Algorithmic Transparency: Concepts, Antecedents, and Consequences – A Review and Research Framework

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

Authors: Bitzer, Tobias; Wiener, Martin; Cram, W. Alec

Abstract: The widespread and growing use of algorithm-enabled technologies across many as ... Expand

Abstract: The widespread and growing use of algorithm-enabled technologies across many aspects of public and private life is increasingly sparking concerns about the lack of transparency regarding the inner workings of algorithms. This has led to calls for (more) algorithmic transparency (AT), which refers to the disclosure of information about algorithms to enable understanding, critical review, and adjustment. To set the stage for future research on AT, our study draws on previous work to provide a more nuanced conceptualization of AT, including the explicit distinction between AT as action and AT as perception. On this conceptual basis, we set forth to conduct a comprehensive and systematic review of the literature on AT antecedents and consequences. Subsequently, we develop an integrative framework to organize the existing literature and guide future work. Our framework consists of seven central relationships: (1) AT as action versus AT as perception; factors (2) triggering and (3) shaping AT as action; (4) factors shaping AT as perception; as well as AT as perception leading to (5) rational-cognitive and (6) affective-emotional responses, and to (7) (un-)intended behavioral effects. Building on the review insights, we identify and discuss notable research gaps and inconsistencies, along with resulting opportunities for future research. review of the literature on AT. Not only has such an endeavor, to our knowledge, not yet been undertaken; but more importantly, we expect that such a review will reveal critical research gaps and inconsistencies and inform future research in the area. In particular, we aim to extend past work and contribute to the extant body of knowledge by (1) strengthening the conceptual foundations of AT; (2) reviewing the AT literature in a systematic manner; and (3) deriving a research framework. In doing so, our study offers a more nuanced conceptualization of AT, including the explicit distinction between AT as action and AT as perception, and delineates AT from related concepts. Moreover, following established guidelines (e.g., vom Brocke et al., 2015;Okoli & Schabram, 2010;Paré et al., 2015;Webster & Watson, 2002) and drawing on a review sample of 50 studies (published between 2002 and 2021), our study offers a comprehensive review and synthesis of prior research on the antecedents and consequences of AT. Finally, we propose an integrative framework to organize existing and guide future work. Collapse

Topics: database system algorithmic transparency artificial intelligence website digital service

Methods: computational algorithm literature study synthesis mixed method archival research

Systematizing the lexicon of platforms in information systems: a data-driven study

2022 | Electronic Markets | Citations: 0

Authors: Bartelheimer, Christian; zur Heiden, Philipp; Lüttenberg, Hedda; Beverungen, Daniel

Abstract: While the Information Systems (IS) discipline has researched digital platforms e ... Expand

Abstract: While the Information Systems (IS) discipline has researched digital platforms extensively, the body of knowledge appertaining to platforms still appears fragmented and lacking conceptual consistency. Based on automated text mining and unsupervised machine learning, we collect, analyze, and interpret the IS discipline’s comprehensive research on platforms—comprising 11,049 papers spanning 44 years of research activity. From a cluster analysis concerning platform concepts’ semantically most similar words, we identify six research streams on platforms, each with their own platform terms. Based on interpreting the identified concepts vis-à-vis the extant research and considering a temporal perspective on the concepts’ application, we present a lexicon of platform concepts, to guide further research on platforms in the IS discipline. Researchers and managers can build on our results to position their work appropriately, applying a specific theoretical perspective on platforms in isolation or combining multiple perspectives to study platform phenomena at a more abstract level. Collapse

Topics: digital platform crowdsourcing IS discipline crowdfunding sharing platform

Methods: hierarchical clustering literature sample machine learning cluster analysis natural language processing

Affordances and constraints processes of smart service systems: Insights from the case of seaport security in Ghana

2021 | International Journal of Information Management | Citations: 8

Authors: Effah, John; Amankwah-Sarfo, Fred; Boateng, Richard

Abstract: Although smart service systems have received increasing attention in information ... Expand

