Unexpected Events in IT Projects: A Conceptual Review and Research Agenda

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

Authors: Coulon, Thibaut; Paré, Guy; Barki, Henri

Abstract: When unexpected events occur, IT project teams need to react appropriately in o ... Expand

Abstract: When unexpected events occur, IT project teams need to react appropriately in order to limit the potentially negative, and sometimes disastrous consequences of such events. Yet, while past research has identified unexpected events as being an important aspect to consider when managing projects, the existing literature does not provide a clear conceptualization of this concept which limits the development of new theories and thus the ability to guide practitioners. Based on a literature review and to advance our understanding of unexpected events in IT projects and their effective management, and facilitate future theoretical developments on IT project management, the present paper develops a conceptualization that clearly distinguishes this concept from other closely related ones, as well as proposing a research framework that links it to IT project team responses and their consequences. A detailed research agenda, integrating current advances in different fields, is developed to highlight future research avenues. Collapse

Topics: IT project project management IT project team database system sensemaking

Methods: literature sample literature study synthesis literature filtering

Control-style ambidexterity and information systems project performance: an expanded view of control activities

2023 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Syed, Tahir Abbas; Wiener, Martin; Mehmood, Fahad; Abdelrahman, Mahmoud

Abstract: Information systems (IS) projects represent key building blocks of large-scale d ... Expand

Abstract: Information systems (IS) projects represent key building blocks of large-scale digital transformation and innovation initiatives. As a result, IS projects have become increasingly ambitious in terms of both goals and scale, making it even more challenging for managers to exercise control over such projects. While prior research focused primarily on the direct and interactive effects of formal and informal control modes on IS project performance, recent research directs attention to the importance of considering project managers’ control styles (i.e., how managers interact with controlees to enact controls). Corresponding studies also indicate that “either/or” control approaches – as opposed to “both/and” approaches – are no longer viable in today’s complex environment. As such, our study draws on an ambidexterity perspective to theoretically develop and empirically test the direct and interactive effects of control-style ambidexterity on IS project performance. Using matched-pair data from 146 IS projects (from 146 high-tech firms), we find that control-style ambidexterity improves project performance – directly and in combination with both formal and informal control. The study results contribute novel insights regarding the effective control of IS projects in the digital era and help explain mixed findings in prior literature, thereby facilitating continued theory development in the research area. Collapse

Topics: IT project project productivity IT project team database system innovation management

Methods: survey theory development partial least squares path modeling post-hoc analysis survey design

Theories: ambidexterity theory

Task Conflict Resolution in Designing Legacy Replacement Systems

2023 | Journal of Management Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Tsai, Jacob Chia-An; Jiang, James J.; Klein, Gary; Hung, Shin-Yuan

Abstract: Organizations undergo significant change in the pursuit of digital transformatio ... Expand

Abstract: Organizations undergo significant change in the pursuit of digital transformation. Among those changes is replacing legacy information systems (LIS) with updated systems that integrate data, platforms, and software across all operational functions. The development of a broad legacy replacement system requires extensive resourses and a core development team composed of technical professionals with development oversight and operational experts representing the diverse interests of the functional units. Within the team, replacing LIS raises task conflicts in the distribution of system resources across operational departments and perception differences in the replacement system's alignment with the organization's needs. Prior studies suggest deploying collaborative strategies to resolve task-related conflicts on resource allocation and design preferences without contextual consideration. We built a model rooted in conflict survival theory to consider conflicts arising in the design of the replacement system, identify appropriate design team mechanisms, and examine conflict resolution strategies targeted to the context. A mixed-methods study of survey results from 119 legacy replacements and interviews of legacy replacement project managers indicates that teams adapt responses to the different conflict types inherent to legacy replacement design and should further consider selecting a conflict resolution strategy. Identifying appropriate actions and distinct conflict resolution strategies adds to task conflict theory and advises practice selecting the more appropriate activities and strategies specific to replacement system design. Collapse

Topics: systems design industry 4.0 decision making digital transformation agile software development

Methods: qualitative interview survey mixed method regression analysis method theory development

Guidelines for the Development of Three-Level Models: Bridging Levels of Analysis and Integrating Contextual Influences in IS Research

