Knowledge that Transforms

Proteins C and S are two vitamin K-dependent plasma proteins that work in concert as a natural anticoagulant system. Activated protein C is the proteolytic component of the complex and protein S serves as an activated protein C binding protein that is essential for assembly of the anticoagulant complex on cell surfaces. The anticoagulant activity is expressed through the selective inactivation of Factors Va and VIIIa. Many patients deficient in proteins C and S have been described and have an associated thrombotic tendency, but not all heterozygous protein C and S deficient individuals experience thrombotic complications. Multiple mechanisms and/or drugs can lead to acquired deficiencies of these proteins: oral anticoagulation, liver disease, DIC and in the case of protein S, lupus erythematosus, nephrotic syndrome, pregnancy and certain hormones. The anticoagulant activity of protein C decreases rapidly after administration of warfarin (i.e., with a time course similar to Factor VII). This rapid decrease may lead to a transient imbalance and contribute to coumarin induced skin necrosis. Protein S antigen levels do not decrease as rapidly, but protein S functional levels are often low in patients with an acute thrombus. The discrepancy between antigen and function results from elevations in C4b-binding protein, which complexes reversibly with protein S. Unlike free protein S, the complex does not function in the anticoagulant pathway. The available information all suggest that deficiency of protein C and protein S should be considered a risk factor contributing to recurrent thrombotic disease and that the function of these proteins is altered by many common clinical conditions which have associated an increased risk of thrombosis.

This paper presents a new representation methodology, dependency network diagrams (DNDs), which enables the essential elements governing organizational relations to be captured, communicated, and evaluated under changing conditions. By depicting important features of organizational relations, information systems can be designed explicitly for control and coordination of organizational activities. The rules and construction algorithm for DNDs are presented and applied to a case study of a Canadian automobile insurance company. Analysis of the case reveals how IT was used to create strategic change within the Canadian vehicle repair market.

This paper develops a perspective of interorganizational relationships based on the concept of exploitation of expertise. Insights from marketing channel theory and resource-based views of the firm are integrated to test the effects of expertise exploitation capabilities in electronic channels. The distinctiveness of this study is based on the role of information and computer technology in creating advantage through differential expertise. A model of IT-induced quasi-integration was developed and tested on a sample of 117 travel agencies targeted by American Airlines using the Sabre system and SMARTS. We find that while the degree of quasi-integration is moderately explained by the Sabre link, it is more significantly explained by American Airlines’ use of an expertise exploitation capability using SMARTS. These results show the necessity of extending the theoretical perspectives on IT-induced interorganizational relationships from an efficiency perspective to an expertise point of view.