AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)

Dialogical Action Research at Omega Corporation

P�r M�rtensson — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:25 PST

In dialogical action research, the scientific researcher does not "speak science" or otherwise attempt to teach scientific theory to the real-world practitioner, but instead attempts to speak the language of the practitioner and accepts him as the expert on his organization and its problems. Recognizing the difficulty that a practitioner and a scientific researcher can have in communicating across the world of science and the world of practice, dialogical action research offers, as its centerpiece, reflective one-on-one dialogues between the practitioner and the scientific researcher, taking place periodically in a setting removed from the practitioner's organization. The dialogue itself serves as the interface between the world of science, marked by theoria and the scientific attitude, and the world of the practitioner, marked by praxis and the natural attitude of everyday life. The dialogue attempts to address knowledge heterogeneity, which refers to the different forms that knowledge takes in the world of science and the world of practice, and knowledge contextuality, which refers to the dependence of the meaning of knowledge, such as a scientific theory or professional expertise, on its context. In successive dialogues, the scientific researcher and the practitioner build a mutual understanding, including an understanding of the organization and its problems. The scientific researcher, based on one or more of the scientific theories in her discipline, formulates and suggests one or more actions for the practitioner to take in order to solve or remedy a problem in his organization. Dialogical action research recognizes that the practitioner's experience, expertise, and tacit knowledge, or praxis, largely shapes how he understands the suggested actions and appropriates them as his own. Upon returning to his organization, he takes one or more of the suggested actions, depending on his reading of the situation at hand. The reactions or responses of the problem to the actions or stimuli of the practitioner would embody, in the practitioner's eyes, success or failure in solving or remedying the problem and, in the scientific researcher's eyes, evidence confirming or disconfirming the theory on which the action was based. The scientific researcher may then suggest, based on her theories, additional actions, hence initiating another cycle of action and learning. To illustrate dialogical action research, this paper reconstructs some dialogues between an information systems researcher and a managing director at a European company called Omega Corporation.

Small Business Growth and Internal Transparency: The Role of Information Systems

Christopher T. Street — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:23 PST

While many large businesses start out as a small enterprise, remarkably little is known about how an organization actually changes internally during the periods of growth. Small business growth is known to strain internal communication processes, for example, which likely limits growth opportunities. Information systems are often called upon to remedy such deficiencies. Through a participatory action research project, we investigated the ways in which a small business management team developed an IS-enabled solution to address their growth needs. During the progression of the project, a new outcome of organizational effectiveness, internal transparency, was identified and developed. Adopting a punctuated equilibrium perspective, a theoretical process model is proposed that sheds light on a relationship between internal transparency, small business growth and IS. The paper concludes with observations that internal transparency may well be a concept that offers significant potential for MIS research as well as a discussion about the applicability and credibility of participatory action research for this project.

Design Principles for Competence Management Systems: A Synthesis of an Action Research Study

Rikard Lindgren — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:20 PST

Even though the literature on competence in organizations recognizes the need to align organization level core competence with individual level job competence, it does not consider the role of information technology in managing competence across the macro and micro levels. To address this shortcoming, we embarked on an action research study that develops and tests design principles for competence management systems. This research develops an integrative model of competence that not only outlines the interaction between organizational and individual level competence and the role of technology in this process, but also incorporates a typology of competence (competence-in-stock, competence-in-use, and competence-in-the-making). Six Swedish organizations participated in our research project, which took 30 months and consisted of two action research cycles involving numerous data collection strategies and interventions such as prototypes. In addition to developing a set of design principles and considering their implications for both research and practice, this article also includes a self-assessment of the study by evaluating it according to the criteria for canonical action research.

Managing Risk in Software Process Improvement: An Action Research Approach

Jakob H. Iversen — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:18 PST

Many software organizations engage in software process improvement (SPI) initiatives to increase their capability to develop quality solutions at a competitive level. Such efforts, however, are complex and very demanding. A variety of risks makes it difficult to develop and implement new processes. We studied SPI in its organizational context through collaborative practice research (CPR), a particular form of action research. The CPR program involved close collaboration between practitioners and researchers over a three-year period to understand and improve SPI initiatives in four Danish software organizations. The problem of understanding and managing risks in SPI teams emerged in one of the participating organizations and led to this research. We draw upon insights from the literature on SPI and software risk management as well as practical lessons learned from managing SPI risks in the participating software organizations. Our research offers two contributions. First, we contribute to knowledge on SPI by proposing an approach to understand and manage risks in SPI teams. This risk management approach consists of a framework for understanding risk areas and risk resolution strategies within SPI and a related process for managing SPI risks. Second, we contribute to knowledge on risk management within the information systems and software engineering disciplines. We propose an approach to tailor risk management to specific contexts. This approach consists of a framework for understanding and choosing between different forms of risk management and a process to tailor risk management to specific contexts.

Informating the Clan: Controlling Physicians' Costs and Outcomes

Rajiv Kohli — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:15 PST

Past literature recognizes the power of information technology to establish greater transparency and, in turn, the potential for greater control .Theoretical perspectives such as informating and agency theory describe situations whereby legitimized management authority can control goal divergence by implementing information systems to better monitor agents' behavior and outcomes. But what happens when the principal does not possess legitimacy to impose an agent's use of information and/or behavioral conformance? This study investigates this situation. Through an action research project, a physicians' profiling system (PPS) was used to monitor and benchmark physicians' clinical practices and outcomes resulting in changed practice behaviors in closer congruence with management's goals. The PPS project represents a successful attempt of a hospital's management (principal) to "informate the clan" of physicians (agents) to reduce clinical procedural costs and adopt practices benchmarked to produce better outcomes. This research moves beyond directly controlling informated workers through legitimized managerial authority to a better understanding of how to informate autonomous professionals. Emerging insights suggest that a clan can be informated if the principal can improve the perceived legitimacy of the information (the message), legitimize the technical messenger (customized user interface), legitimize the human messenger (boundary spanners and influential clan members), and facilitate an environment where clan-based discussion, using the information provided by the principal, is incorporated into the process of concertive control.

Networks of Action: Sustainable Health Information Systems Across Developing Countries

J�rn Braa — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:13 PST

Our paper is motivated by one simple question: Why do so many action research efforts fail to persist over time? We approach this question, the problem of sustainability, building on a perspective on action research identifying the pivotal importance of networks. More precisely, local action research interventions need to be conceptualized and approached as but one element in a larger network of action in order to ensure sustainability. A vital aspect of our perspective is that local interventions depend heavily on the support of similar action research efforts in other locations. This is essential for the necessary processes of learning and experience sharing. We suggest that the scaling (i.e., spreading) of the intervention is a prerequisite, not a luxury, for sustainable action research. Empirically, we base our analysis on an ongoing, large-scale action research project within the health care sector (called HISP) in a number of developing countries. HISP provides a fruitful occasion to investigate key criteria for our approach to action research, namely sustainability, scalability, and capacity to be politically relevant to the participants. We contribute to three discourses: (1) models of action research, (2) lessons for health information systems in developing countries, and (3) more generally, IS implementations that are dispersed, large-scale, and have scarce resources.

Special Issue on Action Research In Informaton Systems: Making IS Research relevant to practice foreword

Richard Baskerville — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:10 PST

Review: Information Technology and Organizational Performance: An Integrative Model of IT Business Value

Nigel Melville — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:05 PST

Despite the importance to researchers, managers, and policy makers of how information technology (IT) contributes to organizational performance, there is uncertainty and debate about what we know and don't know. A review of the literature reveals that studies examining the association between information technology and organizational performance are divergent in how they conceptualize key constructs and their interrelationships. We develop a model of IT business value based in the resource-based view of the firm that integrates the various strands of research into a single framework. We apply the integrative model to synthesize what is known about IT business value and guide future research by developing propositions and suggesting a research agenda. A principal finding is that IT is valuable, but the extent and dimensions are dependent upon internal and external factors, including complementary organizational resources of the firm and its trading partners, as well as the competitive and macro environment. Our analysis provides a blueprint to guide future research and facilitate knowledge accumulation and creation concerning the organizational performance impacts of information technology.

The Effect of Relationship Encoding, Task Type and Complexity on Information Representation: An Empirical Evaluation of 2D and 3D Line Graphs

Nanda Kumar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:03 PST

Most of the recent research in data visualization has focused on technical and aesthetic issues involved in the manipulation of graphs, specifically on features that facilitate data exploration to make graphs interactive and dynamic. The present research identifies a gap in the existing knowledge of graph construction, namely potential problems in both 3D and 2D graphs that will impede comprehension of information when three or more variables are used in a graphical representation. Based on theories regarding perceptual issues of graph construction, we evaluate specific cases where 3D graphs may outperform 2D graphs, and vice-versa. Two experiments have been conducted to test these hypotheses, and 3D graphs have been found to consistently outperform 2D graphs in all of our experimental scenarios. A third experiment has been conducted to identify situations where 2D graphs might perform at least as well as 3D graphs, but its results suggest that 3D graphs outperform 2D graphs even for simpler tasks, thus leading to the conclusion that 3D graphs perform better than 2D graphs under all task conditions with more than two variables.

