Using interpretive structural modeling to uncover shared mental models in IS research

Today’s growth of the service sector as a whole has created demand for more efficient service production. Many services require interaction between customers and service personnel, whereas some can be automated into self-services. In this study, we focus on services, that are neither purely human facilitated, nor purely automated, and contain uncertainty in the production process. Based on resource centric theories of strategy and research on uncertainties in service production, we introduce a research framework to evaluate efficient solutions for service production. Our research framework looks at environmental and informational uncertainties, and how an organization can adapt to these by utilizing technology or skilled labour. Illustrated with a case company, we show how mobile information systems can be used to manage service production related uncertainties, which are also typically barriers to standardization. The case study demonstrates how informational uncertainty could be more easily controlled using the new system. The job satisfaction of the workers was increased and their turnover and training time was decreased. Additionally, customer complaints were reduced and invoicing became more efficient. These enabled the company to enhance the efficiency of the service production processes further, moving closer to standardizing and automating the service production process within an uncertain environment

The significant others of subjective norm - A scientometric study of subjective norm in IS top-journals over two decades

The role of grounded approaches has been advocated for long in IS research. However, the inherent subjectivity of such approaches and the apparent lack of a basis to validate or even replicate such research has often been the subject of debate among IS researchers. As a result, many IS researchers tend to fall back on variance-theoretic approaches to conceptualize, design and operationalize their research. In this paper, we show how a grounded approach, interpretive structural modeling (ISM), can be used to qualitatively elicit individual cognitive structures. Further, we show how it can be applied to derive the shared aspects of such a structure across many individuals. We use the well-known technology acceptance model (TAM) to demonstrate the utility of our approach. We conclude the paper by discussing the strengths and weaknesses of this approach

The knowledge management kaleidoscope: Keeping stakeholders and their expectations in focus

information systems field. Over many years the roots and foundations of the definition of knowledge and its constructs have upheld the view that knowledge is an amorphous entity to be harnessed in its abundance. This developmental paper argues that knowledge is context sensitive and reliant upon an inter-relationship between stakeholders, their expectations, and associated organisational cultural factors which are modified by the lens of organisational context. By using the systems dynamics concept of the Eroding Goals systems archetype, a conceptual model- the Knowledge Management Kaleidoscope - is developed to explain and describe these components as an alternative model of identifying knowledge

Open Data Capability Architecture - An Interpretive Structural Modeling Approach

Despite of increasing availability of open data as a vital organizational resource, large numbers of start-ups and organizations fail when it comes to utilizing open data effectively. This shortcoming is attributable to the poor understanding of what types of capabilities are required to successfully conduct data related activities. At the same time, research on open data capabilities and how they relate to one another remains sparse. Guided by extant literature, interviews of these organizations, and drawn from Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) approach which are pair comparison methods to evolve hierarchical relationships among a set of elements to convert unclear and unstructured mental models of systems into well-articulated models that act as base for conceptualization and theory building, this study explores open data capabilities and the relationships and the structure of the dependencies among these areas. Findings from this study reveal hitherto unknown knowledge regarding how the capability areas relate one another in these organizations. From the practical standpoint, the resulting architecture has the potential to transform capability management practices in open data organizations towards greater competitiveness through more flexibility and increased value generation. From the research point of you, this paper motivates theory development in this discipline

Analysis of designed and emergent consequences of mobile banking usage by SME’s in Kenya using ethnographic decision tree modeling

