Managing In-Company IT Standardization: A Design Theory

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Ahlemann, Frederik; Dittes, Sven; Fillbrunn, Tim; Rehring, Kevin; Reining, Stefan; Urbach, Nils

Abstract: Today’s companies rely heavily on in-company information technology standards (I ... Expand

Abstract: Today’s companies rely heavily on in-company information technology standards (ICITS) to reduce costs, ensure flexibility, and facilitate the planning, implementation, and operation of IT systems. Steering and managing ICITS has proven to be challenging, revealing the need for efficient governance mechanisms. But even though prior research demonstrates the challenges of ICITS, viable advice on how to implement ICITS is scarce. In this paper, we develop an organizational design theory for the management of ICITS based on the framework of organizational control theory. We conducted a critical case study to identify basic goals, constitutive elements, and fundamental mechanisms of a working ICITS management. The resulting design goals and principles were then evaluated and further refined in the light of additional expert interviews. With our work, we wish to extend the body of theoretical knowledge on the management of ICITS and help practitioners master the various challenges occurring in this domain. Collapse

Topics: information systems standardization enterprise architecture IS maturity organizational control decision making

Methods: design theory qualitative interview design principle descriptive statistic case study

Theories: organizational control theory

DLT-based Regulatory Systems Dynamics

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Beck, Roman; Jain, Geetika

Abstract: In this research, we examine the interplay between ‘actors’ and ‘agents’ in Dist ... Expand

Abstract: In this research, we examine the interplay between ‘actors’ and ‘agents’ in Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) systems. We identify regulatory interactions between off-chain agents setting the rules, as well as on-chain code as actors regulating the behavior of DLT users. We theorize about the relationship between agents and actors that mutually regulate each other in certain ways through the DLT system and identify the significant dimensions related to the trifecta in which the soft system agent sphere regulation of DLT is likely to interact with the hard system actor sphere regulation by DLT. By proposing the trifecta between DLT design, DLT protocol, and DLT use, we explain the relationship between these three and the role of DLT protocol as a mediator between DLT design and DLT use. Our research sheds light on the dynamics within DLT systems and the regulating forces at play from a systems’ thinking perspective.e. Collapse

Topics: blockchain IT governance distributed ledger technology peer-to-peer model information technology infrastructure

Methods: theory development design artifact structured literature research literature sample system dynamics

Theories: structuration theory

Data governance and the secondary use of data: The board influence

2023 | Information and Organization | Citations: 0

Authors: Black, Stuart; Davern, Michael; Maynard, Sean B.; Nasser, Humza

Abstract: The business analytics and strategic management literatures suggest that organiz ... Expand

Abstract: The business analytics and strategic management literatures suggest that organizations should seek to exploit data as a key mechanism for competitive advantage. However, the rules of engagement are evolving, the regulatory landscape is becoming increasingly complex, and ex­ amples of poor outcomes are increasingly common. The board – in its role of setting and moni­ toring risk appetite – needs to be able to govern the risk/reward trade-off of the data asset. Contemporary data governance approaches are inadequate: they are overly rigid and risk ori­ ented, limited in scope to an organization’s self-interest rather than considering the broad set of stakeholders, and do not provide a platform for the board to manage this critical risk. This paper uses a unique set of informants – 41 board directors – to demonstrate that differences in board perspectives influence how organizations explore the secondary use of data. Furthermore, this paper identifies a set of relevant individual, organizational and environmental factors and pre­ sents empirically based configurations of these factors that lead organizations to consider (or neglect) the secondary use of data as a critical enabler of competitive advantage. Collapse

Topics: data governance competitive advantage IT governance fuzzy logic strategic management

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative coding theory development mixed method personal interview

Theories: contingency theory fuzzy set theory transaction cost economics dynamic capabilities theory theory of everything

Special Issue Introduction: Building Digital Resilience against Major Shocks

2023 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 5

Authors: Boh, Waifong; Constantinides, Panos; Padmanabhan, Balaji; Viswanathan, Siva

Abstract: Major shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic create unique and exceptional challe ... Expand

Abstract: Major shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic create unique and exceptional challenges for different entities, including individuals, groups, and organizations. In this special issue editorial, we introduce the concept of digital resilience, which refers to the capabilities developed through the use of digital technologies to absorb major shocks, adapt to disruptions caused by the shocks, and transform to a new stable state, where entities are more prepared to deal with major shocks. The individual papers in this special issue offer compelling examples of how digital resilience is exhibited and how the process of digital resilience can unfold in response to specific major shocks. Drawing upon and extending these papers, we present an integrated framework of how digital technology can help build resilience capabilities, which is missing in past research but needed to mitigate and manage future major shocks, including financial recessions and climate change. We conclude with four important themes for future IS research. Collapse

