Evaluating Enterprise Architecture Frameworks Using Essential Elements

Enterprise architecture (EA) frameworks offer principles, models, and guidance to help one develop an EA program. Due to EA’s flexible and abstract nature, there is a proliferation of EA frameworks in practice. Yet, comparison studies to make sense of them are far from satisfactory in that they lack a theoretical foundation for comparison criteria and do not meaningfully interpret the differences. In this paper, I propose a comparison approach using EA essential elements—the underlying key features of EA programs—to distinguish EA frameworks. Based on the extant literature, I identify eight elements, each with its own theoretical justification and empirical evidence. I illustrate how to use these elements to evaluate eight popular EA frameworks. The results show three ideal types of EA frameworks: technical, operational, and strategic EA. Each type has a different focus, set of assumptions, and historical context. The essential elements offer a more systematic way to evaluate EA frameworks. In addition, they shift attention from the maturity models often used in EA development to focus on particular EA elements being implemented by organizations

Understanding the Success of Sharing Economy Startups: A Necessary Condition Analysis

Sharing economy businesses such as Uber and AirBnB have disrupted the traditional business models and drawn considerable attention from researchers. While many sharing economy startups are found, a majority of them go unnoticed and fail to reach a critical mass for survival. Prior studies have mostly focused on consumer engagement as success factors for sharing economy businesses. Yet, there is a scarcity of research on success factors at the entry level of sharing economy businesses, namely, the fundraising rounds. This study uses a Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) on 99 sharing economy startups to explore how human capital, innovativeness, and entrepreneurial footprint impact their fundraising success. Our findings show a large necessary effect for human capital and entrepreneurial footprint, and a medium effect for innovativeness on fundraising success. Additionally, firms only need a range of 30% to 40% level of three factors to achieve at least 40% level of fundraising success

Institutionalization of Contested Practices: A Case of Enterprise Architecture Implementation in a US State Government

Information Systems (IS) practices are often ‘institutionally contested’ when introduced into organizations. They run counter to the status quo and disrupt organizational stability. Furthermore, they contravene the normative, regulatory, and cultural-cognitive legitimacy in existing institutionalized processes. This research explores contested practices, examining the struggles and techniques IS organizations use to legitimize and institutionalize them. Using an institutional change and translation perspective, we investigate a case of Enterprise Architecture (EA) implementations in a US state government, highlighting the struggles in translating new practices to connect to potential users and in connecting new practices to existing norms, regulations, and cultural values. We elucidate two key techniques to overcome these struggles: inductive communication to make new practices relatable to users, and the deployment of experts to local contexts to facilitate knowledge transfer. The research shows how institutional change unfolds and informs practitioners of how to legitimize EA practices

A biomechanical cadaveric study comparing superior capsule reconstruction using fascia lata allograft with human dermal allograft for irreparable rotator cuff tear.

BACKGROUND Biomechanical and clinical success of the superior capsule reconstruction (SCR) using fascia lata (FL) grafts has been reported. In the United States, human dermal (HD) allograft has been used successfully for SCRs; however, the biomechanical characteristics have not been reported. METHODS Eight cadaveric shoulders were tested in 5 conditions: (1) intact; (2) irreparable supraspinatus tear; (3) SCR using FL allograft with anterior and posterior suturing; (4) SCR using HD allograft with anterior and posterior suturing; and (5) SCR using HD allograft with posterior suturing. Rotational range of motion, superior translation, glenohumeral joint force, and subacromial contact were measured at 0°, 30°, and 60° of glenohumeral abduction in the scapular plane. Graft dimensions before and after testing were also recorded. Biomechanical parameters were compared using a repeated-measures analysis of variance with Tukey post hoc test, and graft dimensions were compared using a Student t-test (P < .05). RESULTS Irreparable supraspinatus tear significantly increased superior translation, superior glenohumeral joint force, and subacromial contact pressure, which were completely restored with the SCR FL allografts. Both SCR HD allograft repairs partially restored superior translation and completely restored subacromial contact and superior glenohumeral joint force. The HD allografts significantly elongated by 15% during testing, whereas the FL allograft lengths were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS Single-layered HD SCR allografts partially restored superior glenohumeral stability, whereas FL allograft SCR completely restored the superior glenohumeral stability. This may be due to the greater flexibility of the HD allograft, and the SCR procedure used was developed on the basis of FL grafts