
With the official title of Development Officer, her charge is to apply her expertise in donor cultivation and
fund raising to the growth of the Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management.
"Specifically," says Oranchak, "I will work to identify sources of contributed income for the Howe School
through individual solicitations, as well as corporate and foundation solicitations.
"We will also be working hard," she says, "to develop sources of government underwriting for the
Lawrence T. Babbio, Jr. Center for Technology Management, which will house the Howe School as of late 2004."
As part of the Stevens Development team assigned to the Howe School, Oranchak will also explore new endowment opportunities for edu-
cation scholarships, fellowships, and doctoral research.
An important part of her job will be to meet with traditional alumni donors and seek to engage graduate alumni, who may have received
their Stevens education part-time at satellite or corporate classrooms. Other, full-time graduate students, who tend to be international, will
also be a focus.
"What I’ve got to do, in concert with Dean Hultin and the Development team," says Oranchak, "is to excite these folks, such that they look
at graduation not as the end of their relationship with Stevens, but as the beginning of a new chapter in that relationship."
She plans to achieve such involvement through colloquia, seminars, networking opportunities, and special career enhancement opportuni-
ties at the Babbio Center.
Continued on page 15
11
14. ALUMNI PERSPECTIVE
Knowledge Mining
The Quantitative Synthesis &
Visualization of Research
Results and Findings
By C. J. Asakiewicz
VP Global Pharmaceutical Division Pfizer
O
ver the years, the investment made in clinical research, by healthcare organizations, medical institutions, and pharmaceutical com-
panies has been significant. A recent study1, by Tufts University, set the price tag for developing a new drug at close to $800 mil-
lion dollars, with the major share of the investment going to clinical trials. With this significant investment in clinical research, the
need to identify both what we "know" and what we don’t "know", surrounding the treatments of illness and disease, is of great importance.
To be successful in leveraging the invest- Knowledge Discovery and The Knowledge Mining Process
ment made in clinical research, we must Synthesis Figure 1, highlights the knowledge mining
find ways to "mine" the knowledge locked
within the thousands of clinical trials con- Knowledge mining includes two key com- process. Knowledge mining focuses on
ducted each year throughout the world. ponents, namely: discovery and synthesis. the use of a catalog, or data base, which
This knowledge is mostly found in peer- Discovery involves identifying relevant combines both external and internal
reviewed publications, in a format that research findings. Synthesis involves inter- research findings and results. The process
makes it difficult to synthesize and under- preting patterns of results and combining of mining involves using the catalog to:
stand. Better organization and interpreta- evidence across different experimental
• Identify clinically relevant questions of
tion of clinical trial results can help to studies to assess the validity and strengths
interest for exploration
maximize the return on a huge investment. of one or more hypotheses. Synthesis
Effective knowledge mining can lead to methods must be able to: • Visualize the research space containing
the identification of new commercial these findings and extract results for syn-
• Efficiently integrate published research thesis
opportunities, new defensible product
findings
claims, and future research and develop- • Analyze the synthesized results
ment efforts. • Establish consistency of treatment effects
• Construct responses to the questions
across populations and settings
If knowledge as contained in the pub-
• Apply the findings
lished, peer-reviewed, findings associated • Explore effects of explanatory variables
with a domain of research, can be mined that may influence variation in treatment To fully utilize the benefits of knowledge
then: effects mining, the data, models, and synthesized
• What does the mining process look
like? information must be systematically collect-
• Employ methods that minimize bias and
random errors in abstraction, summa- ed. The studies from which information is
• How does one go about collecting, visu-
alizing, and synthesizing this type of rization, and presentation of research obtained should conform to accepted stan-
knowledge? evidence dards for research and reporting so that
• What kind of expertise is required to information can be clearly interpreted,
carry out the process, use the tools, and and reviewed against existing theory or
interpret the results? other research.
12
15. Chris Asakiewicz
Vice President of Global Business
Technology – Medical and Product
Development
Chris is a Vice President with Pfizer’s
Global Pharmaceutical Division where
he leads the Global Business
Technology Group for Drug and
Regulatory Affairs, World-wide Safety,
Medical and Scientific Affairs, Clinical
Data Operations, Outcomes, Clinical
Development, and Product
Development. Chris has been with
Pfizer for 18 years. Over those years
he has held a number of Business
Technology positions within
Figure 1 – Knowledge Mining Process
Pharmaceuticals supporting
Knowledge mining involves the visualization and synthesis of research results and findings. Knowledge Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales,
mining is carried out along the lines of asking questions of the data, extracting for synthesis and analysis Market Research, and Clinical
results to be used in addressing the questions, and finally constructing a response or answer.
Research. Prior to Pfizer, Chris spent
seven years with Exxon Corporation
Systematic Collection catalog or data base, on a research as a Senior Advisor in Computer
domain basis. A domain expert is need- Science and Technology.
The first part of the process involves hav-
ing a systematic approach for the ongo- ed to define what type of information to
collect and what sources to collect it Chris holds a Bachelor of Science
ing review and collection of research
from. A data entry template is used to Degree from Columbia University in
results. Although advanced search tools
consistently collect the information from Computer Science and Electrical
can be used to aid in the process, there
published sources on an on-going basis. Engineering; a Master of Science
is enough inconsistency in the way
Degree in Engineering from Stevens
research publications are written to
WESLEY J. HOWE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
Once a catalog has been populated, the Institute of Technology; as well as, a
require review by a human being.
data contained within it can be visual- Doctor of Philosophy Degree in
Catalog construction starts with first iden- ized. A sample is shown in Figure 2. Information Management from Stevens
tifying what types of study information to The visualization of the data can be used Institute of Technology.
