Monitoring the Complexity of IT Architectures: Design Principles and an IT Artifact

2020 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 15

Authors: Widjaja, Thomas; Gregory, Robert

Abstract: Monitoring the complexity of a firm’s IT architecture is imperative to ensure a ... Expand

Abstract: Monitoring the complexity of a firm’s IT architecture is imperative to ensure a stable and flexible platform foundation for competing in the era of digital business strategy. However, IT architects lack IT support for dealing with this important problem. We engaged with five companies in a significant design science research (DSR) program and drew on the heuristic theorizing framework both to solve this problem through evolving IT artifacts and to accumulate nascent design knowledge. We base the design knowledge development on a conceptual framework involving three essential concepts for understanding and solving this problem: structural complexity, dynamic complexity, and problem-solving complexity. Drawing on this foundation, we address the research question: How can IT support be provided for reducing the problem-solving complexity of monitoring the structural and dynamic complexity of IT architectures in the context of a digital business strategy? To answer this question, we present a set of design principles that we derived from our iterative process of IT artifact construction and evaluation activities with five companies. Our nascent design knowledge contributes to the research on IT architecture management in the context of digital business strategy. In addition, we also contribute to the understanding of how, through the use and illustration of the heuristic theorizing framework, design knowledge can be accumulated systematically on the basis of generalization from IT artifact construction and evaluation outcomes generated across multiple contexts and companies. Collapse

Topics: enterprise architecture digital business strategy problem solving information systems standardization system support

Methods: design artifact design principle theory development design science kernel theory

Theories: theory of bounded rationality general systems theory

MANAGING MANDATED ADOPTION: PRE-DEPLOYMENT ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS IN THE CONTEXT OF CRITICAL CARE

2019 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: HedrÃ, Andreas

Abstract: This research develops and tests a theoretical model on the impact of antecedent ... Expand

Abstract: This research develops and tests a theoretical model on the impact of antecedents on technology adoption developing valuable insight into influencing levels of attitudes and expectations prior to deployment of a mandated to use system. Two stages during the pre-deployment phase of a mission-critical, mandated system are studied. Results are reported from a two cross-sections field study of 263 and 185 users (physicians, nurses and nurse affiliates) at Critical Care departments of two hospitals implementing a Patient Data Management System. The results indicate that prior to deployment, trust is the most important predictor of attitudes and expectations. The proposed model explains a relatively large amount of the variance, (64% and 69%) in attitude and (57% and 47%) in expectations before and after training in system use, respectively. Collapse

Topics: perceived usefulness information system use resistance to change usage intention technology adoption

Methods: cross sectional research survey SEM tool data transformation descriptive statistic

Theories: theory of reasoned action

Military Intelligence Applications for Blockchain Technology

2019 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: McAbee, Ashley S M; Tummala, Murali; McEachen, John C

Abstract: In this paper, the authors review documented problems in military intelligence t ... Expand

Abstract: In this paper, the authors review documented problems in military intelligence that appear well suited for improvement via blockchain technology. We review guidance from the literature related to determining blockchain technology applicability and propose a decision aid tailored to military intelligence perspectives. We also propose applying batch queueing theory to enable initial feasibility studies and present analysis toward the first known case study of military intelligence incorporation of blockchain technology, a project reviewing blockchain applicability to an intelligence database that stores geographic locations of units of interest. Collapse

Topics: blockchain distributed ledger technology military information system database system Bitcoin

Methods: case study structured literature research survey

Categorical Stigma and Firm Disengagement: Nuclear Power Generation in the United States, 1970–2000

2015 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Piazza, Alessandro; Perretti, Fabrizio

Abstract: How do organizations react to stakeholder disapproval of a category to which the ... Expand

Abstract: How do organizations react to stakeholder disapproval of a category to which they belong? In this paper, we draw on the categorization, stigma, and identity literatures in building a theory to predict whether firms that are involved in stigmatized activities will choose to reduce or terminate their involvement in them, as opposed to resorting to less drastic measures such as defensive practice adoption or impression management techniques. Conceptualizing groups of organizations involved in such contentious practices as stigmatized categories in the eyes of an audience, we argue that organizational responses rest on three elements: (1) the intensity of stigma targeting the category, (2) the media exposure of the category, and (3) the extent to which an organization is a member of the category. A quantitative study of proposed new nuclear reactor units in the United States between 1970 and 2000, in the face of mounting opposition to atomic power, provides empirical support for our claims. Collapse

Topics: decision making logistics management database system Wikipedia information system use

Methods: robustness check literature sample regression analysis method parametric test logistic regression

Theories: organizational theory

Facilitator-in-a-Box: Process Support Applications to Help Practitioners Realize the Potential of Collaboration Technology

2013 | Journal of Management Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Briggs, Robert O.; Kolfschoten, Gwendolyn L.; de Vreede, Gert-Jan; Lukosch, Stephan; Albrecht, Conan C.

