The multiplexity of diagrams and prototypes in requirements development

2023 | Information and Organization | Citations: 0

Authors: Ciriello, Raffaele Fabio; Richter, Alexander; Schwabe, Gerhard; Mathiassen, Lars

Abstract: Information systems development (ISD) requires dynamic and flexible ways of wor ... Expand

Abstract: Information systems development (ISD) requires dynamic and flexible ways of working, particularly when developing requirements in collaboration with customers. Although prior research has acknowledged the importance of objects to support ISD practices, there has been a lack of frameworks to help discern the multiple overlapping roles objects play to support requirements development in a variety of ways throughout an ISD project. This paper explores and theorizes this phenomenon by leveraging multiplexity as a theoretical lens to analyze an extensive qualitative data set from a case study at a Swiss multinational banking software provider. Results show how diagrams and prototypes both play the roles of epistemic, activity, boundary, and infrastructure objects as a reflection of how they are used in requirements development. Our analysis articulates how two classical requirements specifications play multiple overlapping roles to support dynamic and flexible ISD practices. Based on these findings, we advance a framework for discerning the multiplex role of objects in practice * Corresponding author. Collapse

Topics: banking sytem intranet software developer innovation management systems design

Methods: design artifact qualitative interview case study qualitative coding field study

Theories: boundary objects theory general systems theory

Stock Market Reactions to IT Endowment at the Onset of COVID-19

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Kathuria, Abhishek; Karhade, Prasanna; Jaiswal, Ankur; Mani, Deepa

Abstract: The COVID-19 crisis represented an unprecedented test to organizations with res ... Expand

Abstract: The COVID-19 crisis represented an unprecedented test to organizations with respect to its systemic severity and the unique policy response of governments around the world. Policies to curb the pandemic's spread resulted in severe cratering of demand and diverse supply disruptions to firms. Research demonstrates significant heterogeneity in the impacts of the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns on firm performance due to diverse firm characteristics. Our study advances this body of work by assessing the moderating impact of a firm's pre-existing Information Technology (IT) endowment on changes in market and operational performance caused by the pandemic. Impacts of specific classes of IT investments, analyses of the social media activity of the firm, and textual analyses of news articles pertaining to the firm provide insights into underlying mechanisms. More generally, our results provide insights into the resilience accorded by IT in the face of exogenous disasters. Collapse

Topics: pandemic Twitter database system business continuity planning accounting

Methods: longitudinal research difference in differences cross sectional research descriptive statistic robustness check

Software in the Manufacturing Industry: A Review of Security Challenges and Implications

2023 | International Conference on Business Informatics | Citations: 0

Authors: Landeck, Yannick; Balta, Dian; Wimmer, Martin; Knierim, Christian

Abstract: Software defines digital infrastructures in the manufacturing industry, connect ... Expand

Abstract: Software defines digital infrastructures in the manufacturing industry, connecting services and computation resources to machines and devices. These infrastructures aim at increased flexibility, scalability, and a wider application portfolio for automated manufacturing processes. At the same time, the complexity of securing software increases dramatically. Threats to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of software can result in critical losses for automated industrial production and impact manufacturing companies. In order to map existing and emerging security challenges, we present the results of a hermeneutic literature review structured along abstraction levels and vertical integration of software. Based on this structure, we derive implications for academia and practice focused on system integrators, developers, and security auditors of digital infrastructures. Thereby, we discuss courses of action mapped to software security black boxes, infrastructure heterogeneity, and the adaptation of security for operational usage. Collapse

Topics: IT security enterprise application integration system integration cloud computing supply chain management

Methods: literature study interpretative method structured literature research

Digging for Quality Management in Production Systems: A Solution Space for Blockchain Collaborations

2022 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 11

Authors: Pytel, Norman; Putz, Benedikt; Böhm, Fabian; Winkelmann, Axel

Abstract: Quality management (QM) and efficient information sharing among value chain par ... Expand