Includes bibliographical references.Evaluating the impact of Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICT4D) has been a challenge both in terms of theoretical and methodological approaches. It has been pointed out in extant literature that ICT4D impact studies are few compared to those that investigate determinants of adoption. Knowledge of this scarcity and the theoretical and methodological limitations led to the conception of this study. This study set out to investigate the decision criteria evaluated by Kenyan micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) when making the initial mobile banking adoption and usage decisions with a view to unearth the designed and emergent consequences. Ethnographic decision tree modelling (EDTM) which is a cognitive research methodology was feasibly employed to obtain the adoption and usage decision criteria from which quantifiable and non-quantifiable consequences were then inferred. Structuration theory was used as a theoretical lens to view the complex context in which mobile banking is embedded and adopted by MSMEs. The analysis of the empirical data obtained from the MSMEs led to the construction and testing of three decision models from which the study’s theory was developed. The derived theory demonstrates the existence of structurational interactions among decision criteria, antecedents of technology adoption, behavioural intention to adopt, and the designed and emergent consequences of actual usage. The study further reveals that contrary to popular belief and argument that adoption of mobile banking technology lowers financial services cost, Kenyan MSMEs adopt the technology not because of its affordability but because of other factors such as perceived usefulness, accessibility, safe custody of daily income, limited organizational capabilities, perceived ease of use, social capital and trust structures. The derived explanatory-predictive theory provides findings that may have significant implications for fiscal and monetary policymakers, development experts and mobile banking technology designers

Resilience as health promotion in action: University students who grew up amid violence directed towards their mothers

Abstract Violence against women is among the greatest threats to the health of our population. An estimated three hundred and sixty thousand children in Canada, and over two million worldwide are exposed to violence in their homes (UNICEF, 2006). Growing up amidst such violence seriously compromises children’s capacities for healthy development. Violence against women is not limited by culture, geography or socioeconomic status. It constitutes one of the most pervasive and yet least openly discussed human rights violations and public health issues known today. Researchers and allied health professionals generally agree that children whose development has been interfered with by exposure to violence against women experience more adjustment problems than non-exposed counterparts. Cognitive, emotional and behavioural mechanisms employed in children’s adapting to such experiences are as varied as the children themselves. Children have incredible capacities for resilience but it is a social process that requires efficacy of person and of place. There is a need to understand the dynamic process of navigating a pathway to health promoting resources during and in the aftermath of exposure to violence against women during childhood. This study utilized Charmaz’s (2000) constructivist grounded theory to co-construct with participants a theory of resilience to childhood exposure to violence against women and subsequent transition to university. Based upon their own experiences of self-identified resilience to growing up amid such violence, the outcome of this research was that the basic social process of resilience to the aforementioned is resolving the dialectical tensions of tolerance and transformation. This process unifies the three core categories of assessing needs and accessing resources, experiencing solidarity despite isolation and oppression, and acceptingthe present while dreaming of the future. At any given moment during the process of resilience participants oscillated between willingness to accept their experiences and willfulness to change them. The health promotion framework influenced generation of possible applications of findings including combating censorship, creating policy that protects and serves the needs of children, and enhanced social services that address the impact of growing up amidst violence against women on children

A Review and Analysis of Process at the Nexus of Instructional and Software Design

This dissertation includes a literature review and a single case analysis at the nexus of instructional design and technology and software development. The purpose of this study is to explore the depth and breadth of educational software design and development processes, and educational software reuse, with the intent of uncovering barriers to software development, software re-use and software replication in educational contexts. First, a thorough review of the academic literature was conducted on a representative sampling of educational technology studies. An examination of a 15-year time period within four representative journals identified 72 studies that addressed educational software to some extent. An additional sampling of the initial results identified 50 of those studies that discussed software the development process. These were further analyzed for evidence of software re-use and replication. Review results found a lack of reusable and/or replication-focused reports of instructional software development in educational technology journals, but found some reporting of educational technology reuse and replication from articles outside of educational technology. Based on the analysis, possible reasons for this occurrence are discussed. The author then proposes how a model for conducting and presenting instructional software design and development research based on the constructs of design-based research and cultural-historical activity theory might help mitigate this gap. Finally, the author presents a qualitative analysis of the software development process within a large, design-based educational technology project using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) as a lens. Using CHAT, the author seeks to uncover contradictions between the working worlds of instructional design and technology and software development with the intent of demonstrating how to mitigate tensions between these systems, and ultimately to increase the likelihood of reusable/replicable educational technologies. Findings reveal myriad tensions and social contradictions centered around the translation of instructional goals and requirements into software design and development tasks. Based on these results, the researcher proposes an educational software development framework called the iterative and integrative instructional software design framework that may help alleviate these tensions and thus make educational software design and development more productive, transparent, and replicable

