Showing papers in "European Journal of Information Systems in 1997"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the impact of various environmental, organizational, and technological factors on the adoption of innovation in the context of electronic data interchange (EDI) based on research in information technology adoption, organizational studies and marketing.
Abstract: This study examines the impact of various environmental, organizational, and technological factors on the adoption of innovation in the context of electronic data interchange (EDI) Based on research in information technology (IT) adoption, organizational studies and marketing a comprehensive research model is developed The model identifies eleven variables, under three broad categories (environmental, organizational, and innovation characteristics), that could potentially influence the adoption of EDI The research variables are operationalised using multi-item indicators and data collected from a large scale field survey of 950 firms in the trucking industry A total of 181 firms responded to the survey with near equal number of adopters and non-adopters Multivariate discriminant analysis is used to determine the impact of each of these variables on EDI adoption The results of data analysis indicate that four factors are important to discriminate adopters from non-adopters of EDI in the transportation industry They are: size of the firm, competitive pressure, customer support, and top management support
410 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe an approach to explore the views of stakeholders through the use of stakeholder analysis and examine the perceptions of a number of stakeholders in the drug use management field in the UK.
Abstract: Inter-organizational systems operate in an area where there are many interested parties. If the views of these interested parties are not explored and taken into consideration before and during the development of an inter-organizational system, it is likely that the implementation of this system will be disappointing. This paper describes one approach to exploring these views through the use of stakeholder analysis. More specifically, it describes how to identify the stakeholders, a process that has been overlooked in the stakeholder analysis and inter-organizational systems literature, and examines the perceptions of a number of stakeholders in the drug use management field in the UK.
293 citations
TL;DR: The claim that the use of risk management methods improves system development performance is supported and combined measures of having experienced project managers, selecting a correct project size, and investing in and obtaining experience in risk management deliberations are found.
Abstract: Software risk management can be defined as an attempt to formalise risk oriented correlates of development success into a readily applicable set of principles and practices. Earlier research suggests that it can reduce the likelihood of a system failure. Using a survey instrument we investigate this claim further. The investigation addresses the following questions: (1) which characteristics of risk management practices; and (2) which other environmental and process factors (such as development methods, manager's experience) relate to improved performance in managing software risks? Our findings support in general the claim that the use of risk management methods improves system development performance. Yet, little support was found for the claim that specific risk management methods are instrumental in attacking specific software risks. Overall, risks are better managed with combined measures of having experienced project managers, selecting a correct project size, and investing in and obtaining experience in risk management deliberations.
113 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the moderating role of organizational commitment on the relationship between role stressors and burnout in information systems (IS) professionals and found that employees with high affective commitment had a lesser effect on burnout.
Abstract: The study examines the moderating role of organizational commitment on the relationship between role stressors and burnout in information systems (IS) professionals. Two role stressors are examined in this study – role ambiguity and role conflict. In addition, two dimensions of organizational commitment – affective and continuance commitment – are examined for their moderating influence. The emotional exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory is used to measure burnout in 312 IS professionals. Both role stressors were found to correlate positively with burnout. In addition, affective commitment was found to moderate the relationship between role stressors and burnout. Therefore, in employees with high affective commitment, role stressors had a lesser effect on burnout. This study, therefore, supports the argument that commitment acts as a buffer against stress and its antecedents.
94 citations
TL;DR: The analysis of cultural biases, the structural order which supplies coordination mechanisms, and the driving forces of the innovation points to issues which must be taken into account during implementation of inter-organizational information systems.
Abstract: It is increasingly recognised that an institutional perspective can offer explanations for the success and failure of the implementation of information systems. In this paper an institutional perspective is applied to the analysis of two inter-organizational information systems in two very different institutional environments. The analysis of cultural biases, the structural order which supplies coordination mechanisms, and the driving forces of the innovation points to issues which must be taken into account during implementation of inter-organizational information systems. It is concluded that the institutional perspective offers new and promising directions for the analysis of these systems.
60 citations
TL;DR: A framework is presented that identifies the core drivers than an IS organization can proactively influence as it attempts to become learning-oriented and may provide valuable insights to other IS organizations in their efforts to become more adaptive and responsive to change.
