A Complex Adaptive Systems Perspective on Self-Organization in IS Project Portfolios

Portfolio management practices and theory continue to remain focused on a centralized “command and control” perspective. Even though many organizations promote and encourage self-organization, particularly within their software development teams, little is known about how or if IS project portfolios self-organize. Previous studies have explored self-organization at organizational, team, or project level, but do not explore self-organization at portfolio level. Self-organization facilitates the acceptance of innovative ideas and enables autonomous teams to respond to changes in requirements or in the environment without management intervention. This research-in-progress paper aims to firstly contribute to research by using the theory of complex adaptive systems to explain how one aspect of control, namely self-organization, can occur in portfolios of IS projects. Secondly, this study will, through the use of exploratory case studies, contribute to practice by determining the implications and challenges for managers of self-organizing IS portfolios

TAKING STOCK AND LOOKING FORWARD: A SCIENTOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF IS/IT INTEGRATION CHALLENGES IN MERGERS

The last decade has seen a rise in research on the topic of challenges associated with information systems (IS) in corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Although this proliferation of research has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of IS challenges in M&A activity, absent is the necessary step of consolidating and integrating extant knowledge. In this paper, we review the domain of IS integration in M&As with focus on the theory building in the area. We identify and analyse 48 articles, published in 13 journals and 5 conference proceedings based on their theoretical contribution. Based on the analysis we point out gaps in the literature and suggest directions for future research

An introspection for the field of IS integration challenges in M&A

The last decade has seen a rise in research on the topic of challenges associated with information systems (IS) in corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Although this proliferation of research has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of IS challenges in M&A activity, absent is the necessary step of consolidating and integrating extant knowledge. In this paper, we review the domain of IS integration in M&As with focus on what have been studied and how it has been studied. By reviewing 37 articles, published in 13 journals, 5 conference proceedings this paper identifies patterns and gaps, and provides directions for future research

ON THE EMERGENCE OF SHADOW IT - A TRANSACTION COST-BASED APPROACH

Information Technology (IT) used for business processes is not only provided by the organization´s IT department. Business departments and users autonomously implement IT solutions, which are not embedded in the organizational IT service management. This increasingly occurring phenomenon is called Shadow IT. The various opportunities and risks of Shadow IT challenge organizations and call for approaches to manage the phenomenon. An initial point to achieve measurable indications for the management is to explain why Shadow IT emerges. Therefore, this paper explores the business decision to implement Shadow IT. Based on existing research we derive that Shadow IT is created after a make-or-buy decision, which is substantiated in the Transaction Cost Theory. We deploy a triangulation approach using the methods expert interviews and multiple-case study to investigate Shadow IT emergence. Our findings identify prohibitive transaction costs in the exchange relation between business and IT departments, influnced by misalignment, as the main explanation. We conclude that the principles of Transaction Cost Theory may be applied to develop governance structures for managing Shadow IT. This strengthens the link between IT Governance and Business IT Alignment and expands the understanding of business integration within the IT domains of an organization

Integrating Management Information Systems Following Organizational Mergers or Acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions have become a normal business occurrence for companies large and small. Integration of entities following mergers and acquisitions are often more painful and less successful than they could be. The integration of information technology functions plays a vital role in the ultimate results of such a merger by actualizing product and customer synergies, establishing best practices drawing from the best of each organization, and providing smooth transition to integrated reporting and decision systems. This study proposes to investigate best practice for information technology leaders for integration of functions following mergers and acquisitions, considering outcomes and metrics, pre-merger activities, human resources, culture, learning and other key issues. Results are presented as the distillation of comments extracted from a wide variety of perspectives, organizational situations, and personal reflections by MIS professionals. Additional observations are noted, and several emergent questions aimed at furthering our understanding of this phenomenon are presented

Software Startups -- A Research Agenda

Software startup companies develop innovative, software-intensive products within limited time frames and with few resources, searching for sustainable and scalable business models. Software startups are quite distinct from traditional mature software companies, but also from micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, introducing new challenges relevant for software engineering research. This paper's research agenda focuses on software engineering in startups, identifying, in particular, 70+ research questions in the areas of supporting startup engineering activities, startup evolution models and patterns, ecosystems and innovation hubs, human aspects in software startups, applying startup concepts in non-startup environments, and methodologies and theories for startup research. We connect and motivate this research agenda with past studies in software startup research, while pointing out possible future directions. While all authors of this research agenda have their main background in Software Engineering or Computer Science, their interest in software startups broadens the perspective to the challenges, but also to the opportunities that emerge from multi-disciplinary research. Our audience is therefore primarily software engineering researchers, even though we aim at stimulating collaborations and research that crosses disciplinary boundaries. We believe that with this research agenda we cover a wide spectrum of the software startup industry current needs

How Sprint Nextel Reconfigured IT Resources for Results

Following the merger of Sprint and Nextel, the merged IT organization reduced costs by $424 million more than a year ahead of schedule. These cost savings stemmed from a reconfiguration of IT resources that reduced both annual IT operational expenditures and capital IT expenditures. To facilitate the reconfiguration, Sprint Nextel IT leaders applied new and proven practicesâ€â€a program management office, application rationalization, insourcing, multichannel communications, and thoughtful human capital management. The way in which Sprint Nextel IT achieved its IT merger goals adds significantly to our understanding of mergers. Even more importantly, though, it exemplifies how Sprint Nextel developed an IT resource reconfiguration capability. Sprint Nextel’s experience provides insights into how IT leaders can build such a capability, which is crucial for today’s turbulent business environments

Proactively Building Capabilities for the Post-Acquisition Integration of Information Systems

To gain the strategic benefits of acquisitions, firms must successfully execute post-acquisition IS integration. Unfortunately, a key reason acquisitions regularly fail is because firms fail to successfully leverage the post-acquisition IS integration capability. This capability is not found in non-acquisitive firms. Although research has shown that this capability must be built during the years preceding an acquisition, it has not comprehensively explained what the capability is, nor how it is proactively developed. Through an engaged scholarship learning partnership, this PhD examines how Maersk, proactively built their post-acquisition IS integration capability prior to their first acquisition. By adopting the resource-based view and its extension into dynamic capabilities this PhD contributes mid-range theory that describes and explains this proactive capability building process. Firms can leverage this useful knowledge when building their own IS integration capability to become capable of executing post-acquisition IS integration