Managing In-Company IT Standardization: A Design Theory

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Ahlemann, Frederik; Dittes, Sven; Fillbrunn, Tim; Rehring, Kevin; Reining, Stefan; Urbach, Nils

Abstract: Today’s companies rely heavily on in-company information technology standards (I ... Expand

Abstract: Today’s companies rely heavily on in-company information technology standards (ICITS) to reduce costs, ensure flexibility, and facilitate the planning, implementation, and operation of IT systems. Steering and managing ICITS has proven to be challenging, revealing the need for efficient governance mechanisms. But even though prior research demonstrates the challenges of ICITS, viable advice on how to implement ICITS is scarce. In this paper, we develop an organizational design theory for the management of ICITS based on the framework of organizational control theory. We conducted a critical case study to identify basic goals, constitutive elements, and fundamental mechanisms of a working ICITS management. The resulting design goals and principles were then evaluated and further refined in the light of additional expert interviews. With our work, we wish to extend the body of theoretical knowledge on the management of ICITS and help practitioners master the various challenges occurring in this domain. Collapse

Topics: information systems standardization enterprise architecture IS maturity organizational control decision making

Methods: design theory qualitative interview design principle descriptive statistic case study

Theories: organizational control theory

Algorithmic Control in Platform and Traditional Work Settings: An Updated Conceptual Framework

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Hirsch, Felix; Alizadeh, Armin; Wiener, Martin; Cram, Alec

Abstract: Algorithmic control (AC) is an emerging phenomenon shaping the future of work. ... Expand

Abstract: Algorithmic control (AC) is an emerging phenomenon shaping the future of work. While AC is already well established in the platform economy, it is also gaining traction in traditional organizations. Given that AC represents a new phenomenon, it still suffers from a relatively immature conceptual basis. Here, an up-and-coming conceptual AC framework is the so-called "6R" framework by Kellogg et al. (2020). This framework, however, has not been conceptually and empirically validated yet, which is the focus of the study at hand. To validate the 6R framework, we use a combination of a literature review (topdown) and interviews (bottom-up). Our study sets forth to refine and extend the framework, resulting in an updated 5RSM framework of AC. The proposed framework represents an updated conceptualization of AC, applicable to both platform and traditional work settings, and lays the foundation for future research, including scale development. Collapse

Topics: algorithmic management ride sharing platform platform work logistics management Uber

Methods: qualitative interview literature sample structured literature research literature study qualitative coding

Theories: control theory organizational control theory theory of affordance

A Conceptual Definition of Information Technology Project Management: A Campaign-Driven Perspective

2022 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Bourdeau, Simon; Shuraida, Shadi

Abstract: Despite the importance of the project management phenomenon in information techn ... Expand

Abstract: Despite the importance of the project management phenomenon in information technology projects, the information technology project management (ITPM) concept lacks clarity and is narrowly defined. In this paper, we adopt a change management perspective to propose a multidimensional and configurable conceptualization of ITPM. More specifically, using a “campaign” metaphor, we identify twelve key underlying activities of ITPM, grouped under three dimensions, i.e., diplomatic, promotional, and martial, then position these activities within the organizational control theory framework. Collapse

Topics: IT project project management organizational change organization structure change management

Theories: organizational control theory

Manufacturers’ IT-Enabled Service Innovation Success as a Multifaceted Phenomenon: A Configurational Study

2021 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Brosig, Christoph

Abstract: Manufacturers employ information technology (IT) resources to improve existing ... Expand

Abstract: Manufacturers employ information technology (IT) resources to improve existing services and develop new services. Digital servitization literature has been exploring mechanisms to achieve success in IT-enabled service innovation. Research indicates thatmanufacturers' IT-enabled service innovation is a multifaceted phenomenon of organized complexity driven by a few factors. The knowledge-based view and the organizational control theory offer two theoretical starting points to explain how IT capabilities, organizational control mechanisms, and the innovativeness of services result in success of IT-enabled service innovation. This paper deductively derives a configurational research model to explain manufacturers' IT-enabled service innovation success. The outlook describes the steps to be taken to test the research model: data collection, data transformation, and set-theoretic analysis using a fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). The intended results contribute to digital servitization and information systems research to explain mechanisms of IT-enabled service innovation success while offering advice to manufacturers undergoing digital servitization. Collapse

