Understanding Sociability and Collective Knowledge Construction in Virtual Communities

Virtual communities potentially provide value to both individuals and organisations by way of developing and transferring knowledge between community members. In this paper the dynamics of interaction in virtual communities is explored and drawing from literature across several disciplines, a framework for investigating the relationship between sociability in virtual communities and the transfer and construction of knowledge is developed. A methodology for exploring these relationships based on “netnography” is proposed and a pilot study is presented to demonstrate its application

Engagement in e-Government Business Case Justification? : A Case for Constructive Technology Assessment

Although there have been many grand visions for the transformative capacity of e-Government initiatives, the actual realization of these visions has met with mixed results. This paper argues that current approaches to appraising the benefits and consequences of e-government initiatives are constrained by a narrow technologically determinist perspective focused on ICT investment rather than policy and service outcomes. An analysis of the Australian Federal Government’s approach to justifying e-Government initiatives provides the basis for recommending an alternative, complementary approach based on Constructive Technology Assessment which provides stakeholders with opportunities through which they can influence the shaping of the infrastructure

Towards Anticipating IS Consequences: An Anatomy of Sociotechnical Interaction Networks (STINs)

In this paper we examine questions of how the unintended impacts of information and communications technology can be examined in order to anticipate and safeguard against negative consequences. Using the domain of the eGovernment impacts on marginalized members of the community, we examine the theoretical basis of the sociotechnical interaction network (STIN) approach and its applicability to identifying and ameliorating negative impacts of ICT-based systems. We illustrate the STIN modelling approach with reference to a case study of an integrated eGovernment system and based on our evaluation of the approach, make recommendations regarding future developments with respect to the STIN framework

National Culture Influences in Cross-Cultural Software Development Teams: an analysis of social networks

Team dynamics and ingroup behaviour are critical factors in software development projects. In Western organisations, software development cultures promote rational values to be pursued at industry, development, and team levels of analysis. While Western values dominate the culture of software teams, increased globalisation has led to more IS being developed by teams with a cross-cultural make-up. In this paper, propositions regarding the interactions of software teams comprising members from Western and Chinese cultures are developed. These propositions highlight potential conflicts that may arise within cross- cultural development teams. A social network analysis of a small software development team is presented in order to investigate these propositions

Knowledge Management Strategies: developing an activity-based approach

In practice, the implementation of knowledge management strategies may be driven by alternative orientations. This paper examines the relationship between the orientations that drive the implementation of KM strategies and the distinct knowledge management activities themselves. An alternative approach to the development of knowledge management strategies that uses an appropriate combination of knowledge management drivers is proposed and a preliminary analysis of practitioners who have implemented knowledge management initiatives is presented as the basis for further research

The Impact of Organisational Structure and Practices on Collaboration between Members of Software Development Project Teams

Individuals within organisations are increasingly interacting in ways that do not conform to formal hierarchies, but are aligned to informal networks of relationships alongside a growing reliance on knowledge assets. It is the organisational hierarchical structures of power and culture of control that are constraining and inhibiting the performance of these knowledge workers. This research aims to develop a deeper understanding of the impact of organisational structures on the collaborative relationships of software development project team members where these teams are operating across formal organisational boundaries

Exploring the global and local networks of national information system integration initiatives : a case study of national cultural collection integration from an actor-network perspective

Australian Museums Online (AMOL) was the earliest attempt to make Australia&rsquo;s distributed cultural collections accessible from a single online resource. Despite early successes, significant achievements and the considerable value it offered certain groups, the project ran into operational difficulties and was eventually discontinued. By using Actor-Network Theory and analysing the global and local actor-networks, it is revealed that although the project originated from large, state museums, buy-in was restricted to individuals, rather than institutions and the most significant value was for smaller, regional institutions. Furthermore, although the global networks that governed the project could translate their visions through the local production networks, because the network&rsquo;s underlying weaknesses were never addressed, over time this destablised the global networks. This case study offers advice for projects attempting to consolidate data sources from disparate sources, and highlights the importance of individual actors in championing the project.<br /

The Role of IT Governance and Information Infrastructure in the Process of Strategic Alignment

Drawing upon Actor Network Theory (ANT), this paper presents a discussion on how ITG arrangements and IT infrastructure actor-networks achieve strategic alignment (i.e., alignment of interests). This is achieved by exploring how ITG arrangements and IT infrastructure are implemented, and how their interests become dynamically aligned. Considering both ITG arrangements and IT infrastructure as emerging phenomena, their dynamic relationships are analysed using a local/global network approach. The negotiation process towards achieving the alignment of interests is illustrated and explained by using a trajectory of ITG implementation at a Malaysian public listed company

Understanding IT governance implementation from the perspective of actor network theory: A study in an Australian university

This paper presents the analysis of IT governance implementation at University X using the translation process from actor network theory (ANT).The focus is on how the human and nonhuman actors’ diverse interests can be aligned to conduce successful IT governance implementation. Using ANT as a theoretical lens helps go beyond studying IT governance arrangements and IT infrastructure as a separate phenomenon.The findings suggest the importance of having a shared vision, an appointment of a representative and the use of appropriate strategies and tactics as a means to obtain full support and commitment from all IT governance players during its implementation.This paper provides rich insights into IT governance implementation as a process of network formation that needs to be maintained continuously