Industry-Academia Interaction: Key to IT Relevance

Much of the discussion on the relevance of IS academic research to industry tends to take sides. I propose that it would be more constructive if the interaction with industry is recognized and nurtured. I suggest that to stay up to date, IS professors and doctoral students should actively interact with the industry and also encourage industry professionals to collaborate with IS academic programs

Does Information Technology Investment Influences Firm’s Market Value? The Case of Non-Publicly Traded Healthcare Firms

Managers make informed information technology investment decisions when they are able to quantify how IT contributes to firm performance. While financial accounting measures inform IT’s influence on retrospective firm performance, senior managers expect evidence of how IT influences prospective measures such as the firm’s market value. We examine the efficacy of IT’s influence on firm value combined with measures of financial performance for non-publicly traded (NPT) hospitals that lack conventional market-based measures. We gathered actual sale transactions for NPT hospitals in the United States to derive the q ratio, a measure of market value. Our findings indicate that the influence of IT investment on the firm is more pronounced and statistically significant on firm value than exclusively on the accounting performance measures. Specifically, we find that the impact of IT investment is not significant on return on assets (ROA) and operating income for the same set of hospitals. This research note contributes to research and practice by demonstrating that the overall impact of IT is better understood when accounting measures are complemented with the firm’s market value. Such market valuation is also critical in merger and acquisition decisions, an activity that is likely to accelerate in the healthcare industry. Our findings provide hospitals, as well as other NPT firms, with insights into the impact of IT investment and a pragmatic approach to demonstrating IT’s contribution to firm value

Cybersecurity in Contemporary Organizations: A leadership challenge

This paper addresses narrowing the gap between business executives and cybersecurity technologists for cybersecurity preparedness within organizations. Without a common understanding of cybersecurity risks, organizations become vulnerable to data breaches. To manage cybersecurity effectively, leaders must stay informed about evolving threats and adopt a proactive approach. We draw upon interviews with senior business and cybersecurity executives and propose three action items to narrow the gap -- engage with cybersecurity professionals, establish cyber governance, and counter social engineering, which will prepare organizations to protect against cyber threats and become resilient when a cyber breach occurs

Roadblocks to Implementing Modern Digital Infrastructure: Exploratory Study of API Deployment in Large Organizations

Application programming interfaces (APIs) are an important component of digital infrastructure. Extensively employed in diverse industries, APIs are a boundary resource that enables new business models, enhances efficiency, and generates new sources of revenue. As little is known about how organizations deploy APIs, we conducted an exploratory examination of organizational deployment challenges of this important component of digital infrastructure. Analysis of semi-structured interview data collected within two large organizations reveals managerial challenges involving data, incentives, shared knowledge, and supplier management. Overall, our study contributes to knowledge about boundary resources while informing management practice concerning this emergent business imperative in the fourth industrial revolution

Research Exchange - January 12, 2021 Innovations at CAIS with Fred Niederman and Rajiv Kohli

This is a recording of the AIS Research Exchange Innovations at CAIS with Fred Niederman that is hosted by AIS VP Publications Rajiv Kohli

Business Value of IT: An Essay on Expanding Research Directions to Keep up with the Times

Much of the work on the business value of IT has examined relationships between IT inputs and economic outcomes of the firm. Yet, business executives and researchers continue to question the value of IT investments. We argue that while the current trajectory of research in this important area is useful, it is limited. In order to address the evolving nature of IT and the novel contexts in which it is being exploited, we must create a discontinuity in our thinking of how IT value should be studied. After summarizing what we have learned thus far, we discuss key new research themes that must be addressed if IT is to be demonstrably relevant. Further, we identify specific research thrusts, areas for theoretical development, and research questions on IT-based value that must be included in our research agenda for the future. We conclude by challenging IT researchers to consider the consequences of status quo research themes versus an expanded set of research questions