Understanding Changes in Belief and Attitude Toward Information Technology Usage: A Theoretical Model and Longitudinal Test

Anol Bhattacherjee — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:48:00 PST

User beliefs and attitudes are key perceptions driving information technology usage. These perceptions change with time as users gain first-hand experience with IT usage, which, in turn, may change their subsequent IT usage behavior. This paper elaborates on how users' beliefs and attitudes change during the course of their IT usage, defines emergent constructs driving such change, and proposes a temporal model of belief and attitude change by drawing on expectation-disconfirmation theory and the extant IT usage literature. Student data from two longitudinal studies in end-user computing (computer-based training system usage) and system development (rapid application development software usage) contexts provided empirical support for the hypothesized model, demonstrated its generalizability across technologies and usage contexts, and allowed us to probe context-specific differences. Content analysis of qualitative data validated some of our quantitative results. We report that emergent factors such as disconfirmation and satisfaction are critical to understanding changes in IT users' beliefs and attitudes and recommend that they be included in future process models of IT usage.

A Field Study of the Effect of Interpersonal Trust on Virtual Collaborative Relationship Performance

David L. Paul — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:47:58 PST

This article examines the relationship between interpersonal trust and virtual collaborative relationship (VCR) performance. Findings from a study of 10 operational telemedicine projects in health care delivery systems are presented. The results presented here confirm, extend, and apparently contradict prior studies of interpersonal trust. Four types of interpersonal trust--calculative, competence, relational, and integrated--are identified and operationalized as a single construct. We found support for an association between calculative, competence, and relational interpersonal trust and performance. Our finding of a positive association between integrated interpersonal trust and performance not only yields the strongest support for a relationship between trust and VCR performance but also contradicts prior research. Our findings indicate that the different types of trust are interrelated in that positive assessments of all three types of trust are necessary if VCRs are to have strongly positive performance. The study also established that if any one type of trust is negative, then it is very likely that VCR performance will not be positive. Our findings indicate that integrated types of interpersonal trust are interdependent, and the various patterns of interaction among them are such that they are mutually reinforcing. These interrelationships and interdependencies of the different types of interpersonal trust must be taken into account by researchers as they attempt to understand the impact of trust on virtual collaborative relationship performance.

GIST: A Model for Design and Management of Content and Interactivity of Customer-Centric Web Sites

Terri C. Albert — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:47:55 PST

Customer-centric Web-based systems, such as e-commerce Web sites, or sites that support customer relationship management (CRM) activities, are themselves information systems, but their design and maintenance need to follow vastly different approaches from the traditional systems lifecycle approach. Based on marketing frameworks that are applicable to the online world, and following design science principles, we develop a model to guide the design and the continuous management of such sites. The model makes extensive use of current technologies for tracking the customers and their behaviors, and combines elements of data mining and statistical analyses. A case study based on a financial services Web site is used to provide a preliminary validation and design evaluation of our approach. The case study showed considerable measured improvement in the effectiveness of the company's Web site. In addition, it also highlighted an important benefit of the our approach: the identification of previously unknown or unexpected segments of visitors. This finding can lead to promising new business opportunities.

Operationalizing the Essential Role of the Information Technology Artifact in Information Systems Research: Gray Area, Pitfalls, and the Importance of Strategic Ambiguity

Andrew B. Whinston — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:47:53 PST

In this paper we argue that a large gray area of information systems research exists, whose relevance to the information technology artifact is subject to significant debate even among IS scholars who support the essential role of the IT artifact. As we explain, not explicitly addressing this gray area can have negative, although often inadvertent, effects on the innovative nature of IS research; we explore this danger through three pitfalls. We then propose a stance of strategic ambiguity to deal with the gray area. Strategic ambiguity calls for deliberately withholding judgment on the relevance of research in the gray area and acceptance of gray-area research provided it meets the excellence required by professional journals. We believe that strategic ambiguity benefits innovative IS research without harming the essential role of the IT artifact.

In Pursuit of Moderation: Nine Common Errors and Their Solutions

Traci A. Carte — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:47:07 PST

One result of the increasing sophistication and complexity of MIS theory and research is the number of studies hypothesizing and testing for moderation effects. A review of the MIS and broader management literatures suggests researchers investigating moderated relationships often commit one or more errors falling into three broad categories: inappropriate use or interpretation of statistics, misalignment of research design with phenomena of interest, and measurement or scaling issues. Examples of nine common errors are presented. Commission of these errors is expected to yield literatures characterized by mixed results at best, and thoroughly erroneous results at worse. Procedures representing examples of best practice and reporting guidelines are provided to help MIS investigators avoid or minimize these errors.

User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View

Viswanath Venkatesh — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:47:05 PST

Information technology (IT) acceptance research has yielded many competing models, each with different sets of acceptance determinants. In this paper, we (1) review user acceptance literature and discuss eight prominent models, (2) empirically compare the eight models and their extensions, (3) formulate a unified theory that integrates elements across the eight models, and (4) empirically validate the unified model. The eight models reviewed are the theory of reasoned action, the technology acceptance model, a motivational model, the theory of planned behavior, a model combining the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior, a model of PC utilization, innovation diffusion theory, and social cognitive theory. Using data from four organizations over a six-month period with three points of measurement, the eight models explained between 17 percent and 53 percent of the variance in user intentions to use information technology. Next, a unified theory, called the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), was formulated, with four core determinants of intention and usage, and up to four moderators of key relationships. UTAUT was then tested using the original data and found to outperform the eight individual models (69% adjusted-R2). UTAUT was then confirmed with data from two new organizations with similar results (70% adjusted-R2). UTAUT thus provides a useful tool for managers needing to assess the likelihood of success for new technology introductions and helps them understand the drivers of acceptance in order to proactively design interventions (including training, marketing, etc.) targeted at populations of users that may be less inclined to adopt and use new systems. The paper also makes several recommendations for future research including developing a deeper understanding of the dynamic influences studied here, refining measurement of the core constructs used in UTAUT, and understanding the organizational outcomes associated with new technology use.

The Influence of Query Interface Design on Decision-Making Performance

Cheri Speier — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:47:03 PST

Managers in modern organizations are confronted with ever-increasing volumes of information that they must evaluate when making a decision. Data warehousing and data mining technologies have given managers a number of valuable tools that can help them store, retrieve, and analyze information contained in large databases; however, maximizing user performance with those tools remains a challenge for information systems professionals. One important and under-explored aspect of the effectiveness of these tools is the design of the query interface. In this study, we compared the use of visual and text-based interfaces on both low and high complexity tasks. Results demonstrated that decision maker performance was more accurate using the text-based interface when task complexity was low; however, decision makers using the visual interface performed better when task complexity was high. In addition, decision makers' subjective mental workload was significantly lower when using the visual interface, regardless of task complexity. In contrast to expectations, less time was needed to make a decision on low complexity tasks when using the visual interface, but those results were reversed under conditions of high task complexity. These results have important implications for the design of managerial decision-making systems, particularly in complex decision-making environments.

Trust and the Unintended Effects of Behavior Control in Virtual Teams

Gabriele Piccoli — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:47:01 PST

This article reports the findings of a longitudinal study of temporary virtual teams and explores the role of behavior control on trust decline. We conducted an experiment involving 51 temporary virtual teams. Half the teams were required to comply with behavior control mechanisms traditionally used in colocated teams. Their counterparts were allowed to self-direct. Our analysis shows that the behavior control mechanisms typically used in traditional teams have a significant negative effect on trust in virtual teams. In-depth analysis of the communication logs of selected teams reveals that trust decline in virtual teams is rooted in instances of reneging and incongruence. Behavior control mechanisms increase vigilance and make instances when individuals perceive team members to have failed to uphold their obligations (i.e., reneging and incongruence) salient. Heightened vigilance and salience increase the likelihood that team members' failure to fulfill their obligations will be detected, thus contributing to trust decline.

From the Vendor's Perspective: Exploring the Value Proposition in Information Technology Outsourcing

Natalia Levina — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:58 PST

To date, most research on information technology (IT) outsourcing concludes that firms decide to outsource IT services because they believe that outside vendors possess production cost advantages. Yet it is not clear whether vendors can provide production cost advantages, particularly to large firms who may be able to replicate vendors' production cost advantages in-house. Mixed outsourcing success in the past decade calls for a closer examination of the IT outsourcing vendor's value proposition. While the client's sourcing decisions and the client-vendor relationship have been examined in IT outsourcing literature, the vendor's perspective has hardly been explored. In this paper, we conduct a close examination of vendor strategy and practices in one long-term successful applications management outsourcing engagement. Our analysis indicates that the vendor's efficiency was based on the economic benefits derived from the ability to develop a complementary set of core competencies. This ability, in turn, was based on the centralization of decision rights from a variety and multitude of IT projects controlled by the vendor. The vendor was enticed to share the value with the client through formal and informal relationship management structures. We use the economic concept of complementarity in organizational design, along with prior findings from studies of client-vendor relationships, to explain the IT vendors' value proposition. We further explain how vendors can offer benefits that cannot be readily replicated internally by client firms.

Review: Power and Information Technology Research: A Metatriangulation Review

Jon (Sean) Jasperson — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:33 PST

This study uses a metatriangulation approach to explore the relationships between power and information technology impacts, development or deployment, and management or use in a sample of 82 articles from 12 management and MIS journals published between 1980 and 1999. We explore the multiple paradigms underlying this research by applying two sets of lenses to examine the major findings from our sample. The technological imperative, organizational imperative, and emergent perspectives (Markus and Robey 1988) are used as one set of lenses to better understand researchers' views regarding the causal structure between IT and organizational power. A second set of lenses, which includes the rational, pluralist, interpretive, and radical perspectives (Bradshaw-Camball and Murray 1991), is used to focus on researchers' views of the role of power and different IT outcomes. We apply each lens separately to describe patterns emerging from the previous power and IT studies. In addition, we discuss the similarities and differences that occur when the two sets of lenses are simultaneously applied. We draw from this discussion to develop metaconjectures, (i.e., propositions that can be interpreted from multiple perspectives), and to suggest guidelines for studying power in future research.

