How the scale and consistency of change influence the ease and benefits of introducing multi-organisation shared services

This paper examines the scale of change required as public-sector organisations introduce multi-organisation shared services. Such collaboration has often proved to be problematic. It is suggested that a significant contributor to this is the scale of change required and variations therein for the different organisations involved. For some organisations the change required is incremental in nature and readily achievable while for others it is transformational and much more difficult to realise. An exploratory case study is used to describe and analyse the formation of multi-organisation shared services to supply Australian government agencies. The case reveals that while the implementation required significant change for all the agencies in some areas there was considerable variation between them. Differing starting positions with regard to IT systems and organisational structures in particular impacted the speed and complexity of change and the benefits that can be realised

Understanding organisational collaborations with dependency network diagrams

While organisational collaborations are increasingly common they often fail. More effective design of collaborations shouldbe facilitated by improved understanding of the relationships created. It is suggested that while the most commonly usedtheoretical lens is transaction cost economics it might not be the most appropriate. Resource dependency theory is proposedas an alternative since it allows for consideration of internal as well as external relationships and is focused on improvingunderstanding rather than optimisation. Grounded in the theory, Dependency Network Diagrams (DNDs) is the modellingtechnique identified as the most appropriate to capture the essence of a collaboration’s relationships. A case study ofEnergyCo is presented illustrating how DNDs can be used to document relationships and so serve as an effective foundationfor facilitating discussion, enhancing understanding, and contributing to the design of effective collaborations

Revisiting dependency network diagrams: a conceptual extension

In this paper we propose an extension to the Dependency Network Diagram (DND) technique. We revisit the DND technique to discuss its ability to facilitate the strategic management of cross-organizational ICT-resource collaborations, which are increasingly paramount to achieving sustained competitive advantage. Predicated on resource dependence theory, we operationalize the constructs of power and secondary dependency, and propose their integration into the original DND technique. New rules, together with an updated algorithm for how to construct an extended DND, are introduced. We propose that the extension of the DND technique adds to clearer visualizing, understanding, and communicating dependencies in ICT-resource collaborations, and ultimately facilities their strategic management. We point out potential benefits of applying the extended DND technique and provide directions for empirically validating the extension in future research

A resource dependence perspective on modelling inter-organisational IS collaborations

This paper analyses the versatility of the Dependency Network Diagram (DND) method for modelling inter-organisational IS collaborations from a resource dependence perspective. Originally developed to facilitate the designing and optimising of structures, work processes, and supporting IT; the DND method shows signs of a potential broader usage toward managing such collaborations. Deploying a case study from the Australian electricity sector, the paper presents evidence that the DND method can partially be used for understanding dependencies but is limited for managing them. This is because the DND method – although predicated on resource dependence theory – does not fully align with the theory, limiting its versatility with respect to actively managing resource dependencies in inter-organisational IS collaborations

Apollo 8 Astronaut Col. Frank Borman\u27s luncheon presentation to the Board of Trustees

The recording here is from a luncheon held for the Board of Trustees. The first speaker is Congressman (and IWU Trustee) Les Arends. President Robert S. Eckley speaks next and is followed by Col. Borman who narrates a film of the Apollo mission and then answers questions from the audience. At the end, Bloomington Mayor Robert J. McGraw presents Borman with a key to the city