Lessons from the Trenches of Metatriangulation Research

In this paper we describe our application of a relatively untried research approach called metatriangulation. Metatriangulation is a three-phased, qualitative meta-analysis process that may be used to explore variations in the assumptions of alternative paradigms, gain insights into these multiple paradigms, and address emerging themes and the resulting theories. In applying this method we encountered difficulties in selecting a sample, in reaching agreement among coders, and in our attempts to build theory from our results. From our experiences we developed a modified version of the metatriangulation method. We did find metatriangulation to be an excellent tool in understanding theoretical perspectives in MIS research and believe the use of our modified method will aid future researchers in this pursuit

Synthesizing Qualitative Evidence: A Roadmap for Information Systems Research

Qualitative synthesis research is an approach that consolidates the output of different qualitative studies to create new subject knowledge. Such work can help reveal more powerful explanations than that seen in a single study, thereby generating increased levels of understanding of a given phenomenon and greater research finding generalizability. Based on a review of the literature and a survey of qualitative researchers, we found that the information systems (IS) domain lacks a clear understanding of qualitative synthesis methods and, as a result, has largely failed to take advantage of this powerful, high-potential methodological opportunity. To address this shortcoming, this paper is the first to provide a rigorous overview of the full suite of 35 qualitative synthesis methods, as well as guidelines that include a three-tiered selection framework. By using the guidelines and framework in tandem, IS researchers are able to select the qualitative synthesis method most appropriate for a given research study, particularly when the research objective involves knowledge integration/aggregation, interpretation/theory development, and/or informing IS practice

ICIS 2008 Panel Report: IS Has Outgrown the Need for Reference Discipline Theories, or Has It?

We view the current belief in reference discipline theories and their value in MIS research as exhibiting dominance in our field. This article is based on the panel discussion at the 2008 International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) held in Paris, France. It examines why this dominance has the potential to harm the future prospects of our intellectual endeavors. In counterpoint, we present the argument that the use of reference disciplines should continue. Aside from the fact that the belief in the value of reference discipline is continued, there are benefits derived from anchoring research initiatives in reference discipline theories which should be acknowledged. Under certain situations such use should be encouraged and broadened. Additionally, we will present arguments for viable alternatives to relying on reference disciplines in theory building. The alternatives are aimed at building and expanding indigenous IS theory

Political Maneuvering During Business Process Transformation: A Pluralist Approach

For years, managers have tried to improve organizational performance through business process transformation (BPT), and their experiences have informed IS research and practice. Although extant theory acknowledges the political nature of these dynamic transformation initiatives, researchers have yet to empirically investigate and theorize how organizational politics impacts BPT behaviors and outcomes. Drawing on a pluralist methodology, we present an embedded case study of a company-wide BPT project across four business units at the high-tech firm Terma. First, we apply different perspectives on organizational politics to develop detailed accounts of each business unit\u27s response to the transformation initiative, which reveals four distinct patterns of BPT politics: “applying the hammer”, “struggling to engage”, “walking the talk”, and “keeping up appearances”. Next, we combine the empirical findings with extant literature to theorize how transformation agents and process users engage in politics during BPT implementation. As a result, our research leverages a pluralist approach to show how alternative political perspectives and forms of politics can help managers maneuver BPT initiatives in their roles as transformation agents and process users

Under Pressure: Time Management, Self-Leadership, and the Nurse Manager

Decision making by nurses is complicated by the stress, chaos, and challenging demands of the work. One of the major stressors confronting nurses is perceived time pressure. Given the potential negative outcomes on nurses due to perceived time pressures, it seems logical that a nurse manager\u27s ability to lead nurses in moderating this time pressure and in turn to make better decisions could enhance nurse well-being and performance. Paralleling research in the nursing literature suggests that, in order to improve patients\u27 judgement of the care they received, nurse managers should embrace ways to lower nurses\u27 perceived time pressure. In this conceptual paper, we propose a model to help mitigate time pressure on nurse managers and their frontline nurses based on the research regarding time pressure, psychosocial care, time management, and self-leadership. Three metaconjectures and suggested future studies are given for further consideration by organizational and psychological researchers

Diffusion of Innovations and the Theory of Planned Behavior in Information Systems Research: A Metaanalysis

