Dangerous Champions of IT Innovation

2020 | HICSS | Citations: 1

Authors: Gogan, Janis L; Conboy, Kieran; Weiss, Joseph W

Abstract: An IT innovation champion is a self-appointed advocate of a hardware, software o ... Expand

Abstract: An IT innovation champion is a self-appointed advocate of a hardware, software or data innovation. A dangerous IT innovation champion can expose an IT innovation project, as well as one or more operational processes and the organization, to reputational, financial, and other risks. While most prior studies see champions as heroes who drive projects forward through advocacy and marshaling of resources, some prior studies reported that champions do not always succeed and some reported that ineffective or dysfunctional champions may cause harm. We answer calls for more research on dysfunctional or ineffective innovation champions, by reflecting on particularly dangerous high-level IT innovation champions revealed in three field-based case studies. Based on our study findings, we discuss how to spot dangerous champions in time to mitigate high project and business risks. Collapse

Topics: digital innovation innovation management Chief Information Officer packaged software artificial intelligence

Methods: case study machine learning literature study field study mixed method

Innovative IT Use and Innovating with IT: A Study of the Motivational Antecedents of Two Different Types of Innovative Behaviors

2020 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 16

Authors: Rahrovani, Yasser; Pinsonneault, Alain

Abstract: The paper distinguishes two different types of innovative behaviors involving in ... Expand

Abstract: The paper distinguishes two different types of innovative behaviors involving information technology (IT): innovative IT use (IU) and innovating with IT (IwIT). While the former focuses on changing the technology and the work process to better support one’s existing work goals, the latter focuses on using IT to develop new work-related goals and outcomes. Drawing on Parker’s theory of proactive behavior, this paper compares the motivational antecedents and consequences of these two innovative behaviors enabled by IT. Our model hypothesizes that three generic types of motivation differentially affect IwIT versus IU. The paper also explores the moderating role of slack resources on the effect of motivation on the two innovative behaviors. Data from a survey of 427 IT users from North American companies show that social motivation affects IwIT (but not IU); intrinsic motivation is positively related to IU (but not IwIT); and internalized extrinsic motivation affects both IU and IwIT. Further, the results indicate that the moderating role of slack resources on different motivational paths is not a one-size-fits-all effect, that is, slack in IS resources only moderates the relationship between intrinsic motivation and IwIT. We also differentiated the consequences of IwIT from IU. The post hoc analysis shows that IwIT is significantly related to individual mindfulness at work, but IU is not. The paper contributes to IS research by offering a rich conceptualization of IwIT and examining its motivational antecedents and consequences in comparison to IU. Collapse

Topics: intrinsic motivation innovation management mindfulness systems implementation information system use

Methods: survey post-hoc analysis qualitative interview theory development card sorting

The art of vivacious variance

2019 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 0

Authors: Davison, Robert M.

Abstract: The novelist Vladimir Nabokov remarked that film adaptations of books should ne ... Expand

Abstract: The novelist Vladimir Nabokov remarked that film adaptations of books should never be measured against the original book itself, but instead should be assessed on their own merits as vivacious variants of the original (Boyd, 2005).By this, I understand that while originals can achieve a standard of excellence, derivatives should not be assessed according to the same standards. The same message can apply to us, as we plan and undertake research. When standing on the shoulders of giants, we often adapt the work of others. At the textual level, this may involve paraphrasing; at the conceptual and theoretical levels, we expect to see extensions, validations, or refutations of prior work. Vivacious adaptations may resolve existing issues in the field, offer more practical ways of understanding IS phenomena that subsequent researchers can explore, and tease out significant nuances that explain a situation or reposition an entire body of work in what amounts to a paradigm shift (Kuhn, 1962). If new contributions to knowl- Collapse

Topics: information system use innovation management technostress smart wearable device digital innovation

Methods: bibliometric analysis structured literature research machine learning

Theories: social practice theory

A risk oriented model to assess strategic decisions in new product development projects

2013 | Decision Support Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Marmier, F.; Gourc, D.; Laarz, F.

Abstract: The project management team has to respect contractual commitments, in terms of ... Expand

Abstract: The project management team has to respect contractual commitments, in terms of deadlines and budgets, that are often two antagonistic objectives. At the same time, the market becomes more and more demanding as far as costs and delays are concerned while expecting a high quality level. Then, the project management team has to continuously consider novelty and a risk management strategy in order to determine the best balance between benefits and risks. Based on the principles of a synchronized process between risk management and project management, and on the concepts of risk scenario, we propose a decision-making tool to help the project manager choose the best way to improve project success rate while controlling the level of risks. As a finding, the project manager would be able to evaluate and compare different novelties or development strategies taking into account their repercussions on potential risks and risk treatment strategies. Finally, a case study in the aerospace industry and specifically on satellite integration and tests is developed to validate this approach. Collapse

Topics: risk management project management IT risk management anonymity innovation management

Methods: case study literature study computational algorithm decision tree classification

Risk and Return of Information Technology Initiatives: Evidence from Electronic Commerce Announcements

2007 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 138

Authors: Dewan, Sanjeev; Ren, Fei

Abstract: This paper takes an event study approach to jointly examine the wealth and risk ... Expand

Abstract: This paper takes an event study approach to jointly examine the wealth and risk effects associated with electronic commerce announcements, contributing to the emerging research on the riskiness of IT investments and the trade-off between risk and return in the information systems literature. We estimate a generalized event study model that allows for both systematic and unsystematic risk changes on data collected for electronic commerce announcements in the 1996–2002 time frame. A striking result emerging from our analysis is that wealth effects are not significant after controlling for contemporaneous risk changes. Both total and unsystematic risk show a significant postevent increase in 1998 and 2000, whereas systematic risk adjusts downward in 1996 and 2002. Put together, our results contribute to our nascent understanding of how IT initiatives affect the risk-return profile of the firm. Collapse

Topics: electronic commerce digital good business-to-business IT risk management business-to-consumer

Methods: event study longitudinal research cross sectional research regression analysis method cluster analysis

Theories: information systems theory

Systemic Risk, Information Technology Artifacts, and High Reliability Organizations: A Case of Constructing a Radical Architecture

2004 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 6

Authors: Carlo, Jessica; Lyytinen, Kalle; Boland, Richard

Abstract: In distributed, complex socio-technical systems, risks increasingly originate fr ... Expand

Abstract: In distributed, complex socio-technical systems, risks increasingly originate from multiple sources, affect multiple agents in diverse ways, and thus become systemic. The traditional linear causal model of risk control and an individual decision-maker orientation is no longer adequate to contain such risks. This paper reports a detailed case study of a highly complex architectural project by the architect Frank Gehry and his firm Gehry Partners, L.L.C. Gehry and his partners successfully used the 3D representation software Catia to construct radical architectures with dauntingly complex geometric surfaces in spite of increasing systemic risks. Our findings suggest that, in order to successfully combat such risks, organizations rely upon organizing mechanisms characteristic of high reliability organizations (HROs). Our analysis also indicates that creating and maintaining a collective mindfulness is critical for risk control and mitigation in complex socio-technical systems. IT artifacts such as Catia, in combination with other social/technical elements such as skilled workers, contracts, and communication protocols, can enable the five cognitive processes underlying collective mindfulness: preoccupation with failure, reluctance to simplify interpretations, sensitivity to operations, commitment to resilience, and under-specification of structures. Collapse

Topics: mindfulness IT risk management digital innovation systems development decision making

Methods: design artifact case study qualitative interview theory development triangulation

Theories: socio technical theory prospect theory boundary objects theory