Abstract: Quality management (QM) and efficient information sharing among value chain partners have been important IS research topics for decades. Today, IS researchers and practitioners hope to overcome various information inefficiencies in complex supply chains using blockchain approaches. Additionally, future traceability regulations increase companies' interest in innovative blockchain-based enterprise solutions. We identified several factors that could hinder BC adoption, due to a lack of standards. This paper sheds profound light on organizational and technical aspects of blockchain enterprise applications to support future collaboration initiatives. Furthermore, it develops a terminology that researchers and practitioners can reuse. A case study describes several quality-related objects and events that characterize multiple dimensions and traceability types. Based on these findings, we provide a set of design principles to assist future design features. Finally, this paper provides a holistic orientation and implications for researchers and practitioners moving forwards. RQ1: How can blockchain technology tackle QM data transparency concerns and create trusted industrial traceability solutions?RQ2: Which design principles enable blockchain adoption to address standardization challenges in supplychain collaborations?We begin with an overview of relevant theoretical and practical work to answer these research questions. We then define the methodology we follow within this paper. Subsequently, we dive into QM standards, the integration of BC production environments, and three QM case studies as a foundation for our work. Afterward, we derive meta-requirements and transform them into prescriptive and abstract principles for designing future QM IS artefacts. This is followed by a glimpse into a severe QM transparency dilemma that we identified. We conclude by considering current limitations and future research directions. Related Work and FindingsThis paper focuses on necessary objects influencing design decisions and the quality of secure collaboration in supply networks. We start with an overview of theoretical and practical perspectives, addressing the problematic in the best interest of researchers and practitioners. We begin with supply chain traceability obstacles on the organizational level before zeroing in to a more detailed, object-based level and the solution space required by the methodology followed in this work (Möller et al. 2020; Vom Brocke et al. 2020.Obstacles to blockchain adoption in supply chain management. BC technology contributes to meeting supply chain objectives by increasing transparency and audibility of transactions and monitoring various conditions. Adopting BC, or any emerging technology, is fraught with obstacles. Among these, there are technical concerns about throughput, latency, size, and scaleability (Hofmann 2020; Lu and Xu 2017; Peck 2017). Furthermore, organizational concerns deal with high coordination efforts within BC consortia , privacy and security issues, regulatory uncertainty, multiple parties that have to join forces, resistance to change, lack of acceptance in the industry, and, finally, the absence of clear benefits that 1 https://www.gs1.org/standards/gs1-global-traceability-standard/current-standard#6-Glossary 2 https://www.iso.org/standard/81978.html?browse=tc Collapse

Topics: blockchain enterprise information system supply chain management knowledge base Ethereum

Methods: qualitative interview design principle design requirement design artifact literature study

Partnering for prosperity: small IT vendor partnership formation and the establishment of partner pools

2021 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 1

Authors: Findikoglu, N. Melike; Ranganathan, Chandrasekaran; Watson-Manheim, Mary Beth

Abstract: Small IT vendors increasingly establish intra-industry collaborative arrangement ... Expand

Abstract: Small IT vendors increasingly establish intra-industry collaborative arrangements with other technology providers. Despite the criticality of this strategy, there is little research that provides insights into partnership formation. Our study attempts to close this gap.Building on resource dependency theory (RDT) and resource-based view (RBV), we posit that, depending on external market and internal resource considerations, small IT vendors either supplement or complement their IT resources and capabilities via partnerships. When seeking to expand the scope of their resource portfolio by accessing dissimilar resources, vendors are engage in complementary partnerships (goal: improving the scope of IT resources). However, if they seek to expand the scale of their portfolio, they engage in supplementary partnerships (goal: extending the scale of IT resources). Using a qualitative approach, we examine the partnership formation practices of seven small IT firms. We propose a conceptual framework with five constructs that illustrate dynamics underlying these IT service partnerships, i.e., External market considerations, Internal resource configurations, Partner considerations, Partnership exploration, and Partnership development. We find variations in partnership practices depending on the supplementary or complementary nature of resources being sought. We also find small IT vendors form and manage partner pools to mitigate risks associated with partnerships. Collapse

Topics: systems development electronic mail outsourcing user experience enterprise application integration

Methods: qualitative interview personal interview field study theory development qualitative coding

Theories: resource based view of the firm resource dependency theory

Information technology issues and challenges of the globe: the world IT project

2021 | Information & Management | Citations: 4

Authors: Palvia, Prashant; Ghosh, Jaideep; Jacks, Tim; Serenko, Alexander

Abstract: In this research, we report the information technologies rated as important by I ... Expand

Abstract: In this research, we report the information technologies rated as important by IT professionals in thirty-seven countries of the world, thus enhancing our understanding of the global technology landscape. Past research has focused primarily on the U.S. technology issues, which although useful in the U.S. context, may not generalize to all other countries. Globally, four core technologies have been ranked high for most of the coun­ tries: networks/telecommunications, business intelligence/analytics, enterprise application integration, and mobile and wireless applications. There were also differences among countries. Statistical analyses were per­ formed to analyze the nature of these differences based on the economic level of the country and its IT infra­ structure capability. Further insights were generated by performing cluster analysis; grouping the countries into three clusters (optimizers, pragmatists, and progressives), and examining their characteristics and technology priorities. These results are useful for multinational companies, governments, and international agencies as they forge their technology strategies and make investment decisions. We also lay the foundation for ongoing research to better understand the contextual factors that explain the differences in technology priorities among nations. Collapse

Topics: IT workforce information technology infrastructure business process management system social network virtualization technology

Methods: cluster analysis survey hierarchical clustering literature study descriptive statistic

Theories: theory of economic development theory of economic growth

Integration of On-Premises and Cloud-Based Software: The Product Bundling Perspective

2020 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Zhang, Xiong; Yue, Wei

Abstract: Firms in the cloud-computing era are facing the critical issue of integrating on ... Expand

