The Use of an Explicitly Theory-Driven Data Coding Method for High-Level Theory Testing in IOIS

As part of an international empirical study we have developed a high-level theory of the structure and evolution of inter-organizational information systems (IOIS), but face two issues in testing this theory; the very large set of factors possibly influencing IOIS and need to bound a complex research object. We describe a novel solution involving an explicitly theory-driven coding of our raw empirical data to produce a new interpreted “meso-level” ground upon which to derive and test predictions. To justify this approach, we first give a pragmatic analysis which traces the problem to the traditional choice between top-down (deductive) and bottom-up (inductive) methods for linking theory and data. We then assess the validity of our approach against standard philosophical positions. We find that a hard Empiricist view commonly espoused in information systems would not admit our approach but that Critical Realism does and suggests a conceptual interpretation of our meso-level

Adoption and Penetration of e-Government Systems: Conceptual Model and Case Analysis based on Structuration Theory

The study of IT/IS adoption has by far largely relied on social psychological theories which lack the capability to explain why and how systems continue to be used after they are adopted. Incorporating Structuration Theory from the sociology realm, this paper proposes a “structure-pattern” conceptual model for analyzing the adoption and application practice of e-Government systems from an organizational level perspective. Based on this model, a case study with regard to the practice of an e-Government application in Chaoyang District of Beijing City is conducted, so as to validate the interpretive ability of the model, as well as to reveal the evolution process of typical e-Government applications. Results from this case study may provide helpful insights for related practice. It is also demonstrated that Structuration Theory based Concepts and the case study methodology are promising for tackling the long existing difficulties in the traditional IT/IS research

The Catalyzing Factors of Official Documents Exchange via Microblogging in Public Sectors: A Case Study based on the T-O-E Framework

Since Government transparency and information open has got more attention by both academia and practitioners with the development of information technologies (IT) and Internet, The popularity of Web 2.0 application provides the government some new opportunities and challenges. Official documents exchange via microblogging (ODEM) in the Bureau of Justice, Haining is a practice case of government information open in the new media. For analyzing the determinants from academic perspective and exploring the managerial value of the case, the paper report an exploratory case study based on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework. After several field interviews and rigorous data coding by following the case study methodology, we find that top manager’s support, personnel’s IT accomplishment, and regional economic and social environment are the key determinants of the emergence of ODEM, as well as the organizational structure and operational flow is not change immediately in this case. The limitation and future goals of the study are also discussed in the paper

Cross-Sector Collaboration and Information Integration in Local Government One-Stop Services Centres: The Experiences and Lessons from a Case Studies in China

The government of China is experiencing a transformation from the control-oriented government to a service-oriented government. And the one-stop service centers established by local governments at all levels are exactly the practice aiming to integrate administrative resources and provide citizen with more convenient services. E-government implementation and public information integration is generally looked as a driving force to promote the one-stop service transformation. However, the new pattern of one-stop service and related information integration have been impacted by benefits division and power structure of the traditional sectors. Based on the Bryson’s framework in collaborative public administration research, the study conducted a case analysis of administrative structure and operation process of an information integration project, named “Quan-cheng-dai-ban”, in one-stop service centers in Beijing, attempting to reveal the key determinants of cross-sector collaboration and information integration in the local governments in China

Understanding Cross-Sector Collaboration in E-Government Development: Theoretical Consideration Based on Extended Bryson’s Framework

With the rapid development of e-government, cross-sector collaboration has been one of the most important issues to academia and practitioners. Although collaboration was a classical topic in public administration research, digital age and e-government environment complicate the related issues from multi-perspectives. Based on accumulated literature in the public administration research area and e-government research area, this paper tries to introduce Bryson’s Framework, an important theoretical framework of collaboration in public administration provided on 2006, for analyzing cross-sector collaboration based on e-government development more deeply. Considering the e-government environment, we redefine and extend the detail items of five basic dimensions in the framework, called initial conditions, process, structure and governance, constraints on collaboration, outcomes. The research plan of an empirical study in a local government in China for utilizing this extended framework was also discussed briefly in the paper

Understanding Resilience and Evolution of IOIS in the Australian Pharmaceutical Distribution Industry

We analyse an empirical case study of an inter-organizational information system (IOIS) in the Australian pharmaceutical distribution industry, using a theoretical data coding approach, to provide a concise grounded account of changes in the material, normative and ideational structures within the participating practices over a 25 year period as the IOIS evolved from a proprietary closed system to a quasi-open shared ordering platform. We find evidence that the resilience of the IOIS over this long time period is explained by a layered accumulation of new structures at the level of individual practices, while the punctuated evolutionary change accompanied the appearance of a new practice, historically connected to the incumbent practices. These findings are in substantial agreement with systems evolution mechanisms proposed by Porra (1999). Understanding IOIS evolution will be important for the provision of key enabling information infrastructures envisioned in existing and planned ICT-mediated healthcare initiatives

Grounded Theory in Information Systems Research – from Themes in IS Discourse to Possible Developments

The grounded theory approach (GT) has been applied in qualitative research in information systems for a long time. Besides many papers that report results from such applications, there exist also many papers that discuss research-methodological issues concerning GT. This paper investigates the literature on GT-methodological issues in IS. The presentation is structured in six themes of the IS/GT discourse. These are: 1) GT variants, 2) GT and research paradigms, 3) GT and guidance, 4) usefulness of GT in IS studies, 5) the influence and use of pre-understandings in the GT research process, 6) the character of a grounded theory or other GT research outcomes. Conclusions are drawn from this review and based on these conclusions two suggestions are given for further development of a grounded theory approach in IS research. These suggestions are: 1) an enhanced action perspective with adapted conceptualizations for the IS research context to be used as support for analysis of data, 2) a clarification of a balanced interaction between inductive data analysis and use of extant theories in theory formation. These suggestions are grounded in pragmatist foundations that are apparent in original and evolved Straussian GT