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

ARCHITECTURE WORK: MODES OF ARCHITECTING IN LARGE-SCALE INFRASTRUCTURES

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ajer, Anne Kristin; Øvrelid, Egil

Abstract: IT architecture forms the digital core of contemporary organisations; thus, arc ... Expand

Abstract: IT architecture forms the digital core of contemporary organisations; thus, architecture work directly concerns the transformation of these organisations. The literature on architecture work and architecting has identified the principles, styles and characteristics that define the policy ideals of architecture work and has demonstrated how these drivers play out in real-world projects. With an in-depth case study, we add to this literature by investigating the multilevel challenges that architects address in transforming large-scale infrastructures and how major challenges come to the surface during the architecting process. Our empirical evidence comes from our longitudinal investigation in a large health region in Norway. We offer two contributions. First, identification and a rich description of three modes of architecting framed as functional, spatial and temporal dualities. Second, we integrate the empirical data into a process model and theorise how contextual and professional drivers are transformed through the architecting modes and form the actual results. Collapse

Topics: information systems strategy logistics management application programming interface innovation management situational awareness

Methods: qualitative interview case study personal interview theory development business process modeling

A Study for Sustainable IT: Management Effects of On-Premises and On-Demand IT on Carbon Intensity

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Alghamdi, Majed; Aghakhani, Navid; Park, Jiyong; Oh, On-Ook

Abstract: Reducing the level of carbon intensity -i.e., the level of carbon emission -is ... Expand

Abstract: Reducing the level of carbon intensity -i.e., the level of carbon emission -is an important issue in cooperate IT management. Drawing upon the belief-action-outcome (BAO) framework, this study examines the impact of two different IT resources -i.e., onpremises IT (OPIT) and on-demand IT (ODIT) -on a firm's carbon intensity. Also, we examine the moderating impact of green management strategies -i.e., environmental board oversight and environmental management incentives -on the effect of OPIT and ODIT on a firm's carbon intensity. Using panel data with a sample of 3074 observations collected from 864 firms from 2016 to 2019, we find that OPIT usage is positively associated with carbon intensity, whereas ODIT usage is negatively associated with carbon intensity. In addition, we find that, while environmental board oversight mitigates the positive direct impact of OPIT on carbon intensity, environmental management incentives reinforce the negative direct impact of ODIT on carbon intensity. Collapse

Topics: strategic management green IS environmental sustainability database system corporate governance

Methods: longitudinal research Compustat descriptive statistic Breusch-Pagan test

Theories: theory of economic growth

Lessons from enterprise systems competency centers in adopting digital transformation initiatives: An assemblage approach

2023 | Information and Organization | Citations: 0

Authors: Aryal, Arun; Truex, Duane; El Amrani, Redouane

Abstract: Firms are increasingly adopting digital transformation as a strategic priority. ... Expand

Abstract: Firms are increasingly adopting digital transformation as a strategic priority. However, the path to successful transformation remains uncertain for many organizations. This paper examines the establishment and evolution of competency centers in two case study organizations, historically used in enterprise systems, in addressing the complexity and challenges of digital transformation. The interactions within these competency centers are analyzed through assemblage theory to understand the emergent relations between heterogeneous parts (technology, people, and orga­ nization) and the dynamic processes of new configurations. The insights from this research show the critical role of the competency center in any enterprise system’s success and how it could continue playing a central role in future digital transformation initiatives. By providing a new lens to examine these issues, the assemblage theory provided a new theoretical perspective to the IS field and a new alternative empirical setting to the organizational literature. Collapse

Topics: enterprise information system digital transformation enterprise resource planning IT skill business process management

Methods: qualitative interview case study personal interview design artifact literature study

To Be or Not to Be Dynamic: Exploring Antecedents and Contextual Factors of Dynamic Capabilities

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Asadiara, Amir; Farhadloo, Mohsen; Ahuja, Suchit