Topics: business process innovation innovation management organizational control information technology capability IT centralization

Methods: theoretical contribution personal interview survey design qualitative interview qualitative comparative analysis

Theories: organizational control theory

Ownership and Management Control Effects on IT Investments: A Study of Indian Family Firms

2020 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 2

Authors: Ning, Xue; Khuntia, Jiban; Kathuria, Abhishek; Karhade, Prasanna

Abstract: Research alludes to mixed preferences for IT investment on the part of family ow ... Expand

Abstract: Research alludes to mixed preferences for IT investment on the part of family owned firms. While family firms have inhibitions towards risky, long-term investments, such investments are also crucial for the long-term success and multi-generational survival of these firms. These dynamics are aggravated when considering the two modes of management the family owners can employ - family-related managers versus professional managers. We rely on the theoretical perspectives proposed in the socioemotional wealth perspective to propose three hypotheses that explain the different moderating effects of family- and professional- management controls on the relationship between family ownership and IT investment. Generalized least squares estimation of our unbalanced panel of 6,669 firm-year observations of 2,148 Indian family-owned firms from 2006 to 2018 uncovers three findings: family ownership has a negative influence on IT investment, family management strengthens this relationship, and professional management weakens this relationship. Collapse

Topics: IT investment marketing management innovation management information system use decision making

Methods: statistical hypothesis test instrumental variables estimation longitudinal research generalized least square descriptive statistic

Theories: control theory organizational control theory

Post-Implementation ERP Usage: A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Control and Empowerment

2018 | Information Systems Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Maas, Jan-Bert; Fenema, Paul C. Van; Soeters, Joseph

Abstract: Organizations have invested in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems expect ... Expand

Abstract: Organizations have invested in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems expecting to obtain benefits of the system and realize a healthy return on investment. Nonetheless, research indicates that employees rarely use ERP to its full potential. To tackle the challenge of underutilization, this article studies the longitudinal impact of control and empowerment on usage behaviors at the individual level. Results indicate that users engage in different but coexisting usage behaviors: routinization and infusion. Collapse

Topics: enterprise resource planning information system use systems implementation database system perceived usefulness

Methods: longitudinal research survey data transformation chi squared test principal component analysis

Theories: technology acceptance model organizational control theory

Getting the control across: Control transmission in information systems offshoring projects

2018 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 14

Authors: Mähring, Magnus; Wiener, Martin; Remus, Ulrich

Abstract: Offshoring of information systems (IS) projects has become a widespread global p ... Expand

Abstract: Offshoring of information systems (IS) projects has become a widespread global practice. While prior research suggests that controlling, and communicating with, offshore vendors represent key managerial challenges, the topic of how control is communicated, or transmitted, from client to vendor has been widely neglected. Our study focuses on control transmission in the critical relationship between client and offshore vendor managers, and its impact on the performance of IS offshoring projects. Drawing on a matched-pair survey with 172 client and vendor managers from 86 projects, our results provide several new insights to the IS literature: First, we find that both behaviour and outcome control have the capacity to be transmitted consistently in lateral IS offshore project relationships. Second, our results show that consistent transmission translates into a performance effect only for outcome control. Third, we find that high-performing offshore projects are characterized by both greater control transmission consistency and greater use of outcome control compared to low-performing projects. In sum, our study extends theory on IS project control by highlighting that effective control of IS offshoring projects is not only about selecting proper controls but also about ensuring that, as a controller, you get the control across to the controllee. Collapse

Topics: offshoring project productivity IT project outsourcing electronic mail

Methods: survey theory development post-hoc analysis statistical hypothesis test partial least squares regression

Theories: organizational control theory control theory

Information Systems Control: A Review and Framework for Emerging Information Systems Processes

2016 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 94

Authors: Cram, W. Alec; Brohman, Kathryn; Gallupe, R. Brent

Abstract: A major stream of information systems (IS) research examines the topic of contro ... Expand