An Empirical Examination of Individual Traits as Antecedents to Computer Anxiety and Computer Self-Efficacy

Jason Bennett Thatcher — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:31 PST

To better understand how individual differences influence the use of information technology (IT), this study models and tests relationships among dynamic, IT-specific individual differences (i.e., computer self-efficacy and computer anxiety), stable, situation-specific traits (i.e., personal innovativeness in IT) and stable, broad traits (i.e., trait anxiety and negative affectivity). When compared to broad traits, the model suggests that situation-specific traits exert a more pervasive influence on IT situation-specific individual differences. Further, the model suggests that computer anxiety mediates the influence of situation-specific traits (i.e., personal innovativeness) on computer self-efficacy. Results provide support for many of the hypothesized relationships. From a theoretical perspective, the findings help to further our understanding of the nomological network among individual differences that lead to computer self-efficacy. From a practical perspective, the findings may help IT managers design training programs that more effectively increase the computer self-efficacy of users with different dispositional characteristics.

Cross-Cultural Software Production and Use: A Structurational Analysis

Geoff Walsham — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:28 PST

This paper focuses on cross-cultural software production and use, which is increasingly common in today's more globalized world. A theoretical basis for analysis is developed, using concepts drawn from structuration theory. The theory is illustrated using two cross-cultural case studies. It is argued that structurational analysis provides a deeper examination of cross-cultural working and IS than is found in the current literature, which is dominated by Hofstede-type studies. In particular, the theoretical approach can be used to analyze cross-cultural conflict and contradiction, cultural heterogeneity, detailed work patterns, and the dynamic nature of culture. The paper contributes to the growing body of literature that emphasizes the essential role of cross-cultural understanding in contemporary society.

Understanding Network Effects in Software Markets: Evidence from Web Server Pricing

John M. Gallaugher — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:26 PST

Prior theoretical research has established that many software products are subject to network effects and exhibit the characteristics of two-sided markets. However, despite the importance of the software industry to the world economy, few studies have attempted to empirically examine these characteristics, or several others which theory suggests impact software price. This study develops and tests a research-grounded model of two-sided software markets that accounts for several key factors influencing software pricing, including network externalities, cross-market complementarities, standards, mindshare, and trialability. Applying the model to the context of the market for Web server software, several key findings are offered. First, a positive market share to price relationship is identified, offering support for the network externalities hypothesis even though the market examined is based on open standards. Second, the results suggest that the market under study behaves as a two-sided market in that firms able to capture market share for one product enjoy benefits in terms of both market share and price for the complement. Third, the positive price benefits of securing consumer mindshare, of supporting dominant standards, and from offering a trial product are demonstrated. Last, a negative price shock is also identified in the period after a well-known, free-pricing rival has entered the market. Nonetheless, network effects continued to remain significant during the period. These findings enhance our understanding of software markets, offer new techniques for examining such markets, and suggest the wisdom of allocating resources to develop advantages in the factors studied.

Technology Frames and Framing: A Socio-Cognitive Investigation

Elizabeth J. Davidson — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:24 PST

Requirements determination (RD) during information systems delivery (ISD) is a complex organizational endeavor, involving political, sensemaking, and communicative processes. This research draws on the analytic concept of technology frames of reference to develop a socio-cognitive process model of how frames and shifts in frame salience influence sensemaking during requirements determination. The model provides a theoretical and conceptual perspective that deepens our understanding of requirements processes in organizations and of the socio-cognitive basis of power in ISD. The paper reports on a longitudinal case study, in which four technology frame domains were identified and the influence of frames on project participants' understanding of requirements was traced through eight RD episodes. Repeated shifts in the salience of the business value of IT and IT delivery strategies frames disrupted project participants' understanding of requirements and contributed to a turbulent RD process. Analysis of frames and framing helped explain how interpretive power was exercised, yet constrained, in this project. Implications for further research and for practice are considered.

Knowledge Management in Pursuit of Performance: Insights from Nortel Networks

Anne P. Massey — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:19 PST

From 1994 through 2000, Nortel Networks transformed itself from a technology-focused to an opportunity/customer-focused company. By 2000, Nortel was a profitable, innovative leader in the telecommunications industry. The change was the result of an ambitious effort to redesign its entire new product development (NPD) process such that time-to-market was significantly reduced. NPD is highly knowledge-intensive work based on the individual and collective expertise of employees. The primary focus of this case study is on Nortel's efforts to reengineer the front-end of its NPD process and capitalize on knowledge assets. This effort was built around a process-oriented knowledge management (KM) strategy, involving a tripartite and systematic focus on process, people, and technology. Through our case analysis we develop a model of KM success by exploring Nortel's KM strategy and the managerial, resource, and environmental factors that influenced Nortel's success. Nortel's experiences suggest lessons for other firms attempting to manage knowledge assets in core business processes.

Evidence of the Effect of Trust Building Technology in Electronic Markets: Price Premiums and Buyer Behavior

Sulin Ba — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:16 PST

Despite the wide use of reputational mechanisms such as eBay's Feedback Forum to promote trust, empirical studies have shown conflicting results as to whether online feedback mechanisms induce trust and lead to higher auction prices. This study examines the extent to which trust can be induced by proper feedback mechanisms in electronic markets, and how some risk factors play a role in trust formation. Drawing from economic, sociological, and marketing theories and using data from both an online experiment and an online auction market, we demonstrate that appropriate feedback mechanisms can induce calculus-based credibility trust without repeated interactions between two transacting parties. Trust can mitigate information asymmetry by reducing transaction-specific risks, therefore generating price premiums for reputable sellers. In addition, the research also examines the role that trust plays in mitigating the risks inherent in transactions that involve very expensive products.

Studying Knowledge Management in Information Systems Research: Discourses and Theoretical Assumptions

Ulrike Schultze — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:14 PST

In information systems, most research on knowledge management assumes that knowledge has positive implications for organizations. However, knowledge is a double-edged sword: while too little might result in expensive mistakes, too much might result in unwanted accountability. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the lack of attention paid to the unintended consequences of managing organizational knowledge and thereby to broaden the scope of IS-based knowledge management research. To this end, this paper analyzes the IS literature on knowledge management. Research articles published between 1990 and 2000 in six IS journals are classified into one of four scientific discourses developed by Deetz (1996). These discourses are the normative, the interpretive, the critical, and the dialogic. For each of these discourses, we identify the research focus, the metaphors of knowledge, the theoretical foundations, and the implications apparent in the articles representing it. The metaphors of knowledge that emerge from this analysis are knowledge as object, asset, mind, commodity, and discipline. Furthermore, we present a paper that is exemplary of each discourse. Our objective with this analysis is to raise IS researchers' awareness of the potential and the implications of the different discourses in the study of knowledge and knowledge management.

A Design Theory for Systems That Support Emergent Knowledge Processes

M. Lynne Markus — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:11 PST

This paper addresses the design problem of providing IT support for emerging knowledge processes (EKPs). EKPs are organizational activity patterns that exhibit three characteristics in combination: an emergent process of deliberations with no best structure or sequence; requirements for knowledge that are complex (both general and situational), distributed across people, and evolving dynamically; and an actor set that is unpredictable in terms of job roles or prior knowledge. Examples of EKPs include basic research, new product development, strategic business planning, and organization design. EKPs differ qualitatively from semi-structured decision making processes; therefore, they have unique requirements that are not all thoroughly supported by familiar classes of systems, such as executive information systems, expert systems, electronic communication systems, organizational memory systems, or repositories. Further, the development literature on familiar classes of systems does not provide adequate guidance on how to build systems that support EKPs. Consequently, EKPs require a new IS design theory, as explicated by Walls et al. (1992). We created such a theory while designing and deploying a system for the EKP of organization design. The system was demonstrated through subsequent empirical analysis to be successful in supporting the process. Abstracting from the experience of building this system, we developed an IS design theory for EKP support systems. This new IS design theory is an important theoretical contribution, because it both provides guidance to developers and sets an agenda for academic research. EKP design theory makes the development process more tractable for developers by restricting the range of effective features (or rules for selecting features) and the range of effective development practices to a more manageable set. EKP design theory also sets an agenda for academic research by articulating theory-based principles that are subject to empirical, as well as practical, validation.

Special Issue on Redefining the organizational roles of information technology in the information age

Robert W. Zmud — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:46:09 PST

User Acceptance of Hedonic Information Systems

Hans Van der Heijden — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:55 PST

This paper studies the differences in user acceptance models for productivity-oriented (or utilitarian) and pleasure-oriented (or hedonic) information systems. Hedonic information systems aim to provide self-fulfilling rather than instrumental value to the user, are strongly connected to home and leisure activities, focus on the fun-aspect of using information systems, and encourage prolonged rather than productive use. The paper reports a cross-sectional survey on the usage intentions for one hedonic information system. Analysis of this sample supports the hypotheses that perceived enjoyment and perceived ease of use are stronger determinants of intentions to use than perceived usefulness. The paper concludes that the hedonic nature of an information system is an important boundary condition to the validity of the technology acceptance model. Specifically, perceived usefulness loses its dominant predictive value in favor of ease of use and enjoyment.