Abstract: Contemporary information systems (IS) organizations need mechanisms to cope with both the complexity that is created by rapid technological change and escalating business demands, and the resulting uncertainty engendered in organizational operations and policies. The IS function will not be in a position to manage such changes effectively unless it undergoes a fundamental restructuring towards becoming a ‘learning’ organization. This paper presents a framework that identifies the core drivers than an IS organization can proactively influence as it attempts to become learning-oriented. The framework identifies three essential components: (1) the learning context that defines various dimensions for measuring organizational and individual performance; (2) procedures and management initiatives that will facilitate individual learning to improve such performance; and (3) norms and culture that are established by the leadership to encourage learning. Using a case study methodology, the actions taken by one specific IS organization in its attempts to infuse learning capabilities among its members are examined. The conceptual framework for examining what it takes to be a learning IS organization and the detailed documented experiences of one specific organization may provide valuable insights to other IS organizations in their efforts to become more adaptive and responsive to change.
56 citations
TL;DR: A conceptual integrated model, the SYDPIM, is developed which has been tested and improved within a large on-going software project, and specifies the roles of SD models, how they are to be used within the traditional management process,How they exchange information with the traditional models, and a general method to support model development.
Abstract: Successful software development is becoming increasingly important to many companies. However, most projects fail to meet their targets, highlighting the inadequacies of traditional project management techniques in this unique setting. Despite breakthroughs in software engineering, management methodologies have not improved, and the major opportunities for better results are now in this area. Poor strategic management and related human factors have been cited as a major cause for failures, which traditional techniques cannot incorporate explicitly. System dynamics (SD) aims to model the behaviour of complex socio-economic systems; there has been a number of applications to software project management. SD provides an alternative view in which the major project influences are considered and quantified explicitly. Grounded on a holistic perspective it avoids consideration of the detail required by traditional tools, looking at the key aspects of the general project behaviour. However, if SD is to play a key role in software project management it needs to be embedded within the traditional decision-making framework. The authors developed a conceptual integrated model, the SYDPIM, which has been tested and improved within a large on-going software project. Such a framework specifies the roles of SD models, how they are to be used within the traditional management process, how they exchange information with the traditional models, and a general method to support model development.
55 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identified and rank-ordered critical success factors in strategic information systems planning in the Singapore context and examined the sources of assistance and expertise that companies undertaking IS planning in Singapore can tap.
Abstract: Strategic information systems (IS) planning is not an easy task and knowing which critical areas to manage certainly enhances IS planning success. Studies of critical success factors (CSFs) usually dealt with specific systems or management technique implementation, such as manufacturing resource planning (MRP) and total quality management (TQM). There exists little empirical research on CSFs per se in strategic IS planning. This paper is an effort to enhance existing knowledge on how strategic IS planning should be effectively managed. Using data from a survey on IS planning conducted in 1996 by the National University of Singapore, we identified and rank-ordered the CSFs in strategic IS planning in the Singapore context. We also examined the sources of assistance and expertise that companies undertaking IS planning in Singapore can tap.
33 citations
TL;DR: It is shown how it is possible to discriminate among telework situations by using dimensions, along which new ways of doing work can be further specified.
Abstract: Information and communication technology (ICT) provides organizations with a whole range of new possibilities for performing work and structuring the organization. The technical, and to a certain extent the organizational development, has been rapid and there has not been the time for any consensus on concepts to evolve. This article is concentrated to a limited part of the area of organizations and ICT, telework and concepts related to telework. It is argued that many of these concepts—notably telework—have been used by so many authors in so many different ways that they have lost their specifity. They are defined in so many ways in different studies that they in each instance need to be further defined to clarify exactly what is being studied. The aim of the article is therefore not to propose new definitions but to show instead how it is possible to discriminate among telework situations by using dimensions, along which new ways of doing work can be further specified. We distinguish among forms of organizations such as telecommuting, multiflex, mobile work, satellite office, and virtual organization. We also discuss concepts regarding work places, such as neighbourhood work centres, resort offices, satellite work centres and mobile workplaces. We discriminate between the telework situations by discussing dimensions for forms of organization and workplaces, respectively.
