The Delphi Method Research Strategy in Studies of Information Systems

In this paper, we discuss the nature and use of the Delphi methodology in information systems research. More specifically, we explore how and why it may be used. We discuss criteria for evaluating Delphi research and define characteristics useful for categorizing the studies. We review Delphi application use in IS research over the last 23 years, summarize lessons learned from prior studies, offer suggestions for improvement, and present guidelines for employing this distinctly useful qualitative method in future information systems research studies

A Delphi Examination of Public Sector ERP Implementation Issues

A Delphi survey of ERP life cycle management issues was conducted within five agencies of the Queensland government. The five agencies each implemented SAP Financials at around the same time using the services of a common implementation partner. Responses were elicited from ERP project participants, from managers at the agencies, and from users of the financial systems. Valid questionnaires were returned from 61 respondents in the first round survey (response rate = 55%) and yielded 274 perceived issues. Through two rounds of the Delphi survey, these issues have been summarized and categorized into 10 major issue categories (with 38 sub-issues). The final survey round in which respondents will assign weights to these issues is currently underway. Lessons drawn from this study will assist in understanding the ERP life cycle and specific characteristics of the public sector ERP life cycle, and will provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of ERP systems for public sector organizations

Market Reactions to Investments in Information Technology: Insight from Warsaw Stock Exchange

Building on the Roztocki and Weistroffer (2009c) explanatory model, this study examines stock market reactions to announcements of information technology investments in Poland, an emerging market and transition economy. Based on 68 announcements by companies traded at the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the period 2002 to 2009, our study confirms some previously published results, but also shows that specific characteristics of announcements play a more important role than has been commonly assumed. Our results indicate that investors in Poland react more positively if systems are acquired from global rather than local vendors. Announcements about completed projects are more positively received than announcements about planned or in-progress projects. Furthermore, announcements in Polish, targeted at existing shareholders, are more likely to be received positively than similar announcements released in English, targeting global investors

Research Issues in Global Information Technology Management

Information technology (IT) is rapidly becoming an essential requirement for the conduct of international business. In many cases, IT is a driving force as evinced by its role in business expansion and competitive advantage in worldwide markets. Anecdotal accounts of innovative uses of IT in international business continue to appear in popular press as well as in many practitioner journals. Lately, the academic research community has taken note of IT in international business and has begun inquiry into global IT management. Yet at this early stage of inquiry, neither the issues nor their relative importance are clearly known. This article is an attempt to define the appropriate research issues and their relative importance in global IT management (GITM). Based on opinions of a large sample of IS professionals, six topical areas in GITM have been identified. The topical areas as well as specific research issues are further evaluated for their relative importance. The article should be of value and provide direction to researchers in this challenging and growing subdomain of MIS. It is also intended to stimulate further interest and investigation by a greater number of researchers

Information Systems Outsourcing In Spain: Reflections From The Practitioners

The widespread growth of Information Systems outsourcing on an international scale contrasts sharply with the somewhat limited development of this practice in Spain. That is why the present paper deals with the situation of Information Systems outsourcing in this country. For this purpose, we have used the opinions and comments of those in charge of Information Systems departments at the largest Spanish firms through a normative Delphi study. Outsourcing makes it possible to achieve strategic as well as economic advantages and managers propose a number of ways to reduce the risks associated with this practice. Provider specialisation and permanent client-provider contact are key aspects in order to ensure outsourcing success and development. This paper is basically descriptive though it uses quantitative information. Furthermore, it refers exclusively to the context of large Spanish firms. Despite the limitations mentioned above, the paper has the advantage that in the panellists’ words we interpret the results obtained, which means that we can largely ratify the results of the first questionnaire elaborated. Moreover, it is worth studying the Spanish outsourcing model, which is less developed and has not received as much attention from researchers as that of other Western countries

Key Issues in Information Systems Management: A Serbiaas Perspective (Delphi study)

Delphi study used by many authors to compile a list of key issues related to information systems (IS) management in the world, i.e. to classify them and display their meaning. A key focus in this paper was put on trial IS managers in all areas, with emphasis on identifying and explaining regional similarities and differences. The results presented and compared with those obtained in similar studies in the U.S. and other European and non-European countries. Our research evidence points to profound differences in IS management between Serbia, the U.S. and other countries. The aim of this study was to identify key issues in organizations for management information systems over the next 3 to 5 years

An ERP System Life Cycle-Wide Management and Support Framework for Small- and Medium-Sized Companies

Currently, the companies that have introduced the ERP system in Taiwan are mostly large enterprises. Due to the high cost of introduction and uncertain performance, however, ordinary small- and medium-sized enterprises can hardly afford the system. Thus, not only would a reference model for ERP life offer cycle-wide management support and assist large enterprises in evaluating and renewing the system, but it would also offer small- and medium-sized enterprises a set of procedures to successfully introduce the ERP system. The objective of this research is to explore the life cycle-wide management and support activities of an ERP system in order to establish a managerial model which can be used as a guideline for managers in dealing with their critical managerial activities. This study applied both the results from the literature review and Delphi study on the basis of Gowin\u27s Vee Approach. Through literature review, this research initially determined the life cycle-wide activities of the ERP system and then used the Grounded Theory to develop a prototype of the reference model for ERP life cycle-wide management and support. Subsequently, this study used the Delphi Method to collect the opinions of field experts. After analyzing and organizing the results, comparison and amendments were made to propose a final set of reference models for ERP life cycle-wide management and support. From the perspective of academic research, the authors believe that this study contributes to the development of a managerial model and provides prospective researchers with future directions in this subject area. As for the business sector, this managerial model can assist large enterprises through a better approach in management and support of the current ERP system, while small- and medium-sized enterprises are provided with a set of concrete steps to facilitate the successful introduction of the ERP system

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

Using storytelling to elicit tacit knowledge from subject matter experts in an organization

Magister Commercii (Information Management) - MCom(IM)Knowledge Management has been at the heart of mounting focus over the last several years. Research and literature on the area under discussion has grown and organizations have come to realize that success is often determined by one’s ability to create, disseminate, and embody knowledge in products and services. This realization has led to increased interest in examining the ways in which knowledge can be effectively identified, elicited, codified, distributed and retained.When an employee leaves an organization, the knowledge they possess often goes with them. This loss can potentially have a negative impact on the productivity and quality of the organization. Knowledge Management seeks to find ways to minimize loss of knowledge when an employee leaves an organization. One of the impediments that knowledge management seeks to overcome is the accepted tendency in people to hoard knowledge. People often withhold knowledge when they feel it provides them with a competitive advantage over others. The argument of this study was intended to provide the organization with an approach that it can utilize to facilitate tacit knowledge elicitation by means of the storytelling method.In keeping with Grounded theory principles, and utilising an interpretive approach, stories from Subject Matter Experts were collected and re-coded into fitting knowledge management constructs. The coding of the stories into the various knowledge management constructs was then further refined by means of expert review. Pearson’s cross correlation analysis was also used as a supporting tool to determine and validate that the collected stories were classified correctly under the knowledge management constructs. The research findings eventually demonstrated that storytelling is an effective means of eliciting tacit knowledge from experts. In addition to this, the research has inadvertently resulted in the construction of a knowledge management framework for storytelling