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

Authors: Venkatesh, Viswanath; Weng, Qin; Rai, Arun; Maruping, Likoebe

Abstract: The use of multilevel analysis has steadily increased in information systems (IS ... Expand

Abstract: The use of multilevel analysis has steadily increased in information systems (IS) research. Many studies are doing an admirable job of integrating two-level models into their examination of IS phenomena. However, two-level models are limited in how well they enable researchers to (1) more explicitly incorporate context into theory development and testing and (2) bridge the existing gap between micro- and macrolevel research by focusing on intervening mechanisms that link hierarchically distal levels of analysis. Three-level models have emerged as a potential way to address these limitations. While the literature has clearly outlined the mechanics of how to estimate three-level models, there is very little, if any, guidance on when and how to integrate the use of such models with theory development. Consequently, IS researchers have little guidance to inform their decisions about integrating the use of three-level models with their theory development and testing. In this article, we identify the circumstances under which IS researchers should consider the use of three-level models, develop guidelines about how to map the use of three-level model estimation to the theoretical objectives, and provide an illustration of how to implement the guidelines. Collapse

Topics: offshoring accounting IT project personality internet technology

Methods: theory development hierarchical linear modeling literature study likelihood-ratio test descriptive statistic

Theories: technology acceptance model big five model

Knowledge Disparity and Creativity in IT Project Teams - a Creative Synthesis Perspective

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Zhang, Xiaojie; Fang, Yulin

Abstract: ... Expand

Abstract: Collapse

Topics: IT project team project management knowledge sharing systems development electronic mail

Methods: synthesis survey card sorting descriptive statistic data transformation

Attaining Individual Creativity and Performance in Multidisciplinary and Geographically Distributed IT Project Teams: The Role of Transactive Memory Systems

2022 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: He, Wei; Po-An, J. J.; Schroeder, Andreas; Fang, Yulin

Abstract: Contemporary IT project teams demand that individual members generate and implem ... Expand

Abstract: Contemporary IT project teams demand that individual members generate and implement novel ideas in response to the dynamic changes in IT and business requirements. Firms rely on multidisciplinary, geographically distributed IT project teams to gather the necessary talent, regardless of their locations, for developing novel IT artifacts. In this team context, individuals are expected to leverage dissimilar others’ expertise for creating ideas during idea generation (IG) and then implement their ideas during idea implementation (II), known as the IGII process. Although much has been done to explain individual creativity, the extant literature offers little theoretical understanding on how to address the double-edged effects of dispersions in both functional expertise (ExpDisp) and geographical locations (GeoDiss)—the two defining characteristics of multi-disciplinary, cross-locational IT project teams—on individual creativity and subsequent performance. Drawing on the IGII framework, we propose transactive memory systems (TMSs) as a plausible team-level solution to tackle the challenge. With a multi-wave multi-level dataset from 141 members and their supervisors from 35 IT project teams, we found that team-level TMS and GeoDiss interactively moderate individual-level IGII processes in multi-disciplinary geographically-distributed IT project teams during both II and IG, but in qualitatively different ways. Collapse

Topics: IT project team idea generation project management team productivity task productivity

Methods: survey data transformation descriptive statistic literature study statistical hypothesis test

A Theory of Coordination: From Propositions to Hypotheses in Agile Software Development

2021 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Kanaparan, Geetha; Strode, Diane

Abstract: Coordination is crucial in agile software development projects and a Theory of C ... Expand

Abstract: Coordination is crucial in agile software development projects and a Theory of Coordination in co-located agile software development projects explains coordination in this context. This theory has propositions based on case study research. To improve the generalisability of theory built from case studies, researchers often transition to a theory testing phase involving a large-scale field study using the survey method. Prior to a large-scale field study, the propositions generated during theory building must be converted to testable hypotheses. There is little guidance explaining the complexity of this transition process and the challenges involved. Therefore, this paper explains the operationalisation process of transitioning from research propositions to research hypotheses and illustrates the process using the Theory of Coordination. The paper offers six practical guidelines, identifies seven challenges encountered, and potential solutions for each challenge. This paper contributes to agile software development and theory testing research offering seven recommendations for research practice. Collapse

