The Role of Cajoling Strategies in Path Creation

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Hylving, Lena

Abstract: Carving out new pathways can be challenging, particularly for established organ ... Expand

Abstract: Carving out new pathways can be challenging, particularly for established organizations resistant to change. Although research has identified the important role of peripheral entrepreneurs in path creation, identifying innovative ideas, and for being motivated to change the organization, less is known about what strategies peripheral entrepreneurs apply when moving ideas from the periphery to the center. This study examines how peripheral entrepreneurs, despite limited resources, effectively employed cajoling strategies over a 20-year span to instigate organizational change. Leveraging the rise in digitalization, these peripheral entrepreneurs utilized three distinct digital cajoling strategies: coaxing, enticing, and teasing to transform organizational structures, revamp work processes, and change established design regimes and traditional mindsets. We discuss the consequences of cajoling as it can be used for both good and bad purposes. Collapse

Topics: innovation management research and development organizational change digital innovation user experience

Methods: personal interview participant observation qualitative interview case study

How Do Knowledge Management Strategy and Communication Channels Influence Innovation?

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Xu, Zheyi; Mithas, Sunil; Vreede, Triparna de

Abstract: How do knowledge management (KM) strategy and communication channels influence ... Expand

Abstract: How do knowledge management (KM) strategy and communication channels influence individuals' innovative behavior?We answer this research question by drawing on media richness theory, and studying how two KM strategies (codification and personalization) and communication approaches with varying degree of media richness (i.e., telephone communication and email communication) shape innovative behavior at the individual level. Our analyses of the survey collected from more than 900 employees from several firms belonging to a leading conglomerate reveal three findings. First, we find that codification KM strategy has a positive effect on employees' innovative behavior. Second, we find that both face-to-face communication and telephone communication foster innovative behavior, but such an effect is absent for email communication presumably due to its lack of media richness. Finally, we find that the codification KM approach diminishes the advantages of face-to-face communication in innovative behavior. We discuss implications for research and practice. . Firms often adopt IT to mimic inperson interactions and implement enterprise social systems that are meant to overcome knowledge sharing challenges brought on by geographical separation (Malgonde et al., 2023;Ou et al., 2014;Susarla et al., 2012). However, not all communication tools are created equal and they provide different levels of communication cues (i.e., different levels of media richness) to facilitate innovative behavior. In particular, communication channels such as emails and voice communication, with or without video (e.g., telephone and online meetings), provide varying degree of communication cues (Gubbins & Dooley, 2014;Moffett et al., 2021). Besides communication channels, firms also use different types of knowledge management (KM) strategies to influence innovative behavior. These KM strategies can also influence the knowledge transfer by using different communication channels.Although prior research has made impressive strides to enhance our understanding of the individual roles of KM strategy and communication channels on innovation (Al Shaar et al., 2015;López-Nicolás & Meroño-Cerdán, 2011;Trantopoulos et al., 2017), few studies have examined the combined effect of KM strategies and communication channels on innovation. Accordingly, in this study, we investigate the following research questions: (1) How do different communication channels facilitate innovative behavior? (2) How do KM strategies and communication channels jointly facilitate innovative behavior? Drawing upon the media richness theory (Daft & Lengel, 1986;Ishii et al., 2019), we focus on three communication channels that vary in their media richness: face-to-face communication, telephone/voice communication, and text/email communication. In addition, we investigate the effect of two KM strategies (i.e., structured strategy termed as codification versus unstructured strategy termed as personalization) on innovative behavior and how two KM strategies moderate the effect of communication channels on innovative behavior. We test our hypotheses using survey data collected from teams participating in the innovation program at the Tata group, one of the most reputed and largest conglomerates in the world.Our results suggest that codification strategy is associated with innovative behavior. Face-to-face communication and telephone/voice communication leads to similar levels of improvement in innovative behavior. However, text/email communication does not improve innovation, presumably because of the lack of media richness. Further, we investigate the role of KM strategies in moderating the effect of communication channels, and find that the codification strategy diminishes the positive effect of face-toface communication on innovation. Collectively, these findings extend the growing literature on digital innovation and provide important implications for research and practice. CodificationThis describes whether the firm's innovation process or knowledge management process is standardized or not. It is a binary variable (codification=1, personalization=0).