Data-Induced Rationality and Unitary Spaces in Interfirm Collaboration

2023 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Cepa, Katharina; Schildt, Henri

Abstract: The real-time data transfer between collaborating companies allows them to repre ... Expand

Abstract: The real-time data transfer between collaborating companies allows them to represent and control activities across firm boundaries, providing new ways to organize collaborative efforts. We conducted an inductive multiple case study of five long-term relationships to examine the effects of data-intensive technologies on the organization and management of collaborative relationships in industrial companies. Our analysis shows how the delegation of digital activities into specialized digital units fostered data-driven mindsets and data-driven interactions that jointly formed a holistic data-induced rationality for managing the relationship. Together, the compartmentalization of digital collaboration and the data-induced rationalities turned these units into “unitary spaces,” organizational enclosures where structural tensions and competing demands were temporarily suspended to foster single-minded pursuit of collaborative short-term benefits for the partner company. Funding: The authors are grateful for the financial support from the Academy of Finland [Grant 274536]. Collapse

Topics: digital service interorganizational relationship big data problem solving analytical information system

Methods: qualitative interview computational algorithm theory development multiple case study qualitative coding

Theories: theory of affordance sociotechnical systems theory

Engaging with self-tracking applications: how do users respond to their performance data?

2023 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Constantiou, Ioanna; Mukkamala, Alivelu; Sjöklint, Mimmi; Trier, Matthias

Abstract: Self-tracking devices and applications have become popular in recent years and c ... Expand

Abstract: Self-tracking devices and applications have become popular in recent years and changed user behaviour. Previous research has primarily focused on the adoption of self-tracking devices and their effects on self-assessment. As adoption increases, user engagement becomes prominent for the continuous use of the devices and the applications. In this study, we focus on user engagement with activity tracking applications, e.g., Fitbit Flex and Jawbone Up that offer data on user performance. We collected data from semi-structured interviews with 54 participants. We propose a process model comprising four stages which involve distinct user interactions with data: review, react, reflect, and respond. We advance research in this domain by the proposed process model that explicates user engagement in two cases: when the user encounters satisfactory or unsatisfactory results. In the latter case, we depict four response tactics when users are confronted with unsatisfactory results. Collapse

Topics: smart wearable device mobile system fitness tracker user behavior marketing management

Methods: wearables based research business process modeling qualitative interview archival research longitudinal research

Newcomers' Stress and its Effects on Well-Being during an IT Organization's Socialization Process

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Hekkala, Riitta

Abstract: Previous research in other fields has shown an increasing interest in understand ... Expand

Abstract: Previous research in other fields has shown an increasing interest in understanding newcomers’ stress and its impact on professionals’ well-being. However, we still have a limited understanding of newcomers’ stress and its emotional, behavioral, and psychological effects in the information technology organization (IT) and information system (IS) development contexts. Moreover, the newcomers’ socialization process into IT work or/ and organizations remains unexplored in the IS field. We conducted a qualitative and longitudinal case study (pre-COVID-19) that helped us understand newcomers’ stress from IS project work, and how its consequences emerge during their socialization process. We provided information in response to the call for more understanding of newcomers’ stress elements in the IT organization and IS project context. It is important to understand different stress elements and their consequences because these elements impact individuals’ attitudes, behaviors, job performance, and health among other things. Collapse

Topics: IT project IT workforce software developer self efficacy systems development

Methods: qualitative interview longitudinal research longitudinal case study longitudinal interview

Tensions in transfer, translation, and transformation of information: A sociomaterial perspective on heterogeneous work arrangements

2023 | Journal of Information Technology | Citations: 0

Authors: Mathiassen, Lars; Jonsson, Katrin; Holmstrom, Jonny

Abstract: Although sociomaterial theorizing has provided important insights into how digit ... Expand

Abstract: Although sociomaterial theorizing has provided important insights into how digital technologies enable or constrain behavior in organizational contexts, there is a need to advance theory to better account for how digital technologies shape heterogeneous work practices in which distributed organizational actors use diverse technology portfolios to collaboratively produce and consume information. Against that backdrop, we draw on the distinction between digital mediation and digital representation to investigate tensions in how actors transfer information across organizational and technological boundaries, how they translate information into meaning, and how they eventually transform information into action in digitalized work. We illustrate and develop this framing through detailed analyses of digitally enabled, condition-based maintenance of equipment in a mining context. Drawing on these analyses and extant literature, we advance theory on tensions in how digital technologies are implicated in producing and consuming information in today’s increasingly heterogeneous work practices. Collapse

Topics: virtual teamwork information system use virtualization technology electronic mail organizational value

Methods: qualitative interview design artifact theory development case study field study

Theories: sociomaterialism theory

Are we on the right track? an update to Lyytinen et al.’s commentary on why the old world cannot publish

2023 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Mettler, Tobias; Sunyaev, Ali