Diffusion of Innovations and the Theory of Planned Behavior provide the foundation on which a preponderance of information systems (IS) theory and research is built. IS scholars often assume that the basic factors proffered by these theories are significant determinants of innovation adoption. However, there has yet to be a meta-analytic examination of research in the IS field to validate this assumption. Herein, we use Tornatzky and Klein’s seminal 1982 meta-analysis of innovation characteristics as the starting point for our meta-analytic examination of Diffusion of Innovations and Theory of Planned Behavior models in IS research. In order to focus our investigation on a common criterion variable, adoption propensity, we use antecedents from both models to develop a model of innovation adoption-behavior (IAB). After describing the relationships encompassed by the IAB model, we step through a bare-bones meta-analysis. Considering the data reported in fifty-eight empirical articles, we calculate the estimated true correlations with the criterion variable to be .53 for attitude toward behavior, .33 for subjective norm, .41 for perceived behavioral control, .42 for relative advantage, .43 for compatibility, -.28 for complexity, .32 for trialability, and .38 for observability. With the exception of complexity, all correlations generalize across studies

Abordagem multiparadigmática em estudos organizacionais: avanços e limitações

This paper aims to discuss the developments and limitations of multiparadigmatic approach to developing organizational studies. The model of the four paradigms (functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist and radical structuralist) proposed by Burrell and Morgan (1979) accelerated the proliferation of competing perspectives, besides generating the polarization and segregation. Each paradigm is treated in a unique perspective and therefore incommensurable with another paradigm, against the scholars who defend the communication between paradigms. The pluralistic view is relevant because it encourages scholars to see organizations in different prisms to succumb to the reductionist view of the theory of organizations, and encourage the development of new perspectives for organizational analysis. However, the use of multiple paradigms also presents limits, since the researcher when dealing with different approaches can be without reference or justification, besides sometimes having difficulty to be away from the dominant paradigm. All these joints and paradigmatic joints can be made, provided that the researcher always has a reference and a basis, in order to maintain the coherence and the consistency of what is being researched.O artigo tem por objetivo discutir os avanços e as limitações da abordagem multiparadigmática no desenvolvimento de estudos organizacionais. O modelo dos quatro paradigmas (funcionalista, interpretativo, humanista radical e estruturalista radical) propostos por Burrell e Morgan (1979) catalisou a proliferação de perspectivas concorrentes, além de gerar a polarização e a segregação. Cada paradigma é tratado numa perspectiva única, sendo, portanto, incomensurável com outro paradigma, contrariando os estudiosos que defendem a comunicação entre paradigmas. A visão pluralista é relevante, porque incentiva os estudiosos a ver as organizações sob diferentes prismas, para sucumbir à visão reducionista da teoria das organizações, além de favorecer o desenvolvimento de novas perspectivas para a análise organizacional. Todavia, a utilização de paradigmas múltiplos também apresenta limites, já que o pesquisador, ao lidar com diferentes abordagens, pode ficar sem referência ou fundamentação, além de ter, às vezes, dificuldade para se distanciar do paradigma dominante. Todas essas articulações e junções paradigmáticas podem ser feitas, desde que o pesquisador tenha sempre uma referência e uma fundamentação, visando manter a coerência e a consistência do que está sendo pesquisado

Managerial and Entrepreneurial Decision Making

Since the conceptualization of bounded rationality, management scholars started investigating how people—managers and entrepreneurs—really make decisions within (and for) organizations. The aim of this eBook is to deeply investigate trends that have flourished within this pivotal research area in conceptual and/or empirical terms, trying to provide new insights on how managers and entrepreneurs make decisions within and for organizations. In this vein, readers that approach this eBook will be taken by hand and accompanied to the discovery of how the mind of decision makers is at the basis of organizational developments or failures. In this regard, published contributions in this eBook underline how executives and entrepreneurs must be ecologically rational, thus be aware of the negative and positive effects that biases can have depending on the context and use them at their advantage. Managerial and entrepreneurial decision-making are phenomena that cannot be detached from the environment in which executives and entrepreneurs are embedded, claiming to establish new approaches to research that looks at decision-making as an individual/group/organization-environment dialectical and multi-level phenomenon