Abstract: Firms in the cloud-computing era are facing the critical issue of integrating on-premises software and cloud-based software services. To date, the software industry has designed two different types of integration methods—an enterprise service bus (ESB) and an integration platform as a service (iPaaS). However, there are conflicting views on when and how to use these different integration methods to fulfill integration needs. This study aims to resolve this confusion through economic modeling. By focusing on the indirect network effect and following a two-product bundling framework, we establish a stylized model to investigate optimal pricing and bundling decisions and the best integration choice. Our findings contradict common perceptions that an iPaaS is the better choice for integration and show that firms can derive higher value by adopting ESB to integrate onpremises software and cloud-based software services. Conceptually, given that the overall network value received from a cloud-based software service is higher, the use of ESB can contribute toward significantly improving the total value of the two software applications. We also find that unbundling is the best marketing strategy for firms because software integration can improve the valuation of individual software. Our findings have important implications for software vendors. They suggest that vendors can leverage a higher network value from the software service by integrating it with onpremises software applications through ESB rather than iPaaS and eventually realize higher profits by extracting more value from consumers. Since integration increases the value of individual products, vendors should sell them separately instead of offering them as a bundle. Collapse

Topics: network effect cloud computing on-premises software IT investment enterprise application integration

Methods: cross sectional research mathematical model economic model optimization model simulation

Lack of Communication and Collaboration in Enterprise Architecture Development

2019 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 14

Authors: Banaeianjahromi, Negin; Smolander, Kari

Abstract: Enterprise architecture (EA) is widely employed to reduce complexity and to impr ... Expand

Abstract: Enterprise architecture (EA) is widely employed to reduce complexity and to improve business–information technology (IT) alignment. Despite the efforts by practitioners and academics in proposing approaches to smoothen EA development, it is not easy to find a fully successful EA. Because EA development is a complex endeavour, it is important to understand the obstacles that practitioners face during EA development. With the grounded theory, we studied how obstacles during EA development emerged from practitioners’ point of view in 15 large enterprises. The study identifies lack of communication and collaboration as the core obstacle that can explain many other obstacles. Communication and collaboration were also harmed by other perceived EA development obstacles, including lack of knowledge and support inside organization and issues imposed by external parties, hesitation in training personnel, setting too ambitious goals, constant change of management, (lack of) clarity in EA development process, lack of budget, forcing personnel to adopt EA, lack of motivation, organizational culture, and organizational structure deficiencies. The lack of communication and collaboration caused several undesired effects to organizations, such as being unable to set common goals and achieve a shared understanding, personnel’s distrust, endangered EA governance, lack of innovation capability, lost competitive edge, and ineffective EA outputs. The study highlights that organisations should improve their communication and collaboration before embarking on EA to encounter fewer obstacles. We provide four recommendations for practitioners to improve communication and collaboration in EA development. Collapse

Topics: electronic mail top management support enterprise application integration organizational culture system support

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative coding company material grounded theory personal interview

Towards a Taxonomy of Platforms for Conversational Agent Design

2019 | International Conference on Business Informatics | Citations: 0

Authors: Diederich, Stephan; Brendel, Alfred Benedikt; Kolbe, Lutz M

Abstract: Software that interacts with its users through natural language, so-called conve ... Expand

Abstract: Software that interacts with its users through natural language, so-called conversational agents (CAs), is permeating our lives with improving capabilities driven by advances in machine learning and natural language processing. For organizations, CAs have the potential to innovate and automate a variety of tasks and processes, for example in customer service or marketing and sales, yet successful design remains a major challenge. Over the last few years, a variety of platforms that offer different approaches and functionality for designing CAs have emerged. In this paper, we analyze 51 CA platforms to develop a taxonomy and empirically identify archetypes of platforms by means of a cluster analysis. Based on our analysis, we propose an extended taxonomy with eleven dimensions and three archetypes that contribute to existing work on CA design and can guide practitioners in the design of CA for their organizations. Collapse

Topics: database system conversational agent price management artificial intelligence enterprise application integration

Methods: cluster analysis literature study descriptive statistic design science sentiment analysis

The Imprint of Design Science in Information Systems Research: An Empirical Analysis of the AIS Senior Scholars’ Basket

2019 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Engel, Christian; Leicht, Niklas; Ebel, Philipp

Abstract: Design Science (DS) has become an established research paradigm in Information S ... Expand

Abstract: Design Science (DS) has become an established research paradigm in Information Systems (IS) research. However, existing research still considers it as a challenge to publish DS contributions in top IS journals, due to the rather strict guidelines that DS publications are expected to follow. Against this backdrop, we intend to emphasize the myriad of configurations and empirically describe the status-quo of DS publications in IS. Based on a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and a conceptually derived analysis frame, we empirically analyze DS papers published in the AIS Senior Scholars’ Basket. Thereby, we intend to contribute conceptually and descriptively to the knowledge base of DS, by providing insights based on empirical evidence to aid and guide the discussion towards the advancement of the field. Overall, this shall lay the descriptive foundation for creating prescriptive knowledge on DS in IS by proposing and opening future research avenues. Collapse

Topics: knowledge base knowledge creation search engine database system problem solving

Methods: design science theory development structured literature research literature sample theoretical contribution