32 citations
TL;DR: Evidence is provided about the effect of using development methodologies on the economics of the development process and the results show that the use of any methodology is generally proved to be a better option than using no methodology.
Abstract: Despite the increase in the number of commercially available development methodologies, there are still many projects where none is used. This problem can be attributed to the fact that many practitioners ignore the beneficial role of using such methodologies to both the quality of the end product and the economics of the development process. This paper, which is the second of a series, reports on a survey of information systems development practice carried out to provide evidence about the effect of using development methodologies on the economics of the development process. Data concerning 72 projects, obtained through a mail survey within the UK are analysed. The focus of the analysis is to provide evidence of how the use of methodologies affect economic parameters, such as time, cost, effort, number of people involved and outputs (in terms of requirements captured). The results show that the use of any methodology is generally proved to be a better option than using no methodology. However, the use of methodologies is not a panacea but specific methodologies can help towards achieving better results in specific areas.
30 citations
TL;DR: The role of context as a way of adding value to information from databases is explored and a model of context based on the notion that context acts as a filter between user and database is suggested.
Abstract: With increasing integration of computer systems through local and wide area communication networks, there exists the capability in many organizations to retrieve information from databases to support ad hoc decision making by many different users. The idea that information is a corporate resource is now something more than business school hype. But the implications of sharing data are only just dawning on the corporate mind. How do managers interpret data? Where decision making is carried out by several people, perhaps in several different locations for different purposes the same data is used in multiple decision contexts. This paper explores the role of context as a way of adding value to information from databases. Two types of context are defined and discussed in relation to some examples of decisions where the role of context is vital. These examples are taken from some empirical research conducted with users of spatial decision support systems. Here the use of background information on maps, for example roads, add context to maps which otherwise simply display statistical data. The paper concludes by suggesting a model of context based on the notion that context acts as a filter between user and database.
TL;DR: This paper presents and builds on Swanson's framework by incorporating contingencies that might affect the model, and notions of strategy (strategic push) and technology impact are discussed in the context of the framework.
Abstract: There has been significant empirical work on information systems (IS) innovation. With the advent of a myriad of new and diverse technologies being introduced into contemporary organizations this work is only going to increase in its importance. Unfortunately, results of prior empirical work have been fragmented. Many of these studies treat IS innovations as homogeneous entities and do not effectively integrate notions of IS innovation with general organizational innovation. Swanson (1994) proposes a tri-core model and theory of IS innovation that can help integrate the isolated studies in this area, and can form the foundation on which future study of IS innovation can be based. This paper, in the spirit of a cumulative research tradition, presents and builds on Swanson's framework by incorporating contingencies that might affect the model. Specifically, notions of strategy (strategic push) and technology impact are discussed in the context of the framework. We hope that continued inquiry into this area will facilitate formulation of rich theory that will enable focused inquiry on IS innovation.
TL;DR: It is suggested that task type may play an important role in moderating the GSS effects and organizational GSS users should be careful when they adopt and use GSS to support a variety of tasks.
Abstract: This research studied the interacting effects of group support systems (GSS) and task type on small groups. It focused on group influence processes rather than group outcomes, which has been largely neglected in GSS research literature. The results of this research indicated that GSS significantly affected group influence processes: GSS reduced the dominance significance (i.e., the influence dominance) among group members; and it increased the amount of influence behaviour and resulted in a less even influence distribution in intellective task groups, but not in decision-making task groups. Therefore, the findings suggest that task type may play an important role in moderating the GSS effects. An important implication of the findings is that organizational GSS users should be careful when they adopt and use GSS to support a variety of tasks. They should carefully examine the characteristics of the various tasks to be performed, and then choose suitable GSS structures to support these tasks.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated strategic and organizational determinants of adoption/non-adoption of strategic marketing information systems that differ in degree of sophistication, identifying potentially relevant variables and relating them to the use of database marketing (DBM) systems.