Topics: boundary spanning agile software development organization structure situation awareness IT development project

Methods: theory development survey case study design methodology conceptual modelling

The effect of process tailoring on software project performance: The role of team absorptive capacity and its knowledge-based enablers

2021 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 0

Authors: Lee, Jung-Chieh; Chou, I.-Chia; Chen, Chung-Yang

Abstract: Software process tailoring (SPT) is a team-based and learning-intensive activity ... Expand

Abstract: Software process tailoring (SPT) is a team-based and learning-intensive activity that addresses the particular dynamic characteristics of a development project. Because SPT critically influences how projects are conducted, its performance should be investigated. However, the extant literature lacks empirical evidence on how the underlying effects of SPT performance and its team-supportive factors operate and influence software project performance. From the knowledge perspective, this study adopts dynamic capabilities theory and considers the learning ability and absorptive capacity of software project teams to develop a theoretical model to address this gap. The results of an empirical examination of the model with 135 software project teams advance our understanding of how team-level learning antecedents—experience, communication quality and trust—dynamically facilitate teams' absorptive capacity (AC) when they conduct SPT, which in turn reinforces project performance. The mediating effects of the proposed model are unveiled and discussed, and theoretical implications as well as practical guidance for how AC and these factors promote SPT and project performance are suggested. Collapse

Topics: project productivity absorptive capacity systems development agile software development electronic mail

Methods: survey partial least squares regression statistical power analysis design methodology path analysis

Theories: dynamic capabilities theory

Reconfiguring for Agility: Examining the Performance Implications of Project Team Autonomy through an Organizational Policy Experiment

2021 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 7

Authors: Ramasubbu, Narayan; Bardhan, Indranil

Abstract: Agile software development, a paradigm that emphasizes project team autonomy and ... Expand

Abstract: Agile software development, a paradigm that emphasizes project team autonomy and the value of responding to changes over following standardized processes, has gained prominence in the software industry. Prior investigations on the adoptions of agile paradigms for software operations and their performance implications have typically focused on isolated aspects of software development processes. In this study, we adopt a configurational perspective of software operations and assess the causal impacts of adopting an organizational policy that grants higher levels of autonomy to project teams. Building on the equifinality framework proposed in organizational studies, we posit that an organizational policy that provides higher levels of autonomy for software teams engenders performance-enhancing adaptations through agile reconfigurations of project operations. To test our hypothesis, we collaborated with a commercial software firm and collected data from a policy experiment at the firm. We examined project-level data spanning a four-year observation period during which the firm implemented a new policy that significantly reduced the hurdles for project teams to autonomously reconfigure their operations. The results support our postulation and shed light on how an organizational policy that provides greater autonomy to software. Collapse

Topics: customer satisfaction project productivity systems operations virtual teamwork IT supported collaboration

Methods: longitudinal research experimental group experiment synthetic control method time series analysis

Theories: contingency theory

Controlling Technical Debt Remediation in Outsourced Enterprise Systems Maintenance: An Empirical Analysis

2021 | Journal of Management Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ramasubbu, Narayan; Kemerer, Chris F.

Abstract: Technical debt refers to maintenance obligations that stem from violations of es ... Expand

Abstract: Technical debt refers to maintenance obligations that stem from violations of established standards during the development and subsequent maintenance of enterprise systems. Technical debt remediation is particularly challenging in the outsourcing context due to information asymmetry between client and vendor teams. Control balancing—the periodic adjustments to the control configurations of outsourced projects—has been proposed as a process to help mitigate these information asymmetry challenges. Using data collected from 1,824 real-world projects, we tested to what extent control balancing improves the remediation of technical debt. After controlling for a number of technical and environmental factors, including system size, system lifespan, and contract parameters, we find that control balancing can benefit technical debt remediation, but primarily when processes for migrating technical debt-laden systems to new technological platforms have been identified. We highlight the role of technical debt in influencing the effects of relational flexibility in inter-firm engagements. Collapse

Topics: outsourcing enterprise information system virtual teamwork IT project database system

Methods: survey focus group group interview instrumental variables estimation archival research