Business Competence of Information Technology Professionals: Conceptual Development and Influence on IT-Business Partnerships

Genevi�ve Bassellier — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:52 PST

This research aims at improving our understanding of the concept of the business competence of information technology professionals and at exploring the contribution of this competence to the development of partnerships between IT professionals and their business clients. Business competence focuses on the areas of knowledge that are not specifically IT-related. At a broad level, it comprises the organization-specific knowledge and the interpersonal and management knowledge possessed by IT professionals. Each of these categories is in turn inclusive of more specific areas of knowledge. Organizational overview, organizational unit, organizational responsibility, and IT-business integration form the organization-specific knowledge, while interpersonal communication, leadership, and knowledge networking form the interpersonal and management knowledge. Such competence is hypothesized to be instrumental in increasing the intentions of IT professionals to develop and strengthen the relationship with their clients. The first step in the study was to develop a scale to measure business competence of IT professionals. The scale was validated and then used to test the model that relates competence to intentions to form IT-business partnerships. The results support the suggested structure for business competence and indicate that business competence significantly influences the intentions of IT professionals to develop partnerships with their business clients.

Bridging User Organizations: Knowledge Brokering and the Work of Information Technology Professionals

Suzanne D. Pawlowski — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:47 PST

This interpretive case study examines knowledge brokering as an aspect of the work of information technology professionals. The purpose of this exploratory study is to understand knowledge brokering from the perspective of IT professionals as they reflect upon their work practice. As knowledge brokers, IT professionals see themselves as facilitating the flow of knowledge about both IT and business practices across the boundaries that separate work units within organizations. A qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with 23 IT professionals and business users in a large manufacturing and distribution company is summarized in a conceptual framework showing the conditions, practices, and consequences of knowledge brokering by IT professionals. The framework suggests that brokering practices are conditioned by structural conditions, including decentralization and a federated IT management organization, and by technical conditions, specifically shared IT systems that serve as boundary objects. Brokering practices include gaining permission to cross organizational boundaries, surfacing and challenging assumptions made by IT users, translation and interpretation, and relinquishing ownership of knowledge. Consequences of brokering are the transfer of both business and IT knowledge across units in the organization.

The Role of Individual Memory and Attention Processes During Electronic Brainstorming

Richard E. Potter — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:44 PST

Electronic brainstorming (EBS) applications and their methodologies may have achieved the benchmark of enabling interactive users to perform as well as nominal groups. The current challenge is to view this as a plateau and not an endpoint, and to seek ways of improving EBS performance. In this study, we apply theory from cognitive psychology and adopt the individual, rather than the group, as the unit of analysis. We present a model of idea generation cognition based on Hintzman's MINERVA2 global matching model of memory cognition and additional literature from cognitive psychology on cueing and categorization. Based on this model, we present a technique called cause cueing, which directs subjects' attention to the causes of the target problem that they themselves have identified, and hypothesize that this will increase the number of ideas that an individual generates. Also based on the model--and consistent with current views on production blocking--we hypothesize that receiving input from others during brainstorming will reduce the number of ideas that an individual generates. Following is an EBS-based study that offers an empirical examination of (1) the effects of cueing attention to natural categories (causes) during idea generation and (2) the effects of cueing attention to ad hoc categories, represented by input from others, during idea generation. A total of 82 subjects were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 � 2 factorial design ANOVA experiment. Results indicate strong support for our model of idea generation as memory cognition. Cueing participant attention to natural self-generated search categories via the cause cueing technique greatly increased the generation of ideas and high quality ideas, whether or not participants were also cued to attend to ad hoc categories (input from others). Cueing attention to input from others was detrimental to the generation of ideas and the number of high quality ideas, clearly diminishing the positive effects of cueing to natural categories. We explain how our theorizing and results are consistent with and extend earlier production blocking orientations in EBS research. We also examine limitations of current EBS designs and suggest how prevailing methodologies can be modified to better support idea generation cognition.

An Empirical Investigation of Net-Enabled Business Value

Anitesh Barua — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:41 PST

Many traditional organizations have undertaken major initiatives to leverage the Internet to transform how they coordinate value activities with customers, suppliers, and other business partners with the objective of improving firm performance. This paper addresses processes through which business value is created through such Internet-enabled value chain activities. Relying on the resource-based view of the firm, we propose a model positing that a firm's abilities to coordinate and exploit firm resources (processes, information technology, and readiness of customers and suppliers) create online informational capabilities (a higher order resource) which then leads to improved operational and financial performance. The outcome of a firm's online informational capabilities is reflected in superior operational performance through customer and supplier-side digitization efforts, which reflect the extent to which transactions and external interactions occur electronically. We also hypothesize that increased customer and supplier-side digitization leads to better financial performance. The model is tested with data from over 1,000 firms in the manufacturing, retail, and wholesale sectors. The analysis suggests that while most firms are lagging in their supplier-side initiatives relative to the customer-side, supplier-side digitization has a strong positive impact on customer-side digitization, which, in turn, leads to better financial performance. Further, both customer and supplier readiness to engage in digital interactions are shown to be as important as a firm's internal digitization initiatives, implying that a firm's transformation-related decisions should include its customers' and suppliers' resources and incentives.

Innovating Mindfully with Information Technology

E. Burton Swanson — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:39 PST

Although organizational innovation with information technology (IT) is often carefully considered, bandwagon phenomena indicate that much innovative behavior may nevertheless be of the "me too" variety. In this essay, we explore such differences in innovative behavior. Adopting a perspective that is both institutional and cognitive, we introduce the notion of mindful innovation with IT. A mindful firm attends to an IT innovation with reasoning grounded in its own organizational facts and specifics. We contrast this with mindless innovation, where a firm's actions betray an absence of such attention and grounding. We develop these concepts by drawing on the recent appearance of the idea of mindfulness in the organizational literature, and adapting it for application to IT innovation. We then bring mindfulness and mindlessness together in a larger theoretical synthesis in which these apparent opposites are seen to interact in ways that help to shape the overall landscape of opportunity for organizational innovation with IT. We conclude by suggesting several promising new research directions.

Reach and Grasp

John Leslie King — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:36 PST

The short history of Information Systems suggests persistent anxiety about the field's purported lack of academic legitimacy. A common refrain in the anxiety discourse is that legitimacy can be obtained only by creating a strong theoretic core for the field. This essay takes exception with this view, attributing the anxiety to the field's relative youth, its focus on technology in a technophobic institutional environment, and academic ethnocentrism within and without the field. While developing stronger theory might be helpful, it is more important that the IS field pushes back against the hegemony of IS critics outside the field whose arguments masquerade as concerns about academic quality. The anxiety discourse should be replaced by the IS field's aggressive pursuit of new instructional and research opportunities that cross traditional institutional barriers and the pursuit of excellence on academic criteria deemed important by the field itself.

Review: The Resource-Based View and Information Systems Research: Review, Extension and Suggestions for Future Research

Michael Wade — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:26 PST

Information systems researchers have a long tradition of drawing on theories from disciplines such as economics, computer science, psychology and general management and using them in their own research. Because of this, the IS field has become a rich tapestry of theoretical and conceptual foundations. As new theories are brought into the field, particularly theories that have become dominant in other areas, there may be a benefit in pausing to assess their use and contribution in an IS context. The purpose of this paper is to explore and critically evaluate use of the resource-based view of the firm (RBV) by IS researchers. The paper provides a brief review of resource-based theory and then suggests extensions to make the RBV more useful for empirical IS research. First, a typology of key IS resources is presented, and these are then described using six traditional resource attributes. Second, we emphasize the particular importance of looking at both resource complementarity and moderating factors when studying IS resource effects on firm performance. Finally, we discuss three considerations that IS researchers need to address when using the RBV empirically. Eight sets of propositions are advanced to help guide future research.

Design Science in Information Systems Research

Alan R. Hevner — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:24 PST

Two paradigms characterize much of the research in the Information Systems discipline: behavioral science and design science. The behavioral-science paradigm seeks to develop and verify theories that explain or predict human or organizational behavior. The design-science paradigm seeks to extend the boundaries of human and organizational capabilities by creating new and innovative artifacts. Both paradigms are foundational to the IS discipline, positioned as it is at the confluence of people, organizations, and technology. Our objective is to describe the performance of design-science research in Information Systems via a concise conceptual framework and clear guidelines for understanding, executing, and evaluating the research. In the design-science paradigm, knowledge and understanding of a problem domain and its solution are achieved in the building and application of the designed artifact. Three recent exemplars in the research literature are used to demonstrate the application of these guidelines. We conclude with an analysis of the challenges of performing high-quality design-science research in the context of the broader IS community.

How Do Suppliers Benefit from Information Technology Use in Supply Chain Relationships?

Mani R. Subramani — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:20 PST

Supply chain management systems (SCMS) championed by network leaders in their supplier networks are now ubiquitous. While prior studies have examined the benefits to network leaders from these systems, little attention has been paid to the benefits to supplier firms. This study draws from organizational theories of learning and action and transaction cost theory to propose a model relating suppliers' use of SCMS to benefits. It proposes that two patterns of SCMS use by suppliers-exploitation and exploration-create contexts for suppliers to make relationship-specific investments in business processes and domain knowledge. These, in turn, enable suppliers to both create value and retain a portion of the value created by the use of these systems in interfirm relationships. Data from 131 suppliers using an SCMS implemented by one large retailer support hypotheses that relationship-specific intangible investments play a mediating role linking SCMS use to benefits. Evidence that patterns of IT use are significant determinants of relationship-specific investments in business processes and domain expertise provides a finer-grained explanation of the logic of IT-enabled electronic integration. The results support the vendors-to-partners thesis that IT deployments in supply chains leads to closer buyer-supplier relationships (Bakos and Brynjyolfsson 1993). The results also suggest the complementarity of the transaction-cost and resource-based views, elaborating the logic by which specialized assets can also be strategic assets.

