Challenging the Installed Base: Deploying a Large Scale IS in a Global Organization

Economic theory and business strategists have pointed at the phenomenon of positive externalities and the related enabling and constraining aspects of an installed base. For instance, in the development of a standards strategy for technology products these externalities are of profound importance [11]. Likewise, deployment of large-scale IS creates interdependencies horizontally throughout the organization, and are constrained by a continuously evolving and socio-technical installed base of information, systems, artifacts, practices, and organizational structures. This paper draws from a case study of a global company and illuminates the role of an installed base in relation to the organizing visions in the deployment of a large-scale IS. The case illustrates that deployment of a large-scale IS in a global company is likely to be more similar to the development of infrastructures than traditional IS development and ITstrategy planning

Making Digital Infrastructures More Generative Through Platformization and Platform- driven Software Development: An Explorative Case Study

Digital innovation platforms are particularly known for their generativity producing and reproducing flexible solutions for multiple user groups and attracting third-party developers. Consequently, as a concept, generativity often relates to the consumer market as its focal unit of analysis. In contrast, this paper takes a public sector organization as a unit of analysis, investigating the potential for developing more generative digital infrastructures through processes of platformization and platform-driven software development practices. We define platformization as the transition from silo-based organization to platform-based organization, where the dismantling of monolithic legacy systems enables new ways of organizing the development and maintenance of software development. By decoupling systems, organizations can recouple their organization to overcome the limitations of traditional silo-based organization. Our contribution is twofold. First, we contribute by describing platformization as a sociotechnical process that consist of changes to both infrastructure and organization, where the dismantling of monolithic applications enables new ways of organizing the development and maintenance of software. Second, we contribute by theorizing how platformization processes can produce increased generativity for the IT organization and its digital infrastructure

The issue of competence in transforming the Norwegian welfare sector: some implications for future e-government initiatives

In this paper we argue that e-government initiatives need to take the competence involved in producing high-quality services for citizens into account. We draw on insights from a Pilot project in a Norwegian municipal aiming at radically re-structuring the Norwegian welfare sector and show how the competence to provide high-quality services rely on the collective achievement of individuals’ knowing-in-practice when dealing with particular cases and situations. Furthermore, we show how competence in terms of ‘processes of knowing’ is intrinsically related to organization structure and existing information systems (IS). Transforming the Norwegian Welfare Sector then, involves transforming a socio-technical network of heterogeneous elements, where existing processes of knowing plays an important role. Based on this, we then discuss some implications for implementing e-government in local municipals, and in particular e-government initiatives that aim at introducing all-embracing integrated IT-solutions across organizational and geographical borders. The paper concludes by sketching some implications for future research on e-government

To schedule or not to schedule? An investigation of meetings as an inter-team coordination mechanism in large-scale agile software development

Coordination of teams is critical when managing large programmes that involve multiple teams. In large-scale software development, work is carried out simultaneously by many developers and development teams. Results are delivered frequently and iteratively, which requires coordination on different levels, e.g., the programme, project, and team levels. Prior studies of knowledge work indicate that such work relies heavily on coordination through personal modes such as mutual adjustment between individuals or through scheduled or unscheduled meetings. In agile software development processes, principles and work structures emerge during the project and are not predetermined. We studied how coordination through scheduled and unscheduled meetings changes over time in two large software development programmes relying on agile methods. Our findings include transitions from scheduled to unscheduled meetings and from unscheduled to scheduled meetings. The transitions have been initiated both bottom-up and top-down in the programme organizations. The main implication is that programme management needs to be sensitive to the vital importance of coordination and the coordination needs as they change over time. Further, when starting a program, we recommend to early identify the important scheduled meetings, as having enough scheduled meetings is important to develop a common understanding of domain knowledge

Ecologies of e-Infrastructures

We present and discuss a historical reconstruction of the development of a Microsoft SharePoint eInfrastructure in NorthOil (2003 – 2008). The eInfrastructure was to support strategically emphasized work processes and open up a richer context of decision-making around production optimization. Specifically, the new eInfrastructure was to make it more convenient to trace decisions historically and across disciplinary and geographical boundaries – a need driven in part by post-Enron requirements for more elaborate and systematic reporting to the stock exchange. The Microsoft-based SharePoint eInfrastructure was intended to “seamlessly” integrate the many different and distinct information systems holding relevant information on production optimization. A principal aim of our study is to analyze how, why, and who resisted this largely top-down eInfrastructure initiative. We analyze how local practices rely heavily on specialized, niche information systems that are patched together as an ongoing performance to achieve commensurability. These local practices, however, are not immune to change. We discuss the indications of a transformative amalgam of (elements of) the new eInfrastructure and (elements of) the existing, local practices

Navigating Enterprise Architecture (EA) Definition: A Story of EA Adoption in a Public Sector Organization

Enterprise architecture (EA) is a strategic approach to manage the digital transformation processes in large-scale organizations. Organizations aim at providing a holistic view of business, technology, and information by adopting EA. Although EA is now well established as a practical digital transformation facilitator, some organizations fail to achieve its benefits. Due to its diverse nature, a lack of shared understanding of EA is one highly cited challenge in its literature. Indeed, during the EA adoption, each actor tries to define EA in a way that fulfills her/his own interests. Therefore, there is a risk of failing to achieve the organizational holistic view in this condition. Through a case study in one large-scale public-sector organization in Norway, we illustrate how different EA stakeholders influence EA\u27s understanding. In addition, by adopting the organizational influence process theory, we explain the reason why EA failed in the studied case