From 1983 to 1997, Chris has served
as an Adjunct Professor at Stevens
Institute of Technology, teaching class-
es in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence,
Computer Science, and Engineering.
Chris’ principal research interest is
"Knowledge Mining" – which is the
quantitative synthesis and visualization
of research results and findings.
in one of two ways: to determine if rele-
vant data exists which could be used to
answer a question, or to determine if evi-
dence exists that might warrant asking a
question. In this question-driven approach
the analyst is looking for the availability
of research results to use in an analysis,
the end product of which is an answer to
the question. The alternative is to visual-
Figure 2 – Visualization of a Research Space
ize the contents of the catalog to facilitate
This figure depicts in one chart all of the research studies collected and cataloged (involving therapies the development of a relevant hypothesis.
associated with the treatment of different central nervous system disorders). Each graph marker
represents an entire study and its findings.
Continued on page 16
13
16. ...Business & Technology
Continued from page 7
Computer Science at the beginning, stu- ects, helping their counterparts better dents traveled to Germany last summer to
dents learn about different kinds of technol- understand the nature of commerce and work for BMW. Not only did they see
ogy mainly through the use of those tech- technology while learning to work with what it was like to work in manufacturing,
nologies within the context of their busi- engineers and scientists. but they faced the challenges of working
ness studies. For example, in learning in another culture – an essential tool for
Students Profile
about eBusiness, students build a web site anyone wanting to be successful in busi-
Business and Technology students are pri-
and develop critical technical skills in pro- ness today. This summer, 25 students trav-
marily from the New York/New Jersey
gramming languages and techniques. eled to Germany and Switzerland on a
regional area. However in addition to the
Instead of separating the concepts of com- work-study opportunity. Students work in
school’s ‘local’ appeal, many of the
puter science and application develop- both large and small firms such as Bristol-
Business and Technology students also
ment, the program teaches students how to Myers-Squibb and subsequently write a
come from outside the area from both the
use the latest technologies to deploy busi- business plan based on their experiences.
US and foreign countries. Some of our stu-
ness strategy. This critical understanding
dents travel from Europe, Asia, California, Students can offer a company sponsoring
separates Stevens’ students from others
Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona, an internship many benefits, such as mar-
and makes them highly valuable upon
Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and ket analysis and research, financial and
entering the workforce.
other states to take advantage of this statistical analysis, and a host of other
Science. Understanding the physical world unique educational opportunity. skills, dependent upon the needs of the
around us is an integral part of appropri- internship project.
The Stevens’ B&T students have SAT scores
ately setting the context for what the stu-
second only to Princeton in the state of In the longer term, companies who invest
dents learn about technology and its appli-
New Jersey. The students are selected from in a Stevens Business and Technology stu-
cation in the business setting. The Business
the top 10% of their high school classes. dent gain a trained employee; one who
and Technology faculty recognized this
Our students reflect an almost 30% com- has worked with the company over a peri-
important fact and as a result, built in an
plement of women to date, and the goal is od of years, developed a business plan for
extensive curriculum in Science and
to increase that diversity even further. new or troubled initiatives, and someone
Technology that takes the student through a
who is ready to hit the ground running,
variety of subjects including quasi-sciences, In addition to their scholastic achievement
should the company decide to extend a
mechanics, and chemistry. This sequence and gender and cultural diversity, the
permanent offer upon graduation.
helps the students with an appreciation of Business and Technology students are also
the technologies utilized by the various involved in many different opportunities in How You Can Help
companies they work for during their athletics, student government, the school
course of study. In combination with the Based upon all indications to date, the
newspaper and other extracurricular activi-
business and technology aspects, the sci- Business and Technology degree is devel-
ties. With high levels of participation in
ence modules give them another signifi- oping those future business leaders who
non-course related activities the students
cant differentiator in comparison to stu- truly will make a difference in the world.
further develop leadership, team-building,
dents pursuing other business degrees. The program in its few short years is off to
communications and other vital skills and
a terrific start, with students already mak-
values necessary to succeed as the for-
Business Plan Program Spine. Most busi- ing a significant difference both on-campus
ward thinking integrators the program
ness programs lack a unifying spine. as leaders and doers in the Stevens com-
strives to create.
Consequently, when students study the indi- munity and off-campus with their internship
vidual components such as marketing, Summer Internship Experience companies. Any one interested in sponsor-
accounting, etc., they are taught in a dis- ing a Stevens B&T student for a summer
crete fashion, with perhaps a senior type The summer internship allows students to
internship should contact
of capstone course. The B&T at Stevens connect with prominent companies and
builds in unique continuity by requiring stu- gain valuable hands on experience in the Karen Sobel Lojeski,
dents to develop business plans from the real world. Students accept internships that Program Executive
beginning to the end. From the moment lead to a number of exciting directions. klojeski@stevens.edu
they enter, students learn the fundamentals For example, several students worked at
(201) 216-8259 s
of a business plan and are exposed to var- Verizon, learning various aspects of the
ious industries and technologies. Over the telecommunications industry. Their experi-
course of their studies, the students learn ences to date and contributions to the com-
how to develop each component of a plan pany have been so worthwhile that they
and in their junior year, take on a project have been asked to continue with the com-
to develop a business or division from start pany, gaining a greater depth of knowl-
to finish. In their senior year, they are edge and already working toward a level
teamed with students from other depart- of expertise, while most students from
ments, such as engineering, to form the other institutions are just starting to explore
‘business-side’ of the senior design proj- their career options. Alternatively, five stu-
14