Abstract: Although smart service systems have received increasing attention in information systems research, their affordances and constraints processes are less studied. In this study, we draw on interpretive case study meth­ odology and technology affordances and constraints theory to investigate a smart service system use for seaport security in Ghana. With insights from the case of Ghana, we introduce an affordance constraints process as a framework to complement the existing affordance actualisation process framework in information systems. Thus, this study contributes to affordance theory with a new constraints process. The study’s findings show that smart service systems for seaport security afford autonomous access control, real-time security monitoring, and autonomous data capturing for analytics and reporting. However, such affordances can be constrained by power and internet outages, limited storage capacity, and device breakdowns. From these findings, we discuss impli­ cations for theory, research, and practice as well as limitations and directions for future research. Collapse

Topics: affordance user experience usability information system use access control

Methods: case study qualitative interview qualitative content analysis literature study single case study

Theories: theory of affordance

SISP as practice: De-isolating SISP activity across multiple levels

2021 | Journal of Strategic Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Hughes, Jeffrey; McDonagh, Joe

Abstract: The strategic information systems planning (SISP) literature has retained a narr ... Expand

Abstract: The strategic information systems planning (SISP) literature has retained a narrow focus on organizational level activity to date. Limited empirical research has explored SISP’s multi-level interlinkages and complexities. Studies that have attempted to explore the micro activity of strategizing via a practice-based perspective have had their significance to academic and practitioner audiences questioned on grounds of micro-isolationism. Using a strategy as practice (SAP) lens, this study investigates how senior managers practice SISP through case studies of two public sector organizations (PSOs). The research’s primary contribution is a multi-level framework representing the practice of SISP. We ‘de-isolate’ SISP activity by empirically revealing how it is linked across macro, meso, and micro levels by SISP’s practitioners. Relating seemingly mundane strategic activity to matters of consequence has proven an enduring issue. Yet, at a time when organizations are facing grand challenges of increasing frequency and scale, we argue that the situating of day-to-day information systems (IS) strategy work within its broader context has never been more important. We propose a future research agenda premised upon moving ‘upstream’ to position SISP relative to grand challenges and ‘downstream’ to capture more open and inclusive forms of SISP. Collapse

Topics: information systems strategy electronic commerce innovation management Chief Information Officer IT workforce

Methods: case study qualitative interview theory development ethnography design methodology

The Bright and Dark Sides of Technostress: A Mixed-Methods Study Involving Healthcare It

2020 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Califf, Christopher B.; Sarker, Saonee; Sarker, Suprateek

Abstract: Today’s healthcare workers, specifically nurses, are experiencing technostress a ... Expand

Abstract: Today’s healthcare workers, specifically nurses, are experiencing technostress associated with the use of healthcare information technology (HIT). Technostress is often characterized by IS researchers as negative, or as being on the “dark side” of technology. However, a broader reading of the stress literature suggests that technostress may be both positive and negative, and can therefore have a “bright side” in addition to a dark side. The objective of this study is to conceptualize a holistic technostress process that includes positive and negative components of technostress embedded in two subprocesses: the techno-eustress subprocess and the techno-distress subprocess, respectively. The study instantiates this holistic technostress model through a sequential mixed-methods research design in the context of HIT. Phase 1 of the design is a qualitative, interpretive case study involving interviews with 32 nurses. Based on the findings from the case study, the paper builds a research model that operationalizes the concepts embedded in the holistic technostress model and identifies contextually relevant challenge and hindrance technostressors and outcomes. In Phase 2, the research model is empirically validated by analyzing survey data collected from 402 nurses employed in the United States. Results reveal that several challenge and hindrance technostressors are related to positive and negative psychological responses, respectively, and that such responses are related to job satisfaction and attrition, which impact turnover intention. Contributions to theory and practice are also discussed. Collapse

Topics: technostress health information system job satisfaction IT personell turnover system support

Methods: qualitative interview mixed method survey theory development SEM tool

Theories: theory of affordance theory of dominant design

Commitment and Replacement of Existing Saas-Delivered Applications: A Mixed-Methods Investigation