Topics: pandemic open source IT investment IT governance lean manufacturing

Methods: participant observation qualitative interview mixed method

Problematizing Assumptions on Digital Transformation Research in the Information Systems Field

2023 | Communications of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Carroll, Noel; Conboy, Kieran; Hassan, Nik; Hess, Thomas; Junglas, Iris; Morgan, Lorraine

Abstract: In an era of heightened uncertainty and urgency around disruption, digital tran ... Expand

Abstract: In an era of heightened uncertainty and urgency around disruption, digital transformation has become a global priority on leadership agendas and garnered the attention of researchers across the Information Systems (IS) field. However, the ongoing acceleration of digital technologies not only poses great opportunities but also major challenges for organizations that use digital transformation as a means to survive. Yet, literature on how to successfully implement, manage, and sustain digital transformations that possibly change an organization's business model, along with its product offering, structure, and culture, is often vague and hence various assumptions can go unexamined. This panel report aggregates insights from an author development workshop on "Managing and Sustaining Digital Transformations" and provides different perspectives from six experts. Specifically, it adopts the problematization method to discuss ten commonly held assumptions regarding digital transformation and presents a research roadmap to guide digital transformation research in the future. Collapse

Topics: digital transformation digital innovation innovation management value creation systems implementation

Methods: case study theory development

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Information Systems: Perspectives to Responsible AI

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 2

Authors: Dennehy, Denis; Griva, Anastasia; Pouloudi, Nancy; Dwivedi, Yogesh K.; Mäntymäki, Matti; Pappas, Ilias O.

Abstract: example the responsible design and governance (Mäntymäki et al., 2022b) of AI ... Expand

Abstract: example the responsible design and governance (Mäntymäki et al., 2022b) of AI systems. While organisations are increasingly investing in ethical AI and Responsible AI (RAI) (Zimmer et al., 2022), recent reports suggest that this comes at a cost and may lead to burnout in responsible-AI teams (Heikkilä, 2022). Thus, it is critical to consider how we educate about RAI (Grøder et al., 2022) and rethink our traditional learning designs (Pappas & Giannakos, 2021), as this can influence end-users' perceptions towards AI applications (Schmager et al., 2023) as well as how future employees approach the design and implementation of AI applications (Rakova et al., 2021;Vassilakopoulou et al., 2022).The use of algorithmic decision-making and decisionsupport processes, particularly AI is becoming increasingly pervasive in the public sector, also in high-risk application areas such as healthcare, traffic, and finance (European Commission, 2020). Against this backdrop, there is growing concern over the ethical use and safety of AI, fuelled by reports of ungoverned military applications (Butcher and Beridze, 2019; Dignum, 2020), privacy violations attributed to facial recognition technologies used by the police (Rezende, 2022), unwanted biases exhibited by AI applications used by courts (Imai et al., 2020), and racial biases in clinical algorithms (Vyas et al. 2020). The opacity and lack of explainability frequently attributed to AI systems makes evaluating the trustworthiness of algorithmic decisions challenging even for technical experts, let alone the public. Together with the algorithm-propelled proliferation of misinformation, hate speech and polarising content on social media platforms, there is a high risk for erosion of trust in algorithmic systems used by the public sector (Janssen et al., 2020). Ensuring that people can trust in the algorithmic processes is essential not only for reaping the potential benefits from AI (Dignum, 2020) but also for fostering trust and resilience at a societal level.AI researchers and practitioners have expressed their fears about AI systems being developed that are Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence IT governance decision making digital economy online learning system

Methods: chatbot theory development case study qualitative interview literature sample

Theories: technological frames of reference

ESGTech: Guiding ESG Regulation and Digital Governance

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Di Natale, L.; Cordella, A.