User Heterogeneity and its Impact on Electronic Auction Market Design: An Empirical Exploration

Ravi Bapna — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:17 PST

While traditional information systems research emphasizes understanding of end users from perspectives such as cognitive fit and technology acceptance, it fails to consider the economic dimensions of their interactions with a system. When viewed as economic agents who participate in electronic markets, it is easy to see that users' preferences, behaviors, personalities, and ultimately their economic welfare are intricately linked to the design of information systems. We use a data-driven, inductive approach to develop a taxonomy of bidding behavior in online auctions. Our analysis indicates significant heterogeneity exists in the user base of these representative electronic markets. Using online auction data from 1999 and 2000, we find a stable taxonomy of bidder behavior containing five types of bidding strategies. Bidders pursue different bidding strategies that, in aggregate, realize different winning likelihoods and consumer surplus. We find that technological evolution has an impact on bidders' strategies. We demonstrate how the taxonomy of bidder behavior can be used to enhance the design of some types of information systems. These enhancements include developing user-centric bidding agents, inferring bidders' underlying valuations to facilitate real-time auction calibration, and creating low-risk computational platforms for decision making.

Beta Versus VHS and the Acceptance of Electronic Brainstorming Technology

Alan R. Dennis — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:04:15 PST

This paper argues that much of the past research on electronic brainstorming has been somewhat myopic. Much as Sony focused on the quality of the picture on its Beta format, we as IS researchers have focused on the number of ideas generated as the dominant measure of electronic brainstorming effectiveness. When VHS killed Beta, Sony discovered that image quality was a secondary consideration for most VCR users. Despite the compelling research on its performance benefits, electronic brainstorming has not yet displaced-or even joined-verbal brainstorming as a widely used idea generation technique. This paper presents arguments that users may not be primarily concerned with the number of ideas generated when planning a brainstorming session, but rather may equally desire group well being and member support. We present theoretical arguments and empirical evidence suggesting that electronic brainstorming is not as effective as verbal brainstorming at providing group well being and member support. We believe that these arguments may also apply to other group and individual research areas and may also call for a reevaluation of the technology acceptance model (TAM). Finally, we suggest further research that may help electronic brainstorming avoid the fate of the Beta format.

Rigor in Information Systems Positivist Case Research: Current Practices, Trends, and Recommendations

Line Dub� — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:03:54 PST

Case research has commanded respect in the information systems (IS) discipline for at least a decade. Notwithstanding the relevance and potential value of case studies, this methodological approach was once considered to be one of the least systematic. Toward the end of the 1980s, the issue of whether IS case research was rigorously conducted was first raised. Researchers from our field (e.g., Benbasat et al. 1987; Lee 1989) and from other disciplines (e.g., Eisenhardt 1989; Yin 1994) called for more rigor in case research and, through their recommendations, contributed to the advancement of the case study methodology. Considering these contributions, the present study seeks to determine the extent to which the field of IS has advanced in its operational use of case study method. Precisely, it investigates the level of methodological rigor in positivist IS case research conducted over the past decade. To fulfill this objective, we identified and coded 183 case articles from seven major IS journals. Evaluation attributes or criteria considered in the present review focuses on three main areas, namely, design issues, data collection, and data analysis. While the level of methodological rigor has experienced modest progress with respect to some specific attributes, the overall assessed rigor is somewhat equivocal and there are still significant areas for improvement. One of the keys is to include better documentation particularly regarding issues related to the data collection and analysis processes.

The Disruptive Nature of Information Technology Innovations: The Case of Internet Computing in Systems Development Organizations

Kalle Lyytinen — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:03:52 PST

Information technology (IT) innovation can be defined as the creation and new organizational application of digital computer and communication technologies. The paper suggests that IT innovation theory needs to be expanded to analyze IT innovations in kind that exhibit atypical discontinuities in IT innovation behaviors by studying two questions. First, can a model of disruptive IT innovations be created to understand qualitative changes in IT development processes and their outcomes so that they can be related to architectural discontinuities in computing capability? Second, to what extent can the observed turmoil among systems development organizations that has been spawned by Internet computing be understood as a disruptive IT innovation? To address the first question, a model of disruptive IT innovation is developed. The model defines a disruptive IT innovation as an architectural innovation originating in the information technology base that has subsequent pervasive and radical impacts on development processes and their outcomes. These base innovations establish necessary but not sufficient conditions for subsequent innovation behaviors. To address the second question, the impact of Internet computing on eight leading-edge systems development organizations in the United States and Finland is investigated. The study shows that the adoption of Internet computing in these firms has radically impacted their IT innovation both in development processes and services

The Contingent Effects of Management Support and Task Interdependence on Successful Information Systems Implementation

Rajeev Sharma — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:03:50 PST

Management support is considered to be a critical factor in the successful implementation of information systems innovations. The literature suggests a complex relationship between management support and implementation success. However, the empirical literature typically hypothesizes and tests a simple main-effects model. Drawing upon the role of the institutional context and metastructuration actions, we propose a contingent model in which task interdependence moderates the effect of management support on implementation success. A meta-analysis of the empirical literature provides strong support for the model and begins to explain the wide variance in empirical findings. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Dealing with Plagiarism in the Information Systems Research Community: A Look at Factors that Drive Plagiarism and Ways to Address Them

Ned Kock — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:03:47 PST

Imagine yourself spending years conducting a research project and having it published as an article in a refereed journal, only to see a plagiarized copy of the article later published in another journal. Then imagine yourself being left to fight for your rights alone, and eventually finding out that it would be very difficult to hold the plagiarist accountable for what he or she did. The recent decision by the Association of Information Systems to create a standing committee on member misconduct suggests that while this type of situation may sound outrageous, it is likely to become uncomfortably frequent in the information systems research community if proper measures are not taken by a community-backed organization. In this article, we discuss factors that can drive plagiarism, as well as potential measures to prevent it. Our goal is to discuss alternative ways in which plagiarism can be prevented and dealt with when it arises. We hope to start a debate that provides the basis on which broader mechanisms to deal with plagiarism can be established, which we envision as being associated with and complementary to the committee created by the Association for Information Systems.

Reviewer Volume 30, 2006

MIS Quarterly — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:24 PST

Author Index, Volume 30, 2006

MIS Quarterly — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:22 PST

Subject Index, Volume 30, 2006

MIS Quarterly — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:19 PST

So, Talk to Me: The Effect of Explicit Goals on the Comprehension of Business Process Narratives

Bill Kuechler — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:15 PST

Unstructured data, most of it text-based and computer mediated, makes up a rapidly growing majority of the knowledge store of most organizations. Entire classes of information systems: knowledge management systems and enterprise content management systems have emerged to monitor, manage and support decision making from this primarily textual data. IS research has treated text as a unitary variable. However, research from cognitive science strongly suggests that a deeper investigation of how text is comprehended would allow the development of more effective computer-based knowledge and communications systems. Our research extends IS research on the effects of information presentation on decision making by investigating the attributes of text rather than comparing text to other information presentation modes such as graphs or numbers. Our study also contributes to the sparse empirical IS research on problem formulation, the initial phase of decision making. Informed by research on information presentation, decision making, and narrative comprehension we designed a series of experiments that demonstrate that the explicit inclusion of goal information for activities in narrative descriptions of problematic business processes increases overall comprehension, decision making confidence, and short and long term recall. Based on our experimental findings we propose that augmenting text-based IS to elicit and saliently present explicit goal information would significantly enhance the decision support capability of these systems especially for rapid, ad hoc decisions about business process situations.

The Effects of Personalization and Familiarity on Trust and Adoption of Recommendation Agents

Sherrie Y. X. Komiak — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:13 PST

In the context of personalization technologies, such as Web-based product-brokering recommendation agents (RAs) in electronic commerce, existing technology acceptance theories need to be expanded to take into account not only the cognitive beliefs leading to adoption behavior, but also the affect elicited by the personalized nature of the technology. This study takes a trust-centered, cognitive and emotional balanced perspective to study RA adoption. Grounded on the theory of reasoned action, the IT adoption literature, and the trust literature, this study theoretically articulates and empirically examines the effects of perceived personalization and familiarity on cognitive trust and emotional trust in an RA, and the impact of cognitive trust and emotional trust on the intention to adopt the RA either as a decision aid or as a delegated agent. An experiment was conducted using two commercial RAs. PLS analysis results provide empirical support for the proposed theoretical perspective. Perceived personalization significantly increases customers' intention to adopt by increasing cognitive trust and emotional trust. Emotional trust plays an important role beyond cognitive trust in determining customers' intention to adopt. Emotional trust fully mediates the impact of cognitive trust on the intention to adopt the RA as a delegated agent, while it only partially mediates the impact of cognitive trust on the intention to adopt the RA as a decision aid. Familiarity increases the intention to adopt through cognitive trust and emotional trust.

Knowledge Integration and Information Technology Project Performance

Victoria L. Mitchell — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:10 PST

Successful product and process design depends on management's ability to integrate fragmented pockets of specialized knowledge. This integrative capability has important implications for large-scale information technology projects. This article examines the relationship between timely project completion and two dimensions of management's integrative capability: access to external knowledge and internal knowledge integration. Measures of these two dimensions are used to predict on-time project completion, where completion is a function of the duration of IT-related project delays. In a longitudinal study of 74 enterprise application integration projects in the medical sector, integrative capability was measured from the point of view of the CIO and a facility IT manager. Accounting for several project controls, our Cox regression results indicate both integrative dimensions significantly mitigate the duration of IT-related project delays, thus promoting timely project completion. The analysis also reveals the importance of taking management structure into consideration when studying IT phenomena in networked organizations.

