COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD: DISCOURSE, DIGITAL ARTEFACTS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF INTERSUBJECTIVE MEANING

The misconception of virtual worlds as „games‟ has prevented these immersive environments from being treated as legitimate areas of inquiry by the Information Systems community. In this paper we argue that these environments challenge our conceptualisation of technology mediation due to the immersive and co-created nature of the digital environment, and particularly, challenges our understanding of information technology mediated collaborative development activities. Acknowledging the interrelated roles played by both human and non-human actors within virtual worlds, we investigate the construction of intersubjective meaning within three small synchronous collaborative development groups. Our findings highlight the complex roles of mediators within such collaborative activities in immersive environments, and the ways in which such mediation manifests through integrated socio-technical systems that are culturally developed

Seeking the Entanglement of Immersion and Emergence: Reflections from an Analysis of the State of IS Research on Virtual Worlds

This paper critically reviews the state of virtual world research within the Information Systems field; revealing areas of interest evident in research studies between 2007-2011, the methods employed to conduct such research, the theories/frameworks used to ground VW research, as well as reoccurring memes/concepts. We argue that virtual worlds are best interpreted as both an immersive and emergent co-creative process, ‘performed’ by users’ actions and interactions both with other users and with artifacts such as virtual goods. Nevertheless, our analysis reveals a near neglect of the substantive nature of digital materiality and of the emergent nature of virtual worlds. We conclude that this ‘human-centric’ stance has taken focus away from the unique nature of the virtual world artifact itself, and posit a research agenda that focuses on virtual world objects as well as the immersive and emergent activities of ‘world-builders’ as necessary to advance virtual world research

Gamification as an Architecture of Participation: An Investigation of an Innovation Maker Community

The objective of this study is to investigate gamification as an architecture of participation in an online innovation community. Gamification is a phenomenon that aims to motivate people through the use of game elements and dynamics in non-game contexts. An architecture of participation (AoP) can be understood as any system that helps transform individual activities into communal resources. The research is a case study of the innovation community Thingiverse. The study seeks to identify the game elements used by the community and seeks to explain how the psychological and social consequences of the game elements lead individuals to engage in behaviours that create value for the innovation community

Investigating Collaborative Development Activities in a Virtual World: An Activity Theory Perspective

Contemporary virtual worlds provide unique environments in which users may collaborate in the development of shared digital artifacts. However, the ways in which such collaboration takes place is to date under researched. This paper uses an activity theory perspective to analyze the development activities of two communities within the virtual world of Second Life, based on data gathered using ethnographic methods. The study reveals (1) the complimentary and diverging practices utilized by these two different communities of practice, (2) the mediating function of various tools, rules, and work roles in collaborative development activities, (3) the tensions created in such activities and the manner in which users overcome these tensions

Editorial: Beyond the Factory Paradigm: Digital Nomadism and the Digital Future(s) of Knowledge Work Post-COVID-19

What are the potential futures of knowledge work, given its transformation into almost exclusively digital work during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis? Our ongoing research program on digital nomadism informs a Hegelian dialectical analysis and an envisioning of the future(s) of knowledge work. We contrast the Factory paradigm of work (thesis), exemplified by the “ideal type” of the 9-to-5 corporate worker, with the Hypermobility paradigm of work (antithesis), exemplified by the ideal type of the digital nomad. Reflecting on this contrast, we envision the possible digital futures of knowledge work as a continuous spectrum, ranging from a future based on the Digital Taylorism paradigm of work to a future based on the Worker Autonomy paradigm of work. These futures are discussed in terms of different approaches to organizing work, working with technology, delineating work/life boundaries, and provisioning the social safety net. IS researchers are uniquely positioned to perform research and inform decision-making in all these areas, and thus make a difference in determining whether the future we end up with more closely resembles Digital Taylorism or the Worker Autonomy vision

Beyond Bourdieu, Foucault and Habermas: Review and Assessment of Critical Information Systems Research

