Knowledge sharing as spontaneous order : on the emergence of strong and weak ties

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What is a Good Piece of Information Systems Research

Keywords: Epistemology, field formation, information systems research, paradigms, research fields

The Impact of Institutional Settings on Learning Behavior by Venture Capitalists and Start-Ups

Our paper reports research from the emerging institutional field of venture capitalists in Europe. In Europe venture capitalism began to emerge about ten years ago, and thus, in Europe the phenomenon has the characteristics of emergence and novelty, as a local in-dustry venture capitalists have yet to develop distinctive characteristics. The European countries do not constitute a homogeneous institutional environment, but must be per-ceived as different local settings, and thus, venture capitalism may evolve into different forms in the various parts of Europe. The objective is to understand if and how differen-ces in local institutional settings affect learning and adaptation by European venture ca-pitalists and start-ups, and thus, affect the processes of field formation. For example, it has been observed that institutional settings can facilitate or discourage learning from direct experience (Herriot et al., 1985). Thus, depending on the institutional settings venture capitalists and start-ups may rely on diffusion of experience in various degrees. Experiences can diffuse from the US, where venture capitalism as an entrepreneurial form evolved in Silicon Valley in the 1970s. In the US venture capitalists represent an institutionalized type of organization with formalized rules and standards, codified be-havior and roles (Suchman, 1995; Suchman et al., 2001). European venture capitalists and start-ups may imitate behavior and rules developed in Silicon Valley, and thus, a second research objective is to understand if and how US venture capitalism affect the evolvement of venture capitalism in Europe. We study the emergence of a venture capitalist industry in Denmark and Italy, and thus, by selecting two countries with distinctive differences in cultures and institutions, we study learning and adaptation by venture capitalists and start-ups in different institutio-nal settings. We suggest that venture capitalists and start-ups perceiving institutional settings as non venture-friendly are more likely to rely on learning by imitation than on trial-and-error learning

På Jagt efter Ledelse: Organisering af Viden i en Foranderlig og Usikker Verden

Omfanget og antallet af de industrier som kaldes high tech industrier vokser hele tiden. Et eksempel herpå er internetindustrien, som ikke var kendt for fire til fem år siden. Indenfor disse industrier oplever virksomhederne en konstant forøgelse af hastigheden hvormed deres omgivelser forandrer sig, samtidig med at stadig flere forandringer overrasker dem. Når omgivelserne forandrer sig må virksomhederne tilpasse sig, og når forandringerne kommer overraskende sker tilpasningen ofte gennem improvisation. Mange high tech industrier præges desuden af en udbredt firstcomers advantage. I sådanne omgivelser kan en virksomhed ikke blot lade andre virksomheder sætte agendaen. Den må også selv bidrage med overraskelser. Overraskelser skabes ikke gennem rationel planlægning, da sådan planlægning gør handlinger forudsigelige. Genuine overraskelser skabes i stedet gennem fjolleri. Improvisation og fjolleri kræver nye konstellationer af viden, og derfor er adgang til viden en kritisk succesfaktor i forbindelse med tilpasning til og skabelse af overraskelser. Behovet for viden gør vidensnetværk relevante og nødvendige når virksomheder improviserer og fjoller. Nærværende artikel analyserer og viser, hvordan forskellige typer af vidensnetværk fremmer henholdsvis hæmmer improvisation og fjolleri. I såvel problemidentifikationen som diskussionen illustreres der med eksempler fra den danske internetvirksomhed Fantastic Music Universe2

A new point of view in the IS reference discipline discussion

Information Systems scholars continuously debate about the nature of the IS discipline. Recently a series of articles have discussed whether the IS field has reached the status of a reference discipline. We address this issue by examining the application of the theory of sensemaking in IS research. Our findings show that the prospects for IS as a reference discipline are not promising. Based on these findings we suggest that IS scholars hallucinate when they a) assume that to become a 'real' academic discipline, IS has to become a reference discipline, and b) believe that IS will become a reference discipline in time. Hence, we describe the IS reference discipline discussion as a misconception, which should be abandoned in the pursuit of a stronger IS discipline. Academic legitimacy, information systems research, reference disciplines, theory application, theory of sensemakin

Venturekapitalisters sociale kapital

Iværksætteri i IT-branchen finder sted i markeder med intens konkurrence, lave indgangsbarrierer og hurtig teknologisk udvikling. Venturekapitalister er her vigtige finansielle aktører, men de senere års fokus på passiv versus aktiv kapital indikerer, at kapital ikke bare er kapital. Venturekapitalisters sociale kapital, altså deres adgang til viden, ressourcer og synlighed gennem sociale netværk har også betydning. Denne artikel fokuserer på netværk og vidensbehov i nye virksomheder, der udledes antagelser om, hvordan netværk kan støtte iværksættere, og antagelserne undersøges i et casestudie i en af Danmarks største IT-ventuekapitalister og syv tilknyttede porteføljeselskaber. Konklusionen er, at venturekapitalister er mere end pengemaskiner, og tager iværksættere dette med i overvejelsen når der søges venturekapital, forsøges sandsynligheden for succes

Climate Change and COP26: Are Digital Technologies and Information Management Part of the Problem or the Solution? An Editorial Reflection and Call to Action

The UN COP26 2021 conference on climate change offers the chance for world leaders to take action and make urgent and meaningful commitments to reducing emissions and limit global temperatures to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels by 2050. Whilst the political aspects and subsequent ramifications of these fundamental and critical decisions cannot be underestimated, there exists a technical perspective where digital and IS technology has a role to play in the monitoring of potential solutions, but also an integral element of climate change solutions. We explore these aspects in this editorial article, offering a comprehensive opinion based insight to a multitude of diverse viewpoints that look at the many challenges through a technology lens. It is widely recognized that technology in all its forms, is an important and integral element of the solution, but industry and wider society also view technology as being part of the problem. Increasingly, researchers are referencing the importance of responsible digitalization to eliminate the significant levels of e-waste. The reality is that technology is an integral component of the global efforts to get to net zero, however, its adoption requires pragmatic tradeoffs as we transition from current behaviors to a more climate friendly society

Climate change and COP26: Are digital technologies and information management part of the problem or the solution? An editorial reflection and call to action

The UN COP26 2021 conference on climate change offers the chance for world leaders to take action and make urgent and meaningful commitments to reducing emissions and limit global temperatures to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels by 2050. Whilst the political aspects and subsequent ramifications of these fundamental and critical decisions cannot be underestimated, there exists a technical perspective where digital and IS technology has a role to play in the monitoring of potential solutions, but also an integral element of climate change solutions. We explore these aspects in this editorial article, offering a comprehensive opinion based insight to a multitude of diverse viewpoints that look at the many challenges through a technology lens. It is widely recognized that technology in all its forms, is an important and integral element of the solution, but industry and wider society also view technology as being part of the problem. Increasingly, researchers are referencing the importance of responsible digitalization to eliminate the significant levels of e-waste. The reality is that technology is an integral component of the global efforts to get to net zero, however, its adoption requires pragmatic tradeoffs as we transition from current behaviors to a more climate friendly society.</p

What is a Good Piece of Information Systems Research

NoneEpistemology; field formation; information systems research; paradigms; research fields