2020 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Xiao Xiao; Sarker, Saonee; Wright, Ryan T.; Sarker, Suprateek; Mariadoss, Babu John

Abstract: As the highest level of cloud computing delivery model, Software-as-a-Service (S ... Expand

Abstract: As the highest level of cloud computing delivery model, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) has gained considerable popularity in the industry as a new way of deploying IT solutions, due to its low cost and high elasticity. However, the new business model associated with SaaS highlights the importance for SaaS vendors to understand how to retain customers in a hyper-competitive market. In particular, increasing customer retention and preventing customers from replacing the adopted SaaS applications has become a crucial task for all SaaS vendors. In this study, using a mixed-methods approach, and drawing on the cognitive–affective–conative– action (CACA) framework, we investigate the IS replacement phenomenon in the context of SaaS-delivered applications. Our qualitative study allows us to develop an IS-centric view of customer commitment by differentiating between organizations’ commitment to the SaaS application and to the cloud computing technology in general, while the subsequent quantitative study validates the difference between the two types of commitment and helps understand how they together influence organizations’ intentions to replace a SaaS application. Our results generate important theoretical implications for research on IS replacement and clarifies the concept of customer commitment. We also offer practical guidelines to SaaS vendors on how to retain customers so as to survive/thrive in this competitive market. Collapse

Topics: software as a service cloud computing mobile application service quality marketing management

Methods: survey qualitative interview mixed method design artifact cross sectional research

Theories: theory of dominant design

Author Highlights for the Past 35 Years: An Analysis of the Most-Published Authors and Most-Cited Papers in The DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems

2019 | ACM SIGMIS Database | Citations: 0

Authors: Gallivan, Michael J.

Abstract: This essay reviews leading contributions to The DATA BASE for Advances in Inform ... Expand

Abstract: This essay reviews leading contributions to The DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems over the past 35 years, both in terms of identifying leading scholars who published most frequently in the journal as well as papers that have been cited most frequently. Using standard scientometric methods, I identify the leading authors who published five or more papers since 1982. In terms of analyzing highly cited papers, I organize the analysis into four time periods of nine years each, a structure that reveals that The DATA BASE has been a longstanding venue for IS scholars to introduce their early work - whether conceptual or empirical. Notably, several esteemed IS scholars published early conceptual versions of their ideas in The DATA BASE - often many years before they followed up with related work in other journals. In terms of highly cited papers, the analysis in this essay also reveals that The DATA BASE shifted toward publishing empirical papers after 1990 and, despite the prevalence of positivist, quantitative research during the past 25 years, qualitative research has also become prominent in the journal. More recently, the journal has also featured several literature review papers on important topic areas, such as virtual teams, technostress, IT outsourcing, and IT security. This essay reviews leading contributions to The DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems over the past 35 years, both in terms of identifying leading scholars who published most frequently in the journal as well as papers that have been cited most frequently. Using standard scientometric methods, I identify the leading authors who published five or more papers since 1982. In terms of analyzing highly cited papers, I organize the analysis into four time periods of nine years each, a structure that reveals that The DATA BASE has been a longstanding venue for IS scholars to introduce their early work - whether conceptual or empirical. Notably, several esteemed IS scholars published early conceptual versions of their ideas in The DATA BASE - often many years before they followed up with related work in other journals. In terms of highly cited papers, the analysis in this essay also reveals that The DATA BASE shifted toward publishing empirical papers after 1990 and, despite the prevalence of positivist, quantitative research during the past 25 years, qualitative research has also become prominent in the journal. More recently, the journal has also featured several literature review papers on important topic areas, such as virtual teams, technostress, IT outsourcing, and IT security. Collapse

Topics: user behavior group support system IS value computer supported cooperative work interorganizational system

Methods: bibliometric analysis literature study case study grounded theory co-citation analysis

Theories: information systems theory

IT PROJECTS IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: A SOCIO-TECHNICAL JOURNEY TOWARDS TECHNOCHANGE

2019 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Hartl, Eva; Hess, Thomas