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationNarrative persuasion research has identified two promising features that could influence behavior: (a) whether the character lives or dies (narrative outcomes) and (b) whether the character overcomes key barriers (narrative barriers). The current study manipulated both narrative features in a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine intervention - delivered via an online panel study - targeted to young adult women aged 18 to 26 (N = 246). Participants were randomly assigned to a 2 (survival vs. death) 2 (social vs. structural barriers) between subjects experiment. Compared to death narratives, survival narratives increased narrative plausibility, consistency, and coverage, and yielded greater HPV vaccination self-efficacy and lower perceived barriers to action. Narrative features interacted, such that survival narratives featuring social barriers led to greater transportation into the story than other combinations. Moderated mediation analysis was employed to test 10 theoretically-derived mediators, including transportation, four factors of believability, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, risk susceptibility, risk severity, and self-efficacy. Two variables emerged as mediators of the narrative message-behavioral intention relationship: transportation and risk susceptibility. The results provide an important first step toward building a more comprehensive and integrated model of narrative persuasion processing. These findings also have practical applications for guiding narrative public health message design in cervical cancer prevention campaigns. Results also highlight the clinically significant impact that narrative-based interventions can serve toward lessening the incidence of cervical cancer through an increase in HPV vaccination for young women. Directions for future work in the development of narrative persuasion and cancer communication are discussed

Scenario Planning for Organizational Adaptability: The Lived Experiences of Executives

Organizational adaptability is critical to organizational survival, and executive leadership\u27s inability to adapt to extreme disruptive complex events threatens survival. Scenario planning is one means of adapting to extreme disruptive complex events. In this qualitative interpretive phenomenological study, 20 executives who had lived experience with extreme disruptive complex events and applied scenario planning to help adapt participated in phenomenological interviews to share their experiences related to the application of scenario planning as a means adaptation to extreme disruptive complex events. Participants were from a single large organization with executives distributed throughout the United States and executives from 10 state agencies located within a single state. Using the thematic analysis process, 14 themes emerged. The themes included knowing the difference between adaptation and response, not being afraid to tackle difficult questions, scenario planning is never over because the environment constantly changes, the true measures of scenario planning value are the benefits achieved via the planning exercise versus the business application, and participation should be individuals who can or could have a direct influence on adaptation and do not get bogged down in structured and/or rigid processes, methods, or tools because while useful, they are not required to be successful. The implications for positive social change include the ability for organizations to reduce economic injury and the compound effects of disruption including the social impacts of business injury, disruption, recovery, job loss, and reduced revenue on communities and local economies

Making climate change meaningful: Narrative dissonance and the gap between knowledge and action

Decades of widespread knowledge about climate change have not translated into adequate action to address population health and health equity impacts in Canada. Researchers find that perceptions and interpretations mediate engagement. Exploring climate change engagement thus involves inquiry into contextual experience. This qualitative study employs narrative methodology to interpret the meaning of climate change among community leaders in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, age 20-40 (n=10). Climate change narratives are explored both structurally and thematically. A model was developed to organize results and to describe concepts of fidelity and dissonance within participant narratives. Findings suggest that knowledge of climate change and personal motivation to act do not preclude narrative dissonance, which serves as a barrier to a meaningful personal response. Dissonance can result where internal and external barriers mediate mobilization at moments in the plot: (1) moving from knowledge of the challenge to a sense of agency about it; (2) from agency to a sense of responsibility to choose to address it; (3) from responsibility to a sense of capacity to produce desirable outcomes despite contextual challenges; and (4) from capacity to a moral sense of activation in context. Without narrative fidelity, meaningful mobilization can be hindered. A narrative model is useful for exploring climate change engagement and highlights opportunities for population health to reframe climate change in a mobilizing way. By framing climate change narratives with emotional and moral logic, population health could help young leaders overcome internal and external barriers to engagement