Aligning the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) counterfactual approach with the practice of retroduction: Some preliminary insights

2023 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 2

Authors: Iannacci, Federico; Fearon, Colm; Kawalek, Peter; Simeonova, Boyka

Abstract: This study offers fresh ontological insights by examining generative causality t ... Expand

Abstract: This study offers fresh ontological insights by examining generative causality through the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) counterfactual lens, in conjunction with Critical Realism and the practice of retroduction. Specifically, it claims that Information Systems (IS) researchers could retroduce generative mechanisms by leveraging the QCA counterfactual approach to causation because retroduction is about conjecturing hypothetical mechanisms that would generate the outcome of interest in a counterfactual fashion. Drawing on an example of typological theorising, this study calls for a renewed effort in the use of retroduction in the study of IS phenomena. In addition, this study sheds new light on the overarching approach for conducting Critical Realist (case study) research. A number of theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed. Collapse

Topics: anonymity systems operations knowledge representation

Methods: qualitative comparative analysis theory development mixed method theoretical contribution case study

A DEVOPS PERSPECTIVE: THE IMPACT OF ROLE TRANSITIONS ON SOFTWARE SECURITY CONTINUITY

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Kam, Hwee-Joo; D’Arcy, John

Abstract: Prior studies have claimed that, with evolving technologies, continuity process ... Expand

Abstract: Prior studies have claimed that, with evolving technologies, continuity processes in Development and Operations (DevOps) needs to be re-evaluated consistently. In this context, this study examines a relatively new continuity process --continuous software security. With regulatory compliance and ubiquitous cyberattacks, it becomes increasingly important to integrate security into DevOps. Presently, DevOps developers assume the role of systems operators and software developers to facilitate Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD). Assuming multiple roles involves role transitioning that requires developers to psychologically disengage from their current role and engage in another. Gradually, this may cause mental exhaustion. Therefore, implementing continuous security may add more complexity to DevOps, instigating more stress to software developers. Given this concern, we draw on Role Transition Theory and Cognitive Load Theory to examine whether integrating security into DevOps would aggravate developers' job burnout, which would eventually undermine continuous security practices. Collapse

Topics: devops software developer IT security information security practice systems development

Methods: theory development literature study

Theories: cognitive load theory

Adopting and integrating cyber-threat intelligence in a commercial organisation

2023 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Kotsias, James; Ahmad, Atif; Scheepers, Rens

Abstract: Cyber-attacks are increasingly perpetrated by organised, sophisticated and persi ... Expand

Abstract: Cyber-attacks are increasingly perpetrated by organised, sophisticated and persistent entities such as crime syndicates and paramilitary forces. Even commercial firms that fully comply with industry “best practice” cyber security standards cannot cope with military-style cyber-attacks. We posit that the primary reason is the increasing asymmetry between the cyber-offensive capability of attackers and the cyber-defensive capability of commercial organisations. A key avenue to resolve this asymmetry is for organisations to leverage cyber-threat intelligence (CTI) to direct their cyber-defence. How can commercial organisations adopt and integrate CTI to routinely defend their information systems and resources from increasingly advanced cyber-attacks? There is limited know-how on how to package CTI to inform the practices of enterprise-wide stakeholders. This clinical research describes a practitioner-researcher’s experiences in directing a large multinational finance corporation to adopt and integrate CTI to transform cybersecurity-related practice and behaviour. The research contributes practical know-how on the organisational adoption and integration of CTI, enacted through the transformation of cybersecurity practice, and enterprise-wide implementation of a novel solution to package CTI for commercial contexts. The study illustrates the inputs, processes, and outputs in clinical research as a genre of action research. Collapse

Topics: IT security IT security threat organizational context data security innovation management

Methods: survey action research survey design computational algorithm

Digital transformation in high-reliability organizations: A longitudinal study of the micro-foundations of failure

2023 | Journal of Strategic Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Poláková - Kersten, Martina; Khanagha, Saeed; van den Hooff, Bart; Khapova, Svetlana N.

Abstract: High-reliability organizations (HROs) and their complex operating models have be ... Expand

Abstract: High-reliability organizations (HROs) and their complex operating models have been a focus of scholarly work for more than three decades. Recently, HROs have been challenged by new market pressures that require them to digitally transform in ways that affect their identity and value creation models while still maintaining high levels of security and efficiency. This longitudinal, in-depth single-case study of a major European utility company examines the role of HRO identity in digital transformation (DT), specifically in terms of tensions between innovation and trans­ formation on the one hand, and maintaining reliable operations on the other. Our findings show how tensions between HROs’ identity and key features of DT give rise to threat perceptions and self-protective behaviors by the IT workforce, that eventually may derail the transformation process. We develop a process model that highlights the sources and consequences of identity misalignment during major DT initiatives in HROs. In doing so, we extend the research on D T by highlighting the importance of bottom-up processes for DT success and failure, especially con­ cerning the IT function’s perception of organizational identity. Collapse

Topics: IT workforce digital transformation human resource management innovation management value creation

Methods: qualitative interview case study business process modeling longitudinal research survey

SENSEMAKING IN AI-BASED DIGITAL INNOVATIONS: INSIGHTS FROM A MANUFACTURING CASE STUDY

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Sagodi, André; Dremel, Christian; Giffen, Benjamin van

Abstract: Organizations strive to innovate with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tap new v ... Expand