( Srivastava et al., 2013) f2f communicationThe extent to which employees communicate via face-to-face. It is measured using one items scoring from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) and is treated as a continuous variable.Self-developed Telephone communicationThe extent to which employees communicate via telephone/voice chat. It is measured using one items scoring from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) and is treated as a continuous variable.Self-developed Email communicationThe extent to which employees communicate via emails/text chat. It is measured using one item scoring from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) and is treated as a continuous variable.Self-developed innovative behavior at an individual level in teams. We leveraged data from more than 959 employees in a large multinational conglomerate to document several findings. First, we find that codification is better than personalization in eliciting individual's innovative behavior, presumably because of standardization and low complexity. Second, we find that face-to-face communication, telephone communication, and email communication can all facilitate team collaboration and innovation, but they show nuanced differences. Telephone communication is equivalent to face-to-face communication suggesting that knowledge sharing happens through verbal cues, requiring fewer non-verbal cues. We find that email communication is not effective in improving innovation, presumably because (1) email lacks the benefit of synchronous communication and immediate feedback, and (2) knowledge sharing requires not only textual information but also verbal cues, such as tones of voice.Finally, we find that the codification strategy negatively moderates the relationship between face-to-face communication and innovative behavior, but the moderating effect does not exist for telephone and email communication. These findings indicate that high level of codification tends to diminish the effects of interpersonal relationship and the rich media provided by face-to-face communication on innovation. As IT-supported communication channels lack the merits of building interpersonal relationships, codification would not affect innovative behavior initiated by telephone and email communication. In summary, our results suggest that knowledge sharing via non-verbal communication, which is enabled by face-to-face communication, is important to innovation, and management of non-verbal knowledge is better facilitated via personalization strategy instead of codification strategy. Together these findings provide important KM Strategy, Communication Channels, and InnovationOur findings provide several implications for research. First, our findings related to the effect of communication channels on innovative behavior provide a greater insight into the antecedents of individuals' innovative behavior. As an individual-level construct, innovative behavior has been explained by individual-level antecedents, such as interpersonal relationships (Abdullah et al., 2016;Li & Hsu, 2018), but there is limited understanding on how various communication channels facilitate innovation. This presents a critical gap in innovation research. We address this gap by examining the role of IT in supporting communication, knowledge sharing, and innovation (Matta et al., 2017;Saraf et al., 2013). We also show the need for differentiating among different types of communication channels because they influence innovative behavior differently. Thus, this research contributes to a more holistic understanding of innovative behavior by considering factors beyond the typically explored individual-level antecedents.Second, we extend our understanding of media richness theory from the KM perspective. Although media richness theory proposes that increased media richness results in better communication outcomes, our research shows that telephone communication is as effective as face-to-face communication in motivating innovative behavior. We further show that email communication is less effective than telephone communication in stimulating innovative behavior suggesting that synchronous communication with nonverbal cues may be an effective communication mode to facilitate innovation. In other words, by empirically establishing the limitations of email for innovative tasks, we offer evidence that IT-intensive methods might not always be suitable for knowledge sharing in innovation contexts. While both face-to-face and telephone communications have homogeneous effects on innovative behavior, non-verbal cues might actually introduce complexity rather than value.Third, we answer the call for the simultaneous examination of human knowledge artifacts and technical artifacts when investigating digital innovation (Hund et al., 2021;Majchrzak & Griffith, 2020). In addition, our findings provide empirical evidence of considering the joint effect of KM strategies (i.e., the human knowledge artifact) and communication channels (i.e., the technical artifact) on digital innovation. Although prior literature proposes that the choice of codification or personalization is contingent on their knowledge reuse contexts (Kumar & Ganesh, 2011;Liu et al., 2013), these studies do not provide clear guidance of how to choose between codification and personalization when considering different communication channels for knowledge management. Our research builds on this proposition and shows (1) that the choice of codification (versus personalization) depends on the use of communication channel, and (2) that high codification may diminish the beneficial effects of face-to-face communication. Managerial ImplicationsOur research also provides several practical implications. First, our findings suggest that firms should tailor their deployment of communication tools considering their impact on innovative behavior. Managers should emphasize face-to-face and telephone communications over email communications if the goal is to promote innovation. This finding is relevant in the post-pandemic era when many firms are rethinking or transforming their working mode temporarily or permanently. Understanding that telephone communication can be as effective as face-to-face interaction can help organizations to be more diverse in their collaboration approaches. Organizations can also promote innovation by developing IT solutions that mimic the benefits of face-to-face and telephone communication while retaining the efficiency of email communication. For instance, firms can allocate more budget to implement voice-based electronic communication tools that replace email communication.Second, our findings provide insights to firms to synchronize their KM strategy with the deployment of communication channels to improve innovation. Firms should choose between codification and personalization depending on what communication channel the innovation teams adopt. For instance, when team members mostly meet in person to discuss ideas, personalization through non-verbal communication is likely to be a better way for them to generate innovative ideas.Finally, the findings of the study underscore the critical need for organizations to carefully consider their communication and KM strategy. One strategy does not fit all needs. It is imperative that organizations not KM Strategy, Communication Channels, and Innovation Collapse

