My traditional publications include the following books, book chapters, articles, and whitepapers .
Book Chapters
Jamie Gordon, and Larry Irons “Consumer Anthropology as a Framework For The Use of Ethnography in Market Research”, Leading Edge Market Research (eds.) Kaden, Robert, Linda, Gerry and Prince, Melvin. Sage Publications. 2012. pp. 178 – 194.
Larry R. Irons “The Limits of Anytime, Anywhere Customer Support: Distributed Work and Home-Based Agents” Handbook of Research on Electronic Collaboration and Organizational Synergy (eds.) Salmons, Janet and Wilson, Lynn. IGI Global. 2009. This chapter provides an analysis of the challenges posed to collaboration and information sharing when organizations use distributed work arrangements to deliver customer support.
Books
Craig Baldwin, Larry Irons, and Philip Palin Catastrophe Preparation and Prevention for Law Enforcement Professionals. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. 2008.
Craig Baldwin, Larry Irons, and Philip Palin Catastrophe Preparation and Prevention for Fire Service Professionals. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. 2007.
Both of these books provide a risk management approach to the challenges of collaboration and information sharing faced in preparing for catastrophic disaster threat across all hazards. Each book provides group and individual practice exercises, as well as interactive gaming simulations for law enforcement or fire service professionals.
Articles
Larry R. Irons (2008) “Recent Patterns of Terrorism Prevention in the United Kingdom” Homeland Security Affairs Vol. 4, Issue 1. This article uses a risk management approach to analyze patterns of terrorism prevention in the United Kingdom since 2004.
Larry R. Irons (2005) “Hurricane Katrina as a Predictable Surprise” Homeland Security Affairs Vol. I, Issue 2, This article analyzes shortcomings in organizational learning as a key factor in the failure of the federal government to effectively respond in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This article was extensively excerpted in Chapter 12 (“Organized for Failure”) of the Independent Levee Investigation Team Final Report Investigation of the Performance of the New Orleans Flood Protection Systems in Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005.
Larry R. Irons, Robert O. Keel, and Cheryl L. Bielema (2002) “ Blended Learning and Learner Satisfaction: Keys to User Acceptance?” Journal of the United States Distance Learning Association 16, 12.
Larry R. Irons, Donald J. Jung, and Robert O. Keel (2002) “Interactivity in Distance Learning: The Digital Divide and Student Satisfaction,” Journal of Educational Technology and Society 5, 3, pp. 175-188.
Larry R. Irons (1998) “Organizational and Technical Communication: Terminological Ambiguity in Representing Work,” Management Communication Quarterly 12(1), pp. 42-71.
Whitepapers
Larry R. Irons “ Embodied Interaction and Seamful Design:
Social Hierarchy and Interactivity in People-Finder Services ” (2007)
Larry R. Irons “Usable Products Gone Unused: Experience Design and Customer Research” (2010)
Dissertation
Awarded May, 1992 – Ph.D. in Sociology, Washington University in St. Louis. A Sociological Analysis of Designing Knowledge: Knowledge Acquisition for Knowledge-Based Systems. An ethnographic study of social interaction in the design of knowledge-based (expert) systems, with an emphasis on conversational turn-taking, storytelling, and discourse analysis. Analyzed the knowledge acquisition process in two software development teams involved in designing expert systems. One team designed an expert system to tutor journalism students in investigative journalism techniques. The other team designed an expert system to assist technicians in grounding telephone company switches for central office installations.
Skilful Minds 