Cutting IT Costs Through Corporate Information Technology Standards: The Role of Corporate Enforcement

There is widespread concern among management that IT costs are excessive and growing too rapidly. Consequently, the desire to regain control over information technology related spending has become a high priority in many organizations in both private and public sectors. While a growing body of IS literature claims that implementation of corporate level IT standards facilitate greater levels of control over escalating IT costs, there is a noticeable lack of empirical evidence to support these claims. This study reports the results of a series of case studies designed to investigate the potential impact that the use of corporate level IT standards have on overall corporate IT related spending. Research findings suggest that when accompanied by sufficient levels of enforcement, corporate IT standards help to facilitate reduced IT costs in areas related to purchasing, maintenance, training, and support

Partnering with the Majors: A Process Approach to Increasing IS Enrollment

Information systems (IS) programs have been struggling with declining enrollment since 2001. The IS community has addressed the enrollment crisis by sharing best practices in journals and at conferences. Typically, such practices focus on improving enrollment through either (1) recruitment events or (2) program/curriculum development initiatives. While such efforts have been helpful, additional work is needed to examine this issue in a more systematic fashion within the inter-dependent process of recruitment, retention and placement. Furthermore, current research has been largely silent on the potential role that current IS majors may have in recruiting new students into the major – students recruiting students. This paper shares the enrollment initiatives that Baylor University has implemented over the past 2.5 years that have addressed both of these issues. First, we report on how we embedded enrollment initiatives within the overall student development process starting with recruiting students into the major, retaining them and then culminating in placement upon graduation. Secondly, we present a novel student-driven approach to enrollment; where current IS majors are at the heart of the effort. Our IS majors work in close collaboration with IS faculty and corporate recruiters to draw students into the major and help them find jobs. The paper shares these initiatives along with best practices and results

Corporate Web Performance Evaluation: An Exploratory Assessment

This paper presents findings of an exploratory case study that was undertaken to assess web performance evaluation in three petroleum energy firms in the Southwest. Findings indicate that although senior management has not yet asked for performance justification, some firms are attempting to develop standard measures for web performance. We explore these measures, and examine the link between developer expertise and performance evaluation

What is a Chief Privacy Officer? An Analysis Based on Mintzberg\u27s Taxonomy of Managerial Roles

Given the growing concern over information privacy abuse, potential lawsuits, and threats of increased government privacy legislation, an increasing number of firms are resorting to Chief Privacy Officers (CPOs) as a means to cope with information privacy. However, little is yet known about the job responsibilities and roles of this emerging corporate position. This study examines the critical managerial roles of CPOs. Drawing from in-depth interviews at three large firms and from secondary sources of data, this study uses Mintzberg\u27s framework for managerial work to develop a taxonomy of key managerial roles for the emerging position of Chief Privacy Officer. From our analysis, we conclude that Chief Privacy Officers function with role responsibilities in four main areas: informational (monitor, disseminator, spokesperson), interpersonal (figurehead, liaison), conflict management (disturbance handler, negotiator), and strategic management (entrepreneur). Our analysis also suggests that no single managerial role is most important. Rather, multiple roles are required of CPOs. To meet these multiple role requirements, effective CPOs must possess strong business, communications, and technical skills. Our results suggest that Chief Privacy Officers tend to operate at high levels of organizational hierarchies as evidenced by the importance of their externally related job roles of figurehead, liaison, and spokesperson

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE: THE CRITICAL LINK OF TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

Numerous claims have been made regarding the use of information technology (IT) infrastructure for strategic benefit. However, examination of these claims has been hindered by a lack of clarity regarding the nature of the infrastructure construct. This paper develops a framework to provide a more clear conceptualization of infrastructure. The focal point of this framework is that IT standards play a crucial role in the development of effective IT infrastructur

Getting Information Systems Programs Classified as STEM: A U.S.-based Perspective from an AIS Task Force Study and Panel Discussion

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is a designation for educational degree programs that have certain benefits that non-STEM programs do not. To achieve a STEM classification, a program must meet certain criteria. Programs in the natural sciences, engineering, and math departments often readily meet these criteria. However, although programs such as information systems, information technology, and business intelligence have technology at their core, these programs, especially in business colleges, often face difficulties in meeting the STEM criteria. In this paper, we review the STEM designation and provide insight into information systems and related degree programs that have received this designation based on findings from an AIS task force and an AMCIS panel discussion

Leading the creative process: the case of virtual product design

Motivated by an acknowledged need to study creativity in the context of virtual project teams (VPTs), in this article, we contribute to theory by analysing the role that leadership plays for creativity in the different phases of the creative process in VPTs. We draw on a qualitative case study with 49 members who worked in six VPTs as part of an Industry-Academia collaboration. Using the longitudinal approach, we study each phase of the virtual product design process using interviews, observations and other materials (e.g. project documentation). We find that, in the virtual design context, creativity is best understood as a process and comes in different shapes as this process evolves. We also pinpoint that different, though complementary, leadership skills are necessary in order for VPTs’ creative potential to be unleashed. These findings highlight the heterogeneous character of leadership at the different phases of the creative process in VPTs

MANAGING THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENCES IN NATIONAL CULTURE ON SOCIAL CAPITAL IN MULTINATIONAL IT PROJECT TEAMS – A GERMAN PERSPECTIVE

How can management handle relationship problems arising from cultural differences in multinational IT project teams? This paper uses a social capital lens to better understand the negative impact of cultural differences in IT project teams. In contrast to many previous works we do not consider cultural differences as a whole but explore the role of the different national culture dimensions. This allows for a more detailed view on cultural differences in a team context and thus contributes to a better understanding about which dimensions of national culture drive relationship problems and which management measures can help to dampen the negative effects. Based on several exploratory cases (6 multinational IT projects in 4 companies, headquartered in Germany), the authors identify three patterns showing typical problems in team social relationships which arise from differences in particular dimensions of national culture. Pattern-specific as well as general management measures, employed to address the culture-driven negative effects, are identified as well