Academic reference librarians prepare for change: an Australian case study

Abstract

Purpose -The exploration and description of the interface between the customer component of a market orientation and the accounting information used in making productlevel decisions.Design/methodology/approach -Exploratory/descriptive organisational case study of a multi-function product decision-making setting. Development of a model of the customeraccounting information requirements of a market orientation.Findings -Describes how customer-orientated product decisions are guided by managers' shared understanding of product-attributes and conceptions of a "product" as a "bundle of attributes, benefits or characteristics". Describes the limited accounting function involvement in product-decisions and the use of customer-orientated and non-financial decision criteria.Practical implications -A market-orientated approach to business has been associated with increased business performance. The identification and integration of information from the management accounting discipline facilitates the understanding of the resource costs of satisfying individual customer needs and assists in operational level decisions. We highlight potential barriers to the integration of customer-orientated accounting information in product decisions.Originality/value -There remains a scarcity of marketing and management accounting interdisciplinary case research at the product-attribute decision-making level. Our organisational study provides an insight into the decision-making information and processes at the market orientation and management accounting interface. We provide a framework and suggestions for the further development of interfunctional product-level decision-making.

Digital Library Collaboration: A Service-Oriented Perspective

“…In an era of unprecedented technological innovation and evolving user expectations and information-seeking behavior [24][25], digital content is now increasingly common and increasingly preferred [26, p. 47; 27, p. 8], with universal access to digital libraries considered essential to social and economic mobility [28]. Changes in work practices, mobility, and lifestyle have affected the use of libraries, with patrons increasingly wanting to be able to access services remotely, independently, and at a time convenient to themselves [29, p. 1].…”

Setting goals for change in the information age

“…During the past two decades, the rate of change in academic libraries has been unprecedented (Brophy, 2005, p. 208; Budd, 1998, p. xiii; McCabe and Person, 1995). Change is not only driven by changing information technologies, globalization, competitiveness and economic situations, but also increasing distance education programs and client expectations and demands (Alvite and Barrionuevo, 2011, p. ix; Brophy, 2005; Budd, 1998; Garcia and Flores, 2009; Leong, 2008, p. 77).…”

“…The current and important technological changes affecting academic library operations, services and resources include mobile applications, “cloud computing, augmented and virtual reality, discovery tools, open content, open source software, and new social networking tools” (ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee, 2010, p. 287). Academic libraries might continue to face the reduced operating and material budgets and restricted funding (ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee, 2010, p. 287; Leong, 2008, p. 77; Walton et al , 2009, p. 240). Distance education programs in colleges and universities are gaining in popularity, and academic libraries face challenges about how to meet the increasing demands of faculty and students (Parnell, 2001).…”

Planning Strategically, Designing Architecturally: A Framework for Digital Library Services

“…Of associated importance to a library is enterprise architecture, which strategically aligns and holistically integrates business and information system architectures, for in an era of unprecedented technological innovation and evolving user expectations and information seeking behaviours (Brophy, 2007;Leong, 2008;Parry, 2008), solutions are often multifaceted and multiparty. For example Rogers (2007, p.375), reviewing trends in academic libraries, discusses how libraries must: … evaluate, obtain and support products from more and more vendors whose primary clients are not libraries; participate in development and support of technology solutions with members of open source communities; (and) partner with other campus units to deliver coherent enterprise-wide information services through architectures that simplify discovery and navigation for an increasingly mobile population… Brophy (2007, p.17) argues that rapid and complex technological change is where the biggest challenges lie for the library, and worryingly, suggests that librarians 'have not developed the skills to understand it, exploit it or create it'.…”