Topics: innovation management electronic mail knowledge management strategy usability telephone

Methods: statistical hypothesis test survey descriptive statistic theory development cross sectional survey

Theories: media richness theory

Responsible Digital Innovation in Dark: Toward Access-Control-Transparency Theory

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Abhari, Kaveh; Xiao, Bo; Eisenberg, David

Abstract: As the world moves ever forward into a digital future, the need for responsible ... Expand

Abstract: As the world moves ever forward into a digital future, the need for responsible digital innovation (RDI) becomes increasingly urgent. This paper presents the access-control-transparency (ACT) theory, a simple yet powerful framework for guiding designers and developers in creating digital artifacts that embody the principles of responsible design. With a focus on promoting access, control, and transparency, this theory aims to address the dark side of digital innovation and ensure that new technologies are developed in a way that considers their impact on individuals, communities, and society. The paper also explores avenues for future research, including the impact of ACT-driven design principles on organizational and societal outcomes, the role of individual and organizational values in the RDI process, and the incorporation of human-centric design and ongoing reflection into the ACT theory. Collapse

Topics: innovation management digital innovation access control

Methods: theory development synthesis design artifact

Institutional Work for Enterprise Architecture

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

Authors: Ajer, Anne Kristin; Hustad, Eli; Olsen, Dag; Vassilakopoulou, Polyxeni

Abstract: Enterprise architecture (EA) is a systematic approach used for designing and im ... Expand

Abstract: Enterprise architecture (EA) is a systematic approach used for designing and implementing changes in technological systems and processes to improve organizational performance and align technology with business. This paper unpacks the process through which EA moves from strategic-level endorsement to diffusion across organizations. The insights provided are based on a longitudinal case study within the Norwegian hospital sector. An institutional work lens is adopted to analyze the purposeful activities carried out to introduce EA in Norwegian hospitals providing a granular view on diffusion. The paper provides a rich description of the institutional work employed by the key actors involved mapping them to different turns in EA's trajectory. Drawing from this analysis, we contribute to Information Systems literature with a conceptual model that illustrates how institutional work can mitigate the challenges of moving from the strategic-level endorsement of novelty to its diffusion and institutionalization smoothing downturns along the way. The findings indicate ways to facilitate the introduction of EA within complex organizations, providing insights for practitioners involved in EA initiatives, and advancing extant EA research through an institutional perspective. Collapse