Abstract: The potential benefits of collaboration technologies are typically realized only ... Expand

Abstract: The potential benefits of collaboration technologies are typically realized only in groups led by collaboration experts. This raises the facilitator-in-the-box challenge: Can collaboration expertise be packaged with collaboration technology in a form that nonexperts can reuse with no training on either tools or techniques? We address that challenge with process support applications (PSAs). We describe a collaboration support system (CSS) that combines a computer-assisted collaboration engineering platform for creating PSAs with a process support system runtime platform for executing PSAs. We show that the CSS meets its design goals: (1) to reduce development cycles for collaboration systems, (2) to allow nonprogrammers to design and develop PSAs, and (3) to package enough expertise in the tools that nonexperts could execute a well-designed collaborative work process without training. Collapse

Topics: IT supported collaboration business process re-engineering software developer problem solving business process management

Methods: survey design design artifact personal interview descriptive statistic design science

An RFID Survivability Impact Model in the Military Domain

2012 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Julik, Joseph; Zuo, Yanjun

Abstract: In recent years, the development of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has le ... Expand

Abstract: In recent years, the development of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has led to many applications in the military domain. Compared to the vast amount of research on RFID security, there is little research on RFID survivability. In this paper, we present a theoretical survivability impact model for military RFID. Due to a lack of military data, our research is entirely based on available public sources. The objective is to identify the critical factors that could significantly affect military RFID survivability and lay down groundwork for further research in this area. Collapse

Topics: radio frequency identification military information system

Methods: theory development grounded theory

Taxonomy, technology and applications of smart objects

2011 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 11

Authors: López, Tomás Sánchez; Ranasinghe, Damith Chinthana; Patkai, Bela; McFarlane, Duncan

Abstract: Deployment of embedded technologies is increasingly being examined in industrial ... Expand

Abstract: Deployment of embedded technologies is increasingly being examined in industrial supply chains as a means for improving efficiency through greater control over purchase orders, inventory and product related information. Central to this development has been the advent of technologies such as bar codes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems, and wireless sensors which when attached to a product, form part of the product’s embedded systems infrastructure. The increasing integration of these technologies dramatically contributes to the evolving notion of a “smart product”, a product which is capable of incorporating itself into both physical and information environments. The future of this revolution in objects equipped with smart embedded technologies is one in which objects can not only identify themselves, but can also sense and store their condition, communicate with other objects and distributed infrastructures, and take decisions related to managing their life cycle. The object can essentially “plug” itself into a compatible systems infrastructure owned by different partners in a supply chain. However, as in any development process that will involve more than one end user, the establishment of a common foundation and understanding is essential for interoperability, efficient communication among involved parties and for developing novel applications. In this paper, we contribute to creating that common ground by providing a characterization to aid the specification and construction of “smart objects” and their underlying technologies. Furthermore, our work provides an extensive set of examples and potential applications of different categories of smart objects. Collapse

Topics: smart device mobile system radio frequency identification supply chain management military information system

Methods: design artifact case study literature study experiment personal interview

REVERE: Support for Requirements Synthesis from Documents

2002 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Sawyer, Pete; Rayson, Paul; Garside, Roger

Abstract: Documents are important sources of system requirements. This is particularly tru ... Expand

Abstract: Documents are important sources of system requirements. This is particularly true of domains that are document-centric in terms of their operational and development processes. For system evolution in organisations that have been subject to organisational change and loss of organisational memory, documents may be the major source of key requirements. Hence, systems engineers often face a daunting task of synthesising crucial requirements from a range of documents that include standards, interview transcripts and legacy specifications. The goal of REVERE was to investigate support for this task which has been described as document archaeology (Robertson S. and Robertson J. Mastering the Requirements Process. Reading, MA, Addison-Wesley, 1999). This paper describes the resulting REVERE toolset, its utility for document archaeology and for other tasks that have emerged in the course of our experiments with the toolset. Collapse

Topics: military information system procurement management requirements elicitation business process management

Methods: experiment qualitative interview ethnography qualitative content analysis NLP tool

GPR: A Data Mining Tool Using Genetic Programming

2001 | Communications of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ramesh, Balasubramaniam

Abstract: This paper proposes an inductive data mining technique (named GPR) based on gene ... Expand

Abstract: This paper proposes an inductive data mining technique (named GPR) based on genetic programming. Unlike other mining systems, the particularity of our technique is its ability to discover business rules that satisfy multiple (and possibly conflicting) decision or search criteria simultaneously. We present a step-by-step method to implement GPR, and introduce a prototype that generates production rules from real life data. We also report in this article on the use of GPR in an organization that seeks to understand how its employees make decisions in a “voluntary separation" program. Using a personnel database of 12,787 employees with 35 descriptive variables, our technique is able to discover employees’ hidden decision making patterns in the form of production rules. As our approach does not require any domain specific knowledge, it can be used without any major modification in different domains. Collapse

Topics: database system relational database programming language decision making military information system

Methods: machine learning genetic optimization case study design artifact decision tree classification