Abstract: Firms are known to struggle to find the best recipe for achieving different for ... Expand

Abstract: Firms are known to struggle to find the best recipe for achieving different forms of innovation, digital transformation, and superior performance based on their bundle of resources and strategies in the presence of various environmental factors that can pose new opportunities and threats. In this vein, although the dynamic capabilities (DC) framework can explain how firms address competitive advantage, especially in uncertain environments, it is still not clear how these capabilities are built. To fill this gap, we aim at investigating the antecedents of organizational dynamic capabilities and eventually presenting a big-picture framework that includes almost every internal and external factor that might play a role in the process of building organizational dynamic capabilities. By exploring the adoption of the affordance lens and considering the role of organizational strategic alignment, we lay the foundation for future research into the mechanisms and micro-foundations of dynamic capabilities. Collapse

Topics: affordance user experience IT alignment usability strategic management

Methods: design artifact theoretical contribution

Theories: dynamic capabilities theory theory of affordance

Strategic alignment of enterprise architecture management – how portfolios of control mechanisms track a decade of enterprise transformation at Commerzbank

2023 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Beese, Jannis; Haki, Kazem; Schilling, Raphael; Kraus, Martin; Aier, Stephan; Winter, Robert

Abstract: Enterprise architecture management (EAM) is commonly employed by large organisat ... Expand

Abstract: Enterprise architecture management (EAM) is commonly employed by large organisations to coordinate local information system development efforts in line with organisation-wide strategic objectives while simultaneously avoiding redundancies and inconsistencies. Even though EAM tools and processes have become increasingly mature over the past decade, many organisations still struggle to generate impact from their EAM initiatives. To this end, we describe how enterprise architects at Commerzbank, a major international bank, employed a control mechanism portfolio perspective to more effectively anchor EAM within the organisation. This approach allows to purposefully combine a wide range of different formal and informal EAM control mechanisms, thereby going beyond the formal, top-down driven mechanisms predominantly discussed in EAM literature. Furthermore, such EAM control mechanism portfolios provide an effective means to purposefully realign EAM in reaction to major strategic shifts. The application of this perspective is demonstrated by tracing the evolution of EAM at Commerzbank for more than a decade (2008 to 2018) through a turbulent and challenging competitive environment, resulting in several major strategic realignments that required corresponding adjustments in EAM. We believe that such consciously designed and diversified EAM control mechanism portfolios also provide a useful means for other large organisations to more effectively conduct EAM. Collapse

Topics: systems development business process management logistics management IT development project organizational culture

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative coding theory development case study survey

Theories: control theory

Problematizing Assumptions on Digital Transformation Research in the Information Systems Field

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

Authors: Carroll, Noel; Conboy, Kieran; Hassan, Nik; Hess, Thomas; Junglas, Iris; Morgan, Lorraine

Abstract: In an era of heightened uncertainty and urgency around disruption, digital tran ... Expand

Abstract: In an era of heightened uncertainty and urgency around disruption, digital transformation has become a global priority on leadership agendas and garnered the attention of researchers across the Information Systems (IS) field. However, the ongoing acceleration of digital technologies not only poses great opportunities but also major challenges for organizations that use digital transformation as a means to survive. Yet, literature on how to successfully implement, manage, and sustain digital transformations that possibly change an organization's business model, along with its product offering, structure, and culture, is often vague and hence various assumptions can go unexamined. This panel report aggregates insights from an author development workshop on "Managing and Sustaining Digital Transformations" and provides different perspectives from six experts. Specifically, it adopts the problematization method to discuss ten commonly held assumptions regarding digital transformation and presents a research roadmap to guide digital transformation research in the future. Collapse

Topics: digital transformation digital innovation innovation management value creation systems implementation

Methods: case study theory development

An Empirical Study of Information Technology Capabilities to Enable Value Chain Activities and Interfaces

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Chou, Yen-Chun; Shao, Benjamin B. M.