This paper presents a literature review of critical information systems (IS) research. Specifically, it focuses on how IS researchers have responded to Myers and Klein’s (2011) call to consider critical approaches and theorists in addition Bourdieu, Foucault and Habermas. The review identifies and discusses three types of critical IS research “beyond Bourdieu, Foucault and Habermas”: work based on a) (other) critical grand social theories, b) postcolonialism and c) data-focused critical methods (i.e., Capabilities Approach, Critical Discourse Analysis, Critical Heuristics and Design, Frame Analysis and Phronetic Enquiry). Based on the literature review, the paper maps the landscape of critical approaches and theories and identify their origins. This analysis is helpful for IS researchers interested in conducting critical IS research by charting the range of critical research approaches beyond Bourdieu, Foucault and Haberma

Digital Work and High-Tech Wanderers: Three Theoretical Framings and a Research Agenda for Digital Nomadism

This paper presents a literature review and conceptual development of digital nomadism. Digital nomadism is characterised by mobile workers indefinitely travelling between different locations while continually fulfilling their work obligations. The emerging literature on digital nomadism is fragmented and primarily focused on digital nomads’ lifestyles. There is comparatively less focus on theoretically framing digital nomadism into broader narratives in human history. In order to gain a holistic understanding, this paper reviews the limited literature on digital nomadism and expands to other relevant literatures on economy (e.g., traditional boundaries in business), culture (e.g., lifehacking), and technology (e.g., telework and digital communication). These three theoretical framings of digital nomadism enable this paper to identify the current state of knowledge relevant to digital nomadism and develop a research agenda

CC\u27s for the CIO (Core Competencies for the Chief Information Officer)

The role of the modern-day Chief Information Officer (CIO) is multi-faceted, dynamic, inherently pressured and complex, and one which requires a multidisciplinary knowledge and skill-set. As the executive charged with the responsibility of managing the fast changing and complex Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT) function, the modern-day CIO must possess and continually develop a wide range of diverse competencies. Today’s CIO is required to take a much broader role in the business, drive business transformation, innovate for competitive advantage and act as a key strategic partner within the wider organisation. This study reports preliminary findings from 30 Australian CIOs on the identification of core competencies and is part of a larger body of work leading to the development of a CIO Competency Framework - for use by both practitioners and researchers to help bridge the gap between practice and theory and aid in CIO succession planning

THE YIN-AND-YANG OF COLLABORATIVE CONSUMPTION DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF AMBIDEXTROUS IS CAPABILITIES AT GOGET CARSHARE

In this paper, we present a model of how ambidextrous IS capabilities enact the development and management of collaborative consumption platforms. Collaborative consumption in an increasingly digital economy is emergent, and fosters hyper-connections among human actors, organizations, and processes in the negotiating and sharing of goods and services. Despite this, existing literature does not provide actionable process models, nor does it meaningfully engage with the role of IS in understanding how collaborative consumption platforms create value. We present a study of GoGet, a car-sharing platform, service and community that has experienced significant growth over the past decade. Based on preliminary findings and drawing on IS capabilities as theoretical lens, we reveal a four-stage process model − minimizing, attaining, extending and optimizing − central to achieving a balance between growth and control objectives in a collaborative consumption ecosystem. Our ongoing study, which seeks to reveal a roadmap as to how IS capabilities facilitate this new mode of consumption, has implications for both theory and practice

Transforming the Recruitment Process: Examining the Implementation and Consequences of AI-Enabled Decision Making

In this short paper, we present the preliminary findings of a case study of an AI-enabled digital transformation in recruitment decision making. Drawing on the work of Bartunek and Moch’s (1987) framework of organisational change we report preliminary findings revealing that re-engineered digital processes must allow for recruiter expertise and knowledge to flourish within a framework that maintains their decision rights. Recruiters experience a negation of personal autonomy, fueling change resistance and role anxiety, ultimately impacting their adoption and the organisation’s ability to realise the intended benefits. Contrary to practitioner accounts and much commercially motivated vendor hype we find a gap between the promise and reality of applying AI-enabled decision-making, with important tensions and contradictions for recruiter practices and organisational level benefits attainment