16 research outputs found
The influence of organisational culture and organisational control on the diffusion of a management information system
The aim of this thesis is to provide an original interpretative understanding of the role of
organisational culture and organisational control on the diffusion of a Management
Information Systems (MIS). An extensive literature review has revealed a lack of synthesis
between organisational culture and organisational control in the understanding of diffusion
of an MIS. The literature review was two-fold: firstly, to examine the impact of
organisational culture on IS diffusion and, secondly, to examine the impact of organisational
control on IS diffusion. The first stage of the review revealed that there are a number of
studies on IS diffusion in relation to culture at the organisational level but a relatively fewer
studies at the sub-organisational or subcultural level. The second stage of the review
highlights that there is also a significant number of studies that have applied the control
concept to investigating phenomena related to IS diffusion, e.g. IT adoptions and IT
implementations, but very few have explicitly applied the control concept to IT
implementations outcomes, i.e. IT diffusion. The review also suggested that there is scarce
empirical research on IS diffusion from the twin perspectives of culture and control.
Using an interpretive case study approach, this thesis was able to collect rich data,
underpinned by Martinâs (1992) conceptualisation of organisational culture, i.e. integration
and differentiation, and Kirsch's (1997) and Ouchi's (1979) conceptualisation of
organisational controls. These conceptualisations served as interpretive lenses to unearth the
dynamic relationship of the application of formal controls on diverging subcultures during
staff interactions and use of an MIS during the adaptation, acceptance and routinization
stages of Cooper and Zmud's (1990) IT Implementation Model.
The thesis' results highlight a number of contributions to knowledge. Firstly, a contribution is
made in the area of IS diffusion research by proposing a conceptual model for IS diffusion.
The model offers explanations on how IS diffusion could be achieved despite the existence of
diverging subcultures when formal control mechanisms are applied, an implication that
suggests that the IS diffusion path may not be smooth and linear but an iterative process.
Secondly, a contribution is made in the area of organisational culture and organisational
control theories. This thesis' results indicate that during the implementation of an MIS, staffespoused
cultural values changed, highlighting that the culture may not be always stable, and
difficult to change. The thesis helps re-conceptualise the existing typology on outcome
control by indicating that outcome control, which is conceptualised as deliberate and forceful
in nature, could also, unlike behaviour control, be exercised in measures that do not need to
coerce or be forceful. Further, the thesis highlights that sanctions rather than rewards were
more effective in the application of controls during the diffusion attempts of an IS. Finally,
the research contributes to knowledge in the area of practice. This study provides insights on
how managers may apply organisational controls to align diverging subgroup members'
actions towards integrative behaviours during an IS implementation process, therefore
facilitating the attainment of successful IS diffusion
Revisiting the trajectory of IT implementation in organisations: an IT culture perspective
Revisiting the trajectory of IT implementation in organisations: An IT culture perspective
Purpose - Organisational implementations of information technology (IT) normally fail due to cultural forces that inhibit the usage levels required to facilitate successful IT implementation. This paper explores IT implementation from an IT Culture perspective (Leidner and Kayworth, 2006). In particular, it identifies and follows the trajectory of IT culture archetypes that emerge during the implementation process and further investigates their role in facilitating successful IT implementations.
Design/methodology/approach â This research adopts the qualitative single case study approach and draws on the implementation of a management information system (MIS) in a Nigerian global bank.
Findings â The findings illustrate three different IT culture archetypes and provide insights into their dynamic nature. The progressive weakening of two IT culture archetypes and the corresponding strengthening of the third archetype shows how initial vision conflicts can get transformed into vision agreements.
