Design framework for performance management systems : an ensemble approach

Businesses and public sector organizations rely increasingly on fact-based management and decision making. Performance management systems enable these activities by helping organizations to derive “business intelligence” from a rapidly expanding amount of digital data. Moreover, performance management systems are designed to provide users with essential performance information through effective visualizations. To this end, the developers of performance management systems are faced with implementing increasingly complex technological solutions in organizational contexts that are governed by various information needs and often-conflicting interests of multiple stakeholders. The thesis focuses on these important questions to which the existing body of scientific knowledge on information systems design has not yet provided comprehensive explanations. To address the knowledge gap, the present thesis establishes a research framework to study the key design challenges and essential managerial issues in the development of performance management systems. To populate the framework, empirical evidence is drawn from multiple system development projects through qualitative inquiry. Participative action-based research and qualitative case study research are adopted as the main research methods to gain in-depth knowledge of the associated organizational phenomena. Overall, the thesis proposes that an “ensemble” approach is needed to uncover the complex interrelated organizational and technological factors that affect the design of performance management systems. Furthermore, guidance is given on how to overcome these issues to gain satisfactory outcomes in system implementations. To this end, the key findings point towards three essential design efforts: 1) designing the performance measurement model and metrics, 2) designing the procedures for capturing, storing, and processing data, and 3) designing the process and system for delivering performance information to the users. In addition, the results highlight that success in system development initiatives is heavily influenced by contextual factors and especially the interaction of essential stakeholders throughout the design process. The study contributes to the existing body of theoretical knowledge on information systems design. In addition, it provides empirical insight on the design of novel IT artifacts and the principles that are deemed effective for developing performance management systems. Furthermore, the study provides a better overall understanding of the relevant kernel theories that inform the design knowledge and help to explain the associated organizational phenomena. The practical contribution of the study builds upon the guidance provided to system designers and managers through several frameworks, IT artifacts, and management practices for information systems design processes

Empirical Evaluation of Action Design Research

There has been a growing interest in information systems (IS) research as design research. One popular methodology is Action Design Research (ADR). Despite the popularity, ADR lacks proper evaluation based on primary data. We claim that the existing empirical evidence justifying ADR is either fragmented or based on reconstructions of prior studies conducted for other purposes. Our claim is supported by the authors of ADR who state that “ … because the VIP project was not conducted explicitly as ADR, it cannot be viewed as an exemplar of its application”. The purpose of this study is to provide empirical evidence. Examples of empirical evidence show that ADR is highly relevant for an applied discipline such as IS, it creates a bridge between user-oriented perspectives of the IT artefact and technological perspectives and it supports a conceptual movement from a specific instance to a search for a class of problems

Value Creation in Knowledge Networks:Five Design Principles

Knowledge networks enable businesses to enhance their levels of innovation and market competitiveness. In this paper, we propose five principles for designing IT tools that can support the facilitation and improvement of knowledge networks. We also introduce a new value proposition that constitutes a nascent design theory in the domain of knowledge network improvement. The design principles are derived from an iterative process applied in three different case settings. In each case, we apply and evaluate the network nexus tool to determine whether the knowledge network provides value to its participants

A people rejuvenation strategy for multicultrualism in the emerging South Africa

Abstract: South Africa as a developing country in an emerging economy is under continuous political, social and economic turbulence and conflict. Since democracy, transformation of society, cities, villages and workplaces towards the redress of past people injustice has been slow. Living conditions are substandard. Workplace equity for the majority of African people and other previously disadvantaged people, such as women, has not happened. The country is plagued with conflict, discontent and continuous protest as a result. National toxicity in recent times is due to poor leadership, mismanagement of public funds, unethical decision making, differences in values and multicultural intolerance. This theoretical, conceptual paper explores this research question: What strategy can leaders and managers implement to redress conflict and simultaneously revive and promote employee relations and talent management in the multicultural, emerging South Africa? The purpose and message of this paper is that leaders and managers can and must rejuvenate the consciousness of people into cooperativeness, collectiveness and compassion towards harmonious individual and team interactions within society and especially within the workplace. This paper presents an introspection and review of African, eastern and western leadership theories and practices on conflict resolution, co-creativeness, multiculturalism, talent management, mentorship and collaborative leadership. The paper proposes a solution for debate on a people rejuvenation strategy for the integration of multiculturalism and globalisation within the localised context of South Africa. The implications for policy makers, leaders and managers in South Africa, Africa and BRICS are that the strategy can be employed to rejuvenate people towards being productive in a joyful, multicultural, cooperative workplac

When People at Work Go Astray, What to Say and How to Say It: A Typology and Test of the Effect of Moral Feedback on Unethical Behavior

abstract: Unethical behavior is a phenomenon that is unavoidable in the workplace. Ethical transgressors, when caught, often receive feedback regarding their actions. Though such moral feedback—feedback that is in response to an ethical transgression—may be aimed at curtailing future unethical behavior, I seek to demonstrate that under certain conditions, moral feedback may promote subsequent unethical behavior. Specifically, I propose that moral intensity and affective tone are two primary dimensions of moral feedback that work together to affect ethical transgressor moral disengagement and future behavior. The notion of moral disengagement, which occurs when self-regulatory systems are deactivated, may account for situations whereby individuals perform unethical acts without associated guilt. Despite the burgeoning literature on this theme, research has yet to examine whether feedback from one individual can influence another individual’s moral disengagement. This is surprising considering the idea of moral disengagement stems from social cognitive theory which emphasizes the role that external factors have in affecting behavior. With my dissertation, I draw from research primarily in social psychology to explore how moral feedback affects transgressor moral disengagement. To do so, I develop a typology of moral feedback and test how each moral feedback type affects transgressor future behavior through moral disengagement.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Business Administration 201

Games and rules: game mechanics for the "Magic Circle"

Why do we play games and why do we play them on computers? The contributors of "Games and Rules" take a closer look at the core of each game and the motivational system that is the game mechanics. Games are control circuits that organize the game world with their (joint) players and establish motivations in a dedicated space, a "Magic Circle", whereas game mechanics are constructs of rules designed for interactions that provide gameplay. Those rules form the base for all the excitement and frustration we experience in games. This anthology contains individual essays by experts and authors with backgrounds in Game Design and Game Studies, who lead the discourse to get to the bottom of game mechanics in video games and the real world - among them Miguel Sicart and Carlo Fabricatore

Games and Rules

Why do we play games and why do we play them on computers? The contributors of »Games and Rules« take a closer look at the core of each game and the motivational system that is the game mechanics. Games are control circuits that organize the game world with their (joint) players and establish motivations in a dedicated space, a »Magic Circle«, whereas game mechanics are constructs of rules designed for interactions that provide gameplay. Those rules form the base for all the excitement and frustration we experience in games. This anthology contains individual essays by authors with backgrounds in Game Design and Game Studies, who lead the discourse to get to the bottom of game mechanics in video games and the real world