Abstract: Information technology (IT) is a critical resource and asset for a firm’s intern ... Expand

Abstract: Information technology (IT) is a critical resource and asset for a firm’s internal operations and external interactions with outside stakeholders. This paper explores IT capabilities that enable a retailer’s value chain activities and interfaces with suppliers and customers. IT capabilities that enable the value chain activities of logistics and operations as well as those of marketing and sales are identified to examine how they influence a retailer’s implementation of value chain interfaces. Through the lens of organizational information processing theory (OIPT), we find that both IT capabilities and IT infrastructure play a pivotal role in implementing value chain interfaces but in distinctive ways. On the supplier-facing side, a retailer’s IT infrastructure and IT capabilities enabling logistics and operations are essential to its vendor-managed inventory (VMI) system. On the customer-facing side, a retailer’s e-commerce website requires IT infrastructure and IT capabilities that enable marketing and sales. Moreover, synergies are found downstream for e-commerce website that benefits from the integration of IT infrastructure and IT capabilities enabling logistics and operations while such synergies are not found upstream for VMI. This partial complementary effect is explicated by the sequential asymmetric information dependency of value chain activities. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for the research and practice of IT enablement and integration. Collapse

Topics: information technology capability electronic commerce website information technology infrastructure logistics management

Methods: survey chi squared test descriptive statistic econometric modeling regression analysis method

Theories: organizational information processing theory

The relative values of big data analytics versus traditional marketing analytics to firm innovation: An empirical study

2023 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Cheng, Colin C.J.; Shiu, Eric C.

Abstract: Although big data analytics (BDA) does enhance innovation performance, it remain ... Expand

Abstract: Although big data analytics (BDA) does enhance innovation performance, it remains unclear whether BDA contributes more or less than traditional marketing analytics (TMA) to firm innovation. This study tests hy­ potheses based on data collected from multiple sources by using four-wave survey and archival data from 201 firms. The results indicate that BDA has a stronger positive effect on new product development (NPD) perfor­ mance than TMA, over time. However, TMA, when coupled with exploitative innovation strategy, has a stronger positive effect on NPD performance than if coupled with exploratory innovation strategy. Conversely, BDA, when coupled with exploratory innovation strategy, has a stronger positive effect on NPD performance than if coupled with exploitative innovation strategy. Collapse

Topics: innovation management analytical information system big data research and development marketing management

Methods: survey archival research partial least squares path modeling conceptual modelling Chow test

Theories: learning theory ambidexterity theory knowledge based theory of the firm

Organizations as Digital Enactment Systems: A Theory of Replacement of Humans by Digital Technologies in Organizational Scanning, Interpretation, and Learning

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

Authors: Constantiou, Ioanna; Joshi, Mayur; Stelmaszak, Marta

Abstract: Digital transformation has become a dominant phenomenon of interest among infor ... Expand

Abstract: Digital transformation has become a dominant phenomenon of interest among information systems scholars. To account for this phenomenon, it is imperative to develop a theoretical understanding of its processes and objects. We adapt a seminal organizational theory that conceptualizes organizations as interpretation systems to a possible future of organizations. We theorize digital transformation as a progressive replacement of humans by digital technologies in performing an organization's fundamental activities underpinning the processes of scanning, interpretation, and learning that encompass an organization's interaction with its environment. As a result, organizations cease to be human interpretation systems and instead turn into digital enactment systems, where digital technologies, instead of humans, nearly autonomously create and act upon information. We illustrate this digital transformation theory using the example of high-frequency trading. This transformation redefines the relationship among organizations, information, and the environment, changing the role of humans and reshaping strategic decision-making. Thus conceived, digital transformation offers a concrete way of theorizing and accounts for deep implications on the nature of organizations and organizing in the digital age. Collapse

Topics: digital transformation IT work decision making electronic trading organization structure

Methods: theory development computational algorithm

Theories: general systems theory organizational theory