Dr Brian Harmer -- MIM Programmes Director

Brian lectures in management aspects of information systems, and organisational communications. His research is currently focused on two main threads:

• management of autonomous, technology-enabled remote workers; and
• the role of prior knowledge as a prerequisite for effective teaching and deep learning in career-oriented degree programmes.

He is also interested in the notion of "kairotic time", especially as it applies to independent mobile workers. In his spare time, Brian is the author and compiler of WYSIWYG News, which is a more or less weekly summary, running since 1994, of news and creative writing about New Zealand, aimed at expatriate New Zealanders and all who love this country.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Programme Director for the Master of Information Management Programmes
• Coordinator for MMIM 511, BBIS 416 and ELCM 311

Current Research

Brian's doctoral dissertation was in Communications Studies, entitled:

Culture at the Edge: An Exploration of Cultural Adaptation and Sense-making Across Workgroup Boundaries in Complex Organizations.

This research was a phenomenological study concerned with the effect of culture, in all its forms, on the efficacy of communication across the boundaries of work groups in complex organizations.

Selected Publications

Harmer, B. M. (2009). Teaching in a contextual vacuum: Lack of prior workplace knowledge as a barrier to sensemaking in the learning and teaching of business courses. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 46(1), 41-50.

Harmer, B., Pauleen, D. (2008). Moving the boundaries: The impact of mobility on work and life. University of Auckland Business Review, 10(1), 21-28.

Harmer, B., Pauleen, D. (2008). Time and tide. University of Auckland Business Review, 10(1), 21-28.

Harmer, B., Yoong, P. (2008). Opportunistic bargains: Exploring an unusual B2C e-commerce model. Journal of IT Case and Application Research, 10(2), 25-36.

Harmer, B., Pauleen, D. (2007). The work anytime anywhere mobility blues. In David Pauleen (Ed.), Proceedings of the 4th QualIT Conference (pp. 1-10). Wellington, School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington.

Pauleen, D., Harmer, B. (2007). How emerging technologies change the way New Zealanders work and live: Research in progress. In Felix B. Tan, James Thong and Lech J Janczewski (Eds.), Proceedings of the 11th Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS) (pp. 25-31). Auckland, School of Business, University of
Auckland. CD-ROM.

Sanders, C., Pauleen, D., Harmer, B. (2007). ICT demographics in New Zealand: An overview. Working paper for ICTs and Communities project with Waikato Management School (19 pp.). University of Waikato, Hamilton.

Harmer, B. M. (2006). At cross purposes: Head-to-head professionalism in not-for-profit pastoral organizations. Journal of Health, Organization and Management, 20(6), 489-501.

Harmer, B. M. (2006). Do not go gentle: Intractable value differences in hospices. Journal of Healthcare Management, 51(2), 86-95.

Current Teaching

BBIS 416 – IT Business Development (Trimester 1 2009)
The course examines the role of IT in modern business. It will deal with the management of technology in business, the management of IT operating systems and security in business and the role of managers in business communications. These fundamentals will be used to develop models of business practice in the digital worlds as a means of creating business development.

MMIM 501– Information Systems and Technologies (Trimester 1 2009)
The important functions, applications and management challenges of contemporary information systems; overview of information technologies; basic computer organisation, software, telecommunications and databases; common application systems; the principal implications for organisational design and management.

ELCM 311 – Advanced Topics in e-Commerce (Trimester 2 2009)
This course comprises an advanced examination of managerial issues regarding the use of cutting-edge e-Business applications. It provides students with a deeper understanding of new technologies and recent theory in e-commerce and their implications for e-business thought and practice.

MMIM 511– Emerging Information Technologies (Trimester 2 2009)
Information technologies relevant to the way organisations conduct business, and issues that arise from such technologies. Technologies considered will include: communications-enabled appliances, networking, internet, executive information systems, client/server computing, wireless computing, multimedia and electronic commerce tools.