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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=178 height=91 src="cid:image003.jpg@01D0528F.EE32C510" align=left hspace=12 alt="SIM_LogoTag_small_RGB" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1"><![endif]><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'><br><br></span></b><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>SIM 2015 Paper Competition</span></b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>Each year, the Society for Information Management recognizes innovative business initiatives that use IT to drive measurable results.</span></b><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>If you have researched an important and successful IT-related business initiative, the SIM 2015 Paper Competition Committee invites you to submit an abstract describing this initiative. The work described must be implemented and it must have had a significant impact on the organization involved. Winning papers will be a collaboration between academics and practitioners. Since SIM’s focus is toward executive management, the work should describe an initiative of interest to senior IS executives.</span><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>WHY ENTER THE COMPETITION?</span></b><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>This is an excellent way to gain widespread recognition and visibility for exemplary IT leadership and to highlight the impacts of IT in firms applying IT strategically. Recognition will be given to up to two papers at SIMposium 2015 in Charlotte, NC and all winning papers will be featured on SIMnet. In addition, the authors of the first and second place papers will be asked to present their papers at SIMposium. All winning papers will also be considered for publication in MISQ Executive, although some reformulation may be required to meet academic journal guidelines.<br><b><br>Step #1: SUBMIT ABSTRACT<br>Deadline: Friday, May 22</b><br>All abstracts should be submitted electronically to SIM Director of Academic Affairs, Mary Sumner (</span><a href="mailto:msumner@siue.edu"><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#006298;text-decoration:none'>msumner@siue.edu</span></a><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>) and to Paper Competition Coordinator, Sasha Radulski (</span><a href="mailto:sradulski@simnet.org"><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#006298;text-decoration:none'>sradulski@simnet.org</span></a><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>).  Abstracts will be reviewed by the Paper Competition Committee and a subset of the submissions will be selected as finalists. Each author will be electronically notified of the outcome of their abstract submission by early June. All finalists will be asked to submit a full version of the paper.<br><br><b>Step #2:  SUBMIT FULL PAPER<br>Deadline:  Friday, July 31st</b></span><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>All finalists selected from the initial review will be invited to submit a full version of the paper by the above deadline. Your paper could describe the system, approach, or method used. The work described should be presented in a case study format and clearly describe the problem or opportunity, the environment where the situation existed, what was done, why it was significant, the measurable results and what others can learn from the presented material. Topic tutorials or new technology descriptions alone are NOT being sought for this competition.  <br><b>Winners will be announced in late August. <i>Please note</i></b><i>: SIM reserves the right to distribute your paper upon submission.</i></span><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'><br><b><u>JUDGING CRITERIA</u></b><br><b>Innovation</b>: Are any new strategies and/or approaches described? Do they add to leading practices?<br><b>Impact</b>: Does the paper address the real problem? Is the problem solved or diminished? Is it a managerial (not technical) issue? Is a significant part of the organization impacted? What performance measures reflect success? Do principles exist that could enhance that body of information management knowledge? </span><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#303B42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:13.5pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>Implementation</span></b><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>: Is the innovation operational? What is the breadth of the implementation? Does the organization plan to extend the innovation? <br><b>Re-applicability</b>: Is the approach applicable to others? Can knowledge be transferred to others?        <br><b>Appeal and Readability</b>: Is there broad interest in the problem across industries and cultures? Will the paper appeal to SIM membership? Is the paper brief, clear, and to the point? Is the paper written with empathy for the reader?<br><br>If you have any questions regarding the SIM Paper Competition, please contact SIM Director of Academic Affairs, Mary Sumner (</span><a href="mailto:msumner@siue.edu"><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#006298;text-decoration:none'>msumner@siue.edu</span></a><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>) or Paper Competition Coordinator, Sasha Radulski (</span><a href="mailto:sradulski@simnet.org"><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:#006298;text-decoration:none'>sradulski@simnet.org</span></a><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif";color:black'>).</span><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>