Abstract: This paper investigates strategic and organizational determinants of adoption/non-adoption of strategic marketing information systems that differ in degree of sophistication. We identify potentially relevant variables and relate them to the use of database marketing (DBM) systems. Using an obtained sample of 49% of all major banks, building societies and insurance companies in the UK, we compare users and non-users and, within the users, we identify intercorrelations with those variables linked to degree of sophistication.
TL;DR: It has been observed in case studies that computer systems evolve through three main processes: initial development, adaptive maintenance, and replacement; often one system replaces several existing ones.
Abstract: It has been observed in case studies that computer systems evolve through three main processes: initial development, adaptive maintenance, and replacement. Often one system replaces several existing ones. Models of system evolution should therefore include these processes for all the systems being affected. Sometimes, the cumulative effect of small improvements made during adaptive maintenance was dysfunctional; for example, recurrent changes produced spaghetti code which no one dared to change. Possible negative effects of many small changes can be foreseen through improved planning and organization of maintenance. This indicates that systems should be replaced before they deteriorate through amendments. Replacement seems to be easier to carry out than initial development, due to easier requirements engineering. In fifteen out of sixteen processes where computer systems were replaced with newer ones, the new systems were replicas of the old systems with some functionality added. Through repeated replacements, the organizational structure is reinforced. Repeated replacements may therefore result in an inefficient and rigid organization in the long run. Thus many easy-to-accomplish replacements of program code, each of which were intended to improve efficiency, may cause the counter result in the end.
TL;DR: A more systematic investigation of the potential for computer support of SSM and evaluation of the functionality and usability of an SSM support toolkit (SoftCase) developed by one of the authors are reported.
Abstract: In recent years a number of research projects have investigated computer support of the soft systems methodology (SSM). These typically involve the production of prototype computer-based tools supporting some aspects of SSM, although evaluation of these has been unsystematic and anecdotal. There has also been some debate in the literature about whether SSM is amenable to computer support. This paper reports a more systematic investigation of the potential for computer support of SSM and evaluation of the functionality and usability of an SSM support toolkit (SoftCase) developed by one of the authors. Following a brief review of previous research in this area, and the functionality of the SoftCase toolkit, the design of the evaluation and its outcome are described in detail. The paper concludes with a discussion of computer technology to support SSM and some possible directions for evaluating the impact of computer support on the SSM process.
TL;DR: The retrospective method that requires each respondent to directly compare different products is shown to be more reliable, and there may be scope to employ cross-sectional comparisons of the findings from different samples where both sets of respondents use the same reference point for their judgements.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate two methods of assessing the productivity and quality impact of Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) and Fourth Generation Language (4GL) technologies: (1) by the retrospective method; and (2) the cross-sectional method. Both methods involve the use of questionnaire surveys. Developers' perceptions depend on the context in which they are expressed and this includes expectations about the effectiveness of a given software product. Consequently, it is generally not reliable to base inferences about the relative merits of CASE and 4GLs on a cross-sectional comparison of two separate samples of users. The retrospective method that requires each respondent to directly compare different products is shown to be more reliable. However, there may be scope to employ cross-sectional comparisons of the findings from different samples where both sets of respondents use the same reference point for their judgements, and where numerical rather than verbal rating scales are used to measure perceptions.
TL;DR: This paper demonstrates the use of an established management science framework for system requirements elicitation within a broad groupware development project, and explains how this framework, strategic options development and analysis (SODA) was used.
Abstract: This paper demonstrates the use of an established management science framework for system requirements elicitation within a broad groupware development project. It explains how this framework, strategic options development and analysis (SODA) was used, and illustrates the outcomes produced within a demonstrator setting in a health authority that formed part of the project. The approach is examined and evaluated as an element within the overall system development process.
TL;DR: Evaluating the literature on the effectiveness of data modelling in the practitioner domain shows that implicit objectivist assumptions about narrative are questionable, and a domain expert knowledge approach framework (DEKAF) is described in the context of overcoming problems of research generalisability.
