Government IS Implementation: A Framework for Stakeholder Orientation

Information systems (IS) researchers and management practitioners have increasingly begun to use the concept of stakeholder engagement to explain diverse outcomes associated with implementing new technology, yet the IS literature largely omits this focus in the context of enterprise systems implementation. While the literature has established stakeholder engagement‘s significance, it has not done the same for organizational stakeholder orientation. As such, I develop a theoretically sound framework to analyze organizational stakeholder orientations during a multi-partner IS implementation process. Researchers have traditionally viewed stakeholder engagement as corporate responsibility in action, but, in reality, stakeholder engagement may or may not involve a moral dimension. In this grounded theory research, I introduce a stakeholder engagement framework that contains two new constructs (i.e., stakeholder engagement and stakeholder sensitivity) and eight different dimensions guided by four major motivating factors. Additionally, I conducted a case study on a IS implementation project to analyze the stakeholder engagement for the project‘s implementation phases to capture the dynamic nature of the stakeholder engagement process and stakeholder sensitivity

Cluster Analysis in Online Learning Communities: A Text Mining Approach

This paper presents a theory-informed blueprint for mining unstructured text data using mixed- and multi-methods to improve understanding of collaboration in asynchronous online discussions (AOD). Grounded in a community of inquiry theoretical framework to systematically combine established research techniques, we investigated how AOD topics and individual reflections on those topics affect formation of clusters or groups in a community. The data for the investigation came from 54 participants and 470 messages. Data analysis combined the analytical efficiency and scalability of topic modeling, social network analysis, and cluster analysis with qualitative content analysis. The cluster analysis found three clusters and that members of the intermediate cluster (i.e., middle of three clusters) played a pivotal role in this community by expressing uncertainty statements, which facilitated a collective sense-making process to resolve misunderstandings. Furthermore, we found that participants’ selected discussion topics and how they discussed those topics influenced cluster formations. Theoretical, practical, and methodological implications are discussed in depth

ReAlM - a system to manipulate relations

Given a heterogeneous relation algebra R, it is well known that the algebra of matrices with coefficient from R is relation algebra with relational sums that is not necessarily finite. When a relational product exists or the point axiom is given, we can represent the relation algebra by concrete binary relations between sets, which means the algebra may be seen as an algebra of Boolean matrices. However, it is not possible to represent every relation algebra. It is well known that the smallest relation algebra that is not representable has only 16 elements. Such an algebra can not be put in a Boolean matrix form.[15] In [15, 16] it was shown that every relation algebra R with relational sums and sub-objects is equivalent to an algebra of matrices over a suitable basis. This basis is given by the integral objects of R, and is, compared to R, much smaller. Aim of my thesis is to develop a system called ReAlM - Relation Algebra Manipulator - that is capable of visualizing computations in arbitrary relation algebras using the matrix approach

Social Capital and ICT Intervention: A Holistic Model of Value

Background: Despite increasing popularity of Social capital, the relationship between social capital and ICT often appears to be an ambivalent one. Existing information systems (IS) literature presented various frameworks and theoretical foundations to facilitate the study of this concept, yet several contradictory findings have been reported indicating a significant knowledge gap in this domain. Current research adopts a holistic approach to address this knowledge gap by answering “How does social capital generate value or benefits in an ICT intervention?” Method: Current research employs a systematic literature review coupled with a grounded theory method to investigate proposed research questions. Results: Primary contributions of the current research include (1) the identification of contextual relationship between contextual factors and social capital dimensions, and (2) development of a holistic model of social capital driven benefits during ICT intervention where the ‘enablers’ and the ‘drivers’ of benefit have been identified. Conclusions: Identification of distinct roles and value-drivers related to social capital will help IS researchers in explaining “how and why” benefits are achieved while employing a social capital lens. Availible at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/pajais/vol11/iss4/3

Integrating Learning Analytics to Measure Message Quality in Large Online Conversations

Research on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) often employs content analysis as an approach to investigate message quality in asynchronous online discussions using systematic message-coding schemas. Although this approach helps researchers count the frequencies by which students engage in different socio-cognitive actions, it does not explain how students articulate their ideas in categorized messages. This study investigates the effects of a recommender system on the quality of students’ messages from voluminous discussions. We employ learning analytics to produce a quasi-quality index score for each message. Moreover, we examine the relationship between this score and the phases of a popular message-coding schema. Empirical findings show that a custom CSCL environment extended by a recommender system supports students to explore different viewpoints and modify interpretations with higher quasi-quality index scores than students assigned to the control software. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed

