Digital Transformation of Public Sector Manual Procurement and Socioeconomic Development: A Developing Country Case Study

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Agbeko, Michael; Effah, John; Boateng, Richard

Abstract: Digital transformation in the public sector offers opportunities for developing ... Expand

Abstract: Digital transformation in the public sector offers opportunities for developing countries to address socioeconomic development challenges related to citizen wellbeing. While countries in the developed world digitally transform their public sector procurement for socioeconomic development, many in the developing world are yet to do so. Existing information systems research on digital procurement in developing countries has focused more on adoption, strategy, and design. Little is known about how manual procurement practices are digitally transformed in the public sector of developing countries for socioeconomic development. This study employs interpretive case study as a methodology and activity theory as analytical lens to investigate how manual procurement activities in the public sector get digitally transformed and its effect on socioeconomic development in a developing country context. The findings have implications for research, practice, and policy.The developed procurement platform (GHANEPS) has two parts. These modules allow the performance of various procurement activities on the system. The PDW on the other hand is the database that stores information on all procurement activities and is supposed to be connected to external ERP systems, other data repositories, and business intelligence systems. The project manager observed in one of the training sessions that Our inability to successfully train and bring on board all public sector institutions is as a result of the COVID-19 emergence and other challenges in the public sector. This has delayed the training sessions. This means that the government effort to enhance the country's socioeconomic development within the medium term is going to be affected. Collapse

Topics: procurement management digital transformation digital platform Python structured query language

Methods: qualitative interview case study field study

Theories: activity theory

Design Theory for Societal Digital Transformation: The Case of Digital Global Health

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

Authors: Braa, Jørn; Sahay, Sundeep; Monteiro, Eric

Abstract: With societal challenges, including but not limited to human development, equit ... Expand

Abstract: With societal challenges, including but not limited to human development, equity, social justice, and climate change, societal-level digital transformation (SDT) is of imminent relevance and theoretical interest. While building on local-level efforts, societal-level transformation is a nonlinear extension of the local level. Unfortunately, academic discourse on digital transformation has largely left SDT unaccounted for. Drawing on more than 25 years of intensive, interventionist research engagement with the digital transformation of public healthcare information management and delivery in more than 80 countries in the Global South, we contribute to theorizing SDT in the form of a design theory consisting of six interconnected design principles. These design principles articulate the interplay and tensions of accommodating over time increased diversity and flexibility in digital solutions, while simultaneously connecting local, national, and regional/ global efforts. inception in three townships in post-apartheid South Africa, different versions and configurations of the DHIS have been adopted by more than 80 countriesincluding all but two African countries south of the Sahara, Norway, and other "developed" countriesthrough the efforts of universities, ministries of health, international organizations, funding, and various other agencies. Its ambition highlights the concerns of equity, inclusiveness, and ideology-that is, making design "that matters" (Bødker & Kyng, 2018) for society.According to Markus and Rowe (2021), the study of SDT to date remains underresearched (cf. also Vial, 2019), despite its tremendous significance in the different facets of social life globally. This mirrors the general critique that Jørn Braa is a professor at the University of Oslo, Norway, where he has spent much of his professional career initiating, cultivating, and promoting interventionist research on and around the DHIS2/ HISP efforts. He is the "father" of the project. His work has been published in outlets including the MIS Quarterly, The Information Society, Information Technology for Development, and in books.Sundeep Sahay is a professor at the University of Oslo, Norway and for the last couple of decades has been engaged in the DHIS2/ HISP project, with a main focus on Asia in general and India in particular. His work has been published in outlets including MIS Quarterly, Information and Organization, Information Systems Research, and in books.Eric Monteiro is a professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and an adjunct professor at the University of Oslo. He has a long-term, low-intensity engagement with DHIS2/ HISP spanning more than two decades. His work has been published in outlets including MIS Quarterly, European Journal of Information Systems, Journal of the Association for Information Systems, and a recent book. Collapse

Topics: public good digital transformation digital innovation information management health information system

Methods: design theory synthesis theory development theoretical contribution longitudinal research

Changebots - Designing Chatbots to Support Blood Donor Behaviour Change

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Müller, Helena; Reuter-Oppermann, Melanie

Abstract: Even though blood products cannot be produced artificially, but are important f ... Expand