Topics: digital innovation information systems strategy website innovation management

Methods: qualitative interview conceptual modelling field study case study longitudinal case study

Blockchain Use Case in Ballistics and Crime Gun Tracing and Intelligence: Toward Overcoming Gun Violence

2023 | ACM Transactions on Management Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Akello, Patricia; Vemprala, Naga; Lang Beebe, Nicole; Raymond Choo, Kim-Kwang

Abstract: In the United States and around the world, gun violence has become a long-standi ... Expand

Abstract: In the United States and around the world, gun violence has become a long-standing public safety concern and a security threat, due to violent gun-related crimes, injuries, and fatalities. Although legislators and lawmakers have attempted to mitigate its threats through legislation, research on gun violence confirms the need for a comprehensive approach to gun violence prevention. This entails addressing the problem in as many ways as possible, such as through legislation, new technological advancements, re-engineering supply, and administrative protocols, among others. The research focuses on the technological, supply, and administrative aspects, in which we propose a manner of managing gun-related data efficiently from the point of manufacture/sale, as well as at points of transfers between secondary sellers for the improvement of criminal investigation processes. Making data more readily available with greater integrity will facilitate successful investigations and prosecutions of gun crimes. Currently, there is no single and uniform platform for firearm manufacturers, dealers, and other stakeholders involved in firearm sales, dissemination, management, and investigation. With the help of Blockchain technology, gun registry, ownership, transfers, and, most importantly, investigations, when crimes occur, can all be managed efficiently, breaking the cycle of gun violence. The identification of guns, gun tracing, and identification of gun owners/possessors rely on accuracy, integrity, and consistency in related systems to influence gun crime investigation processes. Blockchain technology, which uses a consensus-based approach to improve processes and transactions, is demonstrated in this study as a way to enhance these procedures. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore and demonstrate the utility of Blockchain for gun-related criminal investigations using a design science approach. Collapse

Topics: blockchain criminality smart contract Ethereum access control

Methods: design artifact design science design process case study simulation

What is Missing from Research on Data in Information Systems? Insights from the Inaugural Workshop on Data Research

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

Authors: Aaltonen, Aleksi; Alaimo, Cristina; Parmiggiani, Elena; Stelmaszak, Marta; Jarvenpaa, Sirkka; Kallinikos, Jannis; Monteiro, Eric

Abstract: Data are the building blocks of the ongoing digital revolution, yet there are s ... Expand

Abstract: Data are the building blocks of the ongoing digital revolution, yet there are still many unresolved questions regarding their role in the study of information systems (IS), management, and innovation. As data become increasingly pervasive elements of socio-economic life, we ask whether IS needs to expand the ways in which it conceptualizes data and their role in business and society. This panel report summarizes discussions that took place in the inaugural workshop on data research. The workshop asked what is missing from research on data in IS from four well-known scholars whose work touches upon the topic in different ways. Three main themes emerged from the speakers' statements that were further discussed by the workshop participants: 1) the need to go beyond traditional ways of conceiving data, 2) the need to investigate the relationship between data and meaning, and 3) the need to study new data management and governance approaches. We present these research themes and connect them with future research directions. Collapse

Topics: innovation management data management value creation digital innovation information technology infrastructure

Digitalization and Early Internationalization- Systematic Literature Review Analyses

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Appiah, Emmanuel; Gabrielsson, Peter

Abstract: Substantial anecdotal evidence has been garnered to make it uncontentious to con ... Expand

Abstract: Substantial anecdotal evidence has been garnered to make it uncontentious to concede to studies that stress on the influence of digital technology on early internationalization of firms. Having an interest to study how studies on this phenomenon has progressed overtime. The present paper systematically evaluates internationalization literature in which issues of digitalization feature as a component underlying the causes, processes, and outcomes of early internationalization. This enables us to outline the development of major research areas in terms of themes, theoretical and methodological approaches. We contribute by proposing several future research directions. Collapse