Aligning Software Processes with Strategy

Sandra A. Slaughter — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:07 PST

Although increasing evidence suggests that superior performance requires alignment between firms' strategies and production processes, it is not known if such alignment is relevant for software development processes. This study breaks new ground by examining how firms align their software processes, products, and strategies in Internet application development. Drawing upon the literatures in strategy, operations management, and information systems, we identify four dimensions that influence alignment: the business unit strategy, the level of product customization, the level of process customization, and the volume of customers. To examine how these dimensions are synchronized, we conducted detailed case studies of Internet application development in nine varied firms including both start-ups and established "brick and mortar" companies. Our analyses reveal that the firms in our study do use differing processes for Internet application development, and that many of the firms match their software process choices to product characteristics, customer volume, and business unit strategies. We develop concept maps for the firms that are in alignment to illustrate how managers configure specific product and process dimensions. We also offer potential explanations for why some firms are misaligned. Our study contributes to the information systems literature by providing detailed insights into how software processes are customized to complement different types of product requirements and strategies.

Understanding the Impact of Web Personalization on User Information Processing and Decision Outcomes

Kar Yan Tam — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:04 PST

Personalized IT services have become a ubiquitous phenomenon. Companies worldwide are using the Web to provide personalized offerings and unique web experiences to their customers. While there is a lot of hype about delivering personalized services over the Web, little is known about the effectiveness of web personalization and the link between the IT artifact (the personalization agent) and the effects it exerts on a user's information processing and decision making. To address the impact of personalized content, this article theoretically develops and empirically tests a model of web personalization. The model is grounded on social cognition and consumer research theories adapted to the peculiar features of web personalization. The influence of a personalization agent is mediated by two variables, content relevance and self reference. Hypotheses generated from the model are empirically tested in a laboratory experiment and a field study. The findings indicate that content relevance, self reference and goal specificity affect the attention, cognitive processes, and decisions of web users in various ways. Also, users are found to be receptive to personalized content and find it useful as a decision aid. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Real Options in Information Technology Risk Management: An Empirical Validation of Risk-Option Relationships

Michel Benaroch — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:01 PST

Recently, an option-based risk management (OBRiM) framework has been proposed to control risk and maximize value in IT-investment decisions. While the framework is prescriptive in nature, its core logic rests on a set of normative risk-option mappings for choosing which particular real options to embed in an investment in order to control specific risks. This study tests empirically whether these mappings are observed in practice. The research site is a large Irish financial services organization with well established IT risk management practices not tied to any real options framework. Our analysis of the risk management plans developed for a broad portfolio of 50 IT investments finds ample empirical support for OBRiM's risk-option mappings. This shows that IT managers follow the logic of option-based risk management, though purely based on intuition. Unfortunately, reliance on this logic based on intuition alone could lead to suboptimal or counterproductive risk management practices. We therefore argue that managerial intuition ought to be supplemented with the use of formal real option models, which allow for better quantitative insights into which risk mitigations to pursue and combine in order to effectively address the risks most worth controlling.

Influence Processes for Information Technology Acceptance: An Elaboration Likelihood Model

Anol Bhattacherjee — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:18:58 PST

This study examines how processes of external influence shape information technology (IT) acceptance among potential users, how such influence effects vary across a user population, and the persistence of these effects over time. Drawing on the elaboration-likelihood model (ELM), we compared two alternative influence processes, the central and peripheral routes, in motivating IT acceptance. These processes were respectively operationalized using the argument quality and source credibility constructs, and linked to perceived usefulness and attitude, the core perceptual drivers of IT acceptance. We further examined how these influence processes were moderated by users' IT expertise and perceived job relevance and the temporal stability of the influence effects. Nine hypotheses thus developed were empirically validated using a field survey of document management system acceptance at an eastern European governmental agency. This study contributes to the IT acceptance literature by introducing ELM as a referent theory for acceptance research, by elaborating alternative modes of influence, and by specifying factors moderating their effects. For practitioners, this study introduced influence processes as policy tools that managers can employ to motivate IT acceptance within their organizations, benchmarked alternative influence strategies, and demonstrated the need for customizing influence strategies to the specific needs of a user population.

Reconceptualizing Compatibility Beliefs

Elena Karahanna — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:18:56 PST

Theoretical and empirical research in technology acceptance, while acknowledging the importance of individual beliefs about the compatibility of a technology, has produced equivocal results. This study focuses on further conceptual development of this important belief in technology acceptance. Unlike much prior research that has focused on only a limited aspect of compatibility, we provide a more comprehensive conceptual definition that disaggregates the content of compatibility into four distinct and separable constructs: compatibility with preferred work style, compatibility with existing work practices, compatibility with prior experience, and compatibility with values. We suggest that the form of the multidimensional compatibility construct is best modeled as a multivariate structural model. Based on their conceptual definitions, we develop operational measures for the four compatibility variables. We assess the nomological validity of our conceptualization by situating it within the technology acceptance model. In contrast to prior research, which has regarded beliefs of compatibility as an independent antecedent of technology acceptance outcomes, we posit causal linkages not only among the four compatibility beliefs, but also between compatibility beliefs and usefulness, and ease of use. We test our theoretical model with a field sample of 278 users of a customer relationship management system in the context of a large bank. Scale validation indicates that the operational measures of compatibility developed in this study have acceptable psychometric properties, which support the existence of four distinct constructs. Results largely support the theorized relationships.

Audio MP3

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:18:53 PST

When Is Enough, Enough?

Carol Saunders — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:18:50 PST

The Adoption and Use of GSS in Project Teams: Toward More Participative Processes and Outcomes

Alan R. Dennis — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:57:44 PST

This paper reports the results of a field study of six medical project teams that worked together in meetings over a seven week period to develop plans to improve customer service within a hospital. Half the teams used a group support system (GSS), while the other half used traditional processes that were the habitual norms for this organization. In the teams using traditional project team processes, the leaders defined the teams' project goal, directed discussions, recorded and controlled the teams' notes, assigned tasks to team members, and prepared and presented the teams' report. In the GSS teams, the leaders faced leadership challenges or abdicated, regular members participated to a greater extent, the project goal emerged from team discussion, and the teams' notes were open and widely distributed. In short, processes in the GSS teams were more participatory and democratic. At first, teams found the GSS-based meeting processes very uncomfortable and returned to traditional verbal discussion-based processes. Once they returned to these traditional processes, however, they found them uncomfortable and moved back to include more electronic communication-based processes. Participants' attitudes (satisfaction, perceived effectiveness, and cohesiveness) were initially lower in GSS teams, but gradually increased, until they equaled those of the traditional teams. There were significant differences in overall project outcomes: traditional teams developed conservative projects that met the unstated project agenda perceived by the team leaders. In contrast, GSS teams developed projects more closely aligned to the interests of team members

Virtualness and Knowledge in Teams: Managing the Love Triangle in Organizations, Individuals, and Information Technology

Terri L. Griffith — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:57:42 PST

Information technology can facilitate the dissemination of knowledge across the organization-- even to the point of making virtual teams a viable alternative to face-to-face work. However, unless managed, the combination of information technology and virtual work may serve to change the distribution of different types of knowledge across individuals, teams, and the organization. Implications include the possibility that information technology plays the role of a jealous mistress when it comes to the development and ownership of valuable knowledge in organizations; that is, information technology may destabilize the relationship between organizations and their employees when it comes to the transfer of knowledge. The paper advances theory and informs practice by illustrating the dynamics of knowledge development and transfer in more and less virtual teams.

Shaping Agility through Digital Options: Reconceptualizing the Role of Information Technology in Contemporary Firms

V. Sambamurthy — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:57:40 PST

Agility is vital to the innovation and competitive performance of firms in contemporary business environments. Firms are increasingly relying on information technologies, including process, knowledge, and communication technologies, to enhance their agility. The purpose of this paper is to broaden understanding about the strategic role of IT by examining the nomological network of influences through which IT impacts firm performance. By drawing upon recent thinking in the strategy, entrepreneurship, and IT management literatures, this paper uses a multitheoretic lens to argue that information technology investments and capabilities influence firm performance through three significant organizational capabilities (agility, digital options, and entrepreneurial alertness) and strategic processes (capability-building, entrepreneurial action, and coevolutionary adaptation). We also propose that these dynamic capabilities and strategic processes impact the ability of firms to launch many and varied competitive actions and that, in turn, these competitive actions are a significant antecedent of firm performance. Through our theorizing, we draw attention to a significant and reframed role of IT as a digital options generator in contemporary firms.

Reconceptualizing Users as Social Actors in Information Systems Research

Roberta Lamb — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:57:37 PST

A concept of the user is fundamental to much of the research and practice of information systems design, development, and evaluation. User-centered information studies have relied on individualistic cognitive models to carefully examine the criteria that influence the selection of information and communication technologies (ICTs) that people make. In many ways, these studies have improved our understanding of how a good information resource fits the people who use it. However, research approaches based on an individualistic user concept are limited. In this paper, we examine the theoretical constructs that shape this user concept and contrast these with alternative views that help to reconceptualize the user as a social actor. Despite pervasive ICT use, social actors are not primarily users of ICTs. Most people who use ICT applications utilize multiple applications, in various roles, and as part of their efforts to produce goods and services while interacting with a variety of other people, and often in multiple social contexts. Moreover, the socially thin user construct limits our understanding of information selection, manipulation, communication, and exchange within complex social contexts. Using analyses from a recent study of online information service use, we develop an institutionalist concept of a social actor whose everyday interactions are infused with ICT use. We then encourage a shift from the user concept to a concept of the social actor in IS research. We suggest that such a shift will sharpen perceptions of how organizational contexts shape ICT-related practices, and at the same time will help researchers more accurately portray the complex and multiple roles that people fulfill while adopting, adapting, and using information systems.