Abstract: Despite the ubiquitous use of entity-relationship modelling for more than twenty years, there is surprisingly little evidence of how effective data modelling is in the commercial domain, and this evidence suggests that modelling is problematic. This paper evaluates the literature on the effectiveness of data modelling in the practitioner domain, showing that implicit objectivist assumptions about narrative are questionable. A domain expert knowledge approach framework (DEKAF) is described in the context of overcoming problems of research generalisability. DEKAF provides both a useful way of understanding and thinking about the data modelling process and a way of making assumptions explicit in a particular practitioner domain. A summary of the findings of action research shows that DEKAF can be successfully used and can give insight into effective practitioner domain modelling.
TL;DR: The domain of transfer pricing is introduced, followed by an overview of case-based reasoning, which is used to analyse the results of a questionnaire survey in transfer pricing.
Abstract: This paper introduces the domain of transfer pricing, followed by an overview of case-based reasoning Then, case-based reasoning is used to analyse the results of a questionnaire survey in transfer pricing Finally, some conclusions are drawn and opportunities for future research identified
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report the results of a study whose purpose is to identify and explain the critical success factors for a downsizing effort and show that information systems downsizing may produce benefits such as improved information systems, improved organizational structure, higher productivity, and lower cost.
Abstract: Competitive advantage in the information age is based, in large part, on a firm's capability to acquire and use quality information as well as effective and efficient services, with its information technology resources at the least possible cost. One possible strategy for improving the cost-performance ratio of information technology resources is known as downsizing. The downsizing effort is a strategic move that is believed by many organizations to be capable of yielding significant benefits. It can also be a costly endeavour which may leave a firm worse off. Therefore, careful planning and control must be exercised if information systems downsizing is to succeed. This paper reports the results of a study whose purpose is to identify and explain the critical success factors for a downsizing effort. Results of the study show that information systems downsizing may produce benefits such as improved information systems, improved organizational structure, higher productivity, and lower cost. The results also indicate that downsizing success is dependent upon complex linkages of communications, action plans, needs for downsizing as perceived by employees, and the specific method of downsizing used.
TL;DR: In this article, Escalation in Decision Making: The Tragedy of Taurus is discussed. But the authors focus on the human decision-making process and do not address the role of external factors.
Abstract: (1997). Escalation in Decision Making: The Tragedy of Taurus. European Journal of Information Systems: Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 190-191.
TL;DR: An analysis of the use of Prolog in commercial, research and teaching environments shows that there is an established base of users and that, after a period of rapid growth, the language currently enjoys continuing activity.
Abstract: Logic programming has received much critical attention over the past two decades from both a language perspective and as a methodology for practical problem solving. This paper presents a historical foundation of the approach and examines the development of Prolog since its first implementation. An analysis of the use of Prolog in commercial, research and teaching environments shows that there is an established base of users and that, after a period of rapid growth, the language currently enjoys continuing activity. The key to its success so far is due to its continuing evolution by including features that were not seen as being within the original concept as a pure logic language. Significant features which have contributed to the success of Prolog include integration with other languages, object oriented extensions, constraint representation, parallel execution as well as improved speed and robustness. Applications databases are analysed with respect to type of application, system status, type of developer, hardware platform, country of origin and the Prolog implementation used. Factors contributing to the success of Prolog are identified and likely future developments are explored.
TL;DR: Comparisons of the Singapore maintenance scene with the reported North American experience show the importance of Singapore's young application portfolio, the widespread usage of 4GLs and the severe maintenance personnel problems.
Abstract: Past studies of software maintenance issues have largely concentrated on the average North American firm. While they have made a substantial contribution to good information system management practice, it is believed that further segmentation of sample data and cross-country comparisons will help to identify patterns of behaviour more akin to many less average organizations in North America and elsewhere. This paper compares the Singapore maintenance scene with the reported North American experience. Comparisons are also made between: Government organizations, Singapore corporations and multinational corporations (MNCs); mainframe and minicomputer installations; and fourth-generation language (4GL) and non-4GL computer installations. Study findings, while in many cases were similar to earlier US studies, do show the importance of Singapore's young application portfolio, the widespread usage of 4GLs and the severe maintenance personnel problems.