Abstract: In a digital world in which firms struggle with digital transformation, moving b ... Expand

Abstract: In a digital world in which firms struggle with digital transformation, moving beyond the mere introduction of technologies to leveraging their transformational potential becomes increasingly relevant. Technochange, i.e., the strategic use of IT to derive organizational benefits by integrating IT introduction and complementary organizational changes, presents a promising approach in the context of digital transformation. Yet for the IT function, conducting technochange requires a fundamental change in the way IT work is done. Despite previous research that addresses the particularities of technochange, no research has been conducted on the challenges faced when IT projects transition after applying a TC approach and on strategies to overcome them. In answering this question, we apply sociotechnical systems theory as a conceptual research lens to study the transition process of an IS infrastructure project in a mid-size omni-channel retailer. The results of our longitudinal in-depth case study suggest that this transition process is characterized by challenges of exported problems and structural issues that can be overcome by intervention strategies of bricolage, borrowing competence, and building alliances. Our research contributes to technochange literature by outlining the transition from IT to technochange projects and provides practical guidance on how to manage this transition. Collapse

Topics: digital transformation project management information technology infrastructure IT project management IT work

Methods: case study qualitative interview longitudinal research field study survey

Theories: sociotechnical systems theory co-evolution theory

Digitally enabled affordances for community-driven environmental movement in rural Malaysia

2018 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 0

Authors: Tim, Yenni; Pan, Shan L.; Bahri, Shamshul; Fauzi, Ali

Abstract: The immense environmental challenges facing society today have necessitated a re ... Expand

Abstract: The immense environmental challenges facing society today have necessitated a research effort toward exploring digitally enabled solutions for environmental problems. Only limited research exists today to inform our understanding on how technology could assist groups of individuals in cultivating collective commitment and engaging in actions for environmental sustainability. By presenting an in-depth case study of a social media-enabled grassroots environmental movement in rural Malaysia, this paper aims to illuminate and understand an underresearched phenomenon of community-driven environmental sustainability. This study makes 2 contributions: (1) we draw on the perspective of technology affordances to shed light on both the enabling power and unintended consequences of social media in the pursuit of environmental sustainability; and on that account, (2) we contribute rich, empirically informed insights toward understanding the underresearched phenomenon of digitally enabled, community-driven environmental sustainability. Collapse

Topics: social media environmental sustainability unintended consequence affordance user experience

Methods: case study qualitative interview theory development triangulation field study

Theories: theory of affordance

Multilevel Research in Information Systems: Concepts, Strategies, Problems, and Pitfalls

2014 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 64

Authors: Bélanger, France; Cefaratti, Meghann; Carte, Traci; Markham, Steven E.

Abstract: Information systems (IS) researchers often explore complex phenomena that result ... Expand

Abstract: Information systems (IS) researchers often explore complex phenomena that result from the interplay between technologies and human actors; as such, IS research frequently involves constructs found at multiple levels of analysis, although rarely recognized as such. In fact, our targeted review of the IS literature found minimal explicit consideration of the issues posed by multilevel research although a number of studies implicitly conducted research at multiple levels. In this paper, we discuss the issues that result from not explicitly recognizing the multilevel nature of one's work and offer guidance on how to identify and explicitly conduct multilevel IS research. Recognizing the relevance of multilevel research for the IS domain, we discuss a systematic approach to conduct quantitative multilevel IS research that is grounded in an overarching framework that focuses equally on testing variables and entities. We also highlight the unique role of IS in developing multilevel opportunities for researchers. Finally, we identify a number of gaps within the IS literature in which specific multilevel research questions may be articulated. Such explicit consideration of multilevel issues in future IS research will not only improve IS research but contribute to the larger discourse on multilevel research. Collapse

Topics: enterprise resource planning knowledge repository database system website online community

Methods: literature sample hierarchical linear modeling theory development literature study structural equation modeling

Theories: organizational behavior theory