Special Issue on Redefining the organizational roles of information technology in the information age

Robert W. Zmud — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:57:35 PST

The Identity Crisis Within the IS Discipline: Defining and Communicating the Discipline's Core Properties

Izak Benbasat — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:57:32 PST

We are concerned that the IS research community is making the discipline's central identity ambiguous by, all too frequently, under-investigating phenomena intimately associated with IT-based systems and over-investigating phenomena distantly associated with IT-based systems. In this commentary, we begin by discussing why establishing an identity for the IS field is important. We then describe what such an identity may look like by proposing a core set of properties, i.e., concepts and phenomena, that define the IS field. Next, we discuss research by IS scholars that either fails to address this core set of properties (labeled as error of exclusion) or that addresses concepts/phenomena falling outside this core set (labeled as error of inclusion). We conclude by offering suggestions for redirecting IS scholarship toward the concepts and phenomena that we argue define the core of the IS discipline.

Reviewers, Volume 31, 2007

MIS Quarterly — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:45:48 PST

Author Index, Volume 31, 2007

MIS Quarterly — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:45:46 PST

Perspectives on Time

Carol Saunders — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:45:15 PST

Equation support for MISQ Article

Thomas D. Clark Jr. — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:45:08 PST

A Camel Going Through the Eye of a Needle

Carol Saunders — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:45 PST

Telemedicine in the Upper Amazon: Interplay with Local Health Care Practices

Gianluca Miscione — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:39 PST

This article is based on introduction of a telemedicine system in the jungles of northeastern Peru. The system was designed by a European consortium led by a Spanish polytechnic in cooperation with two universities in Lima and the Peruvian Ministry of Health. The purpose of the system was to improve health conditions by extending science-based medicine into a region with well-established traditional healing practices. The central analytical focus of this article is on the interplay between the public health care system, which used the telemedicine system, and local health care practices. The manner in which scientific medicine was delivered through information technology and public health care services is analyzed in terms of the health personnel's activity, the local population's conceptions of health, and the trajectories followed by patients seeking recovery. The author participated in the design of the second evaluation of the telemedicine system and acted as a participant observer in the regional hospital and peripheral clinics. In addition to interviewing health care staff from the study area, the author also met with traditional healers and patients in the districts whether or not they were involved in the telemedicine project. New institutional theory provided the analytical framework for the interpretation of the observed behavior of the public health care staff, traditional healers, and potential patients. Empirically, this study describes the informal aspects of the functioning of the telemedicine system, and its partial mismatch with the definitions of health and illness employed by local communities and healers. An argument is made that people's construction of their health, which is embedded in their normal patterns of action, should be identified, and then considered in the design, implementation, and evaluation of future telemedicine projects. This article problematizes an approach to telemedicine-based health development that is weakly accountable to local social contexts and their diversity.

Developing Health Information Systems in Developing Countries: The Flexible Standards Strategy

J�rn Braa — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:35 PST

The development of appropriate integrated and scalable information systems in the health sector in developing countries has been difficult to achieve, and is likely to remain elusive in the face of continued fragmented funding of health programmes, particularly related to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In this article, we propose a strategy for developing information infrastructures in general and in particular for the health care sector in developing countries. We use complexity science to explain the challenges that need to be addressed, in particular the needs for standards that can adapt to a changing health care environment, and propose the concept of flexible standards as a key element in a sustainable infrastructure development strategy. Drawing on case material from a number of developing countries, a case is built around the use of flexible standards as attractors, arguing that if they are well defined and simple, they will be able to adapt to the frequent changes that are experienced in the complex health environment. A number of paradoxes are highlighted as useful strategies - integrated independence being one that encourages experimentation and heterogeneity to develop and share innovative solutions, while still conforming to simple standards. The article provides theoretical concepts to support standardization processes in complex systems, and to suggest an approach to implement health standards in developing country settings that is sensitive to the local context, allows change to occur through small steps, and provides a mechanism for scaling information systems.

Integrating Scientific with Indigenous Knowledge: Constructing Knowledge Alliances for Land Management in India

Satish K. Puri — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:33 PST

IS design and development processes by their very nature involve a multiplicity of knowledge systems, including the technology itself, the methodologies for system development, and knowledge relating to the application domain. When IS is used to advance socio-economic development in less developed countries (LDCs), there are additional sources contributing to this multiplicity. In the case of land management applications, it is important to consider the knowledge that communities have of the land they inhabit. This paper stresses the importance of constructing knowledge alliances between these multiple knowledge systems in order to support more effective IS development and implementation. The term "knowledge alliance" refers not merely to the material characteristics of the knowledge inscribed in technology, but also to the indigenous knowledge of the various communities involved. This includes the social setting that has shaped the practices which are responsible for the communities' production, articulation and use of knowledge. Two key theoretical concepts, namely boundary objects and participation, are drawn upon both to understand the multiplicity of knowledge systems and to suggest possible approaches to the creation of effective knowledge alliances. The empirical setting for this analysis is a study of the use of GIS for land management in India. This research is not of merely theoretical significance, but also carries important practical implications for scientists and administrators involved in the development of IS, particularly in LDCs.

Fighting Against Windmills: Strategic Information Systems and Organizational Deep Structures

Leiser Silva — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:30 PST

This paper focuses on the process of implementing strategic information systems (SIS) by studying the radical changes it may bring to an organization's deep structure. It argues that a full understanding of the process of implementation of such systems should include not only technical aspects but also the social dynamics of an organization; specifically core values, distribution of power and mechanisms of control. A theoretical framework is formulated based on punctuated equilibrium and previous SIS literature, and is applied to an exploratory case study conducted in a Latin American public organization. The case study depicts how the initiative to implement SIS was the result of external and internal disturbances. The case analysis highlights relationships between an organization's deep structure and SIS implementation. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of the study. These include (a) the role of the formal organizational structure in influencing the outcome of SIS implementations, (b) the impact of exogenous contingencies such as elections and external funding that may create a sense of crisis and (c) the influence of newcomers who may be brought in to solve the crisis.

FOREWORD: SPECIAL ISSUE ON INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Geoff Walsham — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:28 PST

Power, Rationality, and the Art of Living Through Socio-Technical Change

Chrisanthi Avgerou — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:24 PST

Most information systems research takes for granted the assumption that IS practice and associated organizational change can be effectively understood as a process of technical reasoning and acting governed by a mix of concerns about software construction, administrative control, and economic gain. Its mission has been to empower managers, IS engineers, and information and communication technology users with knowledge and techniques for effective decision making. However, empirical research frequently encounters human activity that is at odds with the assumed pattern of rational behavior. Recent work tries to explain behavior in IS and organizational change in terms of social processes rather than as a consideration of rational techniques of professional practice. In this paper, this ambivalence is addressed within the IS field with regard to technical/rational knowledge and practice. We draw from the theoretical work of Michel Foucault on power/knowledge and the aesthetics of existence to argue that the rational techniques of IS practice and the power dynamics of an organization and its social context are closely intertwined, requiring each other to be sustained. Furthermore, we develop a context-specific notion of rationality in IS innovation, through which interested parties judge the value of an innovation for their lives and consequently support or subvert its course. We demonstrate these ideas with a case study of a social security organization in Greece.

Communication Media Repertoires: Dealing with the Multiplicity of Media Choices

Mary Beth Watson-Manheim — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:21 PST

In today's organizations, employees have an ever-increasing variety of communication media to use in the performance of work activities. In this study, we seek to expand our understanding of media usage in organizations where there is a multiplicity of communication media available to employees. We use communication media repertoires as the lens through which we explore how media is used in the support of communication-based work performed by individuals in complex organizational settings. Data were collected in sales divisions at two large corporations in the information technology industry. We compared multiple media use within and between the two sales divisions, and identified similarities and differences in repertoires. Our findings suggest that use of repertoires is influenced by institutional conditions (e.g., incentives, trust, and physical proximity) and situational conditions (e.g., urgency, task, etc.), and by routine use of the media over time. Based on the findings, we propose a framework for investigating the use of multiple media in organizations through examination of communication media repertoires. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.