SOCIAL CAPITAL AND ICT INTERVENTION: A SEARCH FOR CONTEXTUAL RELATION

Social Capital is a relatively new and popular term in social science. It is being increasingly applied by researchers to tackle a broad range of phenomenon. Regardless of the wide applicability, the meaning of social capital is still hotly disputed, and its utility in scientific discourse is highly contested. Research findings contrary to social capitals theoretical prediction are key contributors for such dispute. Through a systematic review of social capital and ICT centric literature, combined with a grounded theory approach, this study aims to identify a contextual link or enablers of social capital in an ICT intervention. Current research identified three broader contexts acting as enablers for different dimensions of social capital during an ICT intervention which include: (1) functionalist context, (2) interactionist context, and (3) conflict context. Theoretically grounded links among context, social capital and ICT have also been discussed to show the significance of context

STAKEHOLDER ORIENTAION IN IS IMPLEMENTATION & DIFFUSION

This case-study reserach explores an existing Information System (IS) phenomenon of enterprise IS implementation through a novel perspective of stakeholder orientation and IS diffusion. Stakeholder engagement is an essential aspect for ISD project’s survival and long-term success. At the same time, the possibility of opportunistic stakeholder behaviour is a realistic threat to project’s objectives. Furthermore, traditional control mechanisms are often ineffective in a complex and outsourced IS implementation. An optimal stakeholder orientation requires managing of both the engagement and sensitivity of stakeholders, yet this aspect is often overlooked during ISD projects. Our analysis of stakeholder orientation from four distinct perspectives, strategic, responsibility, paternalism, and neoclassical, have found support for the existing notion of stakeholder integration in terms of demands, knowledge absorption, and improved performance. Furthermore, we found a positive correlation between optimal stakeholder orientations and favourable IS diffusion outcom

Business Analytics: Current State & Challenges

At present time and state of the market where businesses and organizations are striving hard to survive and improve performance due to high availability of similar products and services, business processes or products are playing less and less significant role when it comes to differentiate oneself from the others. As a result, more and more firms are leaning towards selecting one or a few distinctive capabilities on which they base their strategies on and then apply extensive quantitative analysis to support the selected capability. In this paper we have examined how analytics is delivering values for various internal and external processes. Form an internal view point, processes related to financial, manufacturing, research and development, and human resources are significantly using analytics. From an external process view point, analytics is presently used in client relations, marketing, supply chain optimizations and in few other processes. We have presented the business functions in different industries that are currently generating insight from analytics and also pointed out areas that could benefit from an analytical approach. In conclusion, we have drawn attention to the challenges that are inevitable when embarking on the analytical journey and commented on the approach that should be taken

COTS implementation through process and control perspective: A Canadian government case

Strategic information system implementation is inherently challenging and it is even more so for a joint initiative by multiple government organizations involving a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) package. Besides the obvious concern related to reputation and trust, implementation for such systems is naturally complex and success is often contingent upon proper stakeholder engagement and control configuration. A review of the literature reveals that very few studies have systematically studied the implementation process of the non-ERP (enterprise resource planning) family of COTS from the perspectives of process and control. Using a revelatory case study of a Canadian government organization, we have captured the model for a successful COTS implementation and have identified several key processes that are essential for ensuring proper engagement level by all stakeholders. In addition, the current study significantly contributes to the project control literature where the importance and the nature of control balancing have not been sufficiently explored

Managing critical success factors for IS implementation: A stakeholder engagement and control perspective

Enterprise information systems (IS) implementation is often part of an organization's strategic IT initiatives and requires a large investment of organizational resources, yet may fail due to inadequate management of critical success factors (CSF). Using a revelatory case study of a multi-partner COTS implementation process by a large Canadian government organization, this research investigates successful management of CSF through optimal stakeholder engagement and a balancing of control configurations. This research identifies four distinct project orientations related to stakeholder engagements-strategic, responsibility, harmony, and persuasion-that can be of significant value in managing CSF and other challenges during implementation and post-implementation phases. In addition to the identification of a need for control balancing in a multi-partner IS implementation, three key drivers responsible for triggering control balancing are identified: (a) shared understanding, (b) negative anticipation, and (c) deviation of expectations