Abstract: Organizations strive to innovate with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tap new value potentials and outperform their competition. However, despite the enormous expectations associated with AI, incorporating the latter induces novel uncertainties into organizational innovation endeavors. To overcome these AI-induced uncertainties and construct meaningful AI-based innovations, the organizational actors must jointly make sense of AI and derive collective innovation actions. Using an exploratory case study, we investigate organizational sensemaking in two AI-based digital innovation projects at a globally leading automotive manufacturer. We account for the distinct characteristics by which AI differs from traditional information systems and carve out how these AI characteristics trigger AI sensemaking in AI-based digital innovations. We deduce four AI sensemaking mechanisms (i.e., cognition, interaction, regulation, and concretization) to understand better how AI unfolds in digital innovation endeavors in organizations. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence digital innovation sensemaking innovation management organizational context

Methods: case study triangulation qualitative interview qualitative coding single case study

It's Tool Time: Exploring Tool Design Alternatives for Virtual Reality Trainings

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Sauter, Louisa; Weigel, Andreas; Ludwig, Thomas

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) technologies have gained a steady increase in attention an ... Expand

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) technologies have gained a steady increase in attention and use in organizations across various industries in recent years. A useful application scenario is VR training, enabling employees to immersively and interactively familiarize with or practice work processes in a safe space without the risk of physical harm or financial consequences for the organization. This research explores how tool representation alternatives in virtual reality training scenarios (VRTS) affect user experience and content transfer. In a two-stage research approach, a total of 20 participants are randomly assigned to one of two VRTS with different tool representation types and interviewed subsequently. The findings indicate that decisions regarding tool representation in VRTS should be based on tool-independent (e.g., the feeling of tool operation) and tool-dependent factors (e.g., tool complexity). Collapse

Topics: virtual reality user experience systems design systems operations information technology operation

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative coding personal interview grounded theory

Digital Security Governance: What Can We Learn from High Reliability Organizations (HROs)?

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Schinagl, Stef; Shahim, Abbas; Khapova, Svetlana; Van Den Hooff, Bart

Abstract: With the growing digitalization of businesses, digital security governance (DSG) ... Expand

Abstract: With the growing digitalization of businesses, digital security governance (DSG) is becoming central to organizational survival strategies. However, many organizations fail to establish successful DSG practices and, consequently, fail to understand how DSG can lower the severity of cybersecurity failures. This paper aims to contribute to filling this gap. By putting the five principles of the High Reliability Organization (HRO) central to the design of our qualitative investigation, we engage in interviewing forty-two chief information security officers (CISOs) and chief information officers (CIOs) of large organizations in the Netherlands about their views on why organizations fail to successfully achieve DSG. Our data show that HRO principles are partly relevant but lacking in DSG approaches, which potentially increases security failure. We conclude this paper by discussing these findings in light of future research and practice. Collapse

Topics: information technology operation IT security threat systems operations organization structure anonymity

Methods: qualitative interview personal interview survey archival research grounded theory

The Design and Operation of Digital Platforms under Folk Theories of Sociotechnical Systems

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Suchow, Jordan; Burton, Lea; Ashrafimoghari, Vahid

Abstract: We consider the problem of how a platform designer, owner, or operator can impr ... Expand

Abstract: We consider the problem of how a platform designer, owner, or operator can improve the design and operation of a digital platform by leveraging a computational cognitive model that represents users' folk theories about the platform as a sociotechnical system. We do so in the context of Reddit, a social-media platform whose owners and administrators make extensive use of shadowbanning, a non-transparent content moderation mechanism that filters a user's posts and comments so that they cannot be seen by fellow community members or the public. After demonstrating that the design and operation of Reddit have led to an abundance of spurious first-party suspicions of shadowbanning in cases where the mechanism was not in fact invoked, we develop a computational cognitive model of users' folk theories about the antecedents and consequences of shadowbanning that predicts when users will attribute their on-platform observations to a shadowban. The model is then used to evaluate the capacity of interventions available to a platform designer, owner, and operator to reduce the incidence of these false suspicions. We conclude by considering the implications of this approach for the design and operation of digital platforms at large. Collapse

Topics: Reddit digital platform social media systems operations systems design

Methods: survey

Theories: socio technical theory

Integrating development and operations teams: A control approach for DevOps

2023 | Information and Organization | Citations: 0

Authors: Wiedemann, Anna; Wiesche, Manuel; Gewald, Heiko; Krcmar, Helmut

Abstract: Information systems (IS) literature has predominantly studied IS project control ... Expand

Abstract: Information systems (IS) literature has predominantly studied IS project control with a focus on software development projects. However, by virtue of digital transformation, an increasing number of organizations are implementing cross-functional teams, combining software devel­ opment with software operations tasks. The goal is to react quickly to the ever-changing market requirements. Collapse

Topics: devops systems development project management IT development project IT manager

Methods: case study qualitative interview grounded theory theory development qualitative coding

Theories: control theory management theory

Digital technology-enabled dynamic capabilities and their impacts on firm performance: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

2022 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Li, Lixu; Tong, Yang; Wei, Long; Yang, Shuili

Abstract: To understand whether companies can lock in the benefits of digital technology ( ... Expand

Abstract: To understand whether companies can lock in the benefits of digital technology (DT) usage during the COVID-19 pandemic, we draw on a dynamic capability view to examine how digitalization capabilities generate impacts on firm performance. Through the analysis of 165 Chinese manufacturing companies, we find that market capi­ talizing agility and operational adjustment agility fully mediate the relationship between digitalization capa­ bilities and firm performance. More interestingly, of the effect size of different mediation paths, market capitalizing agility has the strongest effect. We contribute to the existing information systems literature by revealing the possible mediational mechanisms that can solve the digital dilemma. Collapse

Topics: organizational productivity pandemic electronic market IT manager individual productivity

Methods: survey statistical hypothesis test confirmatory factor analysis data transformation chi squared test

Theories: dynamic capabilities theory theory of economic growth