The integration of heterogeneous information systems has always been problematic in health-care organizations, as it is associated with the delivery of key services and has high operational costs. Therefore, health-care organizations are looking for new means to increase their functional capabilities and reduce integration cost. In addressing this need, enterprise application integration (EAI) technology has emerged to facilitate systems integration, enhance the quality of services, and reduce integration costs. Despite the application of EAI in other sectors, its adoption in health care is slow. In seeking to build on the limited normative research surrounding EAI, the authors of this paper focus on the evaluation of factors that influence EAI adoption in the health-care sector. In doing so, using fuzzy cognitive mapping as a technique to identify causal interrelationships among the EAI adoption factors. This approach will enhance the quality of the evaluation process and emphasizes the importance of eac...
To understand opportunities Blockchain offers for development, we propose a novel framework that considers Business-, Society-, Economy & Finance-, Technology-, and Policy-related factors. It illustrates the complex and multifaceted role of Blockchain in development and is useful in guiding research efforts, formulating actionable advice, and promoting development. We created it methodically, drawing from systematic literature reviews and the authors’ experience with Blockchain and development. Adequately designed and deployed Blockchain systems are relevant contributions that can help address problems that afflict our society, making it more inclusive, fair, and resilient. Solutions that many countries have already adopted in various sectors (e.g. public, financial, business, technology, education) demonstrate the importance of Blockchain to advance development. Further, less developed countries have a window of opportunity to avoid the typical lag in the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies and make quantum leaps that will put them on par with more developed counterparts.