Abstract: Even though blood products cannot be produced artificially, but are important for many surgeries and treatments, less than 1 % of the population donates blood in countries like South Africa or Ghana. Therefore, efficient and successful blood donor mobilisation and management are important. We argue that a chatbot offers easy access to information for all types of donors and can support the transition of non-, first-time or lapsed donors to regular donors. By applying the design science research methodology, we have developed a chatbot for all donor types in South Africa and Ghana. We performed two design cycles, collaborating with experts from three blood services and grounding our research on existing and derived behavioural change models. The chatbot was positively evaluated in two workshops that included focus group discussions and online surveys. Collapse

Topics: Google+ website usability mobile application conversational agent

Methods: chatbot survey design science design artifact design principle

Theories: behavioral theory

Persuasive Blood Donation App Design for Individualist and Collectivist Cultures

2023 | DESRIST | Citations: 6

Authors: Müller, Helena M.; Reuter-Oppermann, Melanie

Abstract: The two African countries South Africa and Ghana both suffer from low recruitmen ... Expand

Abstract: The two African countries South Africa and Ghana both suffer from low recruitment and retention of blood donors and daily face the challenge of matching supply and demand of blood products. When addressing this challenge, it is important to note that the blood donation cultures of both countries differ, with South Africa representing an individualist and Ghana a collectivist blood donation culture. In order to support donor management in both countries, we argue that blood donation apps can play an important role. By applying the design science methodology, we evaluate and analyse a set of previously defined design features with regard to their importance for a blood donation app in those two countries. By means of an online survey, we establish the overall usefulness of a blood donation app. We additionally conclude that for both countries personal and social features are important for the design, but that for South Africa personal features like reminders or rewards are even more important, while for Ghana social features dominate. Collapse

Topics: mobile application website systems design user interface perceived usefulness

Methods: design science survey chatbot design artifact design principle

Examining The Moderating Effects of The Digital Divide on The Nexus of E-Government Use And Public Value: Evidence From a Developing Economy

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Odei-Appiah, Solomon; Owusu, Acheampong

Abstract: Continuous investments into the digitalization of public services call for asse ... Expand

Abstract: Continuous investments into the digitalization of public services call for assessments of the success of such initiatives. However, studies on e-government evaluation from citizens' perspectives are scanty, particularly in developing countries. Despite the negative effects the digital divide has on emerging economies, the impact of multi-dimensional digital divide on the success of e-government systems in such countries has not been adequately examined. Contemporary Internet-based systems characterized by personalization and customization generate varying user experiences. Hence, calls for information systems (IS) success development measures to capture intangible and subjective benefits derived not only from traditional and utilitarian values but also social values to reflect the contemporary complexities of online user interactions. This study investigates e-government success as public value from citizens' perspective amidst the effects of the digital divide. Data will be collected through a survey of e-government users in Ghana and analyzed with partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to evaluate the proposed model. Collapse

Topics: government system digital divide

Methods: partial least squares path modeling structural equation modeling partial least squares regression survey

THE EFFECT OF REGULATORY MEASURES ON INDIVIDUAL DATA DISCLOSURE: A COUNTRY COMPARISON

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Richthammer, Martin; Widjaja, Thomas

Abstract: Data protection regulations are various. While research has found regulations t ... Expand

Abstract: Data protection regulations are various. While research has found regulations to be an effective means for privacy in some data disclosure contexts, the ineffectiveness of most cookie banners is a negative example. Therefore, we investigate which contextual factors cause these differing results. Over a series of workshops with legal experts, we identified two main types of regulatory measures: measures with and without user action. Based on dual-process theories, we propose in this research-in-progress that regulations should involve users only in privacy decisions in high-effort contexts and should mandate privacy in low-effort contexts. To investigate this proposition, we plan to conduct a scenario-based survey where participants from six countries disclose data in a high-versus a low-effort context. By applying a hierarchical linear model, we want to group individual differences by regulatory differences of countries. The expected results will show whether effects of different regulatory measures on individual behavior are context-dependent. Collapse

Topics: privacy data protection information privacy law information privacy concern decision making

Methods: survey parametric test ANOVA hierarchical linear modeling longitudinal survey

Theories: dual-system theory privacy calculus theory

Moving away from trading on the margins: Economic empowerment of informal businesses through FinTech