Abstract: In a thought-provoking paper published in EJIS more than a decade ago, Lyytinen ... Expand

Abstract: In a thought-provoking paper published in EJIS more than a decade ago, Lyytinen and colleagues asked the question, why does the “old world” perform poorly in high academic impact publishing? This triggered a lively debate on the epistemological and methodological traditions, preferences, and research practices of Europeans versus North Americans that has lasted until today. Is it still true, we asked ourselves, that European scholars generate less academic impact than their North American colleagues? Is the European research context indeed disadvantageous for developing high academic impact research? In this paper, we set out to explore these questions by analysing the Google Scholar profiles of 1713 IS researchers from all over the world. Our findings show that Northern and Western European scholars no longer seem to differ significantly from their North American peers, even though the different research contexts still exercise a certain level of influence. However, is this a development the “old world” desires? We provide an assessment and some suggestions for the future of European IS research. Collapse

Topics: IT investment productivity IS discipline Google+ problem solving

Methods: ANOVA parametric test bibliometric analysis statistical hypothesis test robust regression

Champions for Social Good: How Can We Discover Social Sentiment and Attitude-Driven Patterns in Prosocial Communication?

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

Authors: Mukkamala, Raghava; Kauffman, Robert; Henriksen, Helle

Abstract: The UN High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) is pursuing a social media strateg ... Expand

Abstract: The UN High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) is pursuing a social media strategy to inform people about displaced populations and refugee emergencies. It is actively engaging public figures to increase awareness through its prosocial communications and improve social informedness and support for policy changes in its services. We studied the Twitter communications of UNHCR social media champions and investigated their role as high-profile influencers. In this study, we offer a design science research and data analytics framework and propositions based on the social informedness theory we propose in this paper to assess communication about UNHCR's mission. Two variables-refugee-emergency and champion type-relate to the informedness of UNHCR champions' followers. Based on a Twitter sentiment and attitude corpus, we applied a five-step design science analytics framework involving machine learning and natural language processing to test how the emergency type and champion type impact social communication patterns. Positive and neutral sentiment dominated the tweets of the champions and their followers for most refugee-emergency types. High participation-intensity champions emphasized high-intensity emergencies with tweet patterns reflecting dominant positive or neutral sentiment and sharing/liking attitudes. However, we found that sports figures effects were limited in spreading UNHCR's message, despite their millions of followers. We demonstrate the power of data science for prosocial policy based on refugee crisis awareness and instantiate our methods and knowledge contributions in a research framework that derives knowledge, decisions, and actions from behavioral, design, and economics of information systems perspectives. Collapse

Topics: Twitter social media analytical information system big data application programming interface

Methods: design science BERT natural language processing unsupervised learning artificial neural network

Theories: Lewin's field theory

The Vicious Circles of Skill Erosion: A Case Study of Cognitive Automation

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

Authors: Rinta-Kahila, Tapani; Penttinen, Esko; Salovaara, Antti; Soliman, Wael; Ruissalo, Joona

Abstract: Cognitive automation powered by advanced intelligent technologies is increasing ... Expand

Abstract: Cognitive automation powered by advanced intelligent technologies is increasingly enabling organizations to automate more of their knowledge work tasks. Although this often offers higher efficiency and lower costs, cognitive automation exacerbates the erosion of human skill and expertise in automated tasks. Accepting the erosion of obsolete skills is necessary to reap the benefits of technology-however, the erosion of essential human expertise is problematic if workers remain accountable for tasks for which they lack sufficient understanding, rendering them incapable of responding if the automation fails. Though the phenomenon is widely acknowledged, the dynamics behind such undesired skill erosion are poorly understood. Thus, taking the perspective of sociotechnical systems, we conducted a case study of an accounting firm that had experienced skill erosion over a number of years due to reliance on their software's automated functions. We synthesized our findings using causal loop modeling based on system dynamics. The resulting dynamic model explains skill erosion via an interplay between humans' automation reliance, complacency, and mindful conduction. It shows how increasing reliance on automation fosters complacency at both individual and organizational levels, weakening workers' mindfulness across three work task facets (activity awareness, competence maintenance, and output assessment), resulting in skill erosion. Such skill erosion may remain obscure, acknowledged by neither workers nor managers. We conclude by discussing the implications for theory and practice and identifying directions for future research.Walter Fernandez was the accepting senior editor. This research article was submitted on August 17, 2021 and underwent three revisions.Tapani Rinta-Kahila is a lecturer of business information systems at The University of Queensland Business School. His research focuses on issues around the implementation and management of artificial intelligence systems in organizations, unintended consequences of IT use, and decommissioning of organizational IT systems. Tapani obtained his doctoral degree from Aalto University School of Business in 2018 with an award-winning dissertation. Rinta-Kahila's research has appeared in top IS journals, including MIS Quarterly, Journal of the Association for Information Systems, European Journal of Information Systems, Information & Management, and MIS Quarterly Executive. His work has also informed practice through industry reports co-authored with The SAP Institute for Digital Government.Esko Penttinen is an associate professor (tenured) of information systems at the Aalto University School of Business. Penttinen holds a DSc in information systems science and an MSc in economics from the Helsinki School of Economics. Penttinen's research helps organizations understand the intricacies related to the design and implementation of various forms of artificial intelligence, harnessing its benefits and avoiding the pitfalls. Penttinen is an avid student of the interplay between humans and machines, curious to generate insights on how to coordinate work tasks efficiently between the two. Penttinen's research has also addressed the more traditional information systems topics such as organizational governance issues related to outsourcing and virtual work. Penttinen's main practical expertise lies in the assimilation and economic implications of interorganizational information systems, focusing on application areas such as electronic financial systems, government reporting, and electronic invoicing. Penttinen's research has appeared in leading IS outlets such as MIS Quarterly, Joona Ruissalo is a doctoral researcher in information systems science at the Aalto University School of Business. His research explores how the design, development, and use of cognitive technologies such as robotic process automation and artificial intelligence transform professional knowledge-intensive work. He currently studies these sociotechnical issues in the domain of financial accounting. Collapse