On the Assessment of the Strategic Value of Information Technologies: Conceptual and Analytical Approaches

Wonseok Oh — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:19 PST

This study compares two conceptual (resource-centered and contingency-based) and two analytical approaches (linear and nonlinear) that can be used to assess the strategic value of information technology. Two hypotheses related to these approaches are developed and tested based on matched survey data collected from the CEOs and CIOs of 110 firms. The results indicate that the resource-centered and contingency-based approaches provide complementary understanding of the strategic value of IT. On the one hand, the contingency-based approach is better at explaining the impact of cost-oriented IT applications on firm performance. Alignment between business strategy and IS strategy on cost reduction was found to have a significant negative association with firm expense. On the other hand, the resource-centered perspective has a stronger predictive ability of IT impact on firm revenue and profitability. Our results indicate that investments in growth-oriented applications were directly and positively related to firm revenue. An ANOVA test indicates that the nonlinear approaches provide additional insights that help to better understand the relationship between alignment and performance. The response surface method (RSM) shows that high-end strategic alignment (e.g., fit occurring when business strategy and IT strategy are both high) leads to superior performance compared to low-end strategic alignment (e.g., fit occurring when business strategy and IT strategy are both low). We discuss the implications of this study for research and practice and conclude with suggestions for future research directions

The Contingent Effects of Training, Technical Complexity, and Task Interdependence on Successful Information Systems Implementation

Rajeev Sharma — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:16 PST

Research has investigated the main effect of training on IS implementation success. However, empirical support for this model is inconsistent. We propose a contingent model in which the effect of training on IS implementation success is a function of technical complexity and task interdependence. A meta-analysis of the literature finds strong support for the model, explaining the inconsistent findings reported in the literature. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Information Systems in Developing Countries

Carol Saunders — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:44:13 PST

E-Commerce Product Recommendation Agents: Use, Characteristics, and Impact

Bo Xiao — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:06:04 PST

Recommendation agents (RAs) are software that elicits the interests or preferences of individual consumers for products, either explicitly or implicitly, and make recommendations accordingly. RAs have the potential to support and improve the quality of the decisions consumers make when searching for and selecting products online. They can reduce the information overload facing consumers, as well as the complexity of online searches. Prior research on RAs has focused mostly on developing and evaluating different underlying algorithms that generate recommendations. This paper instead identifies other important aspects of RAs, namely RA use, RA characteristics, provider credibility, and factors related to product, user, and user-RA interaction, which influence users' decision making processes and outcomes, as well as their evaluation of RAs. It goes beyond generalized models, such as TAM, and identifies the RA-specific features, such as RA input, process and output design characteristics, that affect users' evaluations, including their assessments of the usefulness and ease-of-use of RA applications. Based on a review of existing literature on e-commerce RAs, this paper develops a conceptual model with 28 propositions derived from five theoretical perspectives. The propositions help answer the two research questions: (1) How do RA use, RA characteristics, and other factors influence consumer decision making processes and outcomes? (2) How do RA use, RA characteristics, and other factors influence users' evaluations of RAs? By identifying the critical gaps between what we know and what we need to know, this paper identifies potential areas of future research for scholars. It also provides advice to IS practitioners concerning the effective design and development of RAs.

Understanding and Mitigating Uncertainty in Online Exchange Relationships: A Principal-Agent Perspective

Paul A. Pavlou — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:06:01 PST

Despite a decade since the inception of B2C e-commerce, the uncertainty of the online environment still makes many consumers reluctant to engage in online exchange relationships. Even if uncertainty has been widely touted as the primary barrier to online transactions, the literature has viewed uncertainty as a "background" mediator with insufficient conceptualization and measurement. To better understand the nature of uncertainty and mitigate its potentially harmful effects on B2C e-commerce adoption (especially for important purchases), this study draws upon and extends the principal-agent perspective to identify and propose a set of four antecedents of perceived uncertainty in online buyer-seller relationships - perceived information asymmetry, fears of seller opportunism, information privacy concerns, and information security concerns - which are drawn from the agency problems of adverse selection (hidden information) and moral hazard (hidden action). To mitigate uncertainty in online exchange relationships, this study builds upon the principal-agent perspective to propose a set of four uncertainty mitigating factors - trust, website informativeness, product diagnosticity, and social presence - that facilitate online exchange relationships by overcoming the agency problems of hidden information and hidden action through the logic of signals and incentives. The proposed structural model is empirically tested with longitudinal data from 521 consumers for two products (prescription drugs and books) that differ on their level of purchase involvement. The results support our model, delineating the process by which buyers engage in online exchange relationships by mitigating uncertainty. Interestingly, the proposed model is validated for two distinct targets, a specific website and a class of websites. Implications for understanding and facilitating online exchange relationships for different types of purchases, mitigating uncertainty perceptions, and extending the principal-agent perspective are discussed.

Cognitive Stopping Rules for Terminating Information Search in Online Tasks

Glen J. Browne — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:05:58 PST

Online search has become a significant activity in the daily lives of individuals throughout much of the world. The almost instantaneous availability of billions of Web pages has caused a revolution in the way people seek information. Despite the increasing importance of online search behavior in decision making and problem solving, very little is known about why people stop searching for information online. In this paper, we review the literature concerning online search and cognitive stopping rules, and then describe specific types of information search tasks. Based on this theoretical development, we generated hypotheses and conducted an experiment with 115 participants each performing three search tasks on the Web. Our findings show that people utilize a number of stopping rules to terminate search, and that the stopping rule used depends on the type of task performed. Implications for online information search theory and practice are discussed.

Assimilation of Enterprise Systems: The Effect of Institutional Pressures and the Mediating Role of Top Management

Huigang Liang — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:05:56 PST

We develop and test a theoretical model to investigate the assimilation of enterprise systems in the post-implementation stage within organizations. Specifically, this model explains how top management mediates the impact of external institutional pressures on the degree of usage of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The hypotheses were tested using survey data from companies that have already implemented ERP systems. Results from partial least squares (PLS) analyses suggest that mimetic pressures positively affect top management beliefs, which then positively affects top management participation in the ERP assimilation process. In turn, top management participation is confirmed to positively affect the degree of ERP usage. Results also suggest that coercive pressures positively affect top management participation without the mediation of top management beliefs. Surprisingly, we do not find support for our hypothesis that top management participation mediates the effect of normative pressures on ERP usage--but instead we find that normative pressures directly affect ERP usage. Our findings highlight the important role of top management in mediating the effect of institutional pressures on IT assimilation. We confirm that, institutional pressures, which are known to be important for IT adoption and implementation, also contribute to post-implementation assimilation when the integration processes are prolonged and outcomes are dynamic and uncertain.

The Relationship between Organizational Culture and the Deployment of Systems Development Methodologies

Juhani Iivari — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:05:53 PST

This exploratory study analyzes the relationship between organizational culture and the deployment of systems development methodologies. Organizational culture is interpreted in terms of the competing values model and deployment as perceptions of the support, use and impact of systems development methodologies. The results show that the deployment of methodologies by IS developers is primarily associated with a hierarchical culture which is oriented towards security, order and routinization. IT managers' critical attitudes towards the deployment of methodologies in organizations with a strong rational culture (focusing on productivity, efficiency and goal achievement) is also worth noting. Based on its empirical findings, the paper proposes a theoretical model to explain the impact of organizational culture on the deployment of systems development methodologies.

The Value of Privacy Assurance: An Exploratory Field Experiment

Kai-Lung Hui — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:05:50 PST

This paper reports the results of an exploratory field experiment in Singapore that assessed the values of two types of privacy assurance privacy statements and privacy seals. We collaborated with a local firm to host the experiment on its website with its real domain name, and the subjects were not informed of the experiment. Hence, it provided a field observation of the subjects' behavioral responses toward the privacy assurances. We found that (1) the existence of a privacy statement induced more subjects to disclose their personal information but that of a privacy seal did not; (2) monetary incentive had a positive influence on disclosure; and (3) information request had a negative influence on disclosure. These results were robust in other specifications that used alternative measures for some of our model variables. We discuss this study in relation to the extant privacy literature, most of which employs surveys and laboratory experiments for data collection, and draw related managerial implications.

ICT Road Warriors: Balancing Work-Family Conflict, Job Autonomy, and Work Overload to Mitigate Turnover Intentions

Manju K. Ahuja — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:05:47 PST

This study examines the antecedents of turnover intention among information technology road warriors. Road warriors are IT professionals who spend most of their workweek away from home at a client site. Building on Moore's (2000) work on turnover intention, this article develops and tests a model that is context-specific to the road warrior situation. The model highlights the effects of work-family conflict and job autonomy, factors especially applicable to the road warrior's circumstances. Data were gathered from a company in the computer and software services industry. This study provides empirical evidence for the effects of work-family conflict, perceived work overload, fairness of rewards, and job autonomy on organizational commitment and work exhaustion for road warriors. The results suggest that work-family conflict is a key source of stress among IT road warriors because they have to juggle family and job duties as they work at distant client sites during the week. These findings suggest that the context of the IT worker matters to turnover intention, and that models that are adaptive to the work context will more effectively predict and explain turnover intention.

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Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:05:43 PST

Looking for a Few Good Conceptsand Theoriesfor

M. Lynne Markus — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:05:39 PST

Government, E-Government and Modernity 'The times they are a-changin'; and even the changes are a-changin

Antony Bryant — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:14:35 PST

E-government is far too often taken to mean 'government business as usual' plus the internet. This paper puts forward the basis for an alternative orientation, locating e-government against a background of profound social changes.

Model Based Identification and Measurement of Reorganization Potential in Public Administrations - the PICTURE-Approach

J�rg Becker — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:14:33 PST

Public administrations are faced with a modernization and performance gap. On the one hand citizens and companies have increasing requirements. On the other hand the financial and human resources remain static or even decrease. In recent years public administrations tried to counteract with reengineering their business processes. However, it is observable that reengineering projects in public administrations have a too narrow focus as they concentrate on a small subset of their overall processes. In this paper we claim that significant progress in the identification and measurement of reorganization potential can only be achieved by including the majority of all administrational processes - the process landscape. Therefore, we propose a method architecture which is capable of two things: Firstly, it supports a distributed modeling process across a whole public administration in order to capture the process landscape. Secondly, it is able to estimate the reorganization potential within the process landscape based on an analysis model. A working example derived from a currently funded EU project is supplemented in order to demonstrate our approach and to make it more comprehensible to the reader.