Abstract: The role of technology in shaping regulatory processes has been widely studied ... Expand

Abstract: The role of technology in shaping regulatory processes has been widely studied in the field of digital governance. This research complements such literature by exposing how data technologies are shaping the regulatory trajectory of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. The paper discusses the regulatory challenges surrounding ESG and the position that data technologies have assumed in addressing such issues. The case explored with this research is Bloomberg's methodology for proprietary ES Scores. This study contributes to the e-government literature by emphasizing how the absence of law both accelerates and constrains the scope of technology and how technology alleviates regulatory concerns whilst also assuming governing properties. This paper offers valuable insights into the complex production of ESG data and contributes with accentuating the imperative of ESGTech in guiding digital governance. Collapse

Topics: IT governance government system

Methods: case study

A multivocal literature review of decentralized finance: Current knowledge and future research avenues

2023 | Electronic Markets | Citations: 2

Authors: Gramlich, Vincent; Guggenberger, Tobias; Principato, Marc; Schellinger, Benjamin; Urbach, Nils

Abstract: While decentralized finance (DeFi) has the potential to emulate and, indeed, out ... Expand

Abstract: While decentralized finance (DeFi) has the potential to emulate and, indeed, outperform existing financial systems, it remains a complex phenomenon yet to be extensively researched. To make the most of this potential, its practitioners must gain a rigorous understanding of its intricacies, as must information systems (IS) researchers. Against this background, this study uses a multivocal literature review to capture the state of research in DeFi. Thereby, we (1) present a consolidating definition of DeFi as we (2) analyze, synthesize, and discuss the current state of knowledge in the field of DeFi. We do so while adapting the blockchain research framework proposed by (Risius and Spohrer, Business & Information Systems Engineering 59:385–409, 2017). Furthermore, we (3) identify gaps in the literature and indicate future research directions in DeFi. Even though our findings highlight several shortcomings in DeFi that have prevented its widespread adoption, our literature review shows a large consensus on DeFi’s many promising features and potential to complement the traditional financial system. To that end, this paper is presented to encourage further research to mitigate the current risks of DeFi, the payoff of which will be an enriched financial ecosystem. Collapse

Topics: decentralized finance financial information system blockchain database system Ethereum

Methods: literature study literature sample structured literature research synthesis

Theories: organizational theory

Digital consumers and the new ‘search’ practices of born digital organisations

2023 | Information and Organization | Citations: 0

Authors: Hafezieh, Najmeh; Pollock, Neil

Abstract: Consumers play an increasingly central role in born digital organisations, inclu ... Expand

Abstract: Consumers play an increasingly central role in born digital organisations, including driving new approaches to consumer interaction, communication, and marketing. However, we know little about how born digital organise internally to manage and respond to consumer demands. In this paper, we studied an organisation providing online travel services where its aim was to reorganise internally, in relation to consumers, through developing a set of ‘search’ practices. The role of search is particularly salient for born digitals, giving rise to new roles and expertise where or­ ganisations attempt to pre-empt user actions. Through qualitative research, we show how a born digital organisation creates new practices that we label pre-emptive, reactive, reflective and adaptive. Our main finding is that rapidly and constantly reconfiguring practices, what these new experts call ‘constructive disruption’, is essential for born digitals to manage relationships with consumers. Our paper contributes by providing a better understanding of practices within born digital organisations, and specifically the practices born digitals use to navigate unpredictable emerging changes and produce constant novelty for customers. We also contribute to the concept of search and provide examples of how it might be employed to better understand digital organising and digital transformation. Collapse

Topics: marketing management innovation management social media Facebook digital innovation

Methods: qualitative interview field study case study triangulation company material

An Information Security Performance Measurement Tool for Senior Managers: Balanced Scorecard Integration for Security Governance and Control Frameworks

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Herath, Tejaswini C.; Herath, Hemantha S. B.; Cullum, David

Abstract: As organizations have become increasingly reliant on information systems, senior ... Expand

Abstract: As organizations have become increasingly reliant on information systems, senior managers are keen in assessing the progress of implemented information security strategies. Although the balanced scorecard approach has been suggested for security governance, a critical issue affecting information security practitioners is complexity, as there are many standards and frameworks, with duplication and overlaps to adhere to when organizing the data. Consequently, the article attempts to develop a more inclusive framework for information security governance, a research gap recently identified in the literature. The article maps five governance and control frameworks (COBIT, SABSA, ISG, ITIL, and ISO 27000) to the information security balanced scorecard (InfoSec BSC) to develop a conceptual design of an effective information security performance measurement tool that can be used by senior managers. Using a real-life case application and interviews with a panel of experts, the article identifies IS initiatives, performance measures for each of the mapped objectives derived from governance and control frameworks that may provide guidance for practitioners. Collapse

Topics: data security COBIT IT security ITIL information security management

Methods: qualitative interview case study personal interview survey delphi study

Theories: theory of everything