Topics: accounting mindfulness artificial intelligence knowledge work process automation system

Methods: qualitative interview case study applicability check personal interview triangulation

Theories: sociotechnical systems theory socio technical theory

Role of Data in the Building of Legitimacy for Green Bonds — Capturing, Contextualizing, and Communicating

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Tona, Olgerta; Zhang, Yixin; Asatiani, Aleksandre; Lindman, Juho

Abstract: Green bond markets promise to fight climate change by encouraging green investme ... Expand

Abstract: Green bond markets promise to fight climate change by encouraging green investments. Yet, the real-world complexity of quantifying the green impact of sustainable initiatives might be exploited for greenwashing, thus threatening the entire market's credibility. Advances in business analytics research and practice hold the potential to untangle this complexity. This study aims to explore how one can engage with data to build the legitimacy of green bonds. In particular, we detail data-related needs, requirements, and challenges that are critical to take into account for designing relevant and effective information system artifacts that will support green bond markets. Through focus groups, interviews, and secondary data analysis, we identify capturing, contextualizing, and communicating green impact as core activities for bond issuers toward ensuring legitimacy for their green bonds. Based on these findings, we outline future research avenues and propose an initial set of research questions for the business analytics and, more broadly, information systems community. Collapse

Topics: analytical information system IS discipline

Methods: focus group group interview qualitative interview grounded theory qualitative coding

Power and conflict in inter-organisational information systems development

2022 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 0

Authors: Hekkala, Riitta; Stein, Mari-Klara; Sarker, Suprateek

Abstract: The need for inter-organisational information systems projects, which are comple ... Expand

Abstract: The need for inter-organisational information systems projects, which are complex undertakings often riddled with poorly understood power struggles and conflicts that hinder project success, has increased in previous decades. Through the lenses of systemic and episodic power, together with an organisational conflict model, this longitudinal, qualitative case study explores the dynamics of power and conflict and their effects in an inter-organisational information systems development project. This study highlights that the bureaucratic, social and technical setup of the project forms a foundational system from which specific power practices emerge, in this case, the practices of hiding, storytelling and bargaining. The power practices have both restrictive and productive effects on conflict, but the practices cannot easily escape the confines of the foundational system and continue to cause the resurfacing of different manifestations of latent conflict inherent in the system. As a result, both ‘power to’ (systemic power) and ‘power over’ (episodic power) can escalate project conflict, and rational conflict management for gaining ‘win-win’ resolutions may not be in the stakeholders' interests. Thus, strategies for openly managing political conflicts should be considered. Collapse

Topics: systems development strategic management pseudonymity IT project interorganizational system

Methods: qualitative interview case study longitudinal research theoretical contribution literature study

Leveraging internet of things and big data analytics initiatives in European and American firms: Is data quality a way to extract business value?

2020 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Côrte-Real, Nadine; Ruivo, Pedro; Oliveira, Tiago

Abstract: Big data analytics (BDA) and the Internet of Things (IoT) tools are considered c ... Expand

Abstract: Big data analytics (BDA) and the Internet of Things (IoT) tools are considered crucial investments for firms to distinguish themselves among competitors. Drawing on a strategic management perspective, this study proposes that BDA and IoT capabilities can create significant value in business processes if supported by a good level of data quality, which will lead to a better competitive advantage. Responses are collected from 618 European and American firms that use IoT and BDA applications. Partial least squares results reveal that better data quality is needed to unlock the value of IoT and BDA capabilities. Collapse

Topics: internet of things mobile system data quality business process management competitive advantage

Methods: survey conceptual modelling partial least squares regression theoretical contribution design artifact

Theories: dynamic capabilities theory strategic management theory knowledge based theory of the firm