2023 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 1

Authors: Senyo, P. K.; Gozman, Daniel; Karanasios, Stan; Dacre, Nicholas; Baba, Melissa

Abstract: While there have been increasing studies on the impact of financial technology ( ... Expand

Abstract: While there have been increasing studies on the impact of financial technology (FinTech), limited research has explored how FinTech supports economic empowerment for informal businesses. Drawing on institutional logics and a case study of mobile money—a FinTech innovation—this study develops a model of mobile money-driven economic empowerment. We argue that this model is important to explain how those at the bottom of the economic pyramid, who are often neglected, use FinTech innovations to create and run informal businesses. Our findings and model explain the dynamics between logics, actors, and mobile money at three levels: regulatory, payments infrastructure, and informal economy. We identify three corresponding effects as outcomes of economic empowerment for informal businesses: greater access to start-up capital, new employment opportunities, and improved financial management. By illustrating these effects, our study contributes to a better understanding of how FinTech innovations offer a possible pathway to economic empowerment for informal businesses. Collapse

Topics: mobile payment mobile system electronic finance innovation management information and communication technology for development

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative coding theory development personal interview triangulation

The Impact of National Culture on Strategic IT Alignment: A Multiple-case Study of Subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations

2022 | Information Systems Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Adaba, Godfried B.; Wilson, David W.; Sims, Julian

Abstract: Through a multiple-case study of three subsidiaries of multinational corporation ... Expand

Abstract: Through a multiple-case study of three subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs), we examined the impact of national culture on strategic information technology (IT) alignment. We found that the headquarters and subsidiary host national cultures affect alignment indirectly, through variables in the organizational context, including intercultural communications, IT governance, management style, differences in work values and practices, and cultural conflict and mistrust. Based on the findings, we propose a model of national culture and alignment. Collapse

Topics: national culture IT governance organizational context offshoring IT workforce

Methods: qualitative interview case study multiple case study personal interview qualitative coding

Theories: cultural dimensions theory theory of economic development

Public Sector Procurement Digitalization and National Development: The Case of Ghana

2022 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Agbeko, Michael; Effah, John; Boateng, Richard

Abstract: This study aims at understanding the effects of procurement digitalization in t ... Expand

Abstract: This study aims at understanding the effects of procurement digitalization in the public sector on national development in a developing country context. The importance of procurement digitalization by governments to support national development cannot be over emphasis. A growing number of research on procurement digitalization exist, however, this has focused more on the private sector with less attention on the public sector and its effects on national development in developing countries. Given this gap, this paper employs qualitative interpretive case study as the methodology to investigate procurement digitalization in the public sector of Ghana. The findings show that digitalization of public sector procurement in developing countries has positive and negative effects on national development. This results in partial fulfillment of goals for digitalizing public procurement in developing countries. The findings have implications for research, practice, and policy. Collapse

Topics: procurement management government system

Methods: qualitative interview case study field study

Theories: work systems theory

Information technology and public administration modernization in a developing country: Pursuing paperless clearance at Ghana customs

2022 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 1

Authors: Addo, Atta

Abstract: Despite significant information technology (IT) implementations in public admini ... Expand

Abstract: Despite significant information technology (IT) implementations in public administrations of developing countries to change their dysfunctional traditional practices towards modern forms, the outcomes are typically disappointing relative to the potential of IT for organizational change. With a case study of the customs clearance process when importing goods through Ghana's main port, the Tema Harbour, we explore why IT struggles to modernize traditional practices of public administration in a developing country context. We focus on explaining the persistence of paper use at Ghana customs despite more than a decade of digitalization and automation to establish paperless processes that eliminate malpractices of traditional clearance. We view modernization as a process of long-term institutional change and therefore draw from the literature on IT and institutional change to focus our investigation on the dynamics of incongruent institutional logics of IT and public administration. We show that in the administration context of a developing country like Ghana, the endurance of patrimonial logics in the state and broader society, coupled with high levels of administrative discretion and ambivalent or weak compliance pressure limit the realization of IT for modernization and allows hybrid practices to emerge. Collapse

Topics: electronic data interchange data protection national culture information system use organizational context

Methods: qualitative interview case study literature study field study theory development