Originality/value â This paper extends the IT Culture perspective by illustrating how a congruence relationship between IT cultures and IT artefacts can be fostered. The paper shows how diverse IT cultures can develop reasonably quickly in line with initial user experiences of a system. When IT cultures are aligned with the values embedded in IT, positive engagement and usage of the technology results, strengthening the presence of embracing IT cultures
The role of formal controls in facilitating information system diffusion
Information systems (IS) studies highlight that IS usage, a pre-requisite for IS diffusion, may be difficult to attain when usage is voluntary because users can resist using the system. User resistance may be overcome through the application of organizational controls. Control theory explains how users' actions and practices are shaped in line with organizational guidelines and procedures. This paper reports on a qualitative case study and shows how formal control mechanisms (behavior and outcome controls) can have a positive and conclusive impact on IS diffusion. The paper makes three contributions to knowledge. First, it proposes a model of IS diffusion, which explains how the application of outcome control mechanisms can lead to IS diffusion despite user resistance. Second, it suggests that IS diffusion paths are iterative, rather than smooth and linear. Finally, the paper demonstrates that despite a lack of reward expectancy, sanction expectancy can be effective during an IS diffusion process
Enhancing organisational competitiveness via social media - a strategy as practice perspective
The affordances, popularity and pervasive use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have made these platforms attractive to organisations for enhancing their competitiveness and creating business value. Despite this apparent significance of social media for businesses, they are struggling with the development of a social media strategy as well as understanding the implications of social media on practice within their organisations. This paper explores how social media has become a tool for competitiveness and its influence on organisational strategy and practice. Using the 'strategy as practice' lens and guided by the interpretivist philosophy, this paper uses the empirical case of a telecom organisation in Tanzania. The findings show that social media is influencing competitiveness through imitation and product development. Also, the findings indicate how social media affects the practices within an organisation, consequently making the social media strategy an emergent phenomenon
The Influence of Organizational Culture on the Outcome of an IS Implementation
A number of information system (IS) studies have adopted organizational culture (OC) theory to investigate IS implementations. The studies highlight that members will reach consensus or agreement in the use of an IS but also experience inevitable tensions and ambiguities in the use of the IS. However, literature related to IS implementation/OC has rarely examined the influence that the saliency of specific cultural practices may have on the success or failure of IS implementations. Using a case study approach, we adopted the âsoft positivismâ research philosophy to collect data, underpinned by Martinâs (1992) integration and differentiation perspectives of OC to study organizational implementation of an IS. These perspectives served as interpretive lenses through which to explain how membersâ salient behaviors towards an IS evolved during the implementation process. Our study augments the IS implementation/OC literature by demonstrating how salient cultural practices influence the outcome of IS implementation
Achieving IT Acceptance â An Outcome Control Perspective
This paper provides a framework that describes the role organisational control can play in user acceptance of an information technology (IT). Using the case study approach, we adopted the âsoft positivismâ research philosophy, to investigate the development and acceptance of an IT from the outcome control perspective. Our framework highlights how outcome control mechanisms exercised during the development and acceptance/usage stages of an IT respectively. The framework also helps indicate that outcome control, which is conceptualised in the literature as deliberate and forceful in nature, could also, unlike behaviour control, be exercised in measures that do not need to coerce or be forceful. By adopting a control perspective on IT development and acceptance/usage, the framework can inform how senior management can influence the achievement of user acceptance of an IT after membersâ resistance had occurred
How do technologists do âICT for developmentâ? A contextualised perspective on ICT4D in South Africa
We take a layered approach to contextualise Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) to understand digital technologistsâ motivations to implement technologies to address socio-economic issues based on their capabilities and kinship affiliations. We adopt an interpretive approach to conducting an inductive qualitative study of digital technologists based in South Africa. We propose three mechanisms (emotional connectedness, user-centred technologies, and symbiotic relations) through which digital technologists undertake ICT4D to exercise their agency and enhance the socio-economic well-being of disadvantaged members of society. Taking the kinship perspective and capability approach as underlying motivations for undertaking ICT4D projects allows us to contribute to the ICT4D literature.</p
Digital entrepreneurship and indigenous value systems: An Ubuntu perspective
This paper investigates the embeddedness of digital entrepreneurship in the entrepreneurs' indigenous value system by examining the influence of âUbuntuâ on digital entrepreneurship activities in the South African context. We do so through an interpretive field study of two innovation clusters in South Africa. Our findings reveal Ubuntu as the basis of a community orientation to digital entrepreneurship that offers an alternative to the prevalent heroic view in which digital entrepreneurship narratives are centred around the individual entrepreneur(s). They also highlight the tensions faced by digital entrepreneurs as they attempt to uphold the Ubuntu values of humility, reciprocity, and benevolence while operating in a competitive and fast-paced environment. In addition, our study indicates that the way entrepreneurs draw on their indigenous value system is dynamic, giving rise to what we call digital Ubuntu, reflecting a reworking of Ubuntu values into their increasingly digital reality. The concept of digital Ubuntu brings to light how indigenous values can become entangled with the capabilities of digital technologies and highlights the need for indigenous perspectives to advance our understanding of the diversity of digital phenomena, such as digital entrepreneurship, across cultural contexts.</p