Topics: information technology capability internet technology electronic business mobile system marketing management

Methods: literature sample structured literature research theory development cross sectional research literature study

Clinical research from information systems practice

2023 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Baskerville, Richard; vom Brocke, Jan; Mathiassen, Lars; Scheepers, Helana

Abstract: An increasing presence of practitioners with doctoral degrees in Information Sys ... Expand

Abstract: An increasing presence of practitioners with doctoral degrees in Information Systems and related disciplines holds promise to advance Information Systems research. The prospect is to gain more knowledge from the practical experience of developing, using, and managing information systems in context. To scientifically capitalise on this opportunity, this EJIS special issue introduces the research genre of “Information Systems Clinical Research”. The genre presents knowledge generated from practitioner-researcher interventions to achieve desired outcomes in information systems development, use, and management practice contexts. In this editorial, we introduce and conceptualise the genre; we present a research framework that defines its four key elements; and we discuss how to address its key challenges in research projects. As a result, we derive ten criteria for rigorous Information Systems Clinical Research and provide examples on how the articles published in the special issue have addressed these criteria. We conclude with a call to further advance clinical research as an important part of the Information Systems discipline. Collapse

Topics: IS discipline innovation management IT skill systems development digital innovation

Methods: qualitative interview focus group field study literature sample qualitative coding

Attention to Digital Innovation: Exploring the Impact of a Chief Information Officer in the Top Management Team

2023 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Bendig, David; Wagner, Robin; Piening, Erk; Foege, Johann

Abstract: We draw on the attention-based view of the firm to examine whether and when the ... Expand

Abstract: We draw on the attention-based view of the firm to examine whether and when the presence of a CIO in the TMT has a positive effect on both firms' ideated digital innovation (IDI) (i.e., the intensity of firms' digital patenting activity) and commercialized digital innovation (CDI) (i.e., the digital sophistication of firms' new products). Building on the idea that attention processes are context dependent, we also explore the moderating roles of CEO characteristics (IT background and role tenure) as well as environmental characteristics (the industry's IT attention). We analyze data from a cross-industry panel of U.S. S&P 500 firms over eight years that includes up to 2,852 firm-year observations. The results indicate that CIO presence in the TMT is positively related to a firm's IDI and CDI. Furthermore, they show that the organizational context related to CEO characteristics moderates the CIO-CDI relationship and that the environmental context related to the industry's IT attention moderates the CIO-IDI relationship. Our research contributes to the information systems literature by providing robust evidence that CIO presence in the TMT positively influences a firm's digital innovation outcomes, showing how internal and external boundary conditions affect the work of CIOs, and elaborating the role of managerial attention as an underlying mechanism explaining digital innovation. Collapse

Topics: Chief Information Officer innovation management digital innovation research and development IT investment

Methods: regression analysis method theory development instrumental variables estimation Compustat descriptive statistic

How have firms transformed and executed IT-enabled remote work initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic? Conceptualization and empirical evidence from Spain

2023 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Benitez, Jose; Castillo, Ana; Ruiz, Laura; Luo, Xin (Robert); Prades, Pedro

Abstract: This paper examines how firms have transformed and executed IT-enabled remote wo ... Expand

Abstract: This paper examines how firms have transformed and executed IT-enabled remote work initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic. After examining archival data on a sample of 100 firms in Spain, we discover three types of IT-enabled remote work firm’s strategies: leader, agile, and survival. Leader companies have a competitive advantage over agile companies, which in turn have a competitive advantage over survival organizations. We find that firm size was crucial to executing remote work firm’s initiatives as a leader or survival. The industry significantly affected the implementation of remote work firm’s initiatives during the three pivotal periods in the telecommunications industry. Collapse

Topics: remote work IT supported collaboration pandemic competitive advantage organizational value

Methods: qualitative content analysis theory development partial least squares path modeling mediation analysis statistical power analysis

Theories: contingency theory resource based view of the firm organizational theory