Introduction
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.
Qualifications
PGCertHELT, MBA, Massey; PhD, Wellington
Administrative Responsibilities
- Director for the Master of Information Management (MIM) Programmes
- Member of the SIM Human Ethics Committee
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.
>> Brian's Webpage
Please visit Brian's personal webpage for further information on his background and interests.