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 information systems 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.

Review: the resource-based view and information systems research: review, extension, and suggestions for future research

https://www.tlog.lth.se/fileadmin/tlog/Utbildning/Kurser/Logistik_i_foersoerjningskedjor/Artiklar/JOM-2004-Paulraj.pdf

Towards a theory of supply chain management: the constructs and measurements

An understanding of culture is important to the study of information technologies in that culture at various levels, including national, organizational, and group, can influence the successful implementation and use of information technology. Culture also plays a role in managerial processes that may directly, or indirectly, influence IT. Culture is a challenging variable to research, in part because of the multiple divergent definitions and measures of culture. Notwithstanding, a wide body of literature has emerged that sheds light on the relationship of IT and culture. This paper sets out to provide a review of this literature in order to lend insights into our understanding of the linkages between IT and culture. We begin by conceptualizing culture and laying the groundwork for a values-based approach to the examination of IT and culture. Using this approach, we then provide a comprehensive review of the organizational and cross-cultural IT literature that conceptually links these two traditionally separate streams of research. From our analysis, we develop six themes of IT-culture research emphasizing culture's impact on IT, IT's impact on culture, and IT culture. Building upon these themes, we then develop a theory of IT, values, and conflict. Based upon the theory, we develop propositions concerning three types of cultural conflict and the results of these conflicts. Ultimately, the theory suggests that the reconciliation of these conflicts results in a reorientation of values. We conclude with the particular research challenges posed in this line of inquiry.

Review: a review of culture in information systems research: toward a theory of information technology culture conflict

Survey research is believed to be well understood and applied by management information systems (MIS) scholars. It has been applied for several years and it has precise procedures which, when followed closely, yield valid and easily interpretable data. Our assessment of the use of survey research in the MIS field between 1980 and 1990 indicates that this perception is at odds with reality. Our analysis indicates that survey methodology is often misapplied and is plagued by five important weaknesses: (1) single-method designs where multiple methods are needed, (2) unsystematic and often inadequate sampling procedures, (3) low response rates, (4) weak linkages between units of analysis and respondents, and (5) overreliance on cross-sectional surveys where longitudinal surveys are really needed. Our assessment also shows that the quality of survey research varies considerably among studies of different purposes: explanatory studies are of good quality overall, exploratory and descriptive studies are of moderate to poor quality. This article presents a general framework for classifying and examining survey research and uses this framework to analyze the usage of survey research conducted in the past decade in the MIS field. In an effort to improve the quality of survey research, this article makes specific recommenoations that directly address the major problems highlighted in the review.

/pdf/survey-research-methodology-in-management-information-cv5lu10x2j.pdf

Survey research methodology in management information systems: an assessment

SURVEY RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IN MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS: AN ASSESSMENT Alain Pinsonneault Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales 5255 Decelles Avenue Montreal, Quebec Canada H3T 1V6 and Kenneth L. Kraemer Graduate School of Management University of California Irvine, California U.S.A. 92717 Working Paper #URB-022 The authors would like to thank the participants of the 1991 Queen's-HEC workshop and two anonymous reviewers and the Editor in chief of JMIS for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper. This study was supported financially by Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales de Montreal and the University of California at Irvine.

Survey Research Methodology in Management Information Systems: An Assessment

As new technological innovations are rapidly introduced and changed, identifying an individual characteristic that has a persistent effect on the acceptance decisions across multiple technologies is of substantial value for the successful implementation of information systems. Augmenting prior work on individual innovativeness within the context of information technology, we developed a new measure of adopter category innovativeness (ACI) and compared its effectiveness with the existing measure of personal innovativeness in IT (PIIT). Further, we examined two alternative models in which the role of individual innovativeness was theorized differently—either as a moderator of the effects the perceived innovation characteristics of usefulness, ease of use, and compatibility have on future use intention (moderator model) or as a direct determinant of the innovation characteristics (direct determinant model). To ensure the generalizability of the study findings, two field studies (N= 634) were conducted, each of which examined the two models (moderator and direct determinant) and measured individual innovativeness using the two measures (ACI and PIIT). Study 1 surveyed the online buying practices of 412 individuals, and Study 2 surveyed personal digital assistant adoption of 222 healthcare professionals. Across the markedly different adoption contexts, the study results consistently show that individual innovativeness is a direct determinant of the innovation characteristics, and the two measures share many commonalities. The new measure offers some additional utilities not found in the PIIT measure by allowing individuals to be directly classified and mapped into adopter categories. Implications are drawn for future research and practice.

Understanding the Role of Individual Innovativeness in the Acceptance of IT-Based Innovations: Comparative Analyses of Models and Measures*

The influence of information technology diffusion and business process change on perceived productivity: the IS executive's perspective

Many organizations are undergoing major restructuring efforts in order to be viable in today's changing economic environment. Business process redesign (BPR), which involves the radical redesign of age-old business processes, represents one such effort. Information technologies (IT) play an important role in BPR. This article presents a framework for examining business processes based on two process characteristics—degree of mediation and degree of collaboration—to show how IT may be applied to improve process performance by altering these process characteristics. Based on the framework, guidelines are provided for selecting strategic paths in reengineering specific processes.

Business Process Reengineering: Charting a Strategic Path for the Information Age

This study empirically develops a taxonomy that has implications for matching information technology (IT) and organizational structures. The taxonomy of IT structure is based on the degree of centralization of computer processing, capability to support communications, and the ability to share resources. By using a multistep cluster analysis, both the membership and number of groups are derived from the responses of 313 firms. Four IT structures are identified: centralized (centralized processing, low communication, low sharing), decentralized (decentralized processing, low communication, low sharing), centralized cooperative (centralized processing, high communication, high sharing), and distributed cooperative computing (decentralized processing, high communication, high sharing). Centralized computing is related to functional organizational forms with low integration and centralized decision making. Decentralized computing is related to product organizational forms with decentralized decision making. Centralized cooperative computing is related to functional organizational forms with high integration. Distributed cooperative computing is related to both matrix and product organizational forms with high integration. The ability to identify and understand the implications of IT structure is of critical importance to both academic and management practitioners.

An empirically derived taxonomy of information technology structure and its relationship to organizational structure

Research in IS innovation has been isolated and fragmented. These studies typically examine single innovations and do not effectively integrate notions of IS innovation with organizational innovation. Swanson Swanson, E. B. 1994. Information systems innovation among organizations. Management Sci.409 1069--1088. extends the prior dual-core model of innovation into a tri-core model specifically for the unique nature of IS innovation. This model provides a useful typology of IS innovation that can form the foundation for innovation theory in this important area. In this paper we present Swanson's tri-core model of IS innovation along with preliminary data to test aspects of the model proposed by Swanson. Adoption of ten IS innovations is studied using two analyses, one based only on adopter sub-samples and the other using a more rigorous treatment of nonadopters based on survival analysis. The objective of this study is simple---to test theory and encourage continued focused inquiry in IS innovation. The results of this study provide partial support for the proposed hypotheses, leading us to conclude on an optimistic note regarding the viability of this model as an integrating frame-work for IS innovation.

Kirk D. Fiedler

Papers

Understanding the Role of Individual Innovativeness in the Acceptance of IT-Based Innovations: Comparative Analyses of Models and Measures*

The influence of information technology diffusion and business process change on perceived productivity: the IS executive's perspective

Business Process Reengineering: Charting a Strategic Path for the Information Age

An empirically derived taxonomy of information technology structure and its relationship to organizational structure

Empirical Evidence on Swanson's Tri-Core Model of Information Systems Innovation