Problematizing agile in the large: alternative assumptions for large-scale agile development

In this paper we critically examine the underlying assumptions in existing studies of large-scale agile software development. We use Alvesson and Sandberg’s problematization methodology and find that existing studies of large-scale agile share a number of underlying assumptions relevant to small rather than large-scale projects. Empirically, we draw on a case study of a large-scale agile project lasting nearly four years and involving more than 120 participants. Interestingly, the findings of the study contradict many of the assumptions in the literature review. For example, work across boundaries becomes at least as important as work within teams. We contribute by developing an alternative set of assumptions better suited to the characteristics of large-scale agile software development. Based on this, we re-conceptualize agile in the large, emphasizing both the complex knowledge boundaries within the project itself, as well as the interactive complexity and tight coupling with technologies and processes outside the project

Management of anaphylaxis due to COVID-19 vaccines in the elderly

Older adults, especially men and/or those with diabetes, hypertension, and/or obesity, are prone to severe COVID-19. In some countries, older adults, particularly those residing in nursing homes, have been prioritized to receive COVID-19 vaccines due to high risk of death. In very rare instances, the COVID-19 vaccines can induce anaphylaxis, and the management of anaphylaxis in older people should be considered carefully. An ARIA-EAACI-EuGMS (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and European Geriatric Medicine Society) Working Group has proposed some recommendations for older adults receiving the COVID-19 vaccines. Anaphylaxis to COVID-19 vaccines is extremely rare (from 1 per 100,000 to 5 per million injections). Symptoms are similar in younger and older adults but they tend to be more severe in the older patients. Adrenaline is the mainstay treatment and should be readily available. A flowchart is proposed to manage anaphylaxis in the older patients.Peer reviewe

RE-CONCEPTUALIZING DESIGN OF INFRASTRUCTURES: STABILIZING AND INNOVATING THROUGH MAINTENANCE WORK

Recent research in IS has demonstrated the challenges in developing and establishing large-scale digital infrastructures across various settings. Traditionally this literature has contrasted a top-down approach with an evolutionary approach – often conceptualized as ‘installed base cultivation’. This paper investigates the role of maintenance and repair work that as essential design activities for digital infrastructure evolution. Empirically, the paper reports from a longitudinal case study of an international company, and especially observe how maintenance work is pivotal for building competence for extending the installed base and for reducing technical debt of large-scale digital infrastructures. The paper contributes to the body of literature on digital infrastructures by analytically and empirically illustrating how maintenance and repair work comprise an essential mechanism for producing both stability and innovation.publishedVersio

Strategisk regnskapsanalyse og verdsettelse av Stolt - Nielsen

Denne masterutredningen består av en strategisk regnskapsanalyse og verdsettelse av kjemikalietankselskapet Stolt-Nielsen. Målsetningen er å gi et verdiestimat på egenkapitalen som best mulig reflekterer de underliggende verdiene i selskapet. Utredningen tar utgangspunkt i offentlig informasjon. Den strategiske analysen tar for seg både Stolt-Nielsens eksterne omgivelser og interne ressurser for å kunne kartlegge selskapets konkurranseposisjon. I eksternanalysen anvendes først Porters fem krefter for å få innsikt i konkurranseforholdene i kjemikalietankbransjen i dag. Denne komplementeres så av PESTEL-rammeverket for å identifisere viktige drivere i bransjen fremover. Så brukes SVIMA-rammeverket for å avdekke hvorvidt Stolt-Nielsens ressursavvik i forhold til bransjen gir opphav til konkurransefortrinn. Deretter følger regnskapsanalysen, hvor regnskapsdata først omgrupperes og justeres for å legge til rette for investororientert analyse. Så vurderes selskapets risiko i form av en analyse av likviditet og soliditet. Etter dette fastsettes historiske avkastningskrav, hvilket legger til rette for å vurdere selskapets historiske lønnsomhet og strategiske fordel. Innsikten som er opparbeidet gjennom den strategiske regnskapsanalysen legger føringene for utarbeidelsen av fremtidsregnskapet. Deretter fastsettes fremtidige avkastningkrav, som gir en målestokk for rentabiliteten i fremtidsregnskapet. Dette legger til rette for analysen av fremtidig strategisk fordel, som er fundert på den strategiske regnskapsanalysen. Så følger den fundamentale verdsettelsen, hvor det benyttes tre modeller innen både egenkapital- og selskapskapitalmetoden. Dette gir opphav til to verdiestimat, før konvergering av disse gir et endelig fundamentalt verdiestimat på 123,07 kroner per Stolt-Nielsen-aksje. Usikkerheten i dette punktestimatet vurderes. For å rimelighetsvurdere estimatet ytterligere gjøres det en supplerende, komparativ verdsettelse. Denne harmonerer godt med den fundamentale verdsettelsen, men peker dog mot litt høyere verdier. Verdiestimatet fra den fundamentale verdsettelsen på 123,07 kroner er 6,8% lavere enn markedets prising av aksjen per 11.6.2015 på 132 kroner. Denne forskjellen er ikke dramatisk, og som følge av usikkerhet i punktestimatet utstedes en holdanbefaling på bakgrunn av denne utredningen.nhhma