Abstract: A major stream of information systems (IS) research examines the topic of control, which focuses on attempts to affect employee behavior as a means to achieve organizational objectives. Despite a rich history of IS control research, approximately 90 percent of the publications focus on only three IS processes: managing information systems development, managing IS outsourcing, and managing security. However, the emergence of new IS processes and technologies with distinct control challenges, such as managing enterprise architecture and managing innovation, highlights a need to consider the wider applicability of past control insights. In this paper, we first integrate existing IS control constructs and relationships into a comprehensive IS control model. Second, we apply this model to emerging IS processes to guide future research and practice. We review 65 influential IS control-related journal papers and identify five control dimensions. We then consolidate these dimensions into a single, integrated model to apply past IS control findings to the challenges of emerging information systems by posing a series of related propositions. With this paper, we position current IS control research to be increasingly applicable and relevant to tomorrow's emerging IS opportunities and challenges. Collapse

Topics: COBIT outsourcing enterprise architecture accounting systems development

Methods: literature sample literature study mixed method qualitative content analysis theoretical contribution

Theories: agency theory organizational control theory organizational behavior theory

Control Modes Versus Control Styles: Investigating ISD Project Control Effects at the Individual Level

2016 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 11

Authors: Remus, Ulrich; Wiener, Martin; Saunders, Carol; Mã, Magnus

Abstract: Most previous research on ISD project control conceptualizes control activities ... Expand

Abstract: Most previous research on ISD project control conceptualizes control activities in terms of control modes and focuses on performance effects at the project level. This seems to oversimplify the way controls ‘work’ by neglecting the multidimensionality of control activities and their effects at the individual level. In this paper, we adopt an expanded view of ISD project control, employing data from 92 ISD projects to analyze how different control modes (what?) and control styles (how?) relate to controllee task performance and job satisfaction. Importantly, our results suggest that control style is more important than control modes in explaining individual-level control effects. Moreover, as hypothesized, formal and informal controls positively affect task performance, while only informal controls have a positive effect on job satisfaction. Finally, we find significant interaction effects between control style and formal controls, suggesting a complex non-linear relationship between the two, which opens interesting avenues for future research. Collapse

Topics: job satisfaction task productivity agile software development decision making project productivity

Methods: survey partial least squares regression statistical hypothesis test survey design theoretical contribution

Theories: organizational control theory

Developing the Agile IS Development Practices in Large-Scale IT Projects: The Trust-Mediated Organizational Controls and IT Project Team Capabilities Perspectives

2013 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Jenson Chong-Leng Goh; Pan, Shan L.; Meiyun Zuo

Abstract: This paper is based on multiple case studies on the construction of the Beijing ... Expand

Abstract: This paper is based on multiple case studies on the construction of the Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3 in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games that investigated the processes of instilling agile IS development practices in large-scale IT projects. This study develops useful theoretical constructs that will help researchers and practitioners who wish to learn about agile IS development practices as developed in large-scale IT projects. Adopting a contingent view, we uncover four factors that are critical in this development processes, namely: project uncertainty profile and project completion urgency; IT project team capabilities; organizational control mechanisms; and trust relationships among the IT project team, the vendors, and the users. Depending on the unpredictable nature of the project and the trust level among the IT project team, the vendors, and the users, we have uncovered the IT project team capabilities and the organizational control mechanisms that are needed to assure the success of a large-scale IT project. We posit that the interplay between the IT project team capabilities and the trust-mediated organizational control mechanisms forms the theoretical basis that defines agile IS development practice in large-scale IT projects. We argue that our findings provide insights to practitioners who are attempting to introduce agile IS development practices into any large-scale IT project. From a research perspective, the theory developed in this paper also sheds light on the importance of adopting a contingency view when researching agile IS development practices in a large-scale IT project and the factors to consider. This underpinning theoretical perspective will aid in the design of all future researches. Collapse

Topics: project management agile software development IT project IT project team organizational control

Methods: qualitative